Convenience Guide 2019

2019/20

THE CONVENIENCE GUIDE SCOTLAND Insight & advice for convenience retailers

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CONTENTS SUSTAINABILITY 6

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Scotland’s Deposit12 Return Scheme what you need to know

But it isn’t just about climate c Most people dispose of their e responsibly, but you only need one look at our streets to see t many of them end up littered. get 20p for returning it, you’re likely to drop it.

Scottish retailers sell hundreds of millions of drinks a year. That’s a huge amount of sales – but it’s also 8 a huge number of empty bottles and cans. Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will help make sure far more of them get recycled.

What shoppers want Shoppers want to see busines be more environmentally cons especially after the impact of s like Blue Planet.16

How it works It’s a simple idea. When consumers go into a shop, they will pay a 20p deposit for the container the drinks come in and get their money back when they return their empty bottle or can to be recycled.

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That 20p deposit gives people a good reason to return their empties and the expectation is that it will drive recycling rates for bottles and cans up to 90%.

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8

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Your say in making it happen The Scottish Government has created an implementation ad group to give businesses the c to lead on making this happen Federation of Small Businesse Scottish Grocer’s Federation, Federation of Independent Ret 20 Consortium and Scottish Retail all included, giving retailers a voice. Let your representative you have an ideas or questions

11 Shops will be able to collect the empties over the counter or through a reverse vending machine. All shops will receive a handling fee that 16 FOOD TO GO SUSTAINABILITY covers any costs of being part of the Zero Waste Scotland takes a look at deposit return, scheme, the new such as Adelie Foods has range, Want tooffering know plenty more? staff time andrevamped use its Urban eat national recycling scheme for drinks containers. of space. of new high-margin opportunities.

Scotland’s Deposit Return Sch will give every retailer a role in 18 fight against climate change a EPOS INSURANCE Good for planet, good for our streets cleaning up ourreckstreets.

More means Henderson Technology explains how its EPOS system ticksrecycling all Disasterlower can strike without warning, but Forum Insurance the boxes for Scottish convenience stores. ons it has the right solution for retailers. emissions. Our analysis shows that the scheme will reduce Scotland’s To learn more, and keep up to emissions by 20 the COFFEE equivalent ofTO GO PROPERTY on news on the scheme, visit: over 110,000 return flights from David Higgins, director and co-owner of commercial property Have you woken up and smelled the coffee to go opportunity? depositreturn.scot York. specialist Cornerstone offers his advice for retailers.Edinburgh to NewCosta Express explores how retailers can cash in on coffee.

LICENSING

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Audrey Junner, a partner at Hill Brown Licensing, shines a spotlight on the issue of underage sales.

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Everywhere that sells drinks to take away will be a return poin empty containers. Having so m places to return to will make t scheme accessible. Returning empty bottle or can will be as buying it in the first place.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY Retailers can’t spend all of their time in the store, but Danfoss explains how its app can produce the same effect.

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT Top brands in Scottish convenience provide an overview of their category, offering merchandising advice and more.

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FASCIA & FRANCHISE Catching up with the symbol groups and franchises supporting Scottish stores.

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Stock healthier options and reinforce your reputation as a responsible retailer.

The SGF Healthy Living Team are here to assist you in selecting the healthier choices and to help drive sales.

Call now on 0131 343 3300 to make an appointment with your Healthy Living Development Manager.

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INTRO

Pushing forward with expert knowledge Scottish Grocer editor Matthew Lynas invites retailers to make the most of the expert advice that’s on offer in this year’s Convenience Guide YOU have to know a lot if you’re going to be a successful convenience retailer.

How many businesses require their owners to have a working knowledge of so many categories, so much legislation, all while working in a seriously competitive marketplace?

Whether it’s taking that first leap into food to go, preparing for the impending implementation of a new deposit return scheme or simply keeping compliant with complex alcohol licensing laws, retailers are faced with new challenges on a daily basis.

Scotland’s retailers have consistently risen to those challenges however, and in my experience you would be hard pressed to find another sector where business owners are so ready and willing to listen, learn and try new things.

Scottish Grocer has been in circulation since 1928 and – having had the pleasure of rifling through the archives – it’s incredible to see how retailers have consist-

Scottish Grocer editor Matthew Lynas.

a helping hand by sharing their knowledge with Scotland’s retailers.

Inside this year’s Scottish Grocer Convenience Guide, you will find plenty of advice and discussion of the categories that are key to c-store success.

Things kick off with a look at what is sure to be one of the biggest changes to come to Scottish retail in living memory – the introduction of a national deposit return scheme.

There is also some great advice on EPOS systems from top suppliers. Making the most of the till

tered to, with handy tips to help your business thrive in an evolving marketplace.

There’s also advice on energy efficiency; a concept that is becoming increasingly important in convenience.

And since big-margin sales are such a crucial component to success in convenience, we of course need to touch on food to go and coffee to go, two categories that offer a lot of opportunity for retailers.

The second section of this year’s Convenience Guide covers category management. Here you will

technology that’s available to retailers in 2019 can make a real difference across the business, so it’s well worth a look.

Navigating the alcohol licensing landscape in Scotland can be a tricky task, however inside you’ll find comment from one of the nation’s leading legal experts in the field, which should help stores stay compliant.

This year, we also have welcome advice from commercial property experts – handy for any retailers considering a change.

Forecourt retailers are well ca-

find some great guidance from leading brands.

Categories covered in this year’s guide are: Ale, Biscuits, Tea, Frozen Desserts, Vaping, Cider, RTDs, Whisky, Soft Drinks, as well as In-Store Technology.

The third section of the 2019 Convenience Guide focuses on fascia and franchise.

This year’s fascia and franchise section of the guide includes contributions from the newly formed Unitas, Post Office, Nisa, Costcutter, One Stop and United Wholesale (Scotland).

ently and successfully adapted to changes in consumer trends as well as new regulations.

For sure, there are challenges coming down the tracks, but I have no doubt that savvy retailers will be able to navigate the choppy waters of uncertainty that lie ahead with grace – and some hard graft.

Thankfully, there are plenty of brands that are happy to lend

Some of the top brands in Scottish convenience have offered their expert advice on how retailers can boost sales in their store.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme what you need to know

But it Most p respo one lo many get 20 likely

Scottish retailers sell hundreds of millions of drinks a year. That’s a huge amount of sales – but it’s also a huge number of empty bottles and cans. Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will help make sure far more of them get recycled.

What Shopp be mo espec like B

How it works It’s a simple idea. When consumers go into a shop, they will pay a 20p deposit for the container the drinks come in and get their money back when they return their empty bottle or can to be recycled.

That 20p deposit gives people a good reason to return their empties and the expectation is that it will drive recycling rates for bottles and cans up to 90%.

Shops will be able to collect the empties over the counter or through a reverse vending machine. All shops will receive a handling fee that covers any costs of being part of the scheme, such as staff time and use of space.

Good for planet, good for our streets More recycling means lower emissions. Our analysis shows that the scheme will reduce Scotland’s emissions by the equivalent of over 110,000 return flights from Edinburgh to New York.

Everyw take a empty places schem empty buying

Your s The S create group to lead Feder Scotti Feder and S all inc voice. you ha

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Butjust it isn’t justclimate about climate But it isn’t about change.change.

Mostdispose people dispose of their empties Most people of their empties responsibly, but you only responsibly, but you only need to need take to take lookstreets at our to streets to see that one lookone at our see that them end up littered. many ofmany them of end up littered.

If you If you 20p for returning you’re less get 20p get for returning it, you’reit,less to drop it. likely to likely drop it.

What shoppers What shoppers want want Shoppers to see businesses Shoppers want to want see businesses more environmentally conscious, environmentally conscious, so be morebe especially theof impact especially after theafter impact showsof shows Blue Planet.

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Everywhere that sellstodrinks to Everywhere that sells drinks take away be apoint return take away will be awill return forpoint for empty containers.

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Having so manyso many to will make the places toplaces returntotoreturn will make the accessible.

Returning an schemescheme accessible.

Returning an emptyorbottle or can will be as easy as empty bottle can will be as easy in the first place. buying itbuying in the it first place.

say in making it happen Your sayYour in making it happen The Scottish Government has The Scottish Government has an implementation an implementation advisoryadvisory ood created created to give businesses the chance group togroup give businesses the chance d to making lead on making this happen.

The to lead on this happen.

The Federation Small Businesses, of SmallofBusinesses, ns Federation Federation, ScottishScottish Grocer’sGrocer’s Federation, Federation of Independent Retailers Federation of Independent Retailers and Scottish Retail Consortium are and Scottish Retail Consortium are all included, giving retailers giving retailers a real a real ugh all included, voice. your representative voice. Let yourLet representative know if know if or questions. an have ideasan orideas questions. that you haveyou he know more? knowto more? se Want to Want Scotland’s Return Scheme Scotland’s Deposit Deposit Return Scheme give every a retailer role in the will givewill every retailer role inathe fight climate against climate change and change and eets fight against up our streets. cleaningcleaning up our streets. at s learnand more, and up to date To learnTo more, keep upkeep to date on the scheme, on newson onnews the scheme, visit: visit: depositreturn.scot depositreturn.scot

FACTS THE THE FACTS

TARGET DEPOSIT TARGET DEPOSIT CAPTURE RATE RATE VALUEVALUE CAPTURE

90% 90% OF DRINKS OF DRINKS CONTAINERS CONTAINERS

RETURN RETURN BY RETURN OVER OVER RETURN BY COUNTER MACHINE COUNTER MACHINE

CONTAINERS RECYCLED CONTAINERS RECYCLED

PET PET STEEL/ STEEL/ GLASS GLASS PLASTIC PLASTIC ALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM BOTTLES BOTTLES BOTTLES BOTTLES CANS CANS 7

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EPOS with Henderson Technology

A tech solution for convenience EDGEPoS making Scottish inroads el secured the partnership between Westhill Service Station and Henderson Technology.”

Did they make the right decision?

“Undoubtedly,” Darren said. “The whole process was extremely smooth with the Henderson Technology team. From the preparation of the system of installing the back office PC, to the full install and even the after training service was first class. The service and support that we got from the team was second to none, and it is still the same now.

“The fact that our customers never noticed a change, and we had no disruption to the site is a testament to the EDGEPoS system and the Henderson Technology team as a whole. The process and the resources supplied are exemplary.

“We now have all the benefits of the additional functions and features on the EDGEPoS system, including the Azpiral staff loyalty integration; allowing us full control and visibility in every area of the business.

“It was a seamless swap over from the old system to EDGEPoS and I can’t recommend it enough to other retailers out there looking for a new EPOS system,” he added.

Henderson Technology caters for both dry convenience stores and fuel forecourts. But what makes it different to other EPOS suppliers out there? The firm’s 90 Henderson Retail company-owned stores in Northern Ireland has allowed it to have both the retail expertise and the technology expertise to set it apart.

The Henderson Group is one of the only companies worldwide selling an EPOS system that actually uses it in its own business. This gives Henderson’s a perspective that few software companies can, and the constant drive to keep its stores ahead of the competition ensures EDGEPoS continues to evolve and retailers continue to benefit.

Darren Nickels, head of Henderson Technology, said: “We are excited about what the future holds in Scotland, England and Wales for EDGEPoS. We launched the system in GB at the Henderson caters to forecourt retailers and c-stores.

EDGEPoS is an award winning global EPOS software system, designed by retailers, for retailers. It has been developed specifically for the convenience and fuel forecourt market by Henderson Technology.

Henderson Technology is the largest EPOS supplier in Northern Ireland with over 460 sites across the province.

In 2018, Henderson Technology embarked on a significant sales expansion outside of Northern Ireland with customers in Scotland, England and Wales now coming along as new EDGEPoS partners.

EDGEPoS covers the three main areas of running your retail business; operational efficiency, security and business development.

Westhill Service Station, located in Aberdeenshire in Scotland, has been serving its community since 1968. The service station, branded Spar and BP, is run by Robert Simpson.

Darren Moir, the store manager, has worked for the family-run business for 28 years.

On the decision to install EDGEPoS in store this year, he said: “We had been researching EPOS systems for around 18 months to ensure that we chose the right solution for our store.

