Londis News, Vol 36, Issue 6, December 2023

NEWS, AWARDS, INSIGHTS, INTERVIEWS, NEW PRODUCTS, PROMOTIONS AND MUCH MORE…

T DON’ ..

MISS.

Jack’s serves up festive favourites Booker trials electric delivery vans Londis secures major InPost deal Vol 36 Issue 6 December 2023

ADD GREA taste festi mome COCA-COLA and COCA-COLA ZERO are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. © 2023 The Coca-Cola Company

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9

FORECOURT SUCCESS

53 SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

Londis retail.ers shine at the 2023 Forecourt Trader Awards

Booker trials electric deliveries.

11 COMMUNITY NEWS

The latest round-up of community news.

Fresh success Londis Fountayne Road is thriving in Stoke Newington thanks to a unique range of USPs

20

Some of the latest new products to hit the shelves.

13 FOOD AND DRINK SALES CLIMB

59 MEET THE TEAM

17 GROCERY AID UPDATE

62 POSTING SUCCESS

20 RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

65 SPRING CLEAN

Sales through independents grow by 5.9%.

A new retail support kit is available to Londis retailers.

Say hello to Booker’s new PR & Press Manager Jess Horton Londis has secured a major new deal with InPost.

London’s “coolest cornershop” is cooking on gas.

26 ON THE RIGHT TRACK

62

55 NEW PRODUCTS

Sales are revving up at new-look Londis Amersham.

Get your store fit for 2024.

71 ACS VIEWPOINT

New retail crime plan is a step in the right direction.

32 PERFECT PLANNING

Suthakaran Sivarasa is winning local hearts and spend in Seaton.

38 EFFICIENT MOVES

Posting profit A new deal with InPost is helping Londis retailers to boost their footfall, sales and profits

Efficiency gains and food to go are securing success at Londis Fitzwilliam .

46 GET INTO THE SPIRIT

Londis’ sparkling drinks offer has all you need for festive success.

55

50 JACK’S UPDATE

Latest news about the great value Jack’s own brand.

Booker Retail Partners

For IT: 7am–9pm (Monday to Friday)

Tel: 0870 050 0158 Opening hours: 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday

Email: For customer services: londis.claims@bookerretail.co.uk or enquiries@londis.co.uk

IT and Customer Services

Helpdesk: 0800 298 0758

Opening hours: For customer services: 6am–9pm (Monday to Friday)

Londis News team: Email: londisnews@ londis.co.uk

Lucozade alert

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Hıgh Caffeıne Energy Drınk Vıtamın B3 helps reduce tıredness LUCOZADE, LUCOZADE ALERT and the Arc Device are registered trade marks of Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. ©Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. All rights reserved

ondis News!

t n e m e t i c x e Bags of

WELCOME

Welcome to

issue of L r e b m e c e D r/ e b our Novem

to come!

As another positive year draws to a close, there’s plenty of fantastic things to look forward to in 2024.

A very warm and festive welcome to this, your final issue of Londis News for 2023. It has been another very positive year for Londis, albeit with a few challenges along the way – but we’re certainly looking forward to a fantastic 2024 together.

Before we get to that however, we have the exciting Christmas opportunity ahead of us and another great chance to grow footfall, sales and, of course, profits.

The drinks opportunity at Christmas is clearly huge and Londis has an extensive range of exclusive products and fantastic deals to help make sure you squeeze every penny of profit out of the festive period.

There is also a really exciting package of Jack’s Christmas

I would also like to extend congratulations to Londis

essentials fresh produce deals that offers shoppers huge

Prospect and Londis Winsford Gateway for their success

savings of up to £1.39 on lines like Brussels sprouts,

at the recent Forecourt Trader Awards. It’s always

potatoes, carrots and parsnips. These fantastic-value

fantastic to see great stores receive the recognition and

promotions mean all four lines are available to shoppers

credit they deserve.

for just 39p with retailer PORs north of 25%.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and fantastic When the new year does roll around, one opportunity

trading over the festive season.

that is certainly worth having a look at is a new deal we

Look forward to seeing you in-store!

have secured with InPost that allows retailers to install a parcel collection and returns service with guaranteed rental income for lockers. The service also presents a great opportunity to drive footfall and incremental sales.

Stewart Fenn Sales Director, Booker Retail Partners

7

YOUR LONDIS

Stories from around the Londis Family...

Londis retailers shine at Forecourt Trader Awards Two independent Londis stores were among the winners at the recent Forecourt Trader Awards in a fantastic night for BRP. Londis Prospect Service Station in Ossett,

skills and achievements and all those who

West Yorkshire and Londis Winsford Gateway

contribute to it.

Service Station in Cheshire were among the winners at the recent Forecourt Trader Awards

Colm Johnson, Managing Director – Booker

2023.

Group Retail, said: “What a fantastic evening it was celebrating the best in our industry,

Londis Prospect won the Award for Northern

and special congratulations to our retailers

England in the ‘up to 4mlpa’ category while

on winning their awards. It was a great

Londis Winsford Gateway claimed the award

achievement for Londis Prospect and Londis

in the same region in the ‘over 4mlpa’

Winsford Gateway, and thoroughly deserved.

category.

“At Booker, we are proud to serve over 2,500 The awards are the most prestigious in the

forecourt retailers across the UK and what we

UK petrol retailing industry’s calendar and

saw at the awards was brilliant entrepreneurs

this year saw Booker Retail Partners star as

continuing to evolve and adapt the industry.

principal sponsor.

It is our job to help the retailers develop their stores, unlock the growth, and amplify

The event provides an excellent stage

Find us on

opportunities.”

to acknowledge and reward the sector’s

Londis Winners @myLondis

Northern England – up to 4mlpa

Northern England – over 4mlpa

WINNER: LONDIS PROSPECT SERVICE

LONDIS WINSFORD GATEWAY SERVICE

STATION, OSSETT, WEST YORKSHIRE

STATION, CHESHIRE

@myLondis @LondisRetail

@myLondis

9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Key issues of interest to you

Chichester Londis pretty with pink A Londis store in Chichester has raised over £1,700 for the Breast Cancer Now charity in a fantastic fundraising effort by the team at the store.

Hunston Village Stores & Post Office, in

In addition, team member Alpesh Patel was

Chichester, West Sussex, has raised £1,781 for

sponsored for taking part in a Tough Mudder

Breast Cancer Now.

15k challenge, which featured 30 obstacles over a 15km course.

The store decided to act after a store colleague was diagnosed with stage 1 breast

Commenting on Alpesh’s efforts, the retailer

cancer and had to undergo surgery and

said: “I honestly do not know how anyone

chemotherapy.

has the physical and mental strength to put themselves through such torture, but

The store held a Pinktober cake sale, which

it just shows what you are made off. Your

saw baked goodies made by local residents

determination, hard work and persistence has

sold for the charity.

definitely paid off.”

Try for charity

Spooky photos Londis Solo Convenience in Baillieston, Glasgow, organised a photo competition for its local community as it held its annual Halloween Walk.

Londis Fitzwilliam in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, has raised £250 for its local junior rugby league club, Hemsworth Dragons ARLFC Youth & Junior.

The store raised the funds by holding

The retailer created a Jolly Roger Ship outside its store and asked people to take photos of the trick or treaters.

The local community was then asked to vote for their favourite photo via the store’s

an in-store raffle and staff dressed up in

Facebook page.

Halloween-themed costumes.

The winner was awarded a £50 prize that was donated by a kind-hearted customer who

Hemsworth Dragons said: “A huge thank

couldn’t make the walk but wanted to give

you to Londis Fitzwilliam, their staff and

something to the children of Baillieston.

our community.”

11

INDUSTRY NEWS

Key issues of interest to you

Food and drink sales ‘up 5.9%’ in October Sales in independent retailing outlets continued to grow in October, up 5.9%, having grown 8.0% in September.

Food and drink sales in independent retailing

cost of their weekly shop with more than half

outlets continued to grow in October, despite

of this number (56%) saying they plan to cut

shopper concerns over rising energy bills and

down on eating out in restaurants, potentially

the cost of Christmas, according to the latest

presenting an opportunity for retailers.

data from Barclays.

Looking ahead, over a third (36%) expect Card spending slowed slightly from 8.0%

Christmas to be more expensive than in 2022,

YOY in September to 5.9% in October but

and a fifth (21%) have concerns about keeping

independent stores continued to perform

up with outgoing costs during the festive

ahead of supermarkets which saw growth of

period.

5.3% in October.

The Barclays report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending.

Total shopper card spending grew 2.6% YOY in October, noticeably less than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 6.3% and the smallest uplift since September 2022 (1.8%).

