If Chinatowns are an integral part of any city for overseas Chinese, then Jenny Lou's supermarket, one of the most popular grocery chains in China, is definitely a must-go for expats in Beijing.

As a supermarket brand with a good range of imported cheeses, ready-made meals, cereals, fresh milk, alcohol and bread, Jenny Lou's has been a pioneer in the industry thanks to its Western-style shelving arrangement, full preparation of "exotic" commodities and better service.

But being a pioneer is not an easy task. Jenny Lou's has upgraded itself, launching the sub-brand Jenny Lou's Green this year. By integrating coffees, light meals and leisure into shopping, Jenny Lou's Green is determined to stir up a new wave of green lifestyles in Beijing.

On Oct 28, Jenny Lou's supermarket held its 25th anniversary event at the Jenny Lou's Green, welcoming all the guests for their support and love. 

Humble beginnings

The story behind Jenny Lou's is a remarkable tale of how a mom-and-pop store turned to a supermarket star over the past two decades.

Before Lu Xudong and Wang Jianping, founders of Jenny Lou's, opened the first store in 1993, the couple sold fruits and vegetables from a market stall at the Sanlitun neighborhood in Beijing for over four years.

Adjacent to embassy districts, Sanlitun is a gathering place for foreigners. At that time, overcharging was common among storekeepers as foreigners took up a large part of customer base — but the couple was an exception.

They believed, and still do, that honesty is a basic principle in doing business, and attribute the success of Jenny Lou's to catering to customers' needs and an attention to detail. "The customers are our bread and butter. They will treat you the way you treat them," Lu said.

As the market evolved and customer demands soared, the couple finally opened a small chain store at the end of 1993, marking the birth of the Jenny Lou's brand.

At first, the store's main business was fresh food, leaving little room for customers to choose other commodities. After getting suggestions from regular customers, they decided to adjust the business strategy, turning into a supermarket that includes fresh and imported food.

Targeting expats, Lu also arranged the shelving in a manner familiar to foreigners, and kept an eye on foreign customers' shopping preferences.

"Many foreign people often say shopping at Jenny Lou's gives an illusion of shopping in their own homeland, which really pleases me," Lu said, adding word-of-mouth effect played a significant role in Jenny Lou's initial stage.

"Day by day, Jenny Lou's brand gained momentum, and a growing number of suppliers from both home and abroad have contacted me and expressed their willingness to work with me," Lu said with a laugh.

Rich global supplier resources have always been a core advantage for Jenny Lou's in China's high-end supermarket industry. It is no exaggeration to say many emerging competitors will pay a visit to Jenny Lou's and thoroughly study the brand's business model, product categories and shelving arrangements before opening their own stores.

So far, nine branches occupy Beijing's business circles or upscale neighborhoods, welcoming customers from all walks of life.

Embrace green lifestyle

"Refined and delicious foods can bring a profound sense of joy and contentment, but for some, a relaxing shopping environment is enough to bring instant gratification," says Lu Qi, son of Lu Xudong and Wang Jianping.

After returning from study in the US, the 25-year-old now works as the general manager of the Jenny Lou's brand. In his view, supermarkets in the future, will be more a shopping places. Instead, they will embrace modern lifestyles and offer more services to customers.

As a result, he put forward the concept of "Jenny Lou's Green" the moment he got involved in the family business, and will finally apply theory to practice this year.

Walking into the supermarket, customers will feel they have entered a whole new world. In addition to a variety of imported and fresh goods, Jenny Lou's Green will also house wine-and-liquor-tasting and bread baking centers inside the supermarket.

"Jenny Lou's Green promotes a green lifestyle, so most goods on the shelves are selected and conducive to customers' health, echoing Jenny Lou's slogan, 'Best food available to consumers,'" Lu Qi said. "Also, the design of Jenny Lou's Green is clear. Namely, I want to make customers feel at ease. You can take some snacks here, do mobile work, chat with friends or just enjoy a cup of coffee, made with fine Arabica coffee beans."

Looking to the future, Lu Qi has other ideas. "In the next few years, Jenny Lou's will build three sub-brands. In addition to Jenny Lou's Green, Jenny Lou's Express and Jenny Lou's Lifestyle will be launched in turn," Lu Qi said.

"The former is a select store with smaller size and flexible location. Jenny Lou's Express is aimed at getting in touch with more communities in Beijing; the latter will integrate itself into a comprehensive leisure zone for customers to enjoy their day. From eating, drinking and playing, as well as attending interesting courses like cooking and wine tasting, all you can imagine will be available."

Jenny Lou's stores have often been known as shopping paradises for foreigners. However, as more and more Chinese people pursue higher living standards, the proportion of Chinese guests has exceeded that of foreigners in some branches.

"Our brand is now attracting a larger number of Chinese customers, which really pleases me. In the past, we only offered advice or services when customers asked, but now we take the initiative. In the future, I am also considering exploring some high-quality domestic goods, allowing them to win the favor of foreigners via the shelves of Jenny Lou's."