“We chose EDGEPoS over the other systems. The ease of use of the system drew us to EDGEPoS when we looked at it initially. That, alongside the ability to install the system within our timeline; and the competitive pricing mod-

Henderson Technology is the largest supplier in Northern Ireland.

end of 2018, and we are now working with a variety of wholesale and fuel brands. We have a number of installs already booked in over the summer in Scotland.”

Scott and Andrew Aitken, owners of Bypass Service Station and Rigg Service Station in East Lothian, are installing EDGEPoS in their sites in early August.

Why did they choose EDGEPoS? “Henderson Technology invited us to Northern Ireland for an EDGEPoS study tour earlier this year. After seeing the system in a number of stores in NI, we were extremely impressed with the system and how it coped in a range of size of stores and the advanced features offered on the system.

“We visited Westhill Service Station separately to get the honest feedback from Darren on both the system and the install process and were delighted with what we received. It was an instant decision to proceed with EDGEPoS for our sites,” said Andrew Aitken.

He added: “We were looking for the most innovative company that could fulfil our needs with state of the art technology. Henderson Technology has come up with the goods and EDGEPoS is the most cutting edge technology of our times. It does more than what it says on the tin.”

Darren Nickels concluded: “With the launch of our innovative and cost effective self-checkout solution for our retailers, and the upcoming launches of Appetite, Gander and Ubamarket App integrations, EDGEPoS really is the future of retail technology. We offer 24/7 support with every system, as we know that businesses do not stop at 5pm. Get in touch today for more information.”

• www.henderson.technology • sales@henderson.technology • Tel: 028 9094 1900

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Take control of your forecourt EDGEPoS, developed for the convenience and fuel forecourt market by Henderson Technology provides a forward-thinking EPOS solution for retailers.

Reliable, fast and flexible software 24/7 customer support Global customer base Award winning innovation Easy to use and implement

Are you tired with the lack of support and service from your current EPOS supplier?

Work with a team who can deliver the most progressive system today and discover how EDGEPoS can prepare your business for the future.

Visit www.henderson.technology to learn more. +44 (0)28 9094 1900 | sales@henderson.technology |

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@_HendersonTech

26/07/2019 09:52

PROPERTY with Cornerstone

A time to buy, or to sell?

I HAVE been directly involved in the retail industry for more than 20 years, managing supermarkets for an international chain, selling and acquiring convenience stores all over the country for a major plc – and buying, owning and running my own retail business.

For the last four years, along with my business partners Barry McNeil and Derek Burgoyne, Cornerstone has developed into the ‘go-to’ agents for business sales throughout Scotland.

My experience has taught me that no two days are the same in retail and I have always felt that it is very much a business that gives you back out what you are willing to put in. There is no substitute for good leadership, excellent customer service and hard work.

Whilst there are still many uncertainties facing operators, both multiples and independents, the sector continues to offer opportunities for those willing to move with the times and make use of the tools available to maximise their offering – and their profits.

At Cornerstone we have put together a basic guide for selling your business. This procedure may commence a year or more in advance of

the time you decide to place your business on the market.

The information we provide basically covers points such as: having ideally three years profit and loss accounts available, full staffing details, confirmation of alterations carried out on the property having the required consent, and ensuring safety test certificates and EPC/PAT certificates are all in place.

If your business is traded out of a leased property then obviously a copy of the full lease and any ancillary documentation will also be required. The more information that is available to hand before going to the market, the smoother the transaction.

As well as being involved with the marketing and sale of convenience stores on behalf of clients, we are also delighted to assist in the acquisition of businesses on behalf of retained clients.

Should you require any information regarding this or any of the services we offer here at Cornerstone, please do not hesitate in getting in touch.

We work closely with a number of solicitor

David Higgins, director and co-owner, Cornerstone.

firms and accountants and we are always happy to take the time to discuss over the phone or in person any queries you may have, or just for a general chat about the current convenience store market.

PAPER SHOP KINGUSSIE

COMRIE POST OFFICE COMRIE

C&S MONKS PORT CHARLOTTE, ISLAY

LD SO

LD SO

LD SO

SO

LD

Experience. The Difference.

TENNANT HOUSE STORES ECCLEFECHAN

Looking to buy a business/sell a business?

For any information on shops we are selling or if you would like a free, no obligation business appraisal, please contact our retail specialist David Higgins on 0131 445 7222, 0141 353 9494, 07876 831833 or by email to david@cornerstoneagents.co.uk.

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LICENSING with Hill Brown Licensing

A spotlight on underage sales A RECENT report by Serve Legal, the ID checking company, raised fears that “Challenge 25” hasn’t been operated properly by a significant number of on-trade operators. According to a Serve Legal survey, in the course of 668 visits around one third of their agents – aged 18 or 19 – were able to purchase alcohol.

For the off trade, the news was much better, with supermarkets and c-stores achieving an 89% pass rate in over 5,000 audits.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Figures released by the Scottish Government in 2015 revealed that children aged 13 and 15 were most likely to obtain alcohol from their home or from a friend or relative. Direct purchases were rare.

But there’s positively no room for complacency. The same data source discloses that 9% of

15-year-olds in the study (who had ever drunk) had tried to buy from the off trade in the previous four weeks and were successful, while 2% had tried and were turned down.

The sale of alcohol to a person under 18 places a licensed business on course for disaster.

So, it’s imperative that operators understand their obligation to have an “age-verification policy” in place. As a condition of premises licences “steps must be taken to establish the age of a person attempting to buy alcohol if it appears to the person selling the alcohol that the customer may be less than 25 years of age (or such older age as may be specified in the policy)”.

There’s an exception for “remote sales” where the seller and customer aren’t “face-to-face”, for example where alcohol is

Audrey Junner is a partner at Hill Brown Licensing.

purchased online and dispatched from a fulfilment centre.

Our advice is to get the policy set out in writing and signed off by all staff involved in alcohol sales. Support the policy with appropriate signage.

And refresh the message regularly: demonstrating “due diligence” is

vital if an underage sale leads to a premises licence review.

There’s another interesting piece of information tucked away at the end of Serve Legal’s press release.

The data for online alcohol sales looks alarming: 57% of their “mystery shoppers” took delivery of alcohol and other age-restricted goods without being asked for proof of age.

Surprisingly, while it’s an offence to deliver alcohol to a child or young person, deliveries fall outwith the scope of “Challenge 25”; but where alcohol is delivered to a person under 18 it’s a defence to show “reasonable steps” were taken by asking for one of the usual approved forms of ID. Some licensing boards are insisting that delivery drivers are properly trained with the age verification policy applied at the point of delivery.

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26/07/2019 10:37

ENERGY EFFICIENCY with Danfoss

One app for temp, alarms and HACCP

The Danfoss ProsaLink app: Always on – even when you’re off PROTECTING perishable stock is one of the biggest challenges for store owners – but it just got a lot easier. Cooling solutions provider Danfoss has announced its latest temperature tracking app: ProsaLink.

Picture this: you open your store in the morning and everything appears to be fine. But as you enter your cold room to fetch some stock, you realize it’s not working.

All your perishable stock has – well – perished.

Your chiller equipment broke down overnight – a nightmare scenario for any store owner. It means that stock worth several thousands of pounds has to be discarded on the spot, at a massive loss to your business.

And the worst part is, until you came into work in the morning, you had no idea anything was wrong. Sure, an alarm went off on the unit during the night, but no one was around to hear it.

It’s because of scenarios like this that Danfoss is due to launch its ProsaLink app and connectivity solution in the UK, at the start of Sep-

• Help eliminate food loss with user-specific push notification alarms.

• Improve food quality through automated temperature and door status monitoring.

• Save time with automated HACCP-compliant temperature recording. tember 2019.

An add-on to its highly successful Prosa IoT solutions that connect and monitor thousands of food and beverage assets, ProsaLink enables automated, remote, and real-time monitoring of cold rooms, display cabinets, and mobile refrigeration units via cellular data –24/7.

Following a simple plug-and-play setup process – and easily retrofitted to existing equipment – store owners have access to real-time

The ProsaLink app helps keep retailers in the loop with its alerts

Danfoss ensures retailers can keep an eye on chillers from home.

temperature data for each asset they own, including automatic data logging and history stored securely in the cloud. The app even alerts users to issues using mobile push notifications.

ProsaLink enables store owners

gramme for installers wishing to be upskilled on Prosa and ProsaLink – enabling more stores than ever to benefit from the technology.

To find out more about Danfoss ProsaLink, contact your installer today, or visit prosa.danfoss.co.uk

Not only does the app require minimal training, there’s also a bespoke online dashboard designed specifically for installation and maintenance tasks and managed across several sites. to help eliminate food loss from breakdowns and unplanned maintenance, increase food quality by closely monitoring temperature and chiller door status, and save the time spent manually recording temperatures as required under HACCP food safety management standards.

And while it’s a cost-effective solution, ProsaLink’s true value comes from its ability to help prevent stock loss.

It’s great for installers too. Not only does the app require minimal training, there’s also a bespoke online dashboard designed specifically for installation and maintenance tasks, and management across several sites.

Danfoss also runs a training pro-

to register your details and one of our experts will be in touch.

• Danfoss manufactures products and provides services used in cooling, air conditioning, and heating, as well as power solutions for the agriculture sector and electronic drives.

The firm was founded in 1933 by Danish inventor Mads Clausen.

The Danfoss ProsaLink app is the next step in Prosa’s evolution, enabling an affordable, flexible, and secure solution for temperature tracking, alarm notification, and HACCP compliance.

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Always On. Even when you are Off. Userfriendly app for convenience store owners

User-friendly solution for temperature tracking and HACCP compliance.

ProsaLink is an intuitive 24/7 app-based real-time temperature and automatic data logging solution - combined with alarm notifications to act immediately, and to save money.

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26/07/2019 09:53

FORECOURTS

A Brand New Gulf

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We have revitalised our forecourt image for today’s marketplace.

This modern, fresh and eye-catching look is designed to widen the appeal of our forecourts, attracting new customers and helping our Retailers increase visibility at all times of the day. ontact your local Area Manager to find out more

Join the brand of champions Call 0345 456 6300 Visit gulfoil.co.uk/retail 15

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26/07/2019 09:54

FOOD TO GO with Urban Eat

URBAN eat unveils its fresh new look

The UK’s number one sandwich brand is set to get bigger, bolder and tastier than ever with a new updated look, new products and a multi-channel support campaign.

URBAN eat is relaunching its popular food to go range.

With a raft of new products and a striking new look – Urban eats is offering ‘Food with Attitude’ to consumers and its best ever tasting range.

The £120 million brand is introducing new recipes and flavours, including new Street Food and Deli ranges which aim to capitalise on the latest food trends and broaden its appeal in a variety of channels.

Ahead of the relaunch, URBAN eat conducted extensive consumer research and benchmarking to ensure the new range met the needs of modern consumers.

URBAN eat’s brand refresh will be supported by significant investment across a multi-channel campaign, including print, digital and social advertising, in-store activations, sampling and influencer marketing.

The key objectives of the multi-channel campaign are to raise

awareness of the brand, drive frequency of purchase and encourage greater basket spend.

The four new ranges have been designed to reduce complexity for shoppers while hitting more mission needs, from breakfast to lunch, and hot eats to snacking.

Sustainability has also played a key role in the new range.

All the cardboard Urban eat uses is widely recyclable and is from managed renewable forests – with at least two trees planted for every tree used.

The four distinct URBAN eat ranges are: • URBAN eat Core – all the URBAN eat favourites and classic flavours, plus a new premium range and a NHS CQUIN-compliant light range to cater for those looking for healthy options under 400 calories.

The range also includes more salads than ever before to accommodate growing demand and a range of vegetarian, vegan, gluten

The URBAN eat range includes plenty of hot and cold options.

The entire URBAN eat range has undergone a packaging refresh.

free and halal products.

• URBAN eat Deli – a broad mix of coffee shop-inspired hot and cold deli products, that tap into café culture.

Products include classic toasties and paninis, new additions such as the Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagel and a range of hot boxes, in addition to cold eat sandwiches and salads.

• URBAN eat Street – a new collection of innovative and flavoursome products inspired by the latest food trends, including Bacon Naan, Vegan Bean Burrito and Mozzarella & Tomato topped Flatbread.