Most shoppers – 69% – say they are continuing to look for ways to reduce the

Deadline looms on Lottery switchover Retailers are being reminded that the deadline for completing their Transfer of Retailer Agreement (TRA) for the National Lottery is fast approaching. Retailers must complete the TRA on or before 18 December or their National Lottery terminal may be switched off.

New operator Allwyn is set to take over from Camelot on 1 February 2024 and retailers who have not yet completed their TRA are being asked to do so urgently.

To do so, visit the TRA portal at www.TNLPartners.co.uk or scan the QR code.

Then watch the simple ‘How To’ video to help you complete the TRA process.

You will require the last three digits of the bank account used to pay your current National Lottery invoice and proof of identity such as an image of your driving licence, passport, birth certificate or another form of approved ID.

13

UP TO

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DESIGNED FOR EVERY MOMENT NEWAND IMPROVED VUSE GO RANGE Vuse e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is addictive.

Dispose of responsibly.

This product should not be discarded in household waste but in the nearest WEEE collection bin. *Based on laboratory testing of newly manufactured product and may vary depending on individuals usage behaviour. For tobacco trade use only. Not to be left in the sight of consumers.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Key issues of interest to you

Be accessible for all this Christmas Londis retailers are being urged to ensure that their stores welcome all shoppers this festive period, including disabled shoppers and those with support animals.

With the busy Christmas period underway, retailers are being asked to help ensure that their stores are welcoming to all shoppers this Christmas including disabled shoppers, those who require extra assistance and those with support animals.

Business Disability Forum has published a series of short guides offering advice to retailers explaining the different types of

Bela Gor, Head of Legal at Business Disability

animals that some disabled people rely on in

Forum, said: “We know that animals can offer

their daily lives. The guides also cover what

vital assistance and support to many disabled

businesses should consider when deciding

people making it possible for people to shop

whether to allow shoppers to bring in different

and socialise independently. For businesses,

animals and how to anticipate and meet the

however, there are legitimate concerns

needs of disabled shoppers with animals.

about the impact of different animals on other shoppers and the wider business. Our

The guides are available free of charge from

guide explains what businesses need to

the Business Disability Forum website and

know in order to be able to make reasonable

retailers can find a host of other helpful

adjustments and make sure all customers can

information on the site.

access your business.”

What you need to know…

Welcoming shoppers with assistance animals l

Businesses must not refuse entry to shoppers with guide dogs and assistance animals – as long as the animal is quiet, well-behaved and not disruptive.

l

Shopper-facing staff must be made aware that refusing entry to shoppers with guide dogs and assistance dogs is against the law.

l

Stores are allowed to advertise a “no dogs” policy – but if they do, they must also advertise that guide dogs and assistance dogs are exempted from this policy.

l

Retailers should look at shopper spaces and identify any barriers to a person accompanied by a guide dog and remove those barriers where possible before a shopper raises an issue.

l 1 in 4 people in the UK has a disability l The annual spending power of disabled people in the UK is £274bn.

The guides are available free of charge at: businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/disability-essentials/

15

SEASON'S

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GROCERYAID

Help spread the word!

To help Londis retailers ensure that new and existing colleagues are aware of the free and confidential support available from the charity, GroceryAid has published a new independent retailing support kit.

Industry charity GroceryAid offers an unrivalled support

Independent retailers can order the leaflets from the

service covering financial, emotional and practical support

GroceryAid website for delivery to their store. There is no

of all kinds – but that support can only be accessed by

cost for the leaflet or delivery.

retailers and colleagues who know that it exists.

Mandi Leonard, GroceryAid’s Welfare Director, says: That’s why GroceryAid has launched a new leaflet and

“GroceryAid is here to support anyone working in the

support kit to help independent retailers inform new

grocery industry and we are committed to making it as

starts and existing colleagues about the charity’s free and

easy as possible for employers to inform their staff about

confidential support available to them from the first day

how we can help them. Now more than ever, GroceryAid

of employment.

is a valuable resource to colleagues, and we hope retailers will take advantage of this new information leaflet to

The newly launched document is designed to enhance

spread awareness.”

the onboarding process for independent retailers, as well as remind existing employees about GroceryAid’s

Visit groceryaid.org.uk/get-help to see the full range of

package of support. It provides an introductory guide to

support services available.

the charity’s welfare services, explaining the emotional, financial, and practical support available, including the free and confidential Helpline.

Full Printed Materials Kit As well as the new Independent Retailing leaflet, on the GroceryAid website you can also order a full Printed Materials Kit, for free, which includes: 1.

10 x A5 leaflets

2.

10 x wallet cards

3.

1 x sheet of stickers To order the new leaflets, visit groceryaid.org.uk/get-involved/independent-retailers

17

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RETAILER PROFILE

Fresh flavour

Recipe

for success “London’s coolest cornershop” is cooking up sales success with its headline-grabbing offer.

Owned and run by the Patel family

Managing

the

headline-grabbing

since 1979, it’s little wonder that Londis

convenience business are husband and

Fountayne Road is so deeply engrained

wife team Mayank and Anju Patel with the

within the Stoke Newington community.

support of their sons Priyesh and Alpesh and his wife Neelam.

What is rather wonderful though is the inspiring way in which the store’s reach and

“The

reputation have burst the boundaries of

grandparents in the late 70s,” Alpesh

store

was

established

by

my

the N16 postcode – and are now radiating

explains. “It was fairly small at just 900sq

across the capital and beyond.

ft and back then it was unaffiliated. We joined the Londis brand in the 90s when

Fanning the flames, and the store’s

my dad took over and we’ve been loyal

growing fame, is a perpetually evolving

Londis retailers ever since.”

offer majoring on fresh produce, vibrant home-cooked meal solutions and a truly

While the store’s size has remained

innovative approach to local engagement.

unchanged in the intervening years, its offer has been transformed – its core

The store’s unique offer has seen Londis

Londis range now supplemented by an

Fountayne Road – aka @LondisN16 –

eclectic array of products from local,

featured in an array of national publications

artisan and independent suppliers.

including The Guardian and Time Out this year alone, while cult style magazine The

“Every morning my parents visit the New

Face declared it “the coolest cornershop

Spitalfields Market to top up on fresh

in London” back in August.

produce,” Alpesh says.

“We pride ourselves on the diversity and freshness of our range,

shoppers a great quality core range that also provides them

which has helped us to become a destination for fresh.

with excellent value for money, while the efficient service, ordering and deliveries free us up to develop other USPs.”

“Right now, English apples are in season so we have seven varieties of English apples in stock. Shoppers love the offer, and

Those other USPs also include a footfall-driving range of home-

fresh produce accounts for a big chunk of our average basket

made foods cooked by Anju’s own fair hands.

spend with fresh accounting for 30% of total sales.”

From mouthwatering morsels such as methi malai paneer, to Complementing the store’s fresh produce offer is a bright and

stuffed padron peppers, crispy homemade samosas and fresh

beautiful mix of grocery and alcohol products from small and

and zesty chutneys, Anju’s home-made food offer showcases

local producers, including natural wines, hot sauces, coffee

Gujarati home cooking at its best.

beans, crisps from around the world, and more.

Available every Tuesday and Friday, the offer enables shoppers “We pride ourselves on stocking unique and often quirky

to take away a full meal solution including mains, sides and

products that give us an edge. Walking into our shop is like a

desserts – the latter of which are made by Alpesh’s wife Neelam.

voyage of discovery and the average shopper spends at least 10 minutes browsing and adding things to their baskets before

“Mum makes all the food fresh the day before and we pot it

heading to the till. With Londis’ support we can also offer our

all up on the day of sale and put it in the chillers for shoppers

Shopping with us is a voyage of discovery. Everywhere you look there is something unique and we are constantly working to evolve the range and keep it fresh and exciting.

Alpesh Patel

21

GRAB THE

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CHRISTMAS IS THE KEY SEASON FOR COLA WITH 8M LIGHT BUYERS COMING INTO THE CATEGORY!*

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MAXIMUM TASTE NO SUGAR

Top tips!

1

2 to take away and reheat at home. The

And

offer has gained so much traction in

store refit carried out in March 2023,

now,

following

a

thoughtful

recent months and shoppers now flock

shoppers can benefit from even more

to us from all over to buy the dishes

of Londis’ great value products and

and enjoy curry nights at home,” says

promotions.

Alpesh.

Seeking to keep energy costs in “The menu changes weekly according

check and further expand the store’s

to the seasons and what’s available in

range, the family upgraded all of its

the market. On a typical Friday we can

refrigeration

easily sell more than 200 pots of curry,

chillers with doors.

to

new

3

ultra-efficient

Products from local and independent suppliers can help you stand out from the crowd.

