Name: Northform
Price range: $

No Frills

Following the successful redesign and launch of Loblaws at the iconic Maple Leaf Garden in November 2011, we were engaged to do the same for Canada’s favourite discount brand, No Frills. The first store of this new look opened to the public in April 2013 in Stratford Ontario and our design for this dynamic business continues to roll out across Canada.

"A richly layered urban retail environment with integrated planning, interior architecture and branding that creates a dynamic city place of broad functional, economic and meaningful value."

Stephen Jones, World Architecture News Judge

No Frills

The brief was to completely refresh and redesign the business, retaining the existing customer base whilst also attracting a wider savvier audience. To do this the design needed to more clearly represent No Frills’ core value proposition by better representing their expertise in fresh and communicate their core brand attributes as a simple, honest local value for money grocer.

Conscious of the demands of today’s savvy customer, we reviewed every aspect of the brand. This involved a redesign of the whole trading format, including trading identity, interiors, all in store communications, packaging and staff uniforms.

The fresh hall has been better defined by the introduction of a "palette" wall and much warmer lighting hung from a new ceiling raft. Daily specials once advertised only above the check outs have now been integrated into departmental signage. Better signage also helps the customer at multiple points throughout the store journey. This aligned with warmer wall finishes of the corporate yellow and timber slows and makes the journey more enjoyable. The results have been demonstrated by the customer voting with an increased frequency of visit and spend.

Our design for No Frills continues to roll-out across Canada.