• URBAN eat Roots – the popular range of vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and wraps with punchy flavours and quirky names – all approved by the Vegetarian society and benchmarked to make them tastier than ever.

Wayne Greensmith, head of category marketing at URBAN Eats brand owner Adelie Foods, said: “We may already be the UK’s biggest sandwich brand, but with this

relaunch we believe we can deliver strong growth for our customers and bring our products to more people than ever before.

“Every product in the range has been benchmarked to make it our tastiest range ever - we’ve already had fantastic customer feedback.

“The relaunch meets the needs of the evolving food to go market. This shines through with our refreshed packaging and simplified ranges that stand out on shelf, while the new products allow us to have a portfolio that can flex around changing consumer missions, appealing to a wider demographic of consumers and reflecting modern food trends.”

The new branding and products will be available to retailers from 19 August.

Retailers can contact the Urban eat sales team on 0333 003 7843 or email urbaneat@adeliefoods. co.uk.

Alternatively, submit a request via the online platform by emailing onlinesupport@adeliefoods. co.uk.

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Contact the Urban Eat sales team on 0333 003 7843 or email urbaneat@adeliefoods.co.uk

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#URBANEAT

URBANEAT.CO.UK

26/07/2019 09:56

INSURANCE with Forum

Complete protection with Forum Insurance

Forum Insurance is about to turn 30 years old and the specialist in retail coverage continues to bring its wealth of experience to bear whenever Scottish business owners are in need of top quality service Supported by its local market and close-knit network of family, friends, and existing clients, Forum Insurance began writing more complex insurance risks such as retail insurance, manufacturers and wholesalers insurance, landlord’s insurance, motor trade and motor fleet insurance, offices and surgeries insurance, all types of liability insurance – including but not limited to – employers’ liability insurance, public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance.

In 1998, a now successful brokerage invested even further into itself by securing a company-owned office premForum Insurance is capable of offering ises at Sai Maa House, 181 the personal one-to-one service of a Kenton Road, just a few small company, hand in hand with the minutes up the road from its previously rented head service, scope, and reach of a leading office. national broker.

With its own space and more freedom to really hone its operating and insurance, personal contents insurance, priservice procedures, Forum Insurance went vate car insurance, and personal travel insurfrom strength to strength creating a highly ance. qualified and competent team to help develop, However, after establishing itself as a repuimprove and grow its business. table local broker, the company started investWith up-to-date systems, infrastructure, and ing in and taking on board the knowledge and a specialist panel of insurers with whom it has skills to offer commercial insurance and more developed deep and long-lasting relationships, specialist types of cover to the market.

ESTABLISHED in 1990 by Barry Mamtora, Forum Insurance started as, and still is, a familyrun independent insurance brokerage.

From its humble beginnings in a two-person office in North West London, the company rapidly grew in its local insurance market.

Today it offers first rate services and products from the insurance sector, providing all types of general insurance as well as specialist commercial products and packages.

Forum Insurance’s initial service offering was based on, but not limited to, personal lines insurance such as residential property owner’s

Forum Insurance offers bespoke solutions for forecourt retailers tailored to their needs.

Forum Insurance has positioned itself to put forward its best possible offering to new and existing clients.

OUR MISSION Today Forum Insurance is celebrating 30 years of outstanding service and steady growth. It is still a family-run insurance brokerage with the director, Barry Mamtora, and his family involved full time in the business. This means that Forum Insurance is capable of offering the personal one-to-one service of a small company, hand in hand with the service, scope, and reach of a leading national broker.

We at Forum Insurance strive to provide bespoke solutions specifically tailored to meet our clients’ individual needs. With 30 years experience in the industry we have established ourselves as a household name in North London.

Our extensive network of insurers, combined with our highly trained and dedicated team, ensures we provide corporate level quality and professionalism tempered with the kind of personal and meticulous service one would expect from a much smaller company.

At Forum Insurance we are passionate about pairing the right insurance cover with the right client. We strive to provide prudent and costeffective solutions without compromising the cover and protection each and every client of ours deserves.

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26/07/2019 09:57

COFFEE TO GO with Costa

Profits at the touch of a button EVERY day in the UK, people drink over 95 million cups of coffee.

It’s a trend that’s still on the up. Following 19 years of consecutive growth, coffee sales are forecast to increase further, by a staggering 44% over the next four years.

The way we drink coffee has changed too.

Coffee shops have become meeting places as well as places to socialise, and ‘coffee-on-thego’ isn’t just restricted to grabbing a cup on the way into work. We may start the day with a caffeine wake-up but we’re also having mid-morning cups, indulgent ‘me-moment’ breaks and if the sun’s out, nothing’s quite as cool as an iced coffee.

Where we’re buying coffee has also changed.

The UK’s leading coffee brand Costa has over 8,000 Costa Express machines serving delicious barista-quality coffee in petrol forecourts, convenience stores, supermarkets and a host of other places where people want coffee made with freshly ground beans.

Recent research conducted by Costa Express indicates there’s an opportunity to double sales in the UK by doubling down on site expansion and driving like-for-like sales by enhancing the

customer journey.

Over a third of customers who pop in for their Costa Express coffee end up buying breakfast or bakery products, snacks for the road or do their top-up shops, and a third of them come four times a week.

It’s no surprise that many retail outlets are clamouring to take advantage of this increased custom, but what is surprising is how easy it is to get on board. All you need is one square metre of floor space, mains water and your own semi-skimmed milk. Costa Express does the rest: install the machines, automatically provide the beans, cups, etc. and provide dedicated support seven days a week.

Costa Express also provides an app-based loyalty program to encourage repeat sales and to help drive new customers to their nearest Costa Express location.

Calling them ‘machines’ doesn’t really do these state-of-the-art mechanical baristas justice. These automatic baristas have impressive design credentials, are interactive and deliver the perfect coffee made with freshly ground beans and fresh milk at the touch of a button.

They’re capable of making over 250 different drinks and trials of iced drinks and pay-at-machine technology are in progress. This autumn will see a new Costa Express advertising campaign to further drive consumer awareness – with every UK adult seeing the communication nine times on average.

Not all coffees are created equal.

Increase your profits at the touch of a button.

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CATEGORY MANAGEMENT

Take a smart approach to category management and customers will say thanks with their wallets

Making shopping pleasant for all

COMPETITION can be fierce in convenience.

The rise and rise of the discounters, revamped offers from across the symbol groups and the huge buying power of the big four supermarkets all contribute to the seriously competitive trading conditions faced by just about every retailer in Scotland.

There are many ways that a store can set itself apart from the competition, but of these, solid category management is absolutely critical.

Footfall is all well and good, but it’s for nought if shoppers aren’t putting products into baskets.

Here is where a bit of category management can pay dividends.

When carried out with care and attention, effective category management can drive incremental sales, boost basket spend and pull shoppers towards higher margin SKUs. At its core, category management is all about what goes where, when and how.

• Is that confectionery display working on a hot summer day?

• Can commuters popping in for a soft drink be tempted by ‘something for tonight’?

• What can be done to help that high-margin NPD take off?

balance of brands, variants and pack formats in • How can we generate in-store theatre? an easy to navigate format can be tricky when Store flow is also, of course, key to a pleasant faced with so many options – and a seemingshopping experience. ly constant stream of NPD – but it’s well worth • Where are the soft drinks in relation to the putting in the effort. snacks?

To assist in that endeavour, overleaf, you’ll • How easy is it for customers to find their find major brands offering up some key inway to grocery staples, and what brands and sights into how convenience retailers can encategories might they see along the way? sure that categories in their store are expertly • What SKUs sit at eye level? laid out and easy to shop.

• Where do promotions work best in store?

• How can you get complementary categories working Striking the right balance of brands, together to improve perforvariants and pack formats in an easy mance for both? to navigate format can be tricky Shoppers seem to instinctively know when they are in a when faced with so many options, well-managed store. If categobut it’s well worth putting in the ries across the store are easy effort. to navigate, customers are more likely to come back – but Hopefully, you’ll pick up some helpful hints no one runs out to repeat a frustrating shopand tips to try out in store. ping trip.

There is certainly a lot to consider when getExperienced retailers will no doubt have ting down to the nitty-gritty of category manstrategies in place across the categories in their agement in a Scottish store, but those who can store, with eye-catching points of interruption present a well-merchandised section for any and engaging displays – all without creating category should see the benefit on their botclutter. tom line.

But, as categories and customer preferences evolve, it’s well worth revisiting on a frequent basis to ensure every square inch of space is being used as effectively as possible.

This is the kind of thing retailers have been doing for as long as there have been shops, but over the years the big brands have taken this in-store art, and wrestled it down to something close to a science.

Striking the right Easy to navigate categories should keep tills ringing in store.

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ALE

SALES MCEWAN’S EXPORT:

THE NO.1 CANNED ALE IN SCOTLAND*

MCEWAN’S CHAMPION:

THE NO.1 BEST-SELLING BOTTLED ALE IN SCOTLAND*

THESE McNIFICENT SELLING ALES ARE MUST-STOCK ITEMS IN THE SCOTTISH OFF-TRADE

STAY AHEAD OF DEMAND AND STOCK UP NOW www.mcewans.co.uk

mcewansbeers

*Source: IRI SIG BWS Outlets Scotland–12 w/e 3rd March 2019

Marstons - CG - faye.indd 2 25926 MBC McEwan's Category Guide Insights DPS Grocer AW5.indd All Pages

26/07/2019 09:58

WHAT PBA DRINKERS WANT TO KNOW...

BROWN ALE HOPPY

REAL ALE

LIGHT

LIGHT ALE

IPA

IPA

GOLDEN

PALE BITTER PORTER BLONDE CRAFT STOUT AMBER FRUITY

1. STYLE 2. ABV 3. BRAND

DARK

STRONG

CASK BROWN

RUBY

REAL ALE

MILD

11% DARK

AMBER

21%

43%

GOLD

24%

CASK

DRAUGHT

SINGLE BOTTLE PBA SHARE OF SALES BY STYLE (£)

Q62, What are the first 3 ale styles you can think of? (Unprompted)

CANNED ALE

CANNED ALE source of growth

£1.7M YOY

+

Source: IRI All Outlets w/e 27th Apr’19

CANNED ALE value sales by colour style DARK

Golds 24% share of PBA suggests that Gold Can has an additional £11m opportunity within Canned Ale Source: IRI All Outlets w/e 27th Apr’19

20% GOLD

13%

AMBER

67%

FROM CANNED ALE DRINKERS BUYING MORE CANNED ALE FROM DRINKERS ADDING CANNED ALE ON TOP OF THEIR USUAL BEER SPEND Source: Kantar Worldpanel Division 52w/e 27th Jan’19

‘EXPERIMENTERS’ AVERAGE WEEKLY ALE SPEND DRINKERS AGED +45 MALE DRINKERS

67% £17.04 79% 88%

Sources: Kantar Worldpanel Division 52w/e 27th Jan’19, Marston’s Eureka! Survey’19, Kantar Alcovision 31st Dec’18

80

%

OF CANNED ALE VALUE IS THROUGH 4 PACKS, THIS IS ALSO THE PACK FORMAT WITH THE MOST GROWTH

22 % 55 % 23

%

FROM DRINKERS SWITCHING SPEND FROM OTHER CATEGORIES

THE ALE DRINKER

It can be inferred that Craft Ale has had a strong influence on drinkers’ increasingly positive opinions of beer in cans with Canned Ale value being in growth of +2.9%.

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BISCUITS

Take a bigger bite of biscuits A £2.6bn category1

99% Bought by 99% of households2

On average, biscuits are purchased 46 times per year3

22.1kg

£97

And households consume 22.1kg of biscuits annually4

Biscuit shoppers spend £97 per year on the category5

Biscuits and snacking As eating patterns evolve, snacking is becoming more frequent and less structured6 £500 is spent on snack foods every second in the UK

90%

of consumers snack multiple times per day

7%

of whom forego meals altogether and just snack

Snacking habits: the key drivers Balance – Choosing snacks to look good and feel good

Sustain – Snacking for the essential fuel to get through the day

Indulgence – Seeking out a treat or reward

Discovery – Trying new flavours and textures

Togetherness – Sharing a snack during moments of enjoyment with friends and family

“

The needs of modern shoppers are changing; people are moving away from traditional eating occasions and embracing relaxed ‘rules’ around snacking. This means, more than ever, retailers must cater to shoppers’ snacking habits in order to unlock sales.