Don’t rush to delist slow selling new products, it’s important to allow them ample time to bed in.

Original and engaging social media content is a great way to drive footfall and raise awareness of your offer further afield.

plus sides and desserts.”

“The new chillers are helping us to The generously filled pots also offer

keep a lid on energy costs, but they are

shoppers excellent value for money,

also one shelf taller than the old ones

with each pot only costing £3.50.

and deeper too,” Alpesh says.

“Offering value to our community

“The extra space has allowed us to

is really important to us too and

expand our range of Londis ready

that’s another area where the Londis

meals and we now have five fresh pizza

brand shines, thanks to its powerful

lines including the new Franco Manca

promotions,” Alpesh adds.

range which is being very well received.

STORE INFO

xxx

Store name: Londis Fountayne Road, Stoke Newington, London Retailers: Mayank, Anju, Priyesh, Alpesh and Neelam Patel Store size: 900sq ft Number of staff: 3 part time plus family Opening hours: 7.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sun Services: Collect Plus, PayPoint, National Lottery

23

“We’ve also increased our Londis fresh fish range and we now stock two different types of mackerel, fresh salmon, smoked salmon and cod fillets, all of which are selling really well.”

The store’s flooring, ceilings and lighting were also upgraded as part of the oneweek refit, while outside, a fresh coat of paint, new awning and smart new Londis fascia and graphics were introduced.

“Footfall and sales are both up year on year and especially since the refit in March.

“We’re also seeing shoppers from much further afield seeking us out now, which is incredible.”

A vibrant social media presence is also contributing to the store’s success.

Run by Alpesh’s brother Priyesh, the store’s Instagram profile is followed by more than 7,000 people – all of whom are keen to glean its engaging updates on new products, promotions and menus.

The store’s social pages are also used to promote its own events such as the family’s new Supper Club initiative.

Launched in April, ‘Anju’s Supper Club’ has already become a smash hit – with tickets for the 74-seater December event selling out in fewer than 40 minutes.

“What we are doing at Londis Fountayne Road is pretty unique, but we would never have achieved any of it without our shoppers,” Alpesh says.

“Their willingness to try new things and support our ideas has driven our success and we’ll endeavour to keep on surprising and delighting them going forward.”

25

RETAILER PROFILE

Hot profits L to R: Karthikeyan Sivakumar, Dadshajani Raveendran and store manager Suhail Sherfudeen

Highway to

success A new focus on hot food to go and chilled produce is fuelling footfall and sales at Amersham Service Station Highway Stops Retail (HSR) has one

range and convenient, high-quality

clear goal: to “offer shoppers premium

services to Amersham’s local shoppers

fuel brands coupled with an attractive,

and passing trade.

competitive and expanding forecourt shop offer”.

The project also had a sentimental edge to it, with the site having previously

Well, the independent forecourt

been owned by one of HSR’s directors

operator is certainly achieving that goal

many years before.

at its new Amersham service station site in Buckinghamshire.

“The site hadn’t been invested in for more than a decade which is a long

Located on a key A road into and out of

time in the fast-paced world of forecourt

Amersham town centre and surrounded

retailing, so there was a lot of work that

by housing and local businesses, the

we needed to do in order to be able

site’s 1,000sq ft forecourt store re-

to offer shoppers the standards and

opened on 6 October 2023 following a

services that we pride ourselves on,”

powerful £200,000 redevelopment.

Guna says.

The key aim of the project, HSR shops

“We bought the store at the start of

director Sellarajah Gunalan (Guna)

September and the refit began just a few

explains, was to deliver a brand-new

weeks later. We stripped the store right

totally redesign the range and layout.

“The old site didn’t have any hot food to go, so a key part of redevelopment centred around the creation of a smart

RETAILER PROFILE

back to the bare walls to allow us to

new food-to-go offer that would meet local and passing trade needs.”

A comprehensive Delice De France food-to-go offer was brought in, allowing the store to offer Amersham’s shoppers a wide-ranging choice of hot and tasty freshly baked goods, complemented by a new Rollover Hot Dogs unit.

The store’s existing Costa Coffee machine was also joined by a new milkshake offer and the addition of a Citrocasa orange juicer.

Sited at the front of the store, the attractive self-serve machine infuses the store with a wonderfully fresh scent to match its crisp new interior.

An overhaul of the store’s range also included a significant expansion of its fresh and chilled department.

“The old store didn’t have any produce and just a very limited range of chilled.

We added a one-metre bay for chilled foods, including deli items and Jack’s ready meals such as curries and pizzas,” Guna adds.

A one-metre bay for fresh produce was also brought in to offer shoppers a good range of fresh choice.

Chilled alcohol was also enhanced with two metres of smart new energy-efficient refrigeration, while spirits were given a new home on a striking backlit display behind a new split-level counter.

27

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Top tips!

1

2

3

m

ha s r e Am

Offering shoppers easy access to your store is so important.

If you don’t have one, consider installing a ramp.

Hot food to go is a great way of attracting new footfall and sales, especially when supported by multibuy deals.

Freshly squeezed orange juice can lend your store a welcoming fresh scent.

STORE INFO Store name: Londis, Amersham Service Station, Buckinghamshire

The store’s vape offer was also boosted

Outside, the front of the store was given

with the creation of a dedicated vape

an eye-catching new look with fresh

display featuring disposables.

paintwork, a new Londis fascia and

Highway Stops Retail shops director: Sellarajah Gunalan

New shelving, racking and gondolas

Store size: 1,000sq ft

attractive graphics. were also fitted to better showcase

A new ramp into the store was also built

the store’s new range of top-selling

to help improve access for disabled

groceries, crisps and confectionery – the

shoppers and those with prams and

latter of which was also enhanced with

pushchairs.

Number of staff: 5

the addition of a whole bay of American lines and more hanging bags, including

“It’s still very early days but the results

Opening hours: 5ammidnight

great-value Jack’s products.

are already incredibly encouraging,”

Top-selling categories: Vape, food to go, alcohol, confectionery

Guna says.

The store has also been granted a strong value-for-money positioning, thanks to

“As expected, our biggest-selling

dedicated promotional bays displaying

categories are proving to be vape, hot

Londis’ market-leading special offers

food to go, soft drinks, confectionery

and deals.

and alcohol.

29

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“The reaction from shoppers has been so positive. Shoppers love the new foodand drinks-to-go proposition, as well as the new fresh and chilled offer.

“Chilled sales are being driven by the Jack’s-branded ready meals and shoppers tell us that they are delighted to be able to pop here for great-quality meal solutions in addition to our other forecourt services.

“The ramp has also been very well received and the number of elderly shoppers visiting the store increased noticeably,” Guna adds.

The store’s official opening day on 6 October saw hundreds of local people welcome its new look and offer, with

attendees treated to goody bags and free samples of freshly squeezed orange juice and milkshakes.

“The reaction has been so pleasing and we’ve already had to increase the store team from two to five to manage demand and the popular hot food-to-go offer,” Guna adds.

Sales since the launch have been growing steadily week on week, with the store well on track to hit Guna’s target of £25,000 and up a week.

“The store is now offering the right range and high-quality services for the local area and that’s clearly being borne out in the sales figures. We’re seeing lots of new faces every day and we look forward to welcoming many more.”

31

RETAILER PROFILE

Perfect planning

Slow and

steady A thoughtful and ongoing store development project is transforming the fortunes of Londis Woodfield Stores.

The new colour scheme created a big talking point locally and when the new Londis fascia went up in June, the reaction was so positive.

Suthakaran Sivarasa

RETAILER PROFILE ‘Slow and steady wins the race’ – or so the saying tells us

“All of the changes we have made have been well

– and it’s certainly proving true in the small Devon town

informed and in response to things that shoppers have

of Seaton, where retailer Suthakaran Sivarasa and his wife

told us they want beforehand. We’ve then taken feedback

Logini are winning over local hearts, minds and spend with

on board before making further changes.”

a carefully considered and ongoing store development project.

The first of these key changes was a major investment in refrigeration.“The old store was very dated and only had a

After more than a decade as the manager of a successful

few small chillers, many of which were not even working,”

Premier store in Northamptonshire, Suthakaran made the

says Suthakaran.

leap into store ownership in November 2022, when he and Logini purchased Londis Woodfield Stores.

