TalkingShop June 2022

Talking Shop ISSUE 118 June 2022

The magazine for Premier retailers

Chiller Champions

Huge focus on chilled products delivers profits in Alton

PLUS

On the Button

Alfred Button range in focus

Waste reduction

Too Good To Go delivers

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STRONG VARIANTS Extra Strong pouches are currently the fastest growing strength in traditional retail in the UKi

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Nicotine is an addictive substance. *IRi Market Place, Volume Share, Nicotine Pouch Category, Total UK, Q4 21. For more information or to verify comparison contact Nordic Spirit on Facebook or Instagram: @ nordicspirit_uk or using our details at nordicspirit.co.uk/contact **Trustpilot rating correct as of January 2022. i. IRi Market Place, Volume Share, Nicotine Pouch Category, Total UK, Q4 21. For more information or to verify comparison contact Nordic Spirit on Facebook or Instagram: @nordicspirit_uk or using our details at nordicspirit.co.uk/contact

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Talking Shop | June 2022

Welcome Talking Shop ISSUE 118 June

A warm welcome to your latest issue of Talking Shop as we make the most of the summer months and the many opportunities that lie ahead.

The recent Platinum Jubilee was a fantastic way to get the summer formally underway and at Premier we have plenty more planned to help carry that momentum forward and make sure that the next few months are

busy and profitable.

But before we get to those plans, I’d like to offer a huge thank you to every single one of you for helping Premier secure the coveted Grocer Gold Award for Symbol Group of the Year. And the great news doesn’t end there: Booker also picked up the Wholesaler of the Year Award at the Grocer Golds to cap a really rewarding evening. This is an amazing achievement – so well done to all of you!

One of the most important features in this issue is the continued rollout of Jack’s, your exclusive new own brand.

The feedback from Premier retailers and shoppers so far has been fantastic, so I’m excited to see more products appearing in-store.

With the summer season now in full swing we also explore the many refreshing opportunities offered by the dynamic gin category.

And with disposable products continuing to drive the UK’s vape category, this issue also includes an insight packed article on ElfBar; we’ve just doubled the size of our range in response to demand.

I would also like to congratulate the many Premier retailers who have been using the Too Good To Go food waste management app. Premier retailers alone have helped to save 20,000 meals from going to waste in the last year. Fantastic work and I would urge other retailers to try it out too.

I hope you have a fantastic summer!

2022

The magazine

for Premier retai

lers

Chiller Champions

Huge focus on chilled products delivers prof its in Alton

PLUS

On the Button

Alfred Button

range in focu

s

Waste reductio Too Good To

n

Go delivers

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COVER STORY A full refit and a major refocus on chilled delivers big benefits for Alton Premier retailer.

THE THREE BIG STORIES 56 Backin’ Jack’s Full rollout of Jack’s continues, your exclusive new own label range.

76 Raising the bar Booker doubles its range of ElfBars.

81 Cut waste and cost Too Good To Go helps retailers save money and reduce food waste.

Share your shop news

If you’ve got news, tips or feature ideas, please get in touch with Talking Shop: EMAIL:

talkingshop@booker.co.uk Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director – Retail

DISCLAIMER: Prices are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

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34

52

A full-scale refit for Raven Square Convenience Store.

18

81

A shining example of the power of smaller regular investments.

Cut cost and waste with Too Good To Go.

56

Jack’s rollout continues.

7

Premier News

67 Ones To Watch

Innovation draws shoppers to

Some of the latest Jack’s lines to hit

of the Year and Booker named

Stockton-on-Tees Premier.

the shelves.

Wholesaler of the Year at Grocer Gold Awards.

8

28 Pulling Power

Premier named Symbol Group

News HFSS multibuy ban postponed.

10 Community News A round-up of the latest community news.

13 Industry News Convenience growing ahead of the market.

18 Invest to Impress Brighton store sees benefit of continual investment.

34 Chiller Champions Full-scale refit revitalises Alton store.

42 Destination Retail Chilled focus puts Premier Blackrod on the map.

48 On The Button Alfred Button own brand range in focus.

52 Gin keeps delivering

76 Raising The Bar Booker doubles the size of its popular ElfBar range.

81 Cut waste and cost How Too Good To Go can help your business.

87 Launch Review Jack’s fresh range in the spotlight.

91 Guest Column

Gin looks set to be the star of the

Sustainability Manager Cath

show this summer.

Marston talks Too Good To Go.

56 Jack’s rollout underway An overview of your exclusive new own brand range.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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THE UK’S NO.1 CHILLED COFFEE *

Stock up now *Nielsen 26/02/22

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PremierNews NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

Premier and Booker dazzle at Grocer Golds

Premier named Symbol Group of the Year and Booker named Wholesaler of the Year at Grocer Gold Awards.

INBRIEF JUBILEE BOOST FOR RETAILERS

The recent Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend gave the majority of independent stores a boost in footfall, says the British Retail Consortium.

Despite the inconsistent weather across the country, footfall increased by a solid 6.9% on average for the weekend compared with the May average.

Footfall for the whole week of the Platinum Jubilee was up by 17.1% against for the previous four weeks.

The best performing day of all during the long weekend was the first day of the public holiday, the Thursday, with

TOP MARKS: Martyn Parkinson accepts the Symbol Group of the Year award.

GOLD STANDARD: Andrew Yaxley with the Wholesaler of the Year award.

footfall up a whopping 45.6% against the May average as shoppers prepared for the weekend of celebrations that

Premier was named Symbol Group of the Year at the recent prestigious Grocer Gold Awards on a hugely successful night as Booker also claimed the coveted Wholesaler of the Year award.

Held at London’s Guildhall on 14 June, the Awards are the most prestigious in the industry and the high profile successes reflect how well both Premier and Booker have responded to the unique challenges of the last year.

