The Food Scout

On a recent trip to Los Angeles I had a chance to experience firsthand the British invasion on the West Coast that started last November in the form of Tesco’s Fresh & Easy grocery concept (See “The British are Coming”). I also had a chance to experience a quiet American-led counter-revolution being waged by Starbucks that actually, possibly unintentionally, is aimed right at the market that Tesco hopes to exploit.

First, Fresh & Easy. Well, to be honest, after an initial case of goosebumps as I entered the produce section (where photogenic fruits & vegetables were individually wrapped and showcased like gourmet chocolates), I was disappointed. Yes, there was an impressive collection of pre-packaged upscale cheeses that I couldn’t resist buying, and there is a novel refrigerated dessert area with custards and parfaits that reminded me of the Mother The so-called fresh-prepared meals section was small and weak.