“Shoppers had been unable to buy chilled wine or beer, even in the summer, so that was the first thing that we

Based at the heart of a small residential estate on the

knew we needed to put right.”

outskirts of Seaton, the 700sq ft store had not been invested in for several years and was in “real need of a

Doing that saw Suthakaran invest in a smart 3.75m chiller

refresh,” when the pair took it over, Suthakaran explains.

with doors – enabling Seaton’s shoppers to choose from a broad new range of perfectly chilled cans, bottles and

“However, as first-time store owners, we didn’t want to

multipacks.

rush in with a full-scale refit straight away.

The comprehensive new range includes a raft of bestselling “We decided it would be far better to take things slowly

brands and Londis promotions.

and to build up a deep understanding of local needs before making key, targeted changes in stages,” he says.

The introduction of a second 3.75m chiller also allowed Suthakaran to significantly expand the store’s fresh and

33

Nperow ved im recipes

Bring out more

3 4 OUT OF

fussy cats love it!*

EDLP in NP10/NP11 © 2023 Mars or Affiliates.

*Study conducted by Mars Petcare, UK 2021. pricing at sole discretion of the retailer.

chilled food offer, with a wide range of dairy, deli, fresh meats and Jack’sbranded ready meals available for the first time.

A whole new bay of fresh produce, attractively displayed in rustic wicker baskets, was also added, contributing to an overall 250% increase in fresh food.

With the help of the Londis planning team and the store’s RDM Suzanne Young, a new store layout that met the Londis planograms was also introduced.

“We also invested in new higher shelving which also allowed us to increase the range on key categories such as world foods and confectionery – where we also brought in new American lines.”

“We also moved the store’s counter and created a new zone for vapes, which had not been sold before, and we made space for a new drinks-to-go offer, including Think Fresh Shakes and beanto-cup coffee from Rijo.”

All of the store’s interior lighting was also upgraded to more efficient LED panels.

Following

in-depth

talks

with

local

shoppers, Suthakaran and Logini then began adding a host of key services to the store’s offer at the start of 2023 – starting with Collect Plus, before adding DHL and FedEx and then becoming a parcelshop for Evri with a print-in-store facility. The store also added Payzone and Paypoint services, plus the National Lottery.

“New bill payment and parcel services have been warmly welcomed by local people, especially by our more elderly shoppers who are delighted that they can now meet so many needs under one roof.”

35

*THE BOTTLE, NOT LABEL AND CAP

U

S

AG AIN

ottles ma b e de r ’ e W

c*

recycled plas m ti o r f

RE Y

LE

Choose a bottle made from recycled plastic* To find out about further ways we can support you please visit MY.CCEP.COM © 2023 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO, Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.

Top tips!

-

ld e fi d Wootores S STORE INFO Store name: Londis Woodfield Stores, Seaton, Devon

1

Enhance your online presence by signing up to SocioConnect.

It’s free to Londis retailers and allows you to post engaging centrally created content on your pages.

2

Take the time to talk to your shoppers about their key needs before making changes.

3

Support your instore promotions with all the relevant POS and leaflets.

Extending the store’s opening hours from

attractive online presence. Signing up

7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and

to Booker’s free SocioConnect has also

8am to 8pm on Sundays has also meant

enabled it to enhance its social status with

that shoppers now have access to those

regular centrally created posts offering

services plus the store’s superior new

engaging content and messaging.

range for longer than ever before.

“Our new social presence is definitely The summer of 2023 then saw a dramatic

helping us to build loyalty and footfall,”

transformation to the store’s exterior,

Suthakaran adds.

when its old façade was overhauled with

Retailers: Suthakaran Sivarasa and Logini Suthakaran

a smart dark hue and brand new Londis

Store sales have more than doubled since

fascia and signage.

Suthakaran and Logini took over – with

Size: 700sq ft

talking point locally and when the new

“Local shoppers are delighted that they

Store Type: Neighbourhood

Londis fascia and graphics went up in

can now access such a great range of

June, the reaction was fantastic. The store

fresh and chilled products plus key

Key Categories: Alcohol, vape, fresh and chilled,

looks so smart now and really makes an

services on their doorstep.

Staff: 4

“plenty of room still left to grow.”

“The new colour scheme created a big

impact,” Suthakaran says.

“What’s even better is that we’ve still Recent months have also seen Suthakaran

got so much more to look forward to,”

and Logini work hard to create an equally

Suthakaran concludes.

37

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RETAILER PROFILE

Forward thinking

Test of

time A shrewd refit and move to Londis has helped to futureproof one of Fitzwilliam’s oldest businesses.

“Passing trade is really important to the

A vast range of subs, rolls, sandwiches

been serving the Fitzwilliam community

business, but we weren’t really making

and salad boxes are now made fresh

for four generations.

the most of the food-to-go opportunity

in-store every morning before being

before,” Josh explains.

packed and placed in a new dedicated chilled bay. Fillings include classic

And now, following a shrewd rebrand and refit, the family-owned store is

So, following the store’s conversion

combos such as ham and cheese, but

perfectly placed to keep meeting local

from Nisa to Londis in January 2023, a

also more adventurous flavours such as

needs for many more years to come.

targeted three-stage refit ensued, in a

Lebanese chicken with red onion.

RETAILER PROFILE

Josh and Luke Cordon’s family has

bid to help the store bag a bigger slice Established in its current location back

of the food-to-go pie.

The offer also includes a number of hot options, such as breakfast butties and

in 1982, the 1,170 sq ft store benefits from a strong local trade, as well as

The store was entirely remerchandised

indulgent lunchtime choices such as

a robust passing trade, thanks to its

in a bid to create space for a show-

hot roast beef sandwiches and pulled

position on the arterial Wakefield road.

stopping new offer majoring on

pork subs, all of which are made to

innovative, home-cooked solutions.

order in the in-store kitchen.

from Fitzwilliam railway station and has

Together with store manager Charlotte

“The new offer has worked so well and

the added advantage of a bus stop

Levin, Josh and Luke developed a

provides us with a really strong point of

outside.

new own-brand deli proposition: Deli

difference locally,” Josh explains.

The store is also just “a stone’s throw”

Licious Fitzwilliam.

The deli also includes a wide range of products from local suppliers, including pork pies and brownies.

Party platters are also available to order. For Mother’s Day 2023, shoppers were able to pre-order afternoon tea platters featuring freshly-made sandwiches, miniature pies, scotch eggs and sweet pastries.

The refit also saw the store introduce a new Costa Coffee machine and Snow Shock Slush.

“We had a local coffee offer in the old store which was selling around 15 cups a day, but we knew we could do better.

The Costa Coffee brand is a wellknown footfall driver and as soon as we introduced it, we saw those figures

Overall, it’s been a great year for the business. This store has been here for 41 years, and we now feel that we have futureproofed it for many more to come.

Josh Cordon

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double to more than 30 cups a day,” Josh adds.

The refit was also designed to help the store achieve another key goal: keeping a lid on rising energy costs. “Our energy bills tripled last year when we came out of contract, rising from 14p a unit to 42p,” Josh explains, “The refit also provided the perfect opportunity to invest in energy efficient technology.”

As such, the family invested in fitting 48 solar panels. “When the sun shines the panels can knock our consumption down by more than 50%,” Josh says.

New efficient solutions have helped the store to cut its energy consumption in half.

“We also upgraded the store’s refrigeration with more energyefficient chillers and freezers.”

Soft drinks, one of the store’s top-selling categories, are now housed in a brand-new six-door fridge – which Josh says is eight times more energy efficient than the old.

The store’s range of fresh and chilled products was also expanded as part of the move, with a broad range of Jack’s-branded ready meals now stocked within the store’s smart new six-metre bank of energy-efficient chillers.

“We also replaced two of our backup freezers with more energy-efficient models that now operate with half the running costs of the old,” says Josh.

A new more efficient air conditioning unit, which can also be used to heat the store, was also introduced.

“Overall, with all the changes that we’ve made, we’ve managed to help cut our energy consumption by half,” Josh adds.

43

The refit also gave Josh the

Recognising the need to

opportunity to introduce

offer shoppers a strong value

operational efficiencies, including

proposition also saw the store

new Quail digital headsets which

introduce a dedicated Euro

have transformed the way staff

Shopper bay. “The new range

communicate in-store.

offers shoppers everyday low

Top tips!

1

prices on key essentials, and “The headsets allow the whole

they’ve responded really well to it,”

team to instantly communicate with

Josh adds.

each other and are of great use when stocking up,” Josh says.

“Shoppers are responding well to all the changes,” he says. “Footfall

“Shop floor staff can effortlessly tell

and sales are both up which is so

staff in the stockroom what they

encouraging.

The introduction of well-known brands such as Costa Coffee can help to drive footfall.

2

A unique home-made food-to-go offer can provide your store with a winning local USP.