The Judging panel were particularly impressed with Premier’s new ‘Latest Thinking’ store format which was first revealed at the 1,750 sq ft Premier Singh’s Teynham Road store in Sheffield where sales have since doubled to £70k since the refit.

The panel was also wowed by Premier’s more compressed version of the format for small stores which was initially trailed at Steve and Jassy Singh Dhinsa’s 600 sq ft Premier VG Store store in Wheatley Hill near Durham.

Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director – Retail, said: “The Grocer Golds are the most coveted Awards in our industry so to win the prestigious Symbol Group of the Year Award is a truly phenomenal achievement. I would like to offer a massive thank you and well done to every Premier retailer for their efforts and achievements over the last year.

“This recognition from a panel of industry experts really does celebrate the hard work and dedication of Premier retailers and their commitment to serving their shoppers day in, day out and our relentless focus on shopper satisfaction.”

lay ahead.

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@booker.co.uk

June 2022 TalkingShop

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News

INBRIEF DRS OPERATOR SECURES £9M

Circularity Scotland, the organisation that will administer the country’s deposit return scheme (DRS), has received £9m in funding from the Scottish National Investment Bank.

The cash will be used to

HFSS multibuy deals postponed Rules banning multibuy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) and restrictions on free refills for soft drinks are being delayed for a year. The government said the delay will enable it to review and monitor the impact of the restrictions on the cost-of-living in light of an unprecedented global economic situation.

However, restrictions on the placement of less healthy products will still come into force in October 2022 as planned. These will mean that affected products can no longer be promoted in key locations, such as checkouts, store entrances, and aisle ends.

The restrictions banning HFSS adverts on TV before 9pm and paid-for adverts online will also be paused for a year, meaning they come into force in January 2024.

Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “The

government’s insistence on pushing ahead with costly and confusing regulations at a time when consumers and retailers are facing significant financial pressure is nothing short of astonishing.

While everyone else is trying to navigate the worst cost-of-living and cost-of-business crisis in memory, the government is regulating to send officials round to shops with tape measures to make sure yoghurt and pizza aren’t displayed too close to the door or on the end of an aisle.

“Going ahead with the location restrictions in October this year, costing thousands of pounds per store, will have a huge impact on thousands of small businesses that are already struggling to make ends meet.”

The ACS offers a comprehensive set of FAQs and updated Assured Advice on the upcoming HFSS regulations. Please visit www.acs.org.uk/ advice/hfss-regulations for more info.

fund the development of Circularity Scotland and also to help ensure a further £9m from Bank of Scotland. Together the

Food-to-go a ‘huge opportunity’

investments will fund the startup costs of the DRS, which will go live in August 2023.

The news has been welcomed by the NFRN. National President, Narinder Randhawa, said: “This investment is a show of confidence and support for all the work being done to deliver the anticipated increase in recycling rates from August next year.

“As responsible retailers, the Fed’s members in Scotland will be on the frontline of the deposit return scheme. Unless exempted, they will form the backbone of the network of return points, where customers will bring their bottles and cans for the refund of the deposits.”

Wholesale data and insight specialists TWC and food-togo and out-of-home tracking programme MealTrak have reported that the food-to-go market has grown by 9% yearon-year in value in independent convenience stores in the 12 weeks to 19 May. The total market across all channels has grown by 31% over the same period with grocery outlets growing even

faster at 51%. TWC said this represents a “huge opportunity” for the sector to drive footfall, sales and profits in a high margin category.

Tom Fender, Development Director at TWC, commented: “It was understandable that many retailers opted to scale back their food-to-go offer [during the pandemic] as consumers weren’t commuting or getting out and about

very much, rather they were preparing most of their meals at home. But what we have seen in the last few months is the rapid return of consumers eating food-to-go again.

“This is the ideal time for independent retailers to review their food-to-go range in line with what’s happening in the market to maximise this opportunity. Now is the time to grab food-to-go sales.”

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News

Premier retailers play their part in war on food waste Premier retailers are playing a key role in the group’s efforts to clamp down on food waste via the Too Good To Go platform.

Premier retailers are making valiant attempts to slash food waste and support their low income shoppers with the help of anti-food waste organisation Too Good To Go. Premier retailers alone have saved more than 20,000 meals from disposal in the course of the last 12 months - with the number of Premier retailers signing up to the scheme growing.

Premier retailer Peter Saleem, of Broadway Stores in Blyth, Northumberland is one of the retailers thrilled to be part of the scheme: “Too Good to Go is a great way of reducing food waste and supporting low-income shoppers. Food waste is such an important issue and one that I feel we have a responsibility to address, especially in the current climate when so many shoppers are struggling financially. Our shoppers love the scheme and it’s something that we are often praised for,” he said.

In total, Booker group customers as a whole saved over 135,000 kg of food going to waste; the equivalent of 323,293 meals. This is a CO2 saving of 337 tonnes, which equates to 503 return flights from London to New York.

The scheme is powered by a free-to-download

INBRIEF GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT ACCESS TO CASH The government has set

l l l l

135,000kg of food saved 323,293 meals saved 337 tonnes of CO2 saved 503 return flights from London to New York equivalent

out new powers to protect access to cash for millions of people. The UK’s largest banks and building societies will be subject to new Financial Conduct Authority powers to ensure the continued

app that allows shoppers to search for and purchase ‘Magic Bags’ containing delicious surplus food items.

The contents of each Too Good To Go Magic Bag differs from store-to-store and day-to-day, but guarantees to deliver three times’ worth of value.

Catherine Marston, Sustainability Manager at Booker, told Talking Shop: “I am proud of our symbol group retailers who have taken the opportunity to reduce their food waste through the sale of magic bags. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it helps families to reduce their outgoings – which has never been more important – and underpins our values to support communities and the planet.”

Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, commented: “It’s been fantastic to see our partnership with Booker’s customers go from strength to strength as we hit this great milestone.

Not only is reducing food waste one of the most important things we can do to fight climate change, but it also allows for people to try out delicious food in an affordable way - it’s a winwin-win.”

availability of withdrawal and deposit facilities in local communities across the UK. The measures will be legislated for in the upcoming Financial Services and Markets Bill.

Under the new rules, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will be granted new powers over the UK’s largest banks and building societies, to ensure that cash withdrawal and deposit facilities are available in communities across the country.

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@booker.co.uk

ACS launches ‘welcome to all’ guide The Association of Convenience Stores has launched a guide for retailers on how to provide excellent customer service for all customers, including the millions of customers with disabilities and different needs. The Everyone Welcome Guide has been developed in consultation with the Alzheimer’s Society, Business Disability Forum, Age UK, and National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise.

The guide offers easy, practical, and costeffective steps that all store owners can take to welcome disabled customers.

Diane Lightfoot, Chief Executive of the Business Disability Forum, said: “One in five people in the UK have a disability, but it’s important to remember that it’s not only disabled people who benefit from more accessible shops and spaces – it’s everyone.”

Visit acs.org.uk to download the guide.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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Premier Blackrod shopper scoops brand-new Mini in scratchcard promotion

INBRIEF PREMIER STORES TO SHINE AT CONVENIENCE AWARDS

As part of a recent Premier scratchcard promotion offering more than £1m in prizes, a shopper at Premier Blackrod in Bolton won the top prize of a brand-new Mini.

Premier stores from across the country have made the final cut for a large number of the top awards including Independent Convenience Store of the Year, Large Convenience Store of the Year and Small Convenience Store of the year.

The Convenience Awards 2022 are set to take place on Tuesday 13 September in London. The Premier finalists are: l Independent: Premier Singh’s Teynham, Sheffield. l Large Store: Premier Birnam Stores, Kirkcaldy and

MINI ADVENTURE: Winner Danny with Martyn Parkinson and retailer John Jones.

Premier Racetrack Ibrox, Glasgow. l Small Store: Premier VG

Danny McGlade, a lucky shopper at the Premier Blackrod store in Bolton, was over the moon recently to collect the keys to a brand new Mini, the top prize in Premier’s popular scratchcard promotion.

Across its 3,800 stores around the UK during the 2021 Euro Championship, Premier retailers gave away free scratchcards during the promotion to over-18 shoppers for all purchases over £5.

With hundreds of thousands of scratchcards given away to its loyal customer base, over £1m worth of prizes were on offer ranging from instant-win chocolate bars and snacks through to electrical gadgets and one grand prize of a Mini.

Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director for Booker Wholesale, said: “Our scratchcard promotion remains unique in the symbol sector and continues to be massively popular with both retailers and shoppers. It has really been successful in terms of

attracting footfall into Premier stores and driving sales and profits. I am delighted to have been able to hand over the keys to the grand prize, and wish Danny many happy hours of motoring!”

The lucky winner, Danny McGlade, was left “amazed” by the win, and said: “I could not believe I had won! When I scratched the card and it revealed itself as the Mini, I thought I must have got it wrong! Winning this prize is a dream come true and it really will make a difference to me and my family.”

Retailer John Jones of Premier Blackrod, said: “We are all absolutely delighted that Danny has won the Mini. We cannot believe that the winning scratchcard has made its way to our store!

“The scratchcard promotion itself created a real buzz at the time with so many instant-win prizes, but to have the Star Prize here in Blackrod has really blown us all away!”

Foodstore, Wheatley Hill l Customer Delivery: Premier Heyside Mini Market and Post Office and Premier Singh’s Teynham, Sheffield l New Store/Refit: Premier Singh’s Teynham Road, Sheffield l Community: Premier Jules Convenience Store, Telford

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@booker.co.uk

June 2022 TalkingShop

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Premier retailers to access hundreds of new lines as Jack’s rollout continues

INBRIEF ACS BACKS ONLINE SALES TAX The Association of Convenience Stores has submitted evidence to the Government’s consultation on the development of an online sales tax to support local businesses. ACS is also calling on the Government to reduce business rates for retail properties.

In its submission, ACS highlights the current imbalance in the way that businesses are taxed, with physical stores being at a disadvantage compared to their online counterparts.

Jack’s, part of the Tesco family, is making an increasingly big mark across Premier stores as the brand’s full-scale rollout continues this summer.

In a move designed to simplify the group’s own label offer for shoppers, the new range sees the Happy Shopper, Farm Fresh and Discover the Choice brands brought together under one quality Jack’s brand.

While an extensive range of fresh Jack’s products have been available for some months, completion of the full-scale

rollout will provide retailers with access to more than 400 lines across all key food and non-food categories.

The new range will also provide a number of benefits to Premier retailers too, with PORs of more than 30% across the vast majority of lines, consistent branding, simplified ordering and more effective merchandising in-store.

Commenting on the rollout, Premier retailer Justin Whittaker, of MJ’s Premier in Royton, Manchester, said:

“We’ve had the Jack’s range in since it first launched and I have to say I’ve been really, really impressed, as have my shoppers.

“The products look great on shelf, the packaging is really strong and modern, the pricing is spot on and the quality is just fantastic.”

All Jack’s packaging will also carry the ‘Part of the Tesco Family’ logo - giving retailers and shoppers alike the reassurance of Tesco quality for an affordable price.

The introduction of an online sales tax that funds reductions in business rates would take significant steps toward redressing the balance between online and bricks and mortar retailers and give retail outlets more opportunities to invest.

The submission also advises that click and collect orders should be exempt from the online sales tax, as they encourage consumers to visit physical retail stores.

