SYDNEY – The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Australian grocery chain Woolworths “has thrown down the challenge to the convenience store sector” with the smallest of its small format Metro stores.

Metro, located on York Street in Sydney, will open early in the morning to cater to commuters and workers looking for coffee, sandwiches, sushi and a small range of dry groceries. While there are 15 Metro stores in Australia, the York Street location is the smallest at roughly 3,000 square feet.

A Woolworths spokesman told the news source that the company is “listening to our customers and adapting our offer to suit how our busy customers want to shop.”

The spokesman continued that the new Metro store offers “choice and convenience, including lots of grab and go meal options for breakfast and lunch, and full meals for dinner.” He added that the store’s merchandise mix will also allow customers to top-up shop.

Smaller format stores have “been on the radar for all retailers,” writes the news source, including Coles, Metcash and Aldi in Australia, and Tesco and Sainsbury’s in Britain.

Convenience and Impulse Retailing reported last month that Woolworths is planning to expand its Metro network as convenience outpaces grocery. The stores are generally located near public transport, offering a range of grab-and-go and ready-made meals. The smaller express format was launched by the supermarket chain in 2013.