Stock products which address these snacking drivers to unlock a

“

Stuart Graham, Customer Marketing Director, pladis UK & Ireland 1 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 30.12.18 2 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 30.12.18 3 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 21.04.19 4 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 21.04.19 5 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 21.04.19

PladisDPS - CG - faye.indd 1

1.2 billion

incremental sales opportunity over the next three years7 6 The Hartman Group ‘Future of Snacking’ report 2016 7 Kantar Worldpanel Total Market 52 w/e 30.12.18

26/07/2019 09:59

6

80%

of total biscuit sales come

7%

Boost enthusiasm for the category with new formats like Flipz. The ‘swavoury’ chocolate-covered pretzel snack is available in 100g sharing pouches and now worth

£12.3m9

from only of products – so stocking the bestsellers is vital8

Top tips for merchandising Classic is key Establish a strong presence for the core range of bestsellers Block well-known brands together to help shoppers spot the fixture Group similar product types together

Add variety with NPD Drive excitement for the fixture by stocking interesting formats and twists on classic products Ensure NPD stands out with dedicated space on the top shelf 2m Convenience Fixture

Top 10 bestsellers in Scottish convenience10 1

Tunnock’s Teacakes Milk Chocolate 6x24g

6 McVitie’s Digestives 400g

2 McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate 266g

7

3 McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes 122g

8 McVitie’s Club Orange 6x22.5g

4 Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers 4x26g

9 McVitie’s Penguin Milk Choc 6x22g

5 Kit Kat 2 Finger Pack 5x20.7g

10 McVitie’s Gold 6x22g

80% UK households buy McVitie’s and total sales are worth £353 million11

McVitie’s Digestives 400g

Across channels, £1 in every £5 is spent on pladis products

Visit www.pladisglobal.com to download pladis’ 2018 Annual Biscuit Review and learn more about the biscuit category 8 IRI Total Convenience MAT, November 2017 9 Nielsen data up until 20.04.19 10 IRI Symbols & Independents Scotland MAT £ to 19.05.19 11 Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 30.12.18

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TEA

BOOST PROFITS WITH A FRESH APPROACH TO TEA on offer so those already loyal to tea expand their repertoire and add more to their basket and new customers are encouraged to buy.

Tea shoppers are valuable shoppers Research shows that of everyone buying hot beverages, tea buyers are more likely to buy complementary products with their tea purchase which makes them valuable customers to nurture***.

As the largest consumers of tea older shoppers are good news for tea sales, but it’s important not to neglect younger drinkers who have a wide array of alternative beverages to tempt them.

T

ea remains the nation’s favourite hot beverage with 18.5 billion servings drunk a year and the numbers buying tea are growing.*

mention the opportunity to increase wellbeing with teas with added vitamins; today a wide range of teas is available to suit all tastes, needs and moments.

The market has changed considerably in recent years and keeping pace with changing tastes and what drives purchase can help increase sales and profits from tea and other categories too.

Changes in consumer preference have impacted sales of everyday black teas, but this doesn’t mean that they have lost their importance. Core everyday black teas still account for around 78% of all teas sold, so remain a critical backbone of the category. Research shows that when it comes to tea brands sell, so it pays to stock the top brands.

Delivering Choice The tea category is full of choice.

From a relaxing, comforting tea break; to maintaining hydration with a healthier drink; not to

Health and Hydration Driving Purchase Growing interest in health has meant that sectors like decaf, green and fruit and herbal have grown in popularity. Hydration, a big driver of tea sales, has created the opportunity for a new wave of infusions developed specifically for cold water, great news for warmer day sales.

Tetley Cold Infusions are an easy and tasty way to add a fruity burst of flavour to water, perfect for adding to water bottles for on the go hydration or to enjoy at home as a longer drink. This emerging segment is promising to be a strong performer delivering over £7 million in sales since launch last year** and Tetley is introducing new formats to help convenience stores explore the opportunities for Cold Infusions.

As well as knowing what to stock to appeal to the changing tastes of your customers, stores need to encourage shoppers to take a fresh look at the full variety of teas

It’s here that the healthy messages of tea appeal. A tasty decaffeinated option, green teas, fruit and herbal and Cold Infusions are all a strong fit as well products with functional benefits another big trend in tea.

The Tetley Supers range with added vitamins and EFSA approved health claims have attracted younger buyers and achieved strong repeat purchase.

Whatever the mix of tea stocked thought needs to be given to how to bring attention to the different products available and what they offer.

Produced specially for convenience stores, Tetley has a new category advice tool which includes advice on each sector in tea, shelf plans and guides to layout and how to encourage sales.

Over the course of the year the tool will be developed to encourage dialogue and feedback from retailers so that it can better reflect ‘front line’ opinion and experience.

www.tetley-convenience-sales-guide.co.uk *Kantar 18.5.19 ** Total Market AC Nielsen MAT Value Sales Total Market year to 18.5.19 *** HIM! CTP 2018

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FROZEN DESSERTS

Increasing sales? It’s a piece of cake As the leading frozen desserts brand in Convenience, Coppenrath & Wiese is helping to shape the whole market in a bid to reinvigorate the category and inspire consumers to purchase more frozen desserts.

“Chocolate Fudge Cake is also a fantastic seller due to it being quick and easy to prepare whilst still being ultimately indulgent”

The frozen dessert category is worth circa £157m1 and presents a huge opportunity for retailers. Cheesecakes maintains its position as most popular sector, accounting for 19.6%2 category share in Scotland.

Find out more about C&W: 01977 55 77 37 info@coppenrath-wiese.com www.coppenrath-wiese.com @coppenrath.and.wiese.uk

@VickyCoppenrath

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Stock the right products

For Convenience retailers freezer space is a premium so stocking the right products is essential • A fruit-based cheesecake and a chocolate • If space permits, it’s great to introduce gateau are a must-stock to ensure that lines that enjoy a bit of resurgence shopper favourites are always available and in popularity thanks to baking TV display a good variety in the freezer. programmes, such as C&W’s Lemon Meringue Pie or Raspberry Pavlova.

• Always allocate more freezer space for the bestsellers but don’t forget that shoppers • Christmas and Easter see the highest are also interested in new options. category uplifts. Ensure you stock up for those events.

Increase your sales with promotions • Meal Deal promotions encourage the shopper to buy additional items to their normal shop, such as a frozen dessert.

Indulge the consumer with your meal ideas to increase sales and introduce new products.

“Meal Deals will tempt your shoppers - driving sales through impulse purchases”

Make the most of your space

In such a small space it is important to keep freezers clean, tidy and well organised so consumers can easily see and pick up products • Clear pricing is key to avoid shopper fatigue and price confusion.

• To make the freezer an attractive addition to the shopping experience, be bold and creative with displays.

1 KantarWPO;frozdessexcIC;totmktpend;52w/e17.06.19

Coppenrath - CG - faye.indd 3

• Merchandise your bestsellers at eye level to catch the shopper’s attention.

Cheesecakes and Gateaux are the most popular categories; together they account for 50% of all desserts sold in Convenience3.

2 KantarWPO;frozdessexcIC;Scottotdemogvolchsck;52w/e17.06.19

3 KantarWPO;frozdessexcIC;totconvspend;52w/e17.06.19

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VAPING

Aquavape offers a range of retail solutions

C

M

A

quavape have been a rising star within the world of Vaping and their focus within retail and convenience is really starting to bear fruit says Andy de Caso, operations director. “In 2014 we set our strategy to be retail focused as we always believed that over time the category would evolve from its specialist routes to market, to that of the mainstream bricks and mortar that shoppers frequently use every day. Over this time period we have built excellent trade relationships working with the likes of Asda, Sainsbury, Coop, Argos, Spar, Euro Garages, Bargain Booze, Moto, Welcome Break,

WHSmith’s, Road chef…. and many more.

“We’ve worked hard to develop and evolve a portfolio of e liquids and devices that are relevant to all types of vaper and have created some great UK made flavours that are proven to drive repeat business for all Aquavape stockists. We’ve got something for every vaper with a wide product range featuring disposable and pod solutions plus our open tank kits, 50/50 & 80/20 e liquids. As part of developing the retail portfolio further, Ebrahim Kathrada, director, says: “We’ve recently signed an exclusive agreement to supply retail and

convenience with international multi-award winning brand, Vampire Vape. This allows us to supply Aquavape Liquids along with a recognised brand that is established as a leader within the vape shops, making our portfolio offering even stronger.

FULL CATEGORY SOLUTION Two of the key category challenge’s retailers face is that of display and the knowledge and information they need to be able to provide to their customers.

Kathrada goes on to say: “This is something we have been working on over the last few months and we believe that we have found a

range of retail solutions that are helping address these challenges.

“Everywhere we have installed one of the display solutions, category sales have increased between 4050% with one store even achieving over £1,000 per week equating to 10% of sales, versus that of tobacco.”

C Y M CM Y MY CM CY MY CMY CY K CMY

K

The Aquavape display units help address the following key areas: • Provides a full category home • Clearly displays all SKU’s and makes it easier to shop • Where selected, the interactive display allows customers to learn more about the products available, providing the relevant level of education and selection recommendations • Reduces queues at the till, freeing up staff time • Increases category sales As you will see from our adjacent advert, we have a range of solutions that can be adapted based upon the space available and the retailer’s requirements.

Kathrada concludes: “We exhibited this range at this year’s National Convenience Show at the NEC, and response has been superb with a signcant number of leads going live with an AquaVape category solution.

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PosterUnits2019.pdf

1

20/06/2019

10:48

C

M C Y M CM Y MY CM CY

MY CMY CY K

CMY

K

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CIDER

T H E U K ’ S B E S T S E L L I N G F R U I T C I D E R B R A N D* N OW AVA IL A B L E IN B L ACKCU R R A N T & B L ACKB ER RY

32

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*IRI, Value sales, Fruit Cider, 52 weeks to 24/03/19

26/07/2019 10:09

For sales enquiries please email sales@kopparberg.co.uk 33

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IN-STORE TECHNOLOGY

CHOOSING THE RIGHT EPOS FOR YOU Recent Ins There are plenty of factors to consider when investing in a new EPOS system, with evolving technology offering retailers an abundance of choice, but what are the benefits?

Faisal Sattar of Motherwell based EPOS specialist MHouse Solutions offered his perspective on how modern systems can improve store performance.

example, if your system is telling you that you are only selling a case of a product a week, stop filling the store room with 50 cases. Invest that money back into your store,” said Sattar.

Recent Installation

“As EPOS systems get smarter, retailers need to trust and act on the data generated from them. A simple

“Stock control is vital these days not just to manage your products but also store security. Unfortunately customer and staff theft happens in this sector, all we can do as store owners is minimise it. Find out where it’s happening and try to take all measures to prevent it.”

The key to success, according to Sattar, is choosing an EPOS system that meets the needs of the individual store, and which comes with the kind of support retailers need.

“Retailers need to pick an EPOS system which is right for them with the right support and training package,” he said.

“Once they have invested in an EPOS system it shouldn’t stop there. They need to invest regularly in the training of the system to get the most out of it.”

Switching to MPOS was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It made running my store a lot easier by linking with my main suppliers, promotions download direct from my supplier and activation within minutes!

The introduction of MPos to my store has made life a lot easier for my staff with an easy to use and efficient till interface, and a simple to use handheld device. The move is proving to be one of the best as I have a better view of everything that’s going on, reporting is now better than ever which allows us to crack down on wastage, gap check stock, and constantly monitor margins to ensure target margins are met, but also lets us see what’s selling and not selling. The system makes the decision for us and reports the information back to us.

Let’s not forget, the support team provides a service second to none, personally, I have never had to wait more than 15 mins for a issue to be fixed.

With plenty of features being added to the system on a daily basis, MPos truly is the way forward.

Award Winning Retailer Daniall Nadeem, Nisa Motherwell Road

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Helping you to make an extra 3% Gross Profit Ease of use

Simple to use touch screen till software

Backoffice admin software

Cigarette Gantry integration

Indepth reporting and analysis

Touch screen handheld device to control the shop from the shopfloor

Supplier Data links with all major Wholesalers

Credit Card integration

Weekly health check reports to guide you to improve your sales and margin.

