Salling Group × Fjord
Transforming Denmark's largest grocery chain for digital-first shoppers
2021
Salling Group × Fjord × Accenture
Role: Design Lead for service design, product development, and platform architecture. Led a team of 5 designers collaborating with product and engineering teams
The Challenge
When COVID-19 struck Denmark in 2020, føtex confronted an urgent transformation need. As one of Denmark's largest retailers operating over 600 stores with 50,000 employees, the company faced pressure to rapidly convert its 60-year-old physical retail model into a digital-first operation. The core imperative was ensuring essential services remained accessible to all Danes during unprecedented circumstances.
Beyond conversion
We discovered that digital grocery shopping encompasses multiple distinct behaviors rather than a single unified pattern. Some customers methodically search for specific products, while others browse exploratively. Purchase behaviors vary from weekly stock-up shopping to last-minute ingredient needs. This insight informed the development of two distinct yet interconnected interaction models, enabling the platform to accommodate the customer's shopping mindset rather than imposing a standardized approach.
An omni-channel solution
Shopping occurs across diverse contexts—morning commutes, lunch breaks, evening browsing at home. We built a comprehensive omni-channel solution where experiences flexed seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices while preserving brand consistency. Each interface optimized for its specific context, yet all maintained føtex's unified identity.
Engineering impact
Technical implementation extended beyond basic e-commerce functionality. The platform integrated a recipe universe featuring intelligent sustainability scoring, empowering customers to make environmentally conscious selections. The backend managed complex inventory logistics spanning hundreds of store locations while the frontend delivered effortless product browsing across thousands of items.
Where we landed
The project scope transcended the digital interface alone, encompassing fulfillment operations, delivery logistics, and comprehensive service design. This ensured end-to-end experiences matched quality standards Danish customers anticipated from føtex. The platform managed thousands of daily transactions across Denmark, demonstrating that digital transformation needn't sacrifice the human-centered service that established føtex's 60-year success—it simply extended that experience to customers wherever needed.
Note: The delivery service was discontinued due to operational challenges in 2023.
Note: The delivery service was discontinued due to operational challenges in 2023.
