revolves around a core belief that “the healthier you are, the happier you will be”. This is definitely not like a lot of health food concepts that make you suffer for the gain. The food and drink menu seems to have been created by a chef who really knows his or her stuff and actually tasted the food. They’re clever creations for all meals and every one of them has a kilojoule count, so that you can stick within your daily limits. They even include ingredients you recognise and desire – including real meat! The environment is crisp and contemporary with an open kitchen and bar and table service. In this era of ‘glassbox brands’, everything is transparent and published on their website so you can see who they are, what they believe and what is available. They don’t try to be cheap but they’re not expensive, either. It’s good value to the customer and healthy margins for the business. To cap it all off, the staff epitomise their core beliefs. They are all happy, healthy and friendly people who want to make sure you get the outcome you desire. Every aspect of this concept reinforces and strengthens the overall customer experience. It’s a lesson in what can be achieved with focus, discipline and creative flair – the cornerstones of retail that have been overlooked in recent times by retailers who are more like financial managers than real merchants. Stand out from the pack While we all acknowledge that there are no guarantees in retail, a strong idea executed with passion and discipline has a better chance than most of being successful. There are simply too many retailers today that are no more than poor imitations of other people’s concepts managed by numbers rather than the integrity of an idea. At its heart, this is what physical retail needs to re-embrace quickly. Retail has historically been populated by great merchants – people who have inspirational ideas about how they can make their customers lives better. They attract a zealot-like ‘cult’ of people around them who are passionate about helping their leaders become successful by selling those ideas to customers every day. Great retail is not about ripping off someone else’s intellectual property with the sole differentiator being an attempt at lowest cost of doing business. There will always someone who can come along and do something cheaper. Cheap has no integrity other than being cheap. Health Freak Café is a shining example of what retail can and must do to generate success through passion. And heaven knows we could all do with more passion in our lives right now. Peter James Ryan is a retail expert and head of Red Communication. 02 9481 7215 or peter@redcommunication.com.