Access to background database with over 100,000 products

Benefits of MPos ✓ Built around a retailer, not a computer user ✓ Simple to use till, powerful admin tools ✓ Built from retailers perspective ✓ Reduces labour by downloading products, price changes, invoices and promotions

✓ Reduces labour by allowing one click order generation and one click invoice downloads - easily shave off 10 hours of work per store

✓ Increased control on stock; all stock deliveries downloaded and all stock adjustments emailed to the owner; NO stock is unaccounted for

✓ Emails store performance to the user with real actionable data once a week rather than stats heavy reports that overwhelm the user

✓ Based in Scotland with excellent support and training program

✓ Easy to use Hand Held terminal to control the store from shop floor ✓ Integration with Credit Card terminals, Zapper, Cigarette Gantry, Loyalty Schemes and more ✓ Developed and supported by people that know the retail trade

So How much Could our System make for you?

We can demonstrate a 3% uplift in Gross Profit in using our system.

£5,000 £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000

£7,800 Current Weekly Turnover Extra profit per annum

£15,600 £23,400 £31,200 £39,000

Even a Single Lane system can more than pay for itself in the first 4 months!

MHouse, 349 Shields Road, Motherwell, ML1 2LD

Tel: 0800 242 5360 email sales@mhousesolutions.com

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RTDs

READY TO DRIVE SALES? RTDs are growing +22% YoY in the UK off-trade1 WHAT’S TRENDING? 2

+43%

GIN & CANS

+63%

TRADITIONAL

RTDS

+8%

FEMALE

+55% +45% MALE

AGE

GENDER

WHO’S DRINKING RTDS? 3

+61% +39%

Paul Cheema

Multi-award winning retailer and Director of Malcolm’s Nisa Stores It’s crucial to have a core range of RTDs in your store, not only are they more profitable than ever, but they also increase basket spend.

Cans are flying in my stores at the moment and are really leading the way in terms of trends. Flavour innovation and striking can designs that interrupt the shoppers journey are proving key for driving sales.

Working with Global Brands; we keep our RTD range fresh and seasonal, meaning that we stock quality NPD straight away.

Sources: 1 Nielsen 52 we 20.04.19 2 Nielsen 52 we 20.04.19 3 Pulsar data to July 2019 4 Nielsen 52 we 20.04.19 5 Nielsen 52 we 20.04.19 6 GBL Data September 2018 7 One Poll Alcohol Survey 2018

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BOOST YOUR PROFITS WITH RTDS Top tips from Global Brands, the RTD supplier that added ÂŁ3.8m to the category in the last 12 months4

KEEP IT EXCLUSIVE Flare cocktails are a top five value driving RTS brand. Exclusive for independent retailers, Flare offers an important point of difference.

DRIVE VALUE

PMP

61%5 of convenience shoppers think Price Marked Packs offer more value than supermarket equivalents. Help drive profits by stocking a wide range of price-marked packs.

STOCK IN DEMAND NEW FLAVOURS Consumers love innovation and trending new products.

VK Watermelon was unveiled after a public search for a new flavour, voted for by over 33,0006 consumers.

KEEP IT CHILLED Over half of alcohol is consumed within two hours of purchase7

Offer a range of top-selling core brands for your customers to stock in their chiller

believes in supporting convenience retailers.

To stock or for more information call: 01246 216 016 or email: info@globalbrands.co.uk 37

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WHISKY

Scotch Whisky still plays a consumers to convenienc BLENDS UK blended whisky declines have slowed significantly in Q2 with the Scottish Impulse sector growing as minimum unit pricing (MUP) levels the playing field. The wider range of pack formats in Impulse are delivering greater growth than in other channels.

Whyte & Mackay has seen growth in Scotland on the back of MUP and is now the No.1 blend in Scotland Impulse, having recently overtaken Famous Grouse.

Stocking the right range of whiskies in your store is essential to driving sales across the category; Whyte & Mackay and Famous Grouse are the blends to back in Scottish Impulse, with the highest RoS of any branded blends in the UK. Whyte & Mackay also boasts the most loyal shoppers within blends, with 46.7% of shoppers

demonstrating brand loyalty through repeat purchase. (Kantar Worldpanel 52w/e 16 Jun 2019) TRENDS Spirits and Whiskies are not immune to moderation influences. Expect to see growing interest in options that help people moderate their alcohol consumption, either through strength or serve size. W&M have recently introduced the first ‘moderate’ option in mainstream brown spirits with W&M light.

CONTEMPORARY BLENDS Growth in more contemporary brands is bringing younger adults into the blends category through less traditional Scotch Whiskies. The emergence of these contemporary whiskies such as Haig, Shackleton, Monkey Shoulder and Woodsman give retailers an opportunity to grow category value.

NOW No.1 BLEND IN SCOTTISH IMPULSE* NEW BOTTLE SAME SMOOTH WHISKY One triple matured whisky. Three international awards.

Over the last few years, Whyte & Mackay’s smoother, richer taste has been awarded three highly sought after international accolades.

*Nielsen KAD MAT to 15.6.19

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26/07/2019 16:17

s a vital role in attracting nce stores Total Whisky is bigger than Vodka and currently four whiskies feature in the top 20 loyal brands driving footfall.

MALTS Malt whisky continues to grow in the UK, with further improvement shown across the last 12 weeks taking into account Father’s Day (Total GB Coverage, Nielsen WE 15.6.19). It is the emergence of affordable malts (<£24) providing the growth within the category. Historically Impulse has under-traded in malt whisky vs other channels, however, a real opportunity now presents itself for convenience retailers with affordable malts at attractive price points for the convenience shopper.

In UK Impulse, Jura is the number two malt brand and continues to show strong growth versus the competitive set since the brand relaunch. It is the mix of recognised brands at attractive price points that is appealing to the convenience shopper.

Convenience retailers should consider these two products as must-stocks. MUP and attractive price points have led to higher value sales opportunity with shoppers trading up

The affordable malt growth comes mainly from buyers trading up from blended whisky. Tamnavulin is the fastest growing affordable malt in UK Impulse providing a great platform of recruitment from blends into the malt whisky category.

from blended whisky into affordable malts.

RANGE AND VISIBILITY Convenience retailers will benefit from increasing their range and giving whiskies more visibility.

Father’s Day and Christmas are important periods where shoppers increase spend or purchase as a gift.

To find out more, go to

whyteandmackay.com

GROW YOUR SALES WITH TWO OF THE BEST PERFORMING MALT BRANDS IN UK IMPULSE

No. 2 No. 1 FASTEST MALT BRAND IN UK IMPULSE SAY HELLO TO JURA

GROWING MALT IN UK IMPULSE

*Nielsen Value MAT to 15.6.19 **Nielsen Value 12W to 15.6.19

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SOFT DRINKS

M

Y

Y

Y

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FASCIA & FRANCHISE 44

POST OFFICE Bringing you more customers with money to spend

Here for the future A Post Office in your store means services when and where customers want them. Products like mail, banking and bill payments, which are essential to the local economy, put you at the heart of the community and make your store a destination of choice.

93%

W

Our shop benefited from the migration of the Post Office customers, and being open later brings in new people, so we’re really busy all the time. We stock a huge variety of food and deli products, so Post Office is a perfect addition.”

Delivering retail excellence

We know how tough it is for retailers and Lifestyle Express provides its retailers with the very best tools, advice and support in the business.

At Lifestyle Express, we never forget that it’s your store and you’re free to run your business your way. There’s no fees and no pressure, just great retail advice to help you make the most of your store to secure your future and the future of your family.

Donna Morgan Biggar Post Office, Brownlies of Biggar, South Lanarkshire

We tripled our footfall in the first two weeks of opening the Post Office. It’s such a well-known, trusted brand – people like to shop where there’s a Post Office.”

There are many benefits to joining Lifestyle Express, not least the average 30% increase in sales when retailers join the group. We offer an award-winning quality own brand and a full package of retail support including free online training, industry-leading planograms, invaluable core range advice and a dedicated support team who can work with you to identify opportunities and help you grow your business. And, with a choice of fascias, from

our traditional blue and green to the new contemporary grey, you’re guaranteed to have a store that perfectly suits your trading environment.

Lifestyle Express is also the only symbol group to reward great retailing. We run regular incentives for our retailers, all with the opportunity to earn regular cash back just for stocking the bestselling products, displaying

POS and adopting best retail practice. For our retailers, it’s a win-win situation.

We are also committed to protecting and increasing our retailer’s margins with our packed promotions calendar which provides retailers with bestselling products at fantastic prices.

Our dedicated team of Core Range Advisors also work with our retailers to identify opportunities that are currently being missed, incentivising retailers to get the most out of their available space and drive up sales.

We are committed to equipping our retailers with the very best training, retail advice, information and support possible. This, coupled with the fact that we’re creating our best-ever formats, means that Lifestyle Express is firmly focused on delivering the best possible stores to serve local communities in the future.

If you’re looking for a symbol group that will allow you to make your own business decisions but provide you with invaluable industry insight, expertise and support, come and talk to us

“From the moment we converted our store to Lifestyle Express, it was obvious we were in the safest hands. The team understood our ambitious plans and gave us the best possible support.

I couldn’t be happier that I joined Lifestyle Express, they understand that I wanted to run my business my way and their support has been invaluable. My sales shot up by more than a third when I opened, and the store is just going from strength to strength.

Mital Chirag

Post Office users buy three or more items in the shop.

Mayfair News & Shepherd Market Post Office

(HIM Research 2018)

(HIM Research 2018)

There are so many other benefits, such as buying stock at cash and carry prices, amazing promotions that my customers really love, and free online training. What’s not to love?”

Want to find out more?

Uzair Ali, Lifestyle Extra, Motherwell

Visit runapostoffice.co.uk 44

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561660 PO Convenience Guide Supplement297x420.indd 2

48

Lifestyle Express retailers enjoy: n Store format to suit your business and your location n No joining fee n Free online training n In-store drop shipment and services n Three-weekly promotion with leading brands n Dedicated support to grow your business

To realise your full potential, come and talk to us.

Contact the team on 0843 523 5244 or visit www.planforprofit.com for more information

n Exclusive quality own brands

Join us now and reap the rewards

COSTCUTTER

By Sean Russell, Director of Marketing, Costcutter Supermarkets Group

W

Helping you grow your businessrst

O

ur mission is to help independent retailers thrive. That’s why we have invested in the offer, insights and innovations our retailers need to grow their businesses.

“At the heart of this investment is our unique Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive business growth programme, which provides indepth shopper insights and data to help tailor every aspect of the store – from range and missions to marketing and in-store execution.

Working tirelessly for more than 40 years, Nisa provides all the tools needed to compete against the ever-increasing competition in the convenience retail sector. and point of sale in a simple, touchscreen system it is a complete business management tool. The updated Evolution Version 2.0 was rolled out to retailers in early 2019, with more intuitive software and new features which improve efficiency for retailers.

Nisa’s Evolution store format has seen great success and those retailers who converted in 2018, achieved, on average, a 12 per cent uplift in sales. The Evolution format prides itself on offering a greater degree of flexibility to retailers, moving away from a one size fits all model to a more modular development format.

Nisa’s flexible model providers its retailers with an unbeatable breadth of range and an excellent availability rate. This is supported

by Nisa’s award-winning own label

range, Heritage which provides retailers with some 800 quality products at affordable prices and includes numerous award-winning lines. And Nisa retailers have access to almost 2,000 of Co-op’s high quality own brand products across all categories, which is more than 80% of the Co-op range.

Since the Co-op completed its acquisition of Nisa Retail Limited in May 2018 work has been focused on ensuring our independent retailers can experience the benefits as quickly as possible through their strong relationship with Nisa as their primary supplier.

With new found business stability and improved financial strength, Nisa partners can trade their businesses in the independent way they have always enjoyed, backed by competitive prices, promotions and a deeper own brand range

All of this is in addition to the award-winning supply chain, a strong award-winning own label range and over 13,000 SKUs.

which is so important in today’s market in order to drive a real point of difference.

