THE DFO portfolio is an important component of the Vicinity Shopping Centre mix and was recently classified internally into the “premium shopping centre” suite alongside Chadstone and the QVB due to its ability to generate above average returns.
Vicinity wanted to really reconsider what the food proposition in a Direct Factory Outlet centre could be.
Traditionally, the food offer within these outlet centres has focussed on a smattering of local fast food operators delivering an old-fashioned format. Up until now food was not seen as an important part of the DFO experience but with the chance to build a greenfield DFO in Perth, Vicinity took the chance to engage B&P to develop a strategic F&B response.
Having proven our value to increasing F&B performance at several key Vicinity Regional Shopping Centre re-developments, their team was keen to have us involved in the greenfield Perth DFO site and they have not been disappointed.
What B&P was able to distill and identify was the fact that a DFO shopper has a completely different F&B profile than a typical Australian Shopping Centre customer. B&P proved that by considering the significant variations between age, sex, group composition and length of shop, that current DFO centres across Australia were not presenting an F&B offer congruent to the customer.
B&P doubled the amount of F&B per visitor than at any other Factory Outlet Centre and developed a more leisure based licensed dining concept to provide a compelling reason for customers to stay in centre longer and enjoy a full day out – with plenty of on trend food experiences to celebrate the “savings” made from customer’s fashion shop and a well-constructed distribution of food across the Centre.
Importantly, B&P diagnostic tools played an important role in crafting an appropriate place-making strategy to resonate with the customers and also fast-tracked the leasing team with a laser focus on the highest and best use target tenants.
The Centre performance since opening in October 2018 has been beyond expectations with F&B engagement and spend the highest per customer of any DFO in the Vicinity portfolio.
Vicinity Centres
Vicinity Centres; Perth Airport