Welsh Government to regenerate retail sector The Welsh Government has launched a new strategy to regenerate the retail sector in Wales, outlining the challenges faced by retail businesses in Wales. The shared strategic vision sets out how the Government and the sector will work together in partnership to ensure that the retail sector has a bright future in Wales.

The vision identifies key areas where action is needed, including improving career opportunities within retail, greater job security, ensuring Wales’ town centres and high streets are thriving through investment and support for non-domestic rates.

The strategy also aims to help retailers seize the opportunities of decarbonisation and digitalisation Association of Convenience Sstores chief executive James Lowman said: “We are pleased that the Welsh Government has recognised the vital role that the retail sector plays in the economy and in the day to day lives of people living in Wales.

“Local shops operate at the heart of our communities, providing customers with access to vital products and services, as well as acting as a social hub for those who may be more isolated or vulnerable.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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CommunityNews OPINION, NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM PREMIER RETAILERS

Deer and orchids flourish at Makro bio-diverse branch A Makro branch in Hull has enjoyed some heartwarming success with a bio-diverse zone that has seen wild deer and orchids flourish alongside the branch.

Wild deer, orchids and a range of wild flowers have been flourishing at a Makro branch in Hull after an area of 1,365 m2, to one side of the building, was designated by Booker’s sustainability team as an official ‘bio diverse’ area.

The team has been working with Yorkshire Wildlife trust to protect some rare orchids and, to help them grow and develop, they have planted some additional wild flower which orchids need in order to pollinate.

An unintentional bonus has been the arrival of wild deer on the site.

Booker Sustainability Manager Cath Marston told Talking Shop: “It’s hard to believe that we have such beautiful flowers and creatures in that small bio diverse space. The branch is on an industrial estate next to a dual carriageway, yet we have succeeded in creating a small wildlife haven. It just shows what you can do if you look after even a small space and allow it to flourish.”

Premier Blyth adds electric van

Broadway Premier in Blyth has taken its sustainability credentials to a new level by investing a brand new zero emissions fully electric van which it is using for its popular home delivery service.

Owner Peter Saleem said: “Investing in zero emissions technology like this reflects our belief in the importance of taking sustainability seriously. It has

greatly enhanced our image and our shoppers love it.”

Our new Electric Volkswagen ABT e-Transporter Vehicle is amazing. It’s great for the environment and great for business, especially when fuel prices are the way they are.

“Our shoppers also really appreciate the fact that we are delivering their products in an echo-friendly manner - sustainability is becoming an increasingly big concern for them.

“We are currently charging the van in a local carpark but we are just about to have a brand-new charging point of our own fitted at the store and at our home which will make things even easier.”

INBRIEF

ST MARY’S KEEPS UP THE GOOD WORK Devon Premier store St Mary’s Supermarket has once more supported the local Northam Community & Northam Local Foodbank with generous donations.

The products were very much appreciated by the Foodbank and use as part of the charity’s Foodbank baskets, benefitting over 50 local families.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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IndustryNews A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Convenience retailing INBRIEF growing ‘ahead of market’ INDEPENDENT STORES ‘KEY’ New data from NielsenIQ shows that growth in the independent channel outperformed the supermarkets in May.

IN PREVENTING UNDERAGE SALES The Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) scheme has reported significant

reductions in children’s drinking and anti-social behaviour in areas where its local partnership schemes operate, thanks to the support of local independent retailers.

CAP partnerships are made up of retailers, local authorities, police, schools, neighbourhood groups and health providers, who work together to make a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of young people and improve the communities where they live. There are

Data specialist NielsenIQ has published its latest findings which show that the convenience channel outperformed supermarkets in May with 3.7% growth in sales. This means that the channel now accounts for almost a quarter (24%) of FMCG sales.

The figures also show that UK grocery sales values grew by 0.6% in the same month, even though volume sales fell by 6%, the first positive

growth since the turn of the year. Footfall was also up 7% while online grocery sales remained static.

The report suggests the growth in convenience was partly down to shoppers stocking up for the long Platinum Jubilee weekend. The report also noted an increase in “little and more often” shopping which drove sales in convenience.

currently over 250 schemes across England, Scotland and Wales.

Key findings from CAP’s 2021/2 annual report says evaluations over the last six years show CAP areas have achieved a 62% reduction in weekly drinking for 13–16-yearolds, a 42% reduction in anti-

DRS handling fee revealed

social behaviour and a 68% reduction in residents reporting children and young people drinking in public places to be

With Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) scheduled to be implemented across the UK at various dates in the future, the handling fees that retailers will receive for returned containers when Scotland’s DRS goes live have been revealed. Scotland will be the first nation to implement a DRS on 16 August 2023.

For retailers using approved automated Reverse Vending Machines, the fee will be 3.55p for the first 8,000 containers received each week and 1.35p for each additional container.

For manual returns, retailers will receive 2.69p per container.

a very big or fairly big problem.

In addition, after CAP training, 98% of retailers passed a Challenge25 compliance test – from an average baseline of 50%.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Coldean, Brighton

Invest to impress

impress Coldean Convenience 02 is a shining example of the power of smaller regular investments.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Manish and Raj Suchak.

Store CV:

Name: Coldean Convenience 02 Retailer: Manish Suchak Size: 1,000sq ft Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6am10pm Sat-Sun 7am-10pm Services: Deliveroo, Free ATM, Lotto Staff: 6 Key categories: Alcohol, Vape, Refresh

I

f it’s not broke don’t fix it,” is not a saying commonly heard in the Suchak household and certainly not around the family business – a 1,000sq ft Premier store in village of Coldean near Brighton.

The business, which was originally established by owner Manish, a former pharmacist, and his brothers, has been pumped with a near continuous programme of investment and innovation since it first opened back in 1986.