3

Make sure every product on your shelves is earning its space. Consider delisting slow sellers to create space for seasonal products and top sellers.

need and they can put it straight in a trolley and send it up. It has

“We’re also delighted with how

reduced the stocking up time by

things are going under the Londis

around 70%, getting rid of lists and

brand.

leaving us with a lot more time to spend on other areas.”

“The Londis prices are strong and the margin is fair. The rebates are

“The refit also gave us the perfect

great and there are also very few

opportunity to go though the

charges, which is another bonus.

range with a fine-tooth comb and

We also have a great relationship

delist a lot of our slower-selling

with our Londis RDM Jules

lines. Doing so has enabled us to

Jackson.

give more space to bestsellers and to free up space for a dedicated

“Overall, it’s been a great year for

seasonal bay. For the first time

the business. This store has been

ever, this year we were able to offer

here for 41 years, and we now feel

a dedicated Halloween Bay and

that we have futureproofed it for

high-impact Christmas bay.”

many more to come.”

STORE INFO Store name: Fitzwilliam Londis, Pontefract

tzw

illiam

Retailer: Josh and Luke Cordon Store size: 1,170sq ft Number of staff: 10 Opening hours: 7am-8pm Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm Sun Services: National Lottery, Jisp, Costa Coffee, Snow Shock Slush

45

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS

xxx

Exclusive opportunities to get into the spirit!

With Christmas only weeks away, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of a series of amazing deals and group exclusives on key drinks brands to help you drive festive footfall, sales and profits.

The festive season is upon us once more, bringing with it another sleigh-load of Christmas opportunities for Londis retailers to put on a show and set their drinks sales singing.

To help retailers do just that, this year Londis is offering retailers a truly sparkling range of fantastic deals and group exclusives of some of the biggest names in the beers, wines and spirits category.

With the cost of living continue to affect shoppers, Booker has some fantastic deals to allow you to offer great products from great brands on truly great deals, helping shoppers secure the value they will be looking for this Christmas.

EXCLUSIVE BONANZA As all retailers know by now, nothing drives footfall and excitement quite like Group Exclusive products, those products that your non-Booker competitors don’t have access to.

Group Exclusives!

115122 Londis

Christmas Header

700x358.indd

1

Booker has secured a number of outstanding deals offering retailers exclusive access to some fantastic new products alongside some amazing deals.

13/07/2023 10:54

For Christmas 2023 Booker has a stellar line-

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS DRINKS

Value

up of exclusive deals across beer, vodka, RTDs, BOE VODKA RASPBERRY CREAM LIQUEUR

lager, cider and liqueurs – with every product only available from Booker.

Case Size: 6x70cl WSP: £56.89 Shopper Deal: £13.49 RSP: £19.49 POR: 15.7%

The new AU Vodka RTD Mixed Pack is available on a MEGA DEAL and is not to be missed. Available at a specially discounted WSP of just £12.30 – a saving of £1.39 on the standard WSP – the Mixed Pack will be on offer to shoppers at just £16.99,

AU VODKA RTD MIXED PACK

compared to the RSP of £20.99. With a deal that good, expect sales to be huge – and with a POR of

MEGA DEAL Case Size: 1x8x330ml WSP: £12.30 Shopper Deal: £16.99 RSP: £20.99 POR: 13.1%

13.1% on every pack sold, this deal will definitely help drive cash profits this Christmas.

Also likely to be popular is the Group Exclusive Elf Lager from Brewdog. The standard WSP on the festive-themed lager is £8.29 but retailers are invited to take advantage of a reduced WSP of just

BREWDOG ELF LAGER

£7.19, a saving of £1.10 a case, with outstanding PORs of 21.6%. Your shoppers will also benefit in

Case Size: 8x330ml WSP: £7.19 Shopper Deal: £11.00 RSP: £12.99 POR: 21.6%

the form of a great deal of just £11.00 per 8-pack, a saving of £1.99 on the standard price.

New Thatchers Apple & Blackcurrant PMP cans are also available on a Group Exclusive deal with a specially discounted WSP of £24.49, allowing you

THATCHERS APPLE & BLACKCURRANT PMP

to sell a 4-pack to your shoppers for just £6.25, a great saving on the price-mark of £6.69. The POR

Case Size: 6x4x440ml WSP: £24.49 Shopper Deal: £6.25 RSP: £6.69 POR: 21.6%

on the new line is an outstanding 21.6%.

Booker is also offering the new Boe Vodka Raspberry Cream Liqueur on a Group Exclusive deal which allows retailers to save a whopping £21.00 per case against the standard WSP.

47

Get in the festive mix

M202553

M202554

To find out about further ways we can support you please visit MY.CCEP.COM © 2023 European Refreshments UC. All rights reserved.SCHWEPPES is a registered trade mark of European Refreshments UC.

KEY DEALS

sales and profits.

Hardy's Bin 161

Don’t miss the WOW deal available on Smirnoff Red

GROUP EXCLUSIVES

bottles of the UK’s favourite vodka to shoppers at just

Hardys Bin 161 Rose PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Sauv Bl PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Chard PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Pinot Grigio PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Shiraz PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Merlot PM699 Hardys Bin 161 Jammy Rich Red

still secure a POR of 7.8% on every bottle sold.

which allows retailers to offer £16.99 price-marked £13.99. A special promotional WSP means that retailers

There are also MEGA DEALS available on cases of Fosters, Carling, Coors and Inch’s Medium Apple Cider.

Another MEGA DEAL on Funkin Mixed Packs is available on a WIGIG basis and offers a discounted promotional

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS DRINKS

around exceptional shopper deals that are sure to grow

WSP of £24.39.

Case Size: 6x75cl Promo WSP: £24.49 Shopper Deal: ANY 2 FOR £12* RSP: £6.99 POR: 18.4%

When it comes to wine, retailers are spoilt for choice this Christmas with an array of promotions and a brand-new Group Exclusive wine variant.

MEGA DEALS on two Plaza Centro Prosecco wines mean retailers can meet the demand for Italy’s favourite fizz

* England, Wales and Ireland only. Scotland deal £6 per bottle.

with rosé and standard variants available to the shopper at just £6.49 a bottle, while no fewer than six variants of These Group Exclusive deals are perfect for setting your

Casillero Del Diablo wines are also available on MEGA

store apart and driving fresh footfall.

DEALS.

KEY PROMOTIONS

Additionally, six variants from the popular and Group Exclusive Hardy’s Bin 161 range are being offered as part

In addition to all these Group Exclusive deals, Booker

of a ‘Any 2 for £12’ deal in England, Wales and Ireland

is also offering retailers access to a suite of 21 fantastic

and on an ‘Only £6’ deal in Scotland.

promotions on key products in the run up to Christmas.

Booker has recently announced the launch of a new Covering wines, beers, ciders, spirits and more, the deals

Hardys Bin 161 Jammy Rich Red variant which is also

allow retailers to build full drinks promotional campaigns

available on a Group Exclusive basis.

Key Deals – Beer & Cider Cases Product

Case Size

Promo WSP

Shopper Deal

RSP

POR

Fosters – MEGA DEAL

1x10x440m

£6.75

£10.00 / ANY 2 FOR £18*

£12.99 10.0%

Carling – MEGA DEAL

1x10x440m

£6.75

£10.00 / ANY 2 FOR £18*

£12.49 10.0%

Coors – MEGA DEAL

1x10x440m

£6.75

£10.00 / ANY 2 FOR £18*

£13.99 10.0%

Inch’s Medium Apple Cider

1x10x440m

£6.75

£10.00 / ANY 2 FOR £18**

£12.49 10.0%

*England, Wales and Ireland only. Scotland deal £9 per case. ** England and Ireland only. Scotland and Wales deal £9.90 per case (Minimum Unit Pricing).

49

JACK’S UPDATE

Feed the family

Festive essentials at knockout prices!

Booker is launching a fantastic series of promotions on Jack’s fresh festive essential produce, offering shoppers a range of products at just 39p – a saving of up to £1.30 per pack!

FRESH FESTIV VALUE!E

11 DECEM BER – 2 JANUAR Y

25.6% POR

many shoppers as the festive season approaches, Booker is helping cut the cost of Christmas by launching a series of outstanding promotions on

NEW JACK’S PRODUCTS!

JACK’S UPDATE

With the cost of living still very much a concern for

key Jack’s fresh produce lines.

The new deals are available from 11 Dec all the

Jack's Brussels Sprouts

way through to 2 Jan next year and will see the

Case size: 10x450g

price of four key lines slashed to just 39p. Jack’s White Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots and Parsnips will be on offer at specially discounted WSPs to ensure that retailers benefit just as much as shoppers, with strong PORs of 25.6% available on all four products.

