An enormous Korean supermarket, Oseyo, is ready to open the doors to shoppers in the Manchester Arndale tomorrow.
The 13,000 sq ft Asian superstore is Oseyo’s largest in the UK to date, taking over the old H&M site inside the city centre.
For its official launch tomorrow (Saturday 20 July), they’ll be giving away 500 free VIP tote bags to the first customers through the doors from 11am.
Each tote bag will be stuffed with the biggest, most popular and most viral products from across Korea.
The Manc has snuck in today for an early look at the new Oseyo Manchester store, and the huge space has been decorated beautifully with bright lights and curved natural wooden ceilings.
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As well as stocking some of the biggest Korean food brands, the new shop has a bakery section, Korean ice cups, cosmetics, ceramics, toys, stationery, and even a photobooth with two different themed rooms.
Oseyo, which translates as ‘Welcome’, is already a well-known name in Manchester, thanks to its successful Oxford Road store which opened in 2019.
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This new location is the largest Asian supermarket in the north, and five times the size of its existing location across town.
Oseyo Manchester has aisles packed with Korean food and drink. Credit: The Manc GroupOseyo stocks viral products like Pokemon soft drinks Credit: The Manc Group
Inside the massive new superstore, shoppers will find brands of noodles, dumplings, dried seaweed and veg, snacks, powder and mixes, sauces and spices, tea, rice and grains, plus drinks including Rice Wine and Soju in original and flavoured variations and non-alcoholic beverages.
You’ll be able to shop popular Korean brands like Bibigo Mandu Dumplings, Samyang Spicy Noodles, Melona Ice Pops (honeydew/ coconut & mango ice creams), KSD Rice Wine, Hitejinro Soju, Lotte Milkis, and Jongga Kimchi.
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There’ll also be a chilled and frozen section with exotic vegetables, Korean-style BBQ cuts, and prepared side dishes.
In the Korean bakery you’ll be able to buy everything from fresh Pandan Cake to viral mango pancakes, as well as Red Bean Buns (Dahn Paht Jjinppang), and Baked Custard Bread (Cream Pan).
Kewpie mayo in Oseyo Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupThe photobooth at Oseyo. Credit: The Manc GroupPopular ice cups, where you buy the cup of ice then add your own soda, at Oseyo. Credit: The Manc Group
Another viral product available at the new Oseyo Manchester store will be Korean ice cups, where you purchase a cup of ice from the freezer then add in whatever flavoured drink you fancy.
Beyond the food, you’ll be able to pick up Cuckoo electric rice cookers, Korean cosmetics and facemasks, and Korean ceramics, including rice bowls, dipping bowls and dishes.
ARTBOX, famed Korean toy and stationery supplier, will also be stocked in one of the UK’s largest selections packed with everything from character goods, such as Sanrio and BT21, to homeware and kitchenware like blankets, chopsticks and mugs, plus K-pop themed socks.
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The superstore will have ‘Oseyo Snaps’, a Korean photobooth with viral customisable, editable and printable takeaway pictures available across two themes – Gangnam Nightclub and Hongdae Café.
Isaac Kweon from Oseyo said: “We’ve received lots of love and support with our existing store in Manchester. The Oseyo team is pulling out all the stops for this megastore in the Arndale, it will definitely be a must-visit destination for all Mancunians.
Oseyo in Manchester Arndale is the brand’s biggest UK store to date. Credit: The Manc GroupOseyo in Manchester Arndale opens tomorrow. Credit: The Manc Group
“Korean foods are in high demand, particularly with the rise of Asian cooking driven through the TikTok generation. In Manchester, there is certainly a demand for an Asian supermarket of this size. The variety of products within our Arndale store is unmatched.
“We anticipate trending foods including Korean ice cup drinks, mango pancakes, and famed, Samyang Carbonara Noodles, will pull in customers from across the North and beyond.”
David Allinson, Centre Director at Manchester Arndale, said: “We are really excited to welcome Oseyo to Manchester Arndale as we know it will be a major hit with our shoppers. We place great importance on creating an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants to cater for Manchester’s diverse tastes, so Oseyo is a great addition to our lineup.”
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Doors open at 11am on Saturday 20 July, with Oseyo management encouraging Mancunians to get down before 9am with customer queues expected out the doors for the store’s grand opening.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers
Emily Sergeant
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ for autistic and neurodiverse customers shopping in its stores across the UK.
