The Veritas store on Mandri street in Barcelona is not just another store. It is an iconic establishment for the pioneering chain in the sale of organic products, as it was the brand's second point of sale and the first to have a large sales room of 800 square meters. Twenty years after its opening, the store has been reborn and once again sets the standard for the entire group, because after undergoing a profound renovation, it is launching an innovative experiential shopping model that leaves no customer indifferent.
If one approaches the renovated establishment, they will see how it has been completely transformed. Its luminosity and an order and arrangement of food that invites one to enjoy the shopping experience, which, far from being stressful, can even be relaxing thanks to the multiple facilities offered by the store ---orders can be placed with the fishmonger or butcher via Whatsapp--- and personalized attention in each of the sections. This omnichannel approach is complemented by home delivery services, collection of online orders (click & collect), and the possibility of shopping in the store through the Glovo, Ulabox, and Deliberry platforms.
"Coinciding with Veritas' 20th anniversary, we have carried out this renovation with the aim of maintaining our commitment to offering organic food and promoting a healthier lifestyle through a wide variety of products for all people and in their daily lives, with a much more comfortable shopping experience. The entire renovation revolves around the customer, their comfort, and their personalized attention; that is what we want to convey with this major remodeling of one of our most emblematic locations," says Roger Ripoll, Director of Customer Experience at Veritas.
"The entire renovation revolves around the customer, their comfort, and their personalized attention; that is what we want to convey with this major remodeling of one of our most emblematic locations"The update of the point of sale, where 21 people work, has been carried out under criteria of sustainability and energy efficiency, and incorporates the Veritas Pure Air system, which allows the air to be decontaminated from pollen, bacteria, viruses and polluting gases. This cleanliness contributes to creating a Zen atmosphere that, in the case of Mandri, is maximized by the tone of the lighting used and by the new graphic and visual line that has been implemented. In addition, the supermarket has opened up to the outside, as the different sections are now visible from the street after the vinyls that previously covered the windows have been removed.
The new circuit designed for shopping gives maximum prominence to the fresh produce section, with a careful arrangement of organic fruit and vegetables, displayed in wooden boxes and in small quantities so that the product is always optimal. A stand dedicated to the sale of zero-kilometer vegetables stands out: every day, several farmers from El Prat and other municipalities of Baix Llobregat bring to the store a selection of organic vegetables that they have picked that same morning and that varies depending on the season.
BEAUTY&CARE, AN OASIS FOR PERSONAL CARE
One of the main icons of the new Veritas de Mandri is the Beauty&Care area, a totally pioneering space within the distribution sector that has an assortment of more than 800 references in organic perfumery and cosmetics and nutritional supplements, also with organic certification. Decorated differently from the rest of the store ---even the background music changes---, the cosmetics and personal care area is assisted by two specialists who will advise customers on choosing the best product free of pesticides, parabens, preservatives, colorants or petroleum derivatives.
Shampoos, make-up, moisturizing creams, essential oils, natural exfoliants, sunscreens... the list of references offered by the new Veritas de Mandri is very long, where emerging items, increasingly sought after by consumers concerned about not generating waste, such as solid shampoos, conditioners or toothpastes, can also be found. Another option is to opt for brands that apply the circular economy, such as RRR'biocosmetics, which uses returnable aluminum containers.
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In this concern to minimize the generation of packaging, Veritas has also chosen to launch its own reuse system: Infinite Lives. For now, in the Mandri store, it is possible to buy four types of organic shampoos and shower gels in refillable aluminum containers in bulk. In the first purchase, you pay 6.5 euros and then the price drops to 3.95 euros for each refill; the tenth one is free. Mandri has always been a testing ground for the development of new concepts that later spread to the rest of the chain. To publicize all these offers in organic cosmetics and beauty, the store will periodically hold the so-called Beauty Parties, demonstration sessions of the different brands that are for sale.
In addition to the Infinite Lives system and the Beauty&Care area, Mandri also introduces the SiVeritas concept, a new gourmet section with more than 180 high-end products from leading brands in the food sector, as always, 100% organic. The assortment of organic wines displayed in the cellar area is also very extensive.
BUTCHER SHOP, BAKERY AND ALSO FISHMONGER
Along with the extensive assortment of packaged organic foods, another strong point of the renovated establishment is the larger space dedicated to the sale of refrigerated prepared dishes, a fast-growing segment that has led Veritas to develop its own range of products under the brand Cuina Veritas. These are ready-to-eat dishes made by hand in the company's central kitchen with 100% organic foods, without preservatives or additives.
The store is one of the few in the chain that, in addition to a butcher shop and bakery, also has a fishmonger. It is a self-managed stop focused on the sale of fresh fish of the day from the different fish markets on the Catalan coast. No preservatives or sulfites are used, and exclusive products such as fresh bluefin tuna from the Balfegó brand can also be found.
In the butcher shop, the organic veal from La Pobla de Segur stands out, as well as the extensive offer of meat products made in the same store. The bakery-cafeteria is another reference in Mandri and, unlike the rest of the establishment, it also opens on Sunday mornings as it has its own access door. Veritas was a pioneer in the production of its own organic sourdough bread, which it currently makes in a workshop located in its logistics and production complex in Lliçà d'Amunt.
To avoid inconveniences in the sales room, Veritas has enabled a collection point for online purchases in an adjoining premises, with the ease of being able to park for a moment to load the order into the car. The click and collect shopping service allows you to pick up your order in less than 3 hours, without additional charges.