Back then it was a small “Post Office and sweet shop” while Manish ran the pharmacy in the unit immediately next door. The

EVOLUTION: The store has evolved and grown over the years.

subsequent years have seen the business change almost beyond recognition thanks to a steady stream of expansions, refits and makeovers, including a significant change back in 1990, when Manish’s purchase of a third unit enabled the family to create a far larger convenience store and in-store pharmacy. Further refits ensued, including the adoption of the Premier fascia in the early 2000s.

Then in 2018, and following Manish’s retirement as a pharmacist, yet another build ensued which saw Manish and his son Raj create the 1,000sq ft dedicated convenience space currently trading today.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

fresh GET FRESH: The is produce range popular.

DRINK TO THAT: Drinks to go sit alongside an extensive chilled drinks range.

“The last four years have been incredibly successful for us,” Manish says. “We’ve always been a very community-focused store, with very loyal local shoppers, but during the pandemic, footfall soared as locals shopped even more regularly and we attracted new shoppers from further afield.”

“Fortunately we’ve managed to keep hold of those new shoppers and the heightened levels of footfall and basket spend. Those shoppers haven’t gone straight back to the supermarkets, they’ve stayed loyal to us and I think that our constant investment in the business has a lot to do with that,” Manish explains.

In December 2021 and, despite the store’s weekly turnover still well over 30% up on pre-pandemic levels, Manish and Raj planned yet another investment – this time a move designed to appeal to its younger shoppers and make the space more “Instagram-friendly.”

“For us, investment has to be ongoing,”

BIG DEAL: Great promotions drive footfall and sales.

Manish says. “You can’t wait for something to break before you fix it, standing still is not an option.

“We live in an Instagram generation now. Shoppers want a store that will not just service all their needs but that also looks the part, especially younger shoppers.

“Younger shoppers want so much more from their local stores. They want them to be places where they feel connected, valued and listened to. Where the concepts, ranges and offers speak to them, where they can have fun.

“While the store is shopped by a high mix

of middle-aged and elderly shoppers, we also benefit from a significant youth trade thanks to Brighton University’s nearby halls of residence,” Manish says.

“With this latest refit we really wanted to offer something different and special June 2022 TalkingShop

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To that first taste of an endless summer with the UK’s bestselling & most loved fruit cider brand

1

2

New fresh label, same fresh taste. Limited Edition label design, whilst stocks last Single bottles and 4-packs make up 81% of all cider sales in the convenience channel3 Delight your customers by stocking the most loved alcohol drinks brand (18-24 year olds)2 in key pack formats to keep them coming back for more Follow us on social: @Kopparbergtrade sales@kopparberg.co.uk

Sources: 1. IRI, Ext Marketplace, Fruit Cider, Value sales, 52wks to 20/02/22. 2. Savanta, Top 100 Most Loved Drinks Brand Report, n=48,000, Jan ’21-Jun’21. 3. IRI, GB Convenience, Total Cider, Value Share of Total Cider, 52wks to 23/01/22.

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Manish invested £30,000 creating a new Refresh zone and updating key fixtures and fittings

The GOOD TO GO: e new Refresh zon has been a hit.

LARGING IT: Larger format drinks have sold well recently.

to those shoppers and Premier’s Refresh concept was the perfect solution.”

An eight-day fit out process in December 2021 saw the store kitted out with a smart new Refresh zone at the front, including a Tango Ice Blast machine and Costa Express.

The store’s existing slush machine was also retained in order to give shoppers on a budget a good value for money proposition.

“The Refresh section has been an overwhelming success,” Manish laughs.

“It’s not a large section but it’s made a huge difference already.

“The students love it, they love the products but even more than that I think they love the fact that it shows that we are a store that values them,” he says.

“We already had a great-looking convenience store and technically we didn’t need to invest in it just then, but in my opinion you shouldn’t wait until there’s a need, as by then it’s probably becoming too late.”

SPACE: The store’s 1,000sq ft dedicated convenience space gas been optimised for current shopper trends.

But the new Refresh zone wasn’t the only upgrade made. “The addition of the Refresh zone meant that we had to invest in some new higher shelving units to retain the breadth of our existing range,” Manish says. “We also took the opportunity to remerchandise the store and move some of the chilled cabinets around.

“We added an extra soft drinks chiller at the front of the store to really push our new drinks-to-go and Refresh offer, and we moved our existing dairy fridge closer to the back of the store.”

Not ones for half measures though, Manish and Raj also took the opportunity to fit smart new LED ceiling lights and flooring.

“Lighting technology has come such a long, long way in the last five years alone,” Manish says. “The new lights are visually stunning and they set the products off beautifully, everything just pops under them. It’s honestly the bee’s knees!

“Moving our dairy cabinet to the back of the store has resulted in more of the store being shopped. Shoppers after essential items such as milk and butter now have to navigate the length of the store in order to do so and we are already finding that this is resulting in additional purchases. The number of shoppers who say to me ‘I only came in for one thing’ as they pay for three or four items is quite astounding,” Manish says.

As such, average basket spend is now £10, while Manish estimates that weekly spend has increased by around 10% since the refit.

“We now have a great impulse area at the front of the store which really appeals to our local shoppers and gives us a fresh new edge.

“At 1,000sq ft, we didn’t have a huge amount of space to play with but the Premier planners, working in collaboration with Raj, did a fantastic job and the funny June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

GOOD SIGN: Exterior signage focuses on daily essentials and great deals.

GROCERY GOAL: The grocery category has seen a resurgence in fortunes.

thing is that lots of shoppers seem to think we’ve extended!

“The store just feels roomier with the re-jigged layout. It’s amazing just how effective clever merchandising can be.”