This is all conveniently delivered

by Nisa’s industry leading supply chain which retailers can trust with an impressive 99.9% of deliveries made on the day and 95% successfully made on time.

By joining Nisa, retailers can source local products and have them invoiced centrally, creating a simpler and time efficient process.

All orders are placed directly with individual suppliers, deliveries are made direct to store, but invoicing and administration is managed centrally, taking the hassle away from the retailer.

With convenience stores at the heart of their communities, Nisa recognises the importance of community involvement, and enables its partners to support good causes in their local area through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity. MADL has been proudly supporting local communities since 2008 and in that time has donated over £8.4m to more than 11,000 charities and other good causes.

Retailers can join the Nisa group through the partner website and can rely on superb support from the skilled in-house staff involved in the joining process.

A quality EPOS solution, Epositive Evolution, is provided exclusively to Nisa members. With the ability to access promotions, stock lists

Complete the form on www.join-nisa.co.uk/contact-us or contact our development team on 01724 291762.

48

ED COMMITT

TO

“By using Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive, our retailers are able to grow their business by attracting new shoppers into their store. Since its launch in 2017, we have delivered impressive sales and profit growth of over 20% among participating stores, by helping our retailers put their shoppers first. We have now made significant additional investment into the programme to expand and broaden the shopper insights.

OUR RETAILERS SINCE 1977

“It’s the range that’s available to us through Nisa that sets the group apart from all the others, especially the fresh range and even more so since the arrival of the Co-op own label. It allows us to compete at a higher level and we can target shoppers and get them through our doors without them having to think about going to a supermarket.

We receive a very high level of service from Nisa with really reliable deliveries that I don’t think can be beaten elsewhere and we also enjoy the freedom of independent retail that we retain by working with Nisa.”

“For entrepreneurial retailers who are looking to grow their business, our supply deal with Co-op is also a major factor in the decision to join our Group, as we bring together their wholesale strength and grocery retailing expertise with our in-depth understanding of the

Working with Nisa enables us to compete at a higher level.

Dan Brown, Pinkie Farm, Musselburgh

independent convenience sector.

In addition, we’re seeing footfall, basket spend and sales increase across our stores as shoppers value the quality and appeal of Co-op products.

“We have also been rewarding our retailers’ loyalty with our bestin-sector commercial terms that includes no fees or surcharges and a rebate of up to 6%. As a result, we have been attracting some of the best store owners in the sector to join Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

Facts: Current number of stores: 1,560 Minimum store size: Criteria varies by brand, but our retailers are independent stores ranging from 700 sq ft to 7,000 sq ft.

Joining or membership fee: No joining or membership fee Minimum order commitment: our minimum order quantity is 80 ambient/bws/tobacco and 30 chill/freeze

Own label range: Access to the Co-op Own Brand is a major highlight within our range. Now featuring over 2,000 products, we are seeing footfall, basket spend and sales increase across our stores as shoppers value the quality and appeal of Co-op products.

Join the family...

Visit: www.join-nisa.co.uk

“To ensure our retailers benefit from every aspect of our offer, including Shopper First, we have restructured our field team so that our BDMs have more time to spend with each of their retailers in store. No other Symbol Group has invested so much resource in supporting their retailers and it ensures that the extensive retail expertise that our BDM team has is focused on helping to drive growth in our retailers’ businesses.

“Our BDMs work with our retailers to ensure each store has the right range and offer. Using the Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive insights, BDMs help our retailers select from the extensive range on offer through our supply deal with the Co-op, as well as sourcing local and artisan products through our

Direct to Store service.

“Accessing our range couldn’t be easier for our retailers through our seamless integration between mobile devices and our ActivOC ordering system. This forms part of our ongoing investment in technology to further support our retailers.

“Our retailers are helping us to shape CSG’s future and only by listening to their experiences, ideas and suggestions will we be able to drive their continued growth in a highly competitive and dynamic sector.”

54

PROMISING CHANGES AT UWS

Start fighting back with market-leading promotions and a £50,000 store investment.

Fed up of watching your customers tempted away? As a One Stop franchisee you can enjoy a £50,000 store investment to bring them back – and market-leading promotions to make them stay.

openaonestop.co.uk

JoinUs@onestop.co.uk

1. Market-leading promotions The best promotions don’t just bring customers into your store – they increase your profits, too.

Franchisees can benefit from promotions that deliver increased footfall, higher profitability as customers keep coming back, while customers can enjoy industry-leading promotions like our £3 Meal Deal and 2 for £4 Evening Meal offer.

2. A £50,000 Store Investment When One Stop partners with a new franchisee, they’ll invest up to £50,000 to refit and refresh it, including its layouts, fixtures and fittings.

3. Seven day a week support One Stop’s model puts support right at its heart - giving franchisees the advice, the guidance and the training they need to fulfil their potential.

One Stop’s market-leading technology takes the legwork and guesswork out of running a store, giving franchisees more time to focus on their business, their team or their family.

& Let us show you our stores

Unique shopper insight to drive your sales

Modern, contemporary store brand to drive footfall

n Highly competitive price and great rebate of up to 6%

•

US!

Right range including award-winning Co-op Own Brand

f Leading the sector marketing to today’s digital shoppers Unrivalled BDM support for your business

505

Y

Come and meet the team and let us show you our stores.

51

Commenting on the changes, Asim said: “These changes don’t just cover the existing operation. In the latter part of the year, Queenslie will be relaunched as our ‘ Store of the Future ‘, which will see the Queenslie depot undergo a transformation change aimed at delivering a step change in the Queenslie depot, aimed at raising the bar with regard to our customer’s experience and interactions at UWS” “These changes are vital to our future. In the Day-Today and Usave offerings, we probably have the most relevant ofof ferings in Scotland. However, if we are to remain at the head of an ever growing pack, the business has to continue to evolve. In order to do this, we need to tackle all challenges head on to continue to drive forward. With the pace of change as quick as it has ever been, it felt like the right time to create a stronger and more sustainable management structure to reflect that, whilst releasing my time to look further down the line at our future opportunities and challenges” Taking over his role as Managing Director will be Chris Gallacher who joined the business in January 2018 to as Group Director. Commenting on the changes, Asim said:

Chris commented that: “ On behalf of everyone at UWS, I would like to thank Asim for his vision, great leadership and guidance over the last 16 years, the last 12 of which has seen him steer us through the majority of our growth phases as Managing Director. We would not be where we are today without him at the helm. Asim has been instrumental in driving our symbol group Day Today to the level that it is today. His knowledge, commercial acumen and dedication has seen Asim become one of the most widely respected and well know figures in this industry, helped in no small part by his honesty, integrity and incredible dedication. We will continue to drive the business forward with these values at our core, and I am honoured to receive his vote of confidence and support in taking over the role as Managing Director. ”

Innovations like their two-lane EPoS system delivers sales and margin reports at the touch of a button; while their autoreplenishment system take hours off ordering. Combine that with advances like One Stop’s online e-Learning portal and it adds up to an impressive set of technological benefits.

[Chris Gallacher (Left); Asim Sarwar (Centre Left); Anshu Chandra (Centre Right); Osmond Ramsay (Right)] It’s been a busy and very productive year for our business and as our results show, we have gone from strength to strength. ur turnover increased by . to m, our underlying operating profits increased by . m to . m and our overall profit before tax increased by . m to . m including the disposal of our Terston ouse property. ommenting on the final results Asim Sarwar, Managing Director of UWS said “ The Wholesale market was already a crowded and challenging sector but Tesco s bn takeover of ooker and the oop s ac uisition of Nisa etail imited were designed to give both of the retailers a significant presence in the wholesale sector to drive buying terms and extend their reach into a very competitive convenience sector. Against this backdrop, we have continued to focus on our customers and our customers’ customers to deliver improved range and service which has led to increased sales and profits. “ xciting times are still ahead for United Wholesale Scotland imited UWS and the wider grocery industry. The recent period of consolidation and change, fierce competition from the discounters, shopping habits continuing to change and the on-line shopping revolution has prompted both wholesalers and retailers to look to bolster their core businesses.

Why not give One Stop a call on 01543 363003 and see how they could make a difference to you and your business?

Every franchisee has their own Business Development Manager who visits stores at least once every four weeks with the aim of adding value, growing sales and improving margins. They’ll also be at the end of a phone when they’re not in store - and if franchises can’t reach them, One Stop’s franchise support centre is available six days a week.

Asim continued to say that “ with an ever changing landscape and the increased pace of change, we must look at the wider landscape to ensure that we remain the preferred wholesaler for our customers, our supplier partners and ultimately the end consumer. It is only by working very closely with our customers and supplier partners can we continue to innovate and ensure that we remain competitive whilst delivering an industry leading brand. We are the best at what we do and that can only be achieved by maintaining high levels of customer service at the right price, with the right range ” As part of the drive to continue to innovate, change and generate continued customer loyalty, Asim is making a number of changes across the UWS business. rom une, Asim has stepped up to the new role of xecutive hairman at UWS. The new role will allow Asim the time and space necessary to focus his energy on the changes re uired to make sure that UWS remains rooted to his customer focussed vision. It will also allow him to use his wealth of expertise and knowledge to continue to oversee the running of the UWS business and support supp the management team going forward. In his new role, Asim will focus on putting in place the changes re uired to drive an improved offer, increased range and create a smoother operation that is fit for the future.

4. More cash in your pocket One Stop franchisees have seen back-to-back growth since 2014, enjoying a healthy margin of between 18-25%, depending on their store’s mix. What’s more, once a new, fully-fitted store’s

CALL

01904 232

“ It is important that as we continue to take this remarkable business forward and we need to have the right management team and structure in place to do that. In Chris, we have the ideal candidate to take over the day-to-day running of the wholesale business. Chris has an impressive track record across both Wholesale and Retail operations. His man-management skills and ability to foster lasting and collaborative relationships with suppliers, customers and colleagues will ensure that we continue to focus on serving our customers. Wholesaling is in my blood and I will continue to guide and advise the team but taking on the role as Executive Chairman will allow me to look at the bigger picture and set out my plans for achieving these aims, in what is a very fast paced industry.“

5. Timesaving technology

Franchisees can personalise the signage outside their store with the family name or original shop name, making sure their own identity is still pride of place and letting customers know it’s still their store and part of the community.

505

unique Are you looking for a partner that customer will work with you to grow your insight s business to its fullCome potential?

Look and meet the team at what Costcutter can offer you!

UNITED WHOLESALE (SCOTLAND)

up and running, franchisees can expect to see weekly sales increase by an average of more than 14% in their first 13 weeks.

And on top of that, in 2017-2018 franchisees enjoyed over 6% like-for-like growth.

One Stop Stores Limited is a retail convenience business with over 750 company operated neighbourhood stores and 180 franchisees across England, Wales and Scotland.

Stores sit right at the heart of local communities, many of which offer additional services including free cash machines, Post Office, PayPoint, Lottery and mobile top-up and a hugely popular Own Label range.

US!

costcuttersupermarketsgroup.com

Five reasons to make the move to One Stop

Stop losing your customers to your competitors.

CALL

01904 232

Contact details: T: 01904 488663 www.costcuttersupermarketsgroup.com/

50

One Stop’s five-point plan for success

ppers fi

ing sho

by putt

Delivery frequency: We match delivery frequency to our retailers’ volume to ensure we provide a service that delivers high levels of availability and freshness for their shoppers.

ONE STOP

01543 363003

Lifestyle Express, Motherwell

Thrive with Costcutter

ith multi award-winning stores including Ardeer Services, Greens of Markinch, Pinkie Farm Convenience Store and Giacopazzi’s Milnathort, Nisa is the proven partner of choice for many market-leading, independently minded retailers in Scotland.

52

Uzair Ali

www.planforprofit.com

50

The proven partner of choice for independent retailers

Nisa provides a complete retail support package to its retailers to ensure they remain competitive in the market place. This comprises a strong retail focused team, covering retail development managers and regional retail managers, in addition to fresh food development managers, who encourage retailers to make the most of this important category, and store development managers who help to further develop stores. An enhanced category management system providing personalised planograms is also offered along with a bespoke staff training facility and a comprehensive marketing package incorporating bespoke leaflets, point of sale material, a personalised Nisa FM and national advertising.