Promo WSP: £2.90 Shopper Deal: 39p RSP: £1.09 POR: 25.6%

For shoppers, it means they can buy packs of all four Christmas essential products for just 39p each,

Jack's Parsnips

a fantastic saving of up to £1.30 per pack.

Case size: 8x500g

HUGE SAVINGS

Promo WSP: £2.32

Jack’s White Potatoes, for example, carry a standard RSP of £1.69 but during the period of the promotion will be on sale at just 39p. Similarly, Jack’s both Jack’s Parsnips and Jack’s

Shopper Deal: 39p RSP: £1.09 POR: 25.6%

Brussels Sprouts carry a standard RSP of £1.09 but will also be available

Jack's Carrots

for just 39p.

Case size: 10x500g

This represents a massive opportunity for retailers to deliver the critical value that

Savings of up to £1.30 per pack!

many shoppers will be seeking this Christmas – and it also represents a great chance to drive

Promo WSP: £2.90 Shopper Deal: 39p RSP: £0.79 POR: 25.6%

fresh footfall and incremental sales by flagging the deals up prominently in-store and on

Jack's White Potatoes

social media.

Case size: 10x2kg

To support the promotions, retailers will have

Promo WSP: £2.90

access to a POS kit which will help make these outstanding promotions unmissable in-store.

Shopper Deal: 39p RSP: £1.69

The Jack’s brand continues to perform exceptionally well in stores and these new lines

POR: 25.6%

are certain to drive yet more trial and bring more shoppers into the brand.

51

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PREMIUM BLEND

RRP £11.60* AVAIL ABLE IN KING SIZE AND SUPERKINGS *RRP - Recommended Retail Price effective as of October 2023. You are, of course, at all times free to sell JTI’s products at whatever price you choose. This advertisement is for Tobacco Traders only.

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

Green moves

Booker trials 100% electric delivery vans

Booker continues to make major strides forward in its sustainability retailing journey.

CO2 PROGRESS CONTINUES Booker has also continued to make headway with plans to move all operations to natural refrigerant (CO2) by 2035, with nine branches and three distribution centres now completed. A further 10 branches will be switched to natural refrigerant by the end of this financial year, taking the total completed to 18%. Initial results have already delivered savings of 42% over the old F-gas refrigeration.

Booker has continued to make major

Booker

strides

Stoke

Area

Manager

Garry

sustainability

Matthais said: “Early indications are

journey, having recently pressed go on

overall good. The vehicle has slotted in

a trial of 100% electric delivery vehicles.

with very minimal disruption to being

forward

on

its

part of our fleet and does the job well.

Five new 100% electric vans are being

The enhanced payload is also a benefit

used as part of the cutting-edge delivery

versus the majority of standard Transit

trial, which is helping Booker get even

van-type vehicles.

closer to its green goal of operating a zero-emission fleet of vans by 2030.

“The vehicle has only had positive feedback

from

customers,

including

The sustainably powered electric vans

customers who are receiving the deliveries

are being trialled from Booker’s Brighton,

and customers who take note of it when

Kettering and Stoke branches.

coming and going from branch.”

The Booker-branded vans feature striking

Booker’s

green messaging which explains that

Manager Paul Harris said that delivery

they are ‘100% electric’ and ‘helping to

drivers were also reacting positively to

deliver a sustainable future’.

the new electric vans.

The vans are on the road now and

“The drivers like the fact we have gone

making deliveries to Booker-supplied

green and are playing a part in reducing

convenience retailers as well as its

the carbon footprint,” he said.

Brighton

and

Hove

Area

catering customers.

Booker has also carried out extensive Early results of the electric van trial are

surveys of electrical capacity at all of its

proving to be very encouraging, Booker

sites, to help in the future development

branch managers say.

of on-site electric vehicle charging.

53

M144607

To find out about further ways we can support you please visit MY.CCEP.COM

Top new products Every issue we bring you the latest product launches from your favourite suppliers

HOVIS SOFT WHITE HALF LOAF

WARBURTONS MEDIUM SOFT WHITE

Case size: 1x400g

Case size: 1x800g

WSP: £0.85 RSP:

£1.09

WSP: £1.19 RSP:

POR: 22%

£1.69

POR: 29.6%

WARBURTONS SUPER TOASTIE Case size: 1x800g WSP: £1.29 RSP:

£1.79

POR: 27.9%

VUSEGO EDITION 01

VUSE GO 700 Case size: 10xsgl WSP: £32.31

£5.99

Case size: 10xsgl

RSP:

WSP: £35.34

POR: 35.3%

RSP:

£6.49

POR: 34.7%

Top new products Every issue we bring you the latest product launches from your favourite suppliers

BLOSSOM HILL

STAROPRAMEN

Case size: 6x75cl

Case size: 12X330ml

WSP: £32.99

WSP: £10.49

RSP:

£8.49

POR: 22.3%

THATCHERS APPLE & BLACKCURRANT CIDER

RSP:

£1.29

POR: 18.7%

THATCHERS APPLE & BLACKCURRANT CIDER

Case size: 6x500ml

Case size: 6x4x400ml

WSP: £9.39

WSP: £25.79

RSP:

£2.69

POR: 30.2%

RSP:

£6.69

POR: 22.9%

NEW VAPE DEALS WITH IMPROVED WSP AND POR ON ELF BAR, SKE CRYSTAL, LOST MARY RUNNING FROM 4 -31 DECEMBER. ASK YOUR RDM FOR MORE INFO.

Say

MEET THE TEAM

MEET THE TEAM

In this issue we meet Booker’s new PR & Press Manager Jess Horton to find out more about her role and her exciting first few months with Booker.

‘hello’ to...

Name: Jess Horton Title: PR & Press Manager

JESS, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF… I’m Jess Horton and I’m the relatively new PR & Press Manager for Booker across both the retail and catering divisions. I only joined Booker in August this year so I’m still very much in the process of learning about the company, its people, its ethos and its customers – but I can already say that it’s a fantastic place to work with endless opportunities for me to help Booker and its customers continue to grow and develop.

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU JOINED BOOKER? I was with Weetabix as Brand Execution Manager, which basically means that I oversaw how the brand was presented to the world. My role was to ensure that, from start to finish, projects and initiatives were executed efficiently and in line with our overall corporate strategy and goals. In practice that meant I got to work across virtually every aspect of the company and had the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of projects, promotions, events and more. Much of my role was shopperfacing but I also dealt widely with retailers around executions such as on-pack promotions, in-store activity and general brand awareness projects.

59

Y L D R I E W E H T L U F R E W OND FREE* O C C A TOB H C U O P E N I T NICO

E M I T Y N ENJOY IT A ERE ANYWH ive e, an addict ntains nicotin consumers. co d an ee of fr left in sight t is not risk*This produc ade use only. Not to be tr o cc ba to For

For adul substance.

t nicotine co

nsumers on

ly.

AND ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR NEW ROLE? I’m loving it! Everyone at Booker has

About Jess

Yes, I was fortunate enough to work on

been so welcoming and supportive

a lot of interesting and exciting projects.

and it’s made my first few months really

Jess Horton joined

For example, I managed Weetabix’s

enjoyable. It’s a really nice culture within

Booker as PR & Press

sponsorship of the Women’s World

the company and I think that allows us to

Manager in August this

Cup, which was really fulfilling. I worked

deliver a great service to our customers.

year from Weetabix,

MEET THE TEAM

AND YOU WERE INVOLVED IN SOME INTERESTING PROJECTS?

where she was Brand

closely with the Football Association and it was a truly multi-disciplinary

In my role I have to deal with just

Execution Manager

project and I had to work with all sorts

about every department at Booker

with a wide range of

of different teams and individuals to

to make sure that all of our PR and

responsibilities that saw

deliver the project – and that experience

communications, in the widest possible

her oversee a range of

is really helping me in my new role at

sense, is co-ordinated, joined up and

largely shopper-facing

Booker.

timely.

projects and brand

WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE AT BOOKER INVOLVE?

There are so many opportunities

initiatives from start to out there for both Booker and for its customers and I get a real sense of As PR & Press Manager, I’m essentially

satisfaction out of helping unlock some

responsible for all aspects of internal

of those opportunities, particularly so

and external PR and communications.

early in my career at Booker.

That means, for example, that I manage all of the Booker magazines, including Talking Shop; write all of our press

DO YOU HAVE TO SPEND MUCH TIME ON THE ROAD?

releases; liaise with the trade media; organise and oversee our attendance at

Yes, I do, particularly at this time of

various industry events; and manage our

year. At the moment I probably attend

internal communications as well as all of

two to three events per week, usually in

our external communications, including

the evenings – so I spend a lot of time

queries from a really wide range of

travelling and in hotels, but the events

people.

provide a brilliant opportunity for me to meet our retailers, caterers, suppliers,

SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE VERY BUSY?

trade organisations, media partners and the many Booker colleagues who aren’t based in the same office as me.

finish.