The refit also included a makeover outside the store, including a smart new black and white paint job and updated Premier window graphics. “The whole effect is really striking,” Manish says.

“What we have now is a really fancylooking shop. Shoppers see what we’ve done and they know we’ve done it for them.

It makes them feel important and valued and in return they repay us with greater loyalty.

“The whole project cost us £30,000, which in my opinion is very good value for money for something so powerful.

“We were already trading at a very high level for a store of our size, making any increase pretty incredible.”

Away from the shop floor, the refit also included the conversion of some former back-room space into a cosy private room for staff to relax in when on breaks.

“Prior to the refit, staff didn’t really have a nice private space for themselves to unwind in when on breaks. They really appreciate the fact we’ve given them one now. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference to them,” Manish adds.

And while the positive impact of regular refits and makeovers certainly can’t be denied, Manish and Raj’s packed programme of community support also plays a key role when it comes to leveraging loyalty.

“Having run the local pharmacy alongside the convenience business for more than 30 years, I’m on first name terms with almost all of our local shoppers,” says Manish.

“I’ve also lived in the village for the last 20 years so everyone around here knows me; I certainly get asked to sign an awful lot of passport applications!

“As a business, we have always maintained very strong links with the local school, and the store currently supplies all the food for its daily Breakfast Club, including milk, cereal, fruit and bread.

“We also support the local food bank with a £500 drop every two months, and we provide funding to the local cat shelter each month.

“Right now we are also organising a Platinum Jubilee event for the whole village. It will be held in the grounds of our June 2022 TalkingShop

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fuel the ros driving you.

stock up now

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

RAISING THE BAR: Vaping bars are flying off the shelves.

illed CHILL OUT: Ch big draw. alcohol is a

MULTIPACKS: Multipacks are more popular than ever.

local church, and we will provide all the food for that, so it should hopefully be a wonderful day for all to enjoy.

“The value of community support really can’t be understated. It’s so important to us as a community-centric business and something that we genuinely want to do.

Shoppers recognise that and so in turn they support us.”

And when it comes to the topic of support, Manish is also keen to highlight the role that Premier continues to play in the success of the business.

“I have to give Premier a big mention as their support is invaluable. When you join Premier, you join a team and I know that if I have any challenges or problems along the way, they will be on hand to help me where they can.

“Premier’s promotions also play a vital role. The brand is very competitive on price, and we endeavour to run as many of the Premier promotions as possible. At the end of the day all shoppers love a bargain.

Average basket spend is now £10 with turnover up 10% since the investment

“We are currently running a promotion on 1.75L bottles of Diet Coke and Coca-Cola which is two for £2.50 and literally every shopper is picking up two. The take-up is huge. We sell a vast amount of stock on promotion, and of course we support it with the Premier POS to really drive the value message home.

“PMPs also play a big role, especially at the moment when shoppers are more conscious of the price of goods, and we buy as much PMP stock as we can.

“We place a lot of emphasis on the core range. You don’t need an extensive range, just a really good mix of best-sellers. In our store, everything sells.”

However, two categories performing “exceptionally well” at the moment are alcohol and vape.

“Alcohol is currently one of our strongest sellers and we have 6m of chilled beers and wines, with wine in growth as shoppers increasingly pop in for a bottle and a meal for tonight’s solution,” Manish adds.

“Vape is a star performer though. Just over a year ago we were fortunate enough to employ a young man who used to work in a vape shop and he has really helped us to evolve our range and become a destination for vape.

“We currently offer a large range of disposable devices that we get from Booker, and that side of the business is doing phenomenally well.

“For a relatively new category I honestly cannot believe how quickly it has become such an integral part of our business and it highlights just how beneficial it is to keep up with the latest trends.

“Fortunately, at 27 years old, my son Raj is very clued up on all the latest innovations as well as taking an active role in promoting the store on social media and I’m incredibly happy to let him take the lead on these things. He is the next generation and I look forward to seeing where the next 30-odd years take us!”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Stockton-on-Tees

power Premier’s pulling

Sag Hussain’s innovation-packed Premier store is magnetising local shoppers.

LIVING THE DREAM: Sag at his shiny new Premier store.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

L

ove and other good things often come when you’re not looking or least expect them, and that’s certainly true in the case of Sag Hussain’s brand-new Premier store in Stockton-on-Tees.

Situated on the high traffic Norton Road with ample free parking at the front and offering a perfect blank canvas for development, the site was almost too good to be true – and Sag hadn’t even been looking for it.

“I’d opened my first Premier in Middlesbrough four years ago which was going from strength to strength, and I wasn’t even looking for another site when I received an unexpected call from a local landlord in January 2022.

“He wanted to tell me about a former launderette unit that was about to become available.

“I went to have a look anyway and from the moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it and I literally said ‘yes’ on the spot!

“The site is attractive for a number of key reasons. Firstly, its location on a busy main road. Secondly, it has plenty of parking.

Thirdly, it’s the perfect shape. It’s a perfect 1,200sq ft square, which allows full view of the whole store and makes planning the layout much easier.

“A lot of work was needed but I could see the potential. I knew even then it was perfect for creating a true destination convenience store that would pull shoppers in from all around. Every shopper who walks into your store is potentially going to spend money. To turn that potential into an actual sale, you’ve got to have that wow factor.

“My vision was to open a store that shoppers would not just want to visit, but rave about. I wanted shoppers to post about this store on Instagram and Facebook, for it to be a place that they wanted to be.”

Just six weeks after signing the new lease agreement, Sag’s vision became a reality when the doors to his brand-new Premier opened on 5 March.

“It was a super-quick turnaround but I don’t hang about!” Sag laughs. “The team at Premier were superb and the whole design process worked like a dream. Nothing was too much for them and without Premier’s

GO, GO, GO: The drinks to go station has been a huge hit.

