No Frills Fresh debuted a 61,000-square-foot store — as well as a line of store brand products — yesterday with its latest fresh concept store in Elkhorn, Neb., a community just west of the Omaha metro area.

The Omaha-based management-owned independent has been steadily expanding its market share locally. Along with the expansion of its stores, it has launched the private label offering, marketing under the Chef’s Own brand, to represent its growing line of affordable fresh deli entrees and side dishes created daily.

According to No Frills president and CEO Fred Witecy, the new Chef’s Own brand creates fresh new choices to make meal time more fun. “We’ve designed this store to serve the needs of an active community with lots of young families,” he said. “Chef’s Own gives families lots of affordably priced choices — top-quality and made fresh every day.”

To that end, No Frills has hired an award-winning executive chef to lead the introduction of the new in-store brand. Robert K. Barr, a former Guckenheimer executive chef with Union Pacific Railroad, also plans to roll out a complete line of deli entrees. The opening-week menu includes 25 salads, low in sodium and made with fresh, natural ingredients. Among the varieties are Naples Style Tortellini Salad and Midwest Roasted Corn & Parmesan Pasta Salad.

The Elkhorn No Frills Fresh store offers a broad selection of custom cuts of USDA Choice beef, Naturewell natural beef, Summit Creek natural lamb, MBA organic chicken, Farmland pork, and fresh seafood. Also available at the location are a broad natural and organic food selection, a drive-through pharmacy, an in-store bakery, a floral shop, and a selection of wines rated 90 or higher.

No Frills operates 18 supermarkets in Nebraska and Iowa.