She also had responsibility for many of Weetabix’s major event activations, including managing the brand’s high-profile sponsorship of and involvement with the Women’s World Cup. She worked closely with the English Football Association and managed the brand’s activity across all customer touchpoints including on-pack promotions and in-store activity.

Yes, I’m very busy! But that’s one of

It’s a great way of fast-tracking my

At Booker her role is

the things that I am really enjoying

learning about the company and our all-

equally varied, covering

about the job. No two days are ever the

important customers.

all press, PR, events,

same and there are always challenges

internal and external

and deadlines to meet, but I thrive

We are lucky to have so many amazing

communications and

on that sort of role. I like to think I’m

retail and catering customers and the

trade marketing.

a very organised sort of person and I

more I meet them and the more I find

enjoy the challenge of having so many

out about them, the more excited I am

opportunities and tasks to deal with

about the opportunities that lie ahead in

every day.

2024 and beyond.

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ADDED VALUE

In-store services

New footfall, sales and profits with InPost Londis has recently agreed an exciting new deal with parcel collections and return service InPost which provides a guaranteed rental income on lockers, as well as driving footfall, sales and profits.

Londis has recently agreed a major new deal

Over 5,000 businesses in the UK already offer

with parcel collections and return service

InPost, including Tesco, and the service has

InPost which offers Londis retailers an exciting

been proven to drive new and repeat footfall

new way to drive footfall, sales and profits as

as well as boosting in-store sales. In an InPost

well as providing a guaranteed rental income.

survey of almost 650 users, almost half (46%) said they would visit the location again after

Retailers signing up for the service can choose

using the InPost locker. Similarly, 54% of locker

between having in-store or external lockers,

users in a survey of almost 2,200 users at Lidl

with InPost paying a guaranteed rental income

had made a purchase in-store during the visit

to retailers for providing the service.

to use the InPost service.

Retailers with no space for lockers can also

InPost is incredibly easy for both retailers and

offer their shopppers an in-store Pick Up Drop

shoppers to use. For retailers, there are no sign-

Off (PUDO) point .

up fees or hidden fees, and the entire process

What is InPost? l InPost is a collections and return service for e-commerce and other online ordering. l The service is provided either through on-site lockers or through InPost’s Pick Up Drop Off (PUDO) in-store service. l Lockers can be either internal or external. l All retailers offering InPost are added to the InPost online platform, helping to drive fresh footfall. l Over 5,000 UK businesses already offer InPost, including Tesco. l InPost has over 250 e-commerce partners in the UK. l The service has many loyal, regular users and has a Trustpilot score of 4.4.

Retailer options l Lockers: internal or external.

If your store has space, a locker can be placed. l InPost Shop (PUDO): If your store does not have space to accommodate lockers, InPost can still provide all the materials needed to host collection and returns service. A handset is provided for quick and efficient parcel management.

INPOST is delivered completely free of charge to the retailer.

smartphone or device. It also helps make re-selling

For retailers with space for a locker inside or outside

items easy, helping to unlock the circular economy.

their stores, the installation is entirely non-intrusive and lockers can be configured to fit any available

In stores that are open 24 hours or stores that offer

space. Additionally, the lockers require absolutely

external lockers, the service is available to shoppers

no maintenance from you.

24/7, every day of the year.

For shoppers, the service offers a seamless, efficient

InPost already enjoys partnerships with over 250

way to send and receive parcels. The service is

e-commerce partners in the UK and has a Trustpilot

completely label-less and all that shoppers need is a

score of 4.4. All retailers signing up for the service

QR code which can be printed at home or displayed

are automatically added to InPost’s online platform,

on any smartphone or mobile device. InPost offers

again helping to drive fresh footfall and bring new

an entirely digital shopper journey with users able to

shoppers to your door with more than half of them

track and manage returns and collections from their

likely to make additional purchases while there.

Retailer benefits l Guaranteed rental income on lockers. InPost pays for the locker. l No sign-up fees or hidden charges. Zero cost to retailer. l Having InPost as a service has been proven to drive footfall and spend. l InPost helps recruit new shoppers with over 250 e-commerce partners. l Locker installation is non-intrusive. Lockers can be configured to fit any space and lockers require no maintenance. l 46% of locker users said they would visit the location again after using an InPost locker.* l 54% of locker users made a purchase in store after visiting a locker.**

SHOPPER BENEFITS l Label-less service. InPost users only need a QR code which can be printed at home or presented on a smartphone. l Lockers can be accessed 24/7 (in stores open 24/7 or using only external lockers). l Completely digital customer journey: InPost users can track and manage returns and collections from any smartphone or device. l Makes re-selling items easy, helping to unlock the circular economy.

* based on InPost survey of 647 locker users at shopping locations ** based on InPost survey of 2,166 locker users at Lidl

TO FIND OUT MORE, SPEAK TO YOUR RDM, VISIT INPOST.CO.UK/ BUSINESS/HOST-A-LOCKER/BOOKER OR SCAN THE QR CODE.

63

WOW GUESTS WITH SPARKLING SURFACES THIS FESTIVE SEASON

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HOUSEKEEPING 2024

Fresh beginning

Clean start for 2024

With the new year fast approaching, it’s the ideal time to set aside some time to take a deep breath and have an objective look at your store to ensure that your range, service and offer is tip-top and your business is on track for the year ahead.

For retailers and shoppers alike the start

that you’ve meaning to get round to

of a new year has always represented a

but have never quite found the time.

great opportunity to start the year with a

View your store through the eyes of the

clean page: to clear out the clutter, reset

shopper, however, and you’re likely to

the dial and look at their stores through

find lots of quick and simple changes to

fresh and objective eyes.

improve the shopper experience.

One great way to do that is by taking a

That could be as simple as a re-

step back and trying to see your store

merchandise, a lick of paint, or a new

the way your shoppers do. Spending

programme of online staff training. You

every day in your store, it’s easy to get

could also check that all hygiene, health

used to the little issues and problems

and safety documents are up to date.

Exterior The best place to start is outside as that’s the first thing new and existing shoppers see when they visit your store – and first impressions count: l Is the signage neat, tidy and clean? l Are all posters up to date and in good condition? l Has the exterior been swept and is it litter-free? l Do the exterior walls need fresh paint or professional cleaning? l Are the windows clean, tidy and free of clutter? l Do you have a bin available for shoppers?

65

Deck the halls with spotless dishes

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FEATURE NAME

Interior Once your shoppers step inside, what is the first thing they see? Does it make a good impression and is it how you want your store to be perceived? After that, take a good walk around the store, just the way a shopper would, and make sure that everything is just as you want it. Ask yourself: l Are the floors clean? l Are aisles easy to navigate for shoppers with mobility issues or prams? l Do all the lights work? l Is the ceiling clean and free of marks? l Are the shelves clean, neat and well merchandised? l Is there any old POS that’s dirty or no longer relevant? l Is all in-store signage accurate and in good condition? l Are all shelf-edge labels and price tickets clean, tidy and up to date?

Store teams Clearly, one of the most important factors on how shoppers judge your store is your team. Some basic questions to ask yourself include: l Do any uniforms need replacing? l Does your team greet every shopper with a hello and a smile? l Are your team that handle food wearing the appropriate aprons, bibs, gloves and hair nets?

One store owner who will most certainly be looking to use the post-Christmas lull wisely is Jas Singh of Londis Stourbridge Road.

“It’s about more than just the interior,” Jas says.

“Our location on a busy main road with lots of other competition means we always need to look at our best from the outside too. Taking that little bit of extra time to really focus on ensuring that every box is ticked is certainly well worth it.”

Londis News is here to help you tick those boxes too, with some key tips and advice to get your store ship shape for 2024.

67

Get ready

festive season a little better with Costa Express to make the

Sticky Toffee Latte* Sticky Toffee Hot Chocolate

This year we’re launching a new festive flavour- Sticky Toffee! Special edition drinks drive both incremental sales and festive cheer- so ensure your machine is clean and ready to go when the campaign kicks off in November.

Our festive range will be supported by heavy weight advertising out of home, on the radio and on your phone - so stock up and staff up to maximise sales.

Contact us on bookergroup@costacoffee.com to arrange a chat about bringing Costa Coffee to your customers. *Toffee pieces not included. Adults need around 2000 kcal a day.

For full calorie and allergen information, please visit www.costa.co.uk. Subject to availability.