FIT OUT: Shopfitting was to the highest standards.

support I would never have opened in the time frame that we did, or achieved the result that we have.”

With its custom-made beer cave and vibrant Refresh zone, that result is every bit as show-stopping as Sag envisioned.

“I was really keen to move away from a number of the traditional services offered by typical convenience stores such as bill payments and focus on novel categories such as Refresh and the beer cave to draw people in and give us a real return on our investment.”

SPECIALS: The best deals feature heavily in-store.

A 200sq ft custom-made beer cave offers a unique destination experience June 2022 TalkingShop

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RASPBERRY & BLUEBERRY: M264913

CHERRY & POMEGRANATE: M264914 27/06/2022 18:10:56

What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

CAVE MAN: A 200sq ft beer cave sets the store apart.

Average basket spend is already up to £13 and growing

Store CV:

Name: Premier Norton Road Stockton-on-Tees Retailer: Sagar Hussain Size: 1,200sq ft Staff: seven part time, twofull time.

Key categories: BWS, drinks-to-go, Opening Hours: 7am-10pm Services: Lotto

At 200sq ft, the store’s dedicated beer cave is certainly doing just that. Positioned at the rear of the store, the custom-made cave is kept at a constant five degrees Celsius and offers Stockton’s shoppers a truly unique experience.

“Shoppers press a button to access the cave and once inside, are met with a vast range of chilled wines, beers, premium ciders and multi-packs, all ready to drink.

We also specialise in beer kegs for home draught systems which is another great point of difference.”

Offering a range of brands from Stella to Becks, Bud and Leffe, Sag’s keg offer has already become a local talking point, with shoppers nicknaming him ‘The Keg King’!

“The beer cave is a big draw. Shoppers come here just to experience it and shop from it; we sell large volumes,” says Sag. Sag also took care to install an automated system that allows shoppers back out of the cave without having to press buttons or manually open doors. “Shoppers tend to come out with their hands full so the sensor by the door means they don’t need to use

their hands to open it. It’s important for reducing breakages and spills,” he says.

“On the outside of the beer cave we have another set of double doors that gives shoppers access to a secondary chilled display of our core chilled beer and wine lines without having to enter the cave.It’s like a fridge within a fridge and is also really popular. Not all shoppers have the time to enter the cave, or need to. Those who just want to grab a bottle of chilled Echo Falls can do so, while those who want to have a real experience and browse the full range can walk on into our beer and wine heaven!”

Featuring custom-made extra-deep shelves, the cave also performs an important practical role by allowing the store to hold lots of extra chilled stock – almost double the capacity of a normal fridge.

Premier Norton Road also offers shoppers a more premium-focused range of red wines and spirits. “We’ve deliberately moved away from cheap wines and spirits and targeted exciting higher end products that we can make more of on social media. On-trend products such as premium flavoured gins draw shoppers in and look the part on-shelf and online.”

At the front of the store, shoppers are also wowed by its large Refresh Zone which features Tango Ice Blast, Fwip, Snowshock, Hershey’s Freeze, Reece’s Hot Chocolate and a Costa Express machine.

“The Refresh zone is such an exciting proposition,” Sag says. “Prior to us opening, shoppers who wanted a proper gelato-style ice cream had to travel to a dessert parlour or to the seaside. Now, they can get a showstopping experience at their local store.

“It lends itself perfectly to posts on social media, and as anyone who checks out our Facebook page will see, I’m certainly not afraid of making an in-store video!” Sag laughs.

“We love to think outside of the box and have fun on social media, especially with new products that we make a big fuss of.

We want shoppers to think of us as the go-to store for new products.

“You can’t just put a new product on-shelf and expect high volume sales. But with the right approach on social media, it will sell like lightning.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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WHIPPING UP PROFIT: Drinks to go generate high margin sales.

STRIKING DESIGN: The store was specifically designed to have the ‘wow’ factor.

Thanks to a strong chilled offer, the store is also developing a roaring evening trade.

“We’ve got more than six metres of space for chilled food and that section is growing week on week,” Sag says.

“The chilled ‘2 for £5’ Meal Deals are very popular, as are the pizzas. I mean, £3.35 for a quality pizza is amazing value! We’re also seeing strong sales of chilled meats such as meatballs, mince and chicken, along with vegetables including peppers and potatoes, as shoppers increasingly come to us for their meal solutions instead of the supermarkets.

They are saving money on fuel by walking here, or parking easily outside, and getting what they need quickly and easily. It’s handsdown a far better experience.

SOFT OPTION: Soft drinks drive big sales volumes.

“We’re constantly monitoring the performance of the different departments to be sure everything is earning its place and we’ll tweak accordingly, but for now, all categories are performing exactly how we would like.

“Confectionery, soft drinks and toiletries are all performing very strongly. Toiletries in particular are huge, and I think that’s because shoppers who might previously have visited some of the larger High Street chemists or beauty stores are now shopping in their local convenience stores as they seek out better value for money. We offer a solid core range, which includes very competitive pricemarked products, and shoppers are spending more with us as a result.

“On confectionery, we have taken a solid core range approach, selling just the bestselling lines. We’ve done that as it gives us some key guarantees: no out of date stock and, crucially, we’re making a great margin of 30% plus on most lines.

“Our confectionery offer also includes a full bay of American sweets where we’ve picked out the core range of best-sellers.

We’re not doing anything and everything, you don’t make money that way!”

Average basket spend is already up to £13 and growing, despite being open for less than two months.

“The overall customer reaction is ‘wow’,” he says. “The store is bright, clean and impeccably merchandised. One of the only rules I have with my team is that every day, the store needs to look as though it’s just opened for the first time. It’s not just first impressions that count, it’s every impression.

