Julian Graves draws on Experience to woo young

Specialist food retailer Julian Graves is to launch a new concept store next month, which it hopes will broaden its appeal to younger customers and could be used to launch the company into central London.

The new store, to open in Princes Mall in Edinburgh, will be called JG Experience. It will be aimed more towards the snack market than Julian Graves' traditional home cooking bias.

Chief executive Nick Shutts said: 'We wanted to perfect a concept that would work in central London before we go there. It's a test model, but is also the kind of store we think will appeal in railway stations and airports.'

Julian Graves' traditional stores appeal to a 50-plus market, but Shutts said the new store will appeal to a younger customer. The black-and-silver store will be divided into experience areas, such as Hawaiian, Caribbean, Indian and Eastern, where relevant product will be grouped.

Shutts said the new design will also discourage health food retailer comparisons. 'We're desperate not to be pigeonholed as health food retailers.

This gets us to the image of 'a bit of what you fancy',' he said.

Julian Graves has opened 50 stores this year and now has 162. It is aiming for a turnover of£30 million by next year. The retailer had been seeking additional funding to finance the exit of joint shareholder Nigel Morris, who holds a 40 per cent stake. However, he is now staying with the business.