While the shopperfacing parts of the store naturally get the most attention, it’s still vital that all storage areas are kept in good shape to avoid accidents, hygiene issues and out-of-date stock. Ask yourself:

Health, Safe and Legal With the basics dealt with, it’s time to move onto more complex areas. Health, safe and legal are massively important issues and no more so than if you operate a hot food-to-go counter. Areas to pay particular attention to are those with specific hygiene challenges like milk chillers, hot and cold food storage, and preparation areas. l Is the milk chiller spotlessly clean? l Have any hot food storage units been deep cleaned recently? l Have all chillers been serviced as specified by the manufacturer? l Are your temperature checks up to date, accurate and within safe guidelines? l Has the shelving in the soft drinks cabinet been thoroughly cleaned to remove sticky residues? l What about your food prep areas? It is a legal requirement that these must be cleaned and sanitised then left for 30 seconds before using again. l Is your EHO certificate displayed as it should be? l Is your CleanPro+ manual available to staff, and are they aware of it? l For products that you yourself package for sale, is the ingredient labelling fully compliant with Natasha’s Law?

FEATURE NAME

Storage areas

l Are the floor areas of any store spaces clean, tidy and trip hazard-free? l Has all shelving been checked recently to ensure it’s safe and sound? l Has all the stock in the storage room been rotated properly to avoid out of date stock and wastage? l Do all the lights in the storage spaces work? l Could reconfiguring the stockroom make restocking of the shopfloor easier and quicker?

69

JUS LET FESTIV FESTIVE TIMES ROL

Stockup now!

Variant Code

Description

M206032 M207239 M209002

Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry Sheets Jus-Rol Chilled Filo Pastry Jus-Rol Puff Pastry Sheets

For more Christmas recipe inspiration, visit www.jusrol.co.uk Selected stores. Subject to availability. Serving suggestion shown.

VIEWPOINT: ACS

Make your voice heard

A step in the

right direction The new Retail Crime Action Plan, published by the National Police Chiefs Council, has been welcomed as a step in the right direction in tackling the blight of retail crime.

Recently, there has been a lot of media

business? The new strategy signals a step

attention on the issue of shop theft,

in the right direction as shop theft will now

something that we’ve been talking about

be treated more seriously and, with that, it

for many years now. Sadly, the vast majority

is absolutely crucial that you report any and

of you reading this will have your own

all incidents to the police with any evidence

experiences to draw upon about the impact

that you have to illustrate the detrimental

that these incidents have on your store,

impact that these offences have on you and

colleagues and your own wellbeing.

your local community. We recently wrote to all PCCs encouraging greater collaboration

We have welcomed the new Retail Crime

between retailers and the police to share

Action Plan, published by the National Police

evidence with the aim of arresting the thieves

Chiefs Council, which sets out the way that

who are targeting your stores on a daily basis.

police should respond to and investigate thefts. The plan sets out a series of guidelines

We know that theft is one of the biggest

for the police on the following areas:

triggers for violence and abuse against our colleagues and the plan will see prioritisation

prioritising attendance at the scene of crimes

of incidents where violence has been used.

where violence has been used;

Violent and abusive behaviour towards our colleagues is never acceptable and should

the use of facial recognition technology to

always be reported and we’re pleased to see

check CCTV evidence against the Police

that the plan has recognised the urgent need

National database;

to protect shopworkers.

identifying ‘hot spot’ locations where

For too long, shop theft has been thought

additional patrols would be beneficial;

of as a victimless crime and we have been working to make sure that the scale and

dealing with organised crime through the

severity of the problem is understood by the

creation of a new dedicated intelligence team.

Government and the police, and it appears that the reality of this issue has finally gotten

So, what does this mean for you and your

through.

71

Keeping the little helpers, Merry and dry.

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LET'S CELEBRATE

with our new members and longstanding partners

New stores Londis Herne Bay Herne Bay, Kent Londis Stelling Way Erith, Kent Londis Copley Local Hanwell, London Londis Bushey Bushey, Hertfordshire Londis Raglan Raglan, Monmouthshire Londis Penybanc Ammanford, Carmarthenshire Londis Chandra Stores Ilford, Essex Londis Ash Road Longfield, Kent Londis Wesco Local St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex Londis Delce Rochester

Londis Broken Spur S/Stn Ramsnest Common, Chiddingfold, Surrey Londis Queenshead Service Station Windsor, Berkshire Londis Oxshott Surrey Londis Cannock Road Garage Wolverhampton, Staffordshire Londis The Highway S/S Wapping, London Londis Prince of Wales S/S Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire Londis Barking Road East Ham, London Londis Parkside Parkside Avenue, Stafford Londis Audley Blackburn, Lancashire

, Kent

Londis Abbey End Kenilworth, Warwickshire Londis Chanterlands Avenue Hull, Humberside

Londis Pinehurst Supermarket Hertfordshire

GREAT NEWS

Starting today, all applicable* Premier, Londis, Budgens, and Family Shopper locations across the UK will be eligible for a

There’s no better time to accept.

If you are already set up to accept American Express® Cards and would like to have this rate applied to your business, please call our Servicing team at

0800 032 7216 to get this updated.

new rate of 0.8% for American Express Card transactions.

Did you know?

AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARDMEMBERS SPEND 3.8X MORE ANNUALLY COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE UK CREDIT AND CHARGE CARDMEMBERS?1

Otherwise, if you are not set up to accept American Express and would like to take advantage of this rate, all you need to do is send an email to wthuk@aexp.com including your name and phone number and our team will call out to you to complete the set up or follow the QR code for a digital form.

Once you receive your American Express Merchant Number(s), simply contact your payment provider who will program your terminal(s) to accept American Express Cards.

Keep an eye out for Amex decals to display in your store that will be sent out shortly!

Ready to accept Amex?

SCAN TO APPLY

* Please note that stores currently accepting will not be given a rebate. Please note that your rate will be updated within 60 days. This rate is not available for franchise stores linked to a petrol forecourt. Certain exclusions apply to this offer, including, but not limited to, stores that operate with a Payment Facilitator.

1. American Express 2022 Internal data for United Kingdom Cardmembers spending across Europe compared to GlobalData Payment Card analytics for transactions with domestic cards at terminals in the country and outside the country. Including at physical terminal and initiated remotely.

American Express Payment Services Limited has its registered at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX. Registered in England and Wales with number 06301718. American Express Payment Services Limited is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (reference number 484347) for the provision of payment services. Copyright © 2023. American Express Company. All Rights Reserved.

Many happy returns to all those celebrating their time with us. More than just a brand, Londis is a family of like-minded convenience retailers whose focus is to provide a much-needed service to their local community

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Londis - Wood Lane Castleford

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20

Latchford Londis Latchford East, Warrington

Londis - Carlton Avenue Stoke On Trent

10

21

Victoria Park Service Sta Crow Rd, Glasgow

Londis - George Street Aberdeen

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Eagle Service Station Eaglescliffe, Stockton-On-Tees

Londis - Halesworth Halesworth

10

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Mayland Garage Maylandsea, Chelmsford

Londis - Washington Road Maldon

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Londis Cherrytree Cherry Tree Ave, Dover

Londis - Hadley Wood Chipping Barnet

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Londis Bridgwater Taunton Rd, Bridgwater

Londis - Pebmarsh Halstead

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Texaco Bury Road Service Bury Rd, Rochdale

Londis - Queens Drive Bedford

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Marlpool Foodstore Breach Rd, Heanor

Londis - Whitwell P.O. & Hitchin

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Superfood & Wine Greenford Ave, London

Londis - Bridge Service S Gloucester Rd, Stonehouse

20

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Riverview Stores Vange, Basildon

Londis - Fromebridge Whitminster, Gloucester

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Sewell Maybury Hull

Londis - Wild Goose Garag Kingshill Rd, Dursley

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Sewell Southcoates Hull

Londis - Seven Sisters S/ Thornliebank, Glasgow

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Sewell Sutton Hull

Londis - Ashford Road Ashford Rd, Maidstone

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Wharncliffe Garage Summer Ln, Barnsley

Londis - Jubilee Caister Rd, Great Yarmouth

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The Newspoint Hillingdon Hill, Uxbridge

Londis - Ace Parade Chessington

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Wady And Brett Charing, Ashford

Londis - Oaktree Stores Oak Tree Rd, Marlow

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Londis Brecknock Road Brecknock Rd, London

Londis - Woodlands Parade Woodlands Parade, Ashford

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Londis Church Road *Tet* Church Rd, London

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LONDIS BIRTHDAYS

Londis birthdays

Londis - Robins Lane Barry

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