Supermarket shopping isn’t always the most pleasant or manageable of experiences for everyone, especially for those who are autistic or neurodivergent – with bright lights, loud sounds, strong smells, and crowds of people making it a rather overwhelming and overstimulating atmosphere.
This is why Morrisons has decided to collaborate with the National Autistic Society to introduce dedicated ‘Sensory Support Boxes’ at its stores nationwide, as a way to both mark World Autism Acceptance Month, and help autistic and neurodivergent customers have the positive shopping experience they deserve.
These boxes have been carefully-developed in consultation with the National Autistic Society to ensure they include the most helpful items.
A range of toys like fidget balls, spinners, and squish mats can all be found inside the boxes – which will be eventually be available in all 500 Morrisons supermarkets by May – to help encourage calmness and focus.
All that customers wishing to access the items need to do is simply speak to a colleague at the customer service kiosk of their local Morrisons store.
More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers / Credit: Morrisons
Speaking on the decision to introduce the Sensory Support Boxes into UK stores, Joseph Clark-Bland, who is the Community Manager at Morrisons, said: “It’s a priority for us to ensure all Morrisons customers feel welcomed and understood.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in creating a more inclusive shopping environment for autistic people, their families and all neurodivergent people across the UK.
“World Autism Acceptance Month has been a key moment for Morrisons for many years, and we look forward to supporting even more customers via our new Sensory Boxes.”
The introduction of the Sensory Support Boxes comes after Morrisons first trialled a ‘Quieter Hour’ in some of its stores back in 2018, before rolling it out nationwide in 2024 due to its success and positive feedback.
Featured Image – Morrisons
Shopping
You can now get a Pot Noodle as part of your Tesco meal deal
Danny Jones
If you ask us, a big key to a happy life is all about celebrating the little wins as much as possible and in this case, when we heard that you can now get a Pot Noodle as part of your Tesco meal deal, we nearly did a cartwheel.
Are we exaggerating? Only a little bit, to be fair. Is this still kind of a big deal (pardon the pun) for the millions of Brits whose lunchtime meal regularly consists of a Tesco butty, beverage and perhaps some crisps? We think so.
We only heard the joyous news through word of mouth, but it looks as though the rumours are true after being not-so-quietly confirmed via the official Pot Noodle social media channels last week, revealing that you can indeed get your flavour of choice as part of your meal deal.
That really is the headline here, let’s be honest; the fact that you can now get a Pot Noodle – something many people have for their tea or a more than satisfying late-night snack – as the bonus side along with your main item at Tesco it an absolute result.
With meal deal prices having steadily crept up across the nation over recent years, no matter which supermarket, Tesco Extra, Asda Express, Sainsbury’s Local, convenience store and so on you seem to look in, getting an extra bit of value for money like is a big win for those on a quick dinner dash.
This is just like when we figured out you could get a proper Ginsters sausage roll, Cornish pasty or steak/chicken slice as your snack too. Just as buzzing then as we are now.
The brand also recently revealed what the UK’s most popular meal choices were last year, and some of the selections might surprise you.
Once again, it’s all about enjoying the little things, and put it this way, if we’re overreacting, then so are plenty of others.
Now accepting donations so One Drunk Redneck can get to the #UK and experience a #Tesco meal deal. I only need to raise enough for a one way ticket. I'm not too worried about how I'd get back home.
Oh, I probably should take my spouse. Ok, enough for two, one way tickets.
The only slight downside is that right now, as you might have spotted in the Instagram post above, this offer has only been rolled out at select Tescos.
As for those in Greater Manchester, there are just two local shops: the Tesco Extra in Walkden in Salford, as well as the Extra on Huddersfield Road in Bolton; the next closest after that is Warrington.
Nevertheless, you would expect that if the popularity of this new deal takes off – Tesco’s lunchtime package being one of the most popular in Britain – it’s likely that they will expand their plans up and down the country at large.
Speaking on the launch in an official press release, Pot Noodle’s senior brand Madeleine Boulton said: “We know our fans are always looking to get the most bang for their buck, so our move into the Tesco Meal Deal as a side is our way of giving customers the ultimate ‘snackisfaction’ and for some, the perfect hack that will ensure their meal deal sees them through the day.”
Can’t lie, we do rather fancy a Bombay Bad Boy now.
Daisy Jackson -
19th July 2024 