I wanted to run my store my way, but with the backing of genuine retail experts. With Lifestyle Express I have the freedom to make my own decisions but with a quality own brand, fantastic promotions and the best support. As a result, my store is going from strength to strength.

03/07/2019 16:43

NISA

Retailers can operate under a choice of symbol fascias; Nisa Local, Nisa Extra and dual branded whereby a retailer maintains their local identity whilst benefiting from the strength of the Nisa brand.

Alternatively, retailers can trade under their own independent fascia.

Giving you the best support in the business

ith a nationally recognised fascia that delivers genuine kerb appeal, Lifestyle Express helps you to compete within the convenience market where first impressions really count.

1 in 3

of shoppers said they are more likely to choose a store because it has a Post Office.

LIFESTYLE EXPRESS

46

The management team has been further strengthened with the addition of Osmond Ramsay who joined the business as Finance Director in August 2018 from the Co-op Food. Osmond has already played an instrumental role in professionalising the business. Osmond commentated that: “ UWS is a vibrant and exciting place to work. The business will grow and develop even further and as a finance function, our primary focus is to ensure that we were fully in control of our resources and that we use those resources in the best way possible to grow the business. We have started to invest in improved technology to drive change, improve efficiency and increase compliance to ensure that we remain in control. As a function, finance must now become more forward thinking to support Asim’s vision for the future. We need to embed strategic thinking throughout the business to make sure that every growth opportunity is identified and capitalised on. Now is the time to make brave decisions which have been backed up by well-prepared plans “ Anshu Chandra has been appointed to take on the new position of Commercial Director to take overall control of the commercial function at UWS. Anshu, who is currently the licenced Trading Director, will be responsible for the day-to-day strategic direction of the commercial team as well as focusing on new business opportunities. Asim commented that: “ Anshu has been working with us for over 14 years now, having been brought on board to build our very successful licenced business capability. As commercial director, Anshu brings an exceptional breadth of experience that will benefit UWS now and in the future. “ Asim continued to say that: “ We are currently realigning our existing trading team to suit our home and export growth strategies. In my mind, we have the most talented commercial individuals already working within the business but in order to achieve our commer commercial goals we must look at different ways of working to make sure that we continue to be the preferred route to market for our suppliers and customers. With that in mind, David Riley will be joining the team in July to take over from Anshu as Licensed Trading Director. David’s extensive retail and wholesale knowledge spans over 30 years in the convenience and independent retail industries. His wide industry knowledge will help us to build on the solid base that Anshu has created and I am confident that he will be very successful in his the new ne role. www.uniteduk.com

54

UnitedWholesaleScotland

www.day-today.co.uk

MyLocalDayToday

www.usave.org.uk

55

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Taking stock of what’s on offer THERE is no sense trying to be all things to all people in convenience. Different stores have different shopper profiles, so they need a different offer.

Here, fascia and franchise options can really shine and it pays for retailers to take a look around to see what’s on offer.

The whirlwind of mergers and acquisitions that has blown through the wholesale sector in recent years finally seems to have calmed down, meaning now may be the perfect time to reassess their propositions.

Change has come to every fascia and franchise brand in this next section, and they would all argue it’s been change for the better.

The merger of Landmark Wholesale with Today’s Group has led to the creation of megabuying group Unitas. How will that bolstered buying power stack up against the competition? What will that mean for Lifestyle Express?

Day-Today? Both symbols will definitely seek to make compelling offers to Scottish convenience retailers.

Over at Nisa, since the Co-op bought the buying group retailers have gained access to a

plethora of own label products that definitely shout quality to many customers in convenience. The symbol has been adapting and improving its food to go offer while continuing to develop its Store of the Future format.

Costcutter retailers have also gained access to a large chunk of the Co-op’s own brand portfolio thanks to a new supply agreement with the multiple. The symbol is also looking to shake things up with its own store format offer and developments like the launch of an expanded craft beer range show that Costcutter has no intentions of standing still.

One of the biggest retail stories this decade was the merger of Tesco and Booker. The com-

Change has come to every fascia and franchise brand, and they would all argue it’s been change for the better. bination of Britain’s biggest supermarket and Britain’s biggest wholesaler sees Tesco-owned retail franchise One Stop now in the same boat as symbol group stalwart Booker. Compared to some, One Stop is something of a new kid on the block in Scotland and is in an expansion phase at the moment. Could this be a change worth considering?

On the change front, there has been significant movement at the top of United Wholesale (Scotland), which should filter down to the Glasgow-based wholesaler’s Day-Today offer.

UWS boss Asim Sarwar now occupies the

newly created role of executive chairman, while Chris Gallacher has taken on the role of managing director. The pair have promised major improvements to the Queenslie depot this year.

And for those looking to add amenities to their store, the Post Office continues to seek out quality retailers to serve as subpostmasters.

The Post Office has been building its offer in recent months, snapping up contracts for everything from digital international payments to gadget insurance.

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26/07/2019 10:23

Here for the future A Post Office in your store means services when and where customers want them. Products like mail, banking and bill payments, which are essential to the local economy, put you at the heart of the community and make your store a destination of choice.

93%

of shoppers said they are more likely to choose a store because it has a Post Office.

1 in 3 Post Office users buy three or more items in the shop.

(HIM Research 2018)

(HIM Research 2018)

44

Post Office - CG - linda.indd 1

26/07/2019 10:24

Bringing you more customers with money to spend Our shop benefited from the migration of the Post Office customers, and being open later brings in new people, so we’re really busy all the time. We stock a huge variety of food and deli products, so Post Office is a perfect addition.”

Donna Morgan Biggar Post Office, Brownlies of Biggar, South Lanarkshire

We tripled our footfall in the first two weeks of opening the Post Office. It’s such a well-known, trusted brand – people like to shop where there’s a Post Office.”

Mital Chirag Mayfair News & Shepherd Market Post Office

Want to find out more?

Visit runapostoffice.co.uk Post Office - CG - linda.indd 2

26/07/2019 10:24

W

Delivering retail excellence

ith a nationally recognised fascia that delivers genuine kerb appeal, Lifestyle Express helps you to compete within the convenience market where first impressions really count.

We know how tough it is for retailers and Lifestyle Express provides its retailers with the very best tools, advice and support in the business.

At Lifestyle Express, we never forget that it’s your store and you’re free to run your business your way. There’s no fees and no pressure, just great retail advice to help you make the most of your store to secure your future and the future of your family.

There are many benefits to joining Lifestyle Express, not least the average 30% increase in sales when retailers join the group. We offer an award-winning quality own brand and a full package of retail support including free online training, industry-leading planograms, invaluable core range advice and a dedicated support team who can work with you to identify opportunities and help you grow your business. And, with a choice of fascias, from

our traditional blue and green to the new contemporary grey, you’re guaranteed to have a store that perfectly suits your trading environment.

Lifestyle Express is also the only symbol group to reward great retailing. We run regular incentives for our retailers, all with the opportunity to earn regular cash back just for stocking the bestselling products, displaying

POS and adopting best retail practice. For our retailers, it’s a win-win situation.

We are also committed to protecting and increasing our retailer’s margins with our packed promotions calendar which provides retailers with bestselling products at fantastic prices.

Our dedicated team of Core Range Advisors also work with our retailers to identify opportunities that are currently being missed, incentivising retailers to get the most out of their available space and drive up sales.

We are committed to equipping our retailers with the very best training, retail advice, information and support possible. This, coupled with the fact that we’re creating our best-ever formats, means that Lifestyle Express is firmly focused on delivering the best possible stores to serve local communities in the future.

If you’re looking for a symbol group that will allow you to make your own business decisions but provide you with invaluable industry insight, expertise and support, come and talk to us.

“From the moment we converted our store to Lifestyle Express, it was obvious we were in the safest hands. The team understood our ambitious plans and gave us the best possible support.

I couldn’t be happier that I joined Lifestyle Express, they understand that I wanted to run my business my way and their support has been invaluable. My sales shot up by more than a third when I opened, and the store is just going from strength to strength.

There are so many other benefits, such as buying stock at cash and carry prices, amazing promotions that my customers really love, and free online training. What’s not to love?”

Uzair Ali, Lifestyle Extra, Motherwell 46

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Giving you the best support in the business I wanted to run my store my way, but with the backing of genuine retail experts. With Lifestyle Express I have the freedom to make my own decisions but with a quality own brand, fantastic promotions and the best support. As a result, my store is going from strength to strength.

Uzair Ali Lifestyle Express, Motherwell

Lifestyle Express retailers enjoy: n Store format to suit your business and your location n No joining fee n Free online training n In-store drop shipment and services n Three-weekly promotion with leading brands n Dedicated support to grow your business

To realise your full potential, come and talk to us.

Contact the team on 0843 523 5244 or visit www.planforprofit.com for more information

n Exclusive quality own brands

Join us now and reap the rewards www.planforprofit.com

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26/07/2019 10:24

The proven partner of choice for independent retailers

W

ith multi award-winning stores including Ardeer Services, Greens of Markinch, Pinkie Farm Convenience Store and Giacopazzi’s Milnathort, Nisa is the proven partner of choice for many market-leading, independently minded retailers in Scotland.

Working tirelessly for more than 40 years, Nisa provides all the tools needed to compete against the ever-increasing competition in the convenience retail sector.

Retailers can operate under a choice of symbol fascias; Nisa Local, Nisa Extra and dual branded whereby a retailer maintains their local identity whilst benefiting from the strength of the Nisa brand.

Alternatively, retailers can trade under their own independent fascia.

Nisa provides a complete retail support package to its retailers to ensure they remain competitive in the market place. This comprises a strong retail focused team, covering retail development managers and regional retail managers, in addition to fresh food development managers, who encourage retailers to make the most of this important category, and store development managers who help to further develop stores. An enhanced category management system providing personalised planograms is also offered along with a bespoke staff training facility and a comprehensive marketing package incorporating bespoke leaflets, point of sale material, a personalised Nisa FM and national advertising.

All of this is in addition to the award-winning supply chain, a strong award-winning own label range and over 13,000 SKUs. A quality EPOS solution, Epositive Evolution, is provided exclusively to Nisa members. With the ability to access promotions, stock lists

and point of sale in a simple, touchscreen system it is a complete business management tool. The updated Evolution Version 2.0 was rolled out to retailers in early 2019, with more intuitive software and new features which improve efficiency for retailers.

Nisa’s Evolution store format has seen great success and those retailers who converted in 2018, achieved, on average, a 12 per cent uplift in sales. The Evolution format prides itself on offering a greater degree of flexibility to retailers, moving away from a one size fits all model to a more modular development format.

Nisa’s flexible model providers its retailers with an unbeatable breadth of range and an excellent availability rate. This is supported

by Nisa’s award-winning own label

range, Heritage which provides retailers with some 800 quality products at affordable prices and includes numerous award-winning lines. And Nisa retailers have access to almost 2,000 of Co-op’s high quality own brand products across all categories, which is more than 80% of the Co-op range.

Since the Co-op completed its acquisition of Nisa Retail Limited in May 2018 work has been focused on ensuring our independent retailers can experience the benefits as quickly as possible through their strong relationship with Nisa as their primary supplier.

With new found business stability and improved financial strength, Nisa partners can trade their businesses in the independent way they have always enjoyed, backed by competitive prices, promotions and a deeper own brand range

which is so important in today’s market in order to drive a real point of difference.

This is all conveniently delivered

by Nisa’s industry leading supply chain which retailers can trust with an impressive 99.9% of deliveries made on the day and 95% successfully made on time.

By joining Nisa, retailers can source local products and have them invoiced centrally, creating a simpler and time efficient process.

All orders are placed directly with individual suppliers, deliveries are made direct to store, but invoicing and administration is managed centrally, taking the hassle away from the retailer.

With convenience stores at the heart of their communities, Nisa recognises the importance of community involvement, and enables its partners to support good causes in their local area through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity. MADL has been proudly supporting local communities since 2008 and in that time has donated over £8.4m to more than 11,000 charities and other good causes.

Retailers can join the Nisa group through the partner website and can rely on superb support from the skilled in-house staff involved in the joining process.

Complete the form on www.join-nisa.co.uk/contact-us or contact our development team on 01724 291762.

