Sushi chefs. Wine experts. Drive-thru pharmacies. With all the competition to give shoppers the best value for their money, people have come to expect a lot from today’s supermarkets.

Still, none have seen what a S.C.-based company is about to do.

On April 3, Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. will introduce the nation’s first completely restructured grocery store model designed to fit how people intuitively shop. It’s a big leap, but store owners and designers believe it could have a big impact on the industry – especially now that record-high food prices and soaring energy costs are forcing companies to find new and inventive ways to lure discerning customers.

New distribution systems, state-of-the-art refrigeration systems, the latest energy-saving technologies….for the first time ever, all these have been used to design a new prototype that makes shopping easy. Rather than placing food staples around the building’s perimeter – a common tactic used to get customers to stay longer and spend more money – this one uses advanced technologies to arrange them in a flowing, intuitive manner. Features include:

• Groupings of like items -- cereal and milk; fresh, frozen and canned versions of the same vegetables and fruit; coffee and creamer -- eliminating the need to search five aisles to get ingredients for one meal

• A large, open kitchen as the focal point, where guests can watch chefs prepare meals

• One-stop stations where items like ground beef, hamburger buns, chips and beer are arranged together for complete meal solutions

• Special stations where as many as two months’ worth of oven-ready meals can be prepared

• A layout designed to feel like home, with modern décor, wood flooring and soft lighting

While many food retailers have introduced cosmetic changes and specialty features, this is the first store recreated from the ground up. Its creators – including a national design firm specializing in grocery retail – expect it to change the industry model that’s been in place throughout the country for more than 50 years.

The pilot model will serve tourists and locals in Myrtle Beach to gauge response for duplication. In the meantime, several features are likely to make their way into stores in Piggly Wiggly’s other markets.

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