As Nature Intended (ANI) is a multi-award-winning high street independent retailer specialising in organic, locally sourced, free-from food as well as superfoods and natural health and beauty.
We delivered several stores for ANI at Westfield Shopping Centre, Spitalfields, Marble Arch, Chiswick High Street & Balham.
Much has been written about the death of the high street and the relentless growth of the discount food chains. In contrast, there is an emerging demand for a retail experience that integrates with our lifestyle rather than our pockets. ANI takes an approach that targets the third of the UK population, looking at ways to increase footfall, enhance customer experience whilst reducing overheads, maximising space and developing brand recognition to add value to their business.
The brand cleverly aligns itself with the aspirations of Generation X and Y consumers who value the importance of authenticity in their buying decisions. Both want something that will bring value to their lives and actively seek out brands that they can identify with their own personal values.
K2’s approach to persuading affluent Generation X/Y-r’s to shop at ANI necessitated the creation of a subliminal narrative that needed no obvious explanation. Spaces were opened, and signage stripped back to allow the environment to speak for itself, to give consumers the freedom to determine their own personal choices. The brand is all about health and wellbeing, with organically sourced products arranged into two categories – food and beauty. They also have an extensive natural remedies department, offering supplements and skincare, with expert advice on hand to support individuals’ health goals. Subtle shifts in materials, articulation of space and lighting help to discriminate and integrate products as consumers move through the space.
Straightforward materials were selected that aligned with consumers’ philosophies of authenticity, which, for the customer, is rooted in the traditional high street of the butcher, baker, greengrocer and chemist. Ceramic tiles, whitewashed roughcast brickwork, stripped back floors are augmented with bric-a-brac sourced from local flea markets and eBay, hark back to a time when shoppers were less cynical, and the retail experience seemed a more authentic expression of one’s desires. Organic materials, alongside CNC (Computer Numerical Control) routers and milling machines, gave ultra-high precision and a consistently high-end finish.
Each store was an evolution from the last, developing the employers’ requirements and enhancing the customer experience and journey. There is no doubt that ANI is striking a chord with shoppers who value lifestyle over budget. In 2020, Planet Organic acquired the As Nature Intended brand and stores, combining their London-focused organic retail chains to form one of the UK’s largest specialist organic grocery chains.