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O T D E T T I M M CO

S R E L I A T E R R OU SINCE 1977

“It’s the range that’s available to us through Nisa that sets the group apart from all the others, especially the fresh range and even more so since the arrival of the Co-op own label. It allows us to compete at a higher level and we can target shoppers and get them through our doors without them having to think about going to a supermarket.

We receive a very high level of service from Nisa with really reliable deliveries that I don’t think can be beaten elsewhere and we also enjoy the freedom of independent retail that we retain by working with Nisa.”

Working with Nisa enables us to compete at a higher level.

Dan Brown, Pinkie Farm, Musselburgh

Join the family...

Visit: www.join-nisa.co.uk NisaDPS - CG - linda.indd 2

26/07/2019 10:25

Thrive with Costcutter

By Sean Russell, Director of Marketing, Costcutter Supermarkets Group

O

ur mission is to help independent retailers thrive. That’s why we have invested in the offer, insights and innovations our retailers need to grow their businesses.

“At the heart of this investment is our unique Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive business growth programme, which provides indepth shopper insights and data to help tailor every aspect of the store – from range and missions to marketing and in-store execution.

“By using Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive, our retailers are able to grow their business by attracting new shoppers into their store. Since its launch in 2017, we have delivered impressive sales and profit growth of over 20% among participating stores, by helping our retailers put their shoppers first. We have now made significant additional investment into the programme to expand and broaden the shopper insights.

“For entrepreneurial retailers who are looking to grow their business, our supply deal with Co-op is also a major factor in the decision to join our Group, as we bring together their wholesale strength and grocery retailing expertise with our in-depth understanding of the

independent convenience sector.

In addition, we’re seeing footfall, basket spend and sales increase across our stores as shoppers value the quality and appeal of Co-op products.

“We have also been rewarding our retailers’ loyalty with our bestin-sector commercial terms that includes no fees or surcharges and a rebate of up to 6%. As a result, we have been attracting some of the best store owners in the sector to join Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

Facts: Current number of stores: 1,560 Minimum store size: Criteria varies by brand, but our retailers are independent stores ranging from 700 sq ft to 7,000 sq ft.

Joining or membership fee: No joining or membership fee Minimum order commitment: our minimum order quantity is 80 ambient/bws/tobacco and 30 chill/freeze Delivery frequency: We match delivery frequency to our retailers’ volume to ensure we provide a service that delivers high levels of availability and freshness for their shoppers.

Own label range: Access to the Co-op Own Brand is a major highlight within our range. Now featuring over 2,000 products, we are seeing footfall, basket spend and sales increase across our stores as shoppers value the quality and appeal of Co-op products.

“To ensure our retailers benefit from every aspect of our offer, including Shopper First, we have restructured our field team so that our BDMs have more time to spend with each of their retailers in store. No other Symbol Group has invested so much resource in supporting their retailers and it ensures that the extensive retail expertise that our BDM team has is focused on helping to drive growth in our retailers’ businesses.

“Our BDMs work with our retailers to ensure each store has the right range and offer. Using the Shopper First: Drive Five to Thrive insights, BDMs help our retailers select from the extensive range on offer through our supply deal with the Co-op, as well as sourcing local and artisan products through our

Direct to Store service.

“Accessing our range couldn’t be easier for our retailers through our seamless integration between mobile devices and our ActivOC ordering system. This forms part of our ongoing investment in technology to further support our retailers.

“Our retailers are helping us to shape CSG’s future and only by listening to their experiences, ideas and suggestions will we be able to drive their continued growth in a highly competitive and dynamic sector.”

Contact details: T: 01904 488663 www.costcuttersupermarketsgroup.com/

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26/07/2019 10:26

Stop losing your customers to your competitors.

Start fighting back with market-leading promotions and a £50,000 store investment.

Fed up of watching your customers tempted away? As a One Stop franchisee you can enjoy a £50,000 store investment to bring them back – and market-leading promotions to make them stay.

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One Stop’s five-point plan for success Five reasons to make the move to One Stop up and running, franchisees can expect to see weekly sales increase by an average of more than 14% in their first 13 weeks.

And on top of that, in 2017-2018 franchisees enjoyed over 6% like-for-like growth.

5. Timesaving technology

One Stop Stores Limited is a retail convenience business with over 750 company operated neighbourhood stores and 180 franchisees across England, Wales and Scotland.

Stores sit right at the heart of local communities, many of which offer additional services including free cash machines, Post Office, PayPoint, Lottery and mobile top-up and a hugely popular Own Label range.

1. Market-leading promotions

Franchisees can personalise the signage outside their store with the family name or original shop name, making sure their own identity is still pride of place and letting customers know it’s still their store and part of the community.

3. Seven day a week support One Stop’s model puts support right at its heart - giving franchisees the advice, the guidance and the training they need to fulfil their potential.

The best promotions don’t just bring customers into your store – they increase your profits, too.

One Stop’s market-leading technology takes the legwork and guesswork out of running a store, giving franchisees more time to focus on their business, their team or their family.

Innovations like their two-lane EPoS system delivers sales and margin reports at the touch of a button; while their autoreplenishment system take hours off ordering. Combine that with advances like One Stop’s online e-Learning portal and it adds up to an impressive set of technological benefits.

Why not give One Stop a call on 01543 363003 and see how they could make a difference to you and your business?

Every franchisee has their own Business Development Manager who visits stores at least once Franchisees can benefit from every four weeks with the aim promotions that deliver increased of adding value, growing sales and improving margins. They’ll footfall, higher profitability as customers keep coming back, also be at the end of a phone when they’re not in store - and if while customers can enjoy industry-leading promotions like franchises can’t reach them, One Stop’s franchise support centre is our £3 Meal Deal and 2 for £4 Evening Meal offer. available six days a week.

2. A £50,000 Store Investment When One Stop partners with a new franchisee, they’ll invest up to £50,000 to refit and refresh it, including its layouts, fixtures and fittings.

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4. More cash in your pocket One Stop franchisees have seen back-to-back growth since 2014, enjoying a healthy margin of between 18-25%, depending on their store’s mix. What’s more, once a new, fully-fitted store’s 26/07/2019 10:28

PROMISING CHANGES AT UWS

[Chris Gallacher (Left); Asim Sarwar (Centre Left); Anshu Chandra (Centre Right); Osmond Ramsay (Right)] It’s been a busy and very productive year for our business and as our results show, we have gone from strength to strength. ur turnover increased by . to m, our underlying operating profits increased by . m to . m and our overall profit before tax increased by . m to . m including the disposal of our Terston ouse property. ommenting on the final results Asim Sarwar, Managing Director of UWS said “ The Wholesale market was already a crowded and challenging sector but Tesco s bn takeover of ooker and the oop s ac uisition of Nisa etail imited were designed to give both of the retailers a significant presence in the wholesale sector to drive buying terms and extend their reach into a very competitive convenience sector. Against this backdrop, we have continued to focus on our customers and our customers’ customers to deliver improved range and service which has led to increased sales and profits. “ xciting times are still ahead for United Wholesale Scotland imited UWS and the wider grocery industry. The recent period of consolidation and change, fierce competition from the discounters, shopping habits continuing to change and the on-line shopping revolution has prompted both wholesalers and retailers to look to bolster their core businesses.

Asim continued to say that “ with an ever changing landscape and the increased pace of change, we must look at the wider landscape to ensure that we remain the preferred wholesaler for our customers, our supplier partners and ultimately the end consumer. It is only by working very closely with our customers and supplier partners can we continue to innovate and ensure that we remain competitive whilst delivering an industry leading brand. We are the best at what we do and that can only be achieved by maintaining high levels of customer service at the right price, with the right range ” As part of the drive to continue to innovate, change and generate continued customer loyalty, Asim is making a number of changes across the UWS business. rom une, Asim has stepped up to the new role of xecutive hairman at UWS. The new role will allow Asim the time and space necessary to focus his energy on the changes re uired to make sure that UWS remains rooted to his customer focussed vision. It will also allow him to use his wealth of expertise and knowledge to continue to oversee the running of the UWS business and support supp the management team going forward. In his new role, Asim will focus on putting in place the changes re uired to drive an improved offer, increased range and create a smoother operation that is fit for the future.

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Commenting on the changes, Asim said: “These changes don’t just cover the existing operation. In the latter part of the year, Queenslie will be relaunched as our ‘ Store of the Future ‘, which will see the Queenslie depot undergo a transformation change aimed at delivering a step change in the Queenslie depot, aimed at raising the bar with regard to our customer’s experience and interactions at UWS” “These changes are vital to our future. In the Day-Today and Usave offerings, we probably have the most relevant ofof ferings in Scotland. However, if we are to remain at the head of an ever growing pack, the business has to continue to evolve. In order to do this, we need to tackle all challenges head on to continue to drive forward. With the pace of change as quick as it has ever been, it felt like the right time to create a stronger and more sustainable management structure to reflect that, whilst releasing my time to look further down the line at our future opportunities and challenges” Taking over his role as Managing Director will be Chris Gallacher who joined the business in January 2018 to as Group Director. Commenting on the changes, Asim said: “ It is important that as we continue to take this remarkable business forward and we need to have the right management team and structure in place to do that. In Chris, we have the ideal candidate to take over the day-to-day running of the wholesale business. Chris has an impressive track record across both Wholesale and Retail operations. His man-management skills and ability to foster lasting and collaborative relationships with suppliers, customers and colleagues will ensure that we continue to focus on serving our customers. Wholesaling is in my blood and I will continue to guide and advise the team but taking on the role as Executive Chairman will allow me to look at the bigger picture and set out my plans for achieving these aims, in what is a very fast paced industry.“ Chris commented that: “ On behalf of everyone at UWS, I would like to thank Asim for his vision, great leadership and guidance over the last 16 years, the last 12 of which has seen him steer us through the majority of our growth phases as Managing Director. We would not be where we are today without him at the helm. Asim has been instrumental in driving our symbol group Day Today to the level that it is today. His knowledge, commercial acumen and dedication has seen Asim become one of the most widely respected and well know figures in this industry, helped in no small part by his honesty, integrity and incredible dedication. We will continue to drive the business forward with these values at our core, and I am honoured to receive his vote of confidence and support in taking over the role as Managing Director. ” The management team has been further strengthened with the addition of Osmond Ramsay who joined the business as Finance Director in August 2018 from the Co-op Food. Osmond has already played an instrumental role in professionalising the business. Osmond commentated that: “ UWS is a vibrant and exciting place to work. The business will grow and develop even further and as a finance function, our primary focus is to ensure that we were fully in control of our resources and that we use those resources in the best way possible to grow the business. We have started to invest in improved technology to drive change, improve efficiency and increase compliance to ensure that we remain in control. As a function, finance must now become more forward thinking to support Asim’s vision for the future. We need to embed strategic thinking throughout the business to make sure that every growth opportunity is identified and capitalised on. Now is the time to make brave decisions which have been backed up by well-prepared plans “ Anshu Chandra has been appointed to take on the new position of Commercial Director to take overall control of the commercial function at UWS. Anshu, who is currently the licenced Trading Director, will be responsible for the day-to-day strategic direction of the commercial team as well as focusing on new business opportunities. Asim commented that: “ Anshu has been working with us for over 14 years now, having been brought on board to build our very successful licenced business capability. As commercial director, Anshu brings an exceptional breadth of experience that will benefit UWS now and in the future. “ Asim continued to say that: “ We are currently realigning our existing trading team to suit our home and export growth strategies. In my mind, we have the most talented commercial individuals already working within the business but in order to achieve our commer commercial goals we must look at different ways of working to make sure that we continue to be the preferred route to market for our suppliers and customers. With that in mind, David Riley will be joining the team in July to take over from Anshu as Licensed Trading Director. David’s extensive retail and wholesale knowledge spans over 30 years in the convenience and independent retail industries. His wide industry knowledge will help us to build on the solid base that Anshu has created and I am confident that he will be very successful in his the new ne role. www.uniteduk.com

UnitedWholesaleScotland

www.day-today.co.uk

MyLocalDayToday

www.usave.org.uk

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The Convenience Guide Scotland is a special supplement produced by: Scottish Grocer, The Albus, 110 Brook Street, Glasgow, G40 3AP | Tel: 0141 567 6000 Email: scottishgrocer@peeblesmedia.com www.scottishgrocer.co.uk

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