Luxury Coles Local dessert station sparks frenzy

Chances are youve never been to a supermarket like this before. Video of the new Coles Local supermarkets have been doing the rounds on social media after shoppers shared clips of the luxer-than-life stores on TikTok.
Shoppers have been in a frenzy over the stores’ mochi dessert station, with some even vowing to fly to Melbourne to try out the fancy new offering.
Described as the “literally the most bougie Coles I have seen”, two of the new boutique stores opened in Melbourne’s Surrey Hills and Glenferrie earlier this year.
Sydney’s first Coles Local in Rose Bay opened its doors today.
The new supermarkets are definitely not your average Coles and come equipped with a pasta station, fresh orange juicer and bread slicing machine.
There’s also a candy bar that you can bribe your little ones (or significant other) with, as well as a mochi, macaron and gelato station.
Best of all, you can pick up a hot coffee to sip on as you shop, which will fit perfectly into the cup holder on your sleek black Coles Local-branded trolleys.
Nothing is considered too OTT in these stores – you can even pick up bespoke mix of doggie treats for your good boy at home.
TikTok videos of the Glenferrie Coles Local have been viewed nearly 830,000 times on TikTok as well as racking up thousands of shares.
Melbourne student Mercedes McLean – who posted the first TikTok video – said she saw extra precautions being taken to prevent the stores from being a “coronahazard”.
“From what I saw there are disposable gloves for you to wear when using the tongs and the workers are always wiping everything down,” she wrote in response to one commenter’s question.
The “so fancy” stores got a tick of approval from other shoppers, with one person commenting: “I literally travelled an hour to go there the other day. Def worth it!”
Customers were most excited about the fact that the new supermarkets had a mochi station, with one person swearing they would be making a trip to Melbourne especially for the Japanese ice cream treat when lockdown lifted.
“All right we’re moving to Melbourne, just for the mochi station,” one person wrote, while another added: “Oh my god, a freaking MOCHI STAND?”
“THIS IS MY WORKPLACE! It’s honestly the best store ever,” another wrote, while one person added: “They had me at the pasta bar.”
“Coles better up their game in all their stores now,” one person also wrote, while another said: “Next outing just literally want to go to this fancy Coles.”
According to Coles CEO Steven Cain, the new store format was designed with locals in mind.
Sydney’s new store was based on research into the Rose Bay community’s grocery shopping preference.
As a result, the Rose Bay branch has 350 ready-to-eat products, more than 400 kosher products and the largest plant-based range of any Coles supermarket in NSW.
“Customers want us to make their lives easier and this store offers our customers the convenience of a supermarket with the range of a specialty store,” Mr Cain said.
Now I never thought I’d say this, but who’s excited to do some grocery shopping?