Shoppers are critical and in their eyes you’re only ever as good as their last visit.

“Sales have grown week on week by 10% since opening, which we are more than happy with. The store is already paying for itself, paying for the staff and paying me.

“If it keeps on growing the way it is, the figures that I wanted to achieve in year two we will hit in the next month. Now that’s not bad for something I was never planning to do!”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Alton, East Hampshire

Chiller

champions

What started out as a small makeover snowballed into a full-scale refit for East Hampshire’s Raven Square Convenience Store.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

W

ith the Covid-19 pandemic having propelled store sales to new never-beforeseen heights, Premier retailer Victor Nagarajah of Raven Square Convenience Store in Alton, knew that he had a valuable opportunity to grow them yet further with a few targeted in-store investments – namely in refrigeration.

However, what started out as a relatively simple plan to upgrade the store’s chillers soon snowballed into what eventually became a total re-build.

Victor picks up the story: “I’ve been a Premier retailer since 2016 and we’d conducted a small makeover back in 2019 when we introduced Post Office services.

MAIL ORDER: The Post Office ensures a steady stream of shoppers.

CLEAN LINES: Plenty of space and good shopfitting make the store a joy to shop.

PROMO PLAN: Promotions dominate the aisle ends to drive impulse sales.

Sales were ticking over very nicely and then the pandemic hit and everything changed.

“Store sales suddenly grew by around 40%, with alcohol leading the charge. We were suddenly selling more than double the volume of alcohol compared to before the pandemic, and that was without having any of it chilled.

“When things settled down it was clear that we had an opportunity to upgrade the store’s refrigeration and introduce a new chilled alcohol offer, as we’d never had chilled wine or multi-packs before, and we knew that’s what our shoppers wanted.”

However, a subsequent meeting with his local RDM, Stuart King, opened up discussions about slightly more expansive works and, as Victor puts it: “One thing just

BRIGHT EYES: Innovative LED lights keep the store bright and welcoming.

led to another!”

Victor has “a great relationship” with his RDM, who knows not just the store, but also its shoppers incredibly well. “During our chat he suggested that we consider modernising slightly more and opening up the space,” says Victor.

“He brought some great ideas to the table and after some very productive discussions with him and the development team at Premier, we decided to throw everything at it and do a complete refurbishment.”

A two-week closure at the end of April 2022 saw the store’s interior “ripped apart,” allowing the shop floor to be expanded into its large back office and storage space.

New flooring, ceilings and fixtures and fittings then followed, allowing for the June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

IN THE ZONE: The Refresh zone has been a revelation.

CHILL OUT: A focused chilled and dairy range performs well.

creation of an entirely new in-store offer, majoring on chilled alcohol plus a brandnew Refresh Zone.

“The expansion into the back allowed us to increase the shop floor from 1,000sq ft to 1,200sq ft, meaning we could finally offer a truly impressive chilled alcohol range and much, much more,” Victor says.

The new store officially re-opened in early May 2022 with a vastly expanded alcohol range – seven metres of which is chilled.

“We didn’t sell any chilled alcohol prior to the refit and now we have seven metres with a 2.5 metre chiller just for wine, plus a dedicated chiller for multi-pack beers, which are in demand.

“We looked at a few designs for the new alcohol offer and were inspired by one

ICE COOL: Larger format ice creams and ice bags are popular.

CHEERS!: The well-lit alcohol section is clean, attractive and engaging.

that involved the creation of a dedicated beer cave, the design we went for gave us a dedicated space for chilled alcohol but without being sealed off.

“The section still has a really unique feel though thanks to the attractive bluesky effect lights, and we’ve also created a dedicated zone on the side of it for bagged ice and ice creams.

“Having the ice and ice creams right next to the alcohol is another great idea that stemmed from the team at Premier and it’s proving to be a hit with shoppers. It’s far more practical for them to grab bags of ice in the same location as their chilled drinks, rather than walk around to the main frozen food section.”

Also proving a hit with local shoppers is

the range of promotions that the store is now able to offer.

“Our shoppers are very promotionally driven, so we hope that with our new chilled range and strong offers we can really push those sales up to the next level and continue to drive rises across the rest of the store too,” he adds.

The store’s small chilled food range has also been expanded to just under four metres, allowing Raven Square Convenience Store to present shoppers with an entirely new chilled range including ready meals, a small selection of fresh meat and dairy products.

“We hardly offered anything in the way of chilled foods before, but now we have a whole bay of ready meals including pizzas June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

Store CV:

COOL DEALS: Premier’s frozen meal deals hit the spot.

Name: Premier Raven Square Convenience Store Alton, East Hampshire Retailer: Victor Nagarajah Size: 1,200sq ft Services: Post Office, Lotto Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 8am-8pm Staff: 3

SKY LIGHT: The feature ‘cloud’ skylights adds some theatre.

and classic ready meals such as lasagne. We also have things we never had before such as cheese – we now have two whole shelves of it!”

“Shoppers are reacting so positively to the change, we get lots of shoppers, particularly our elderly shoppers, who say really nice things like ‘we loved the store before, but now it’s truly brilliant,’ which is so nice to hear.

“We’d never gone after chilled food in a big way before because there is local competition, but we’ll monitor sales with the hope of further expanding it even further in the coming months,” he adds.

Sticking with refrigeration, the refit also included an upgrade of all its freezers from chest freezers to uprights.

“Upright freezers display the products so much better and we are already seeing shoppers buying more as a result,” Victor adds.

And that’s not the end of the innovation.

The new store also features a smart Refresh Zone, complete with a footfall-driving Costa Express machine plus Jolly Rancher Slush, Tango Ice Blast and Fwip ice cream.

Given its location at the heart of a residential estate and close to the local primary school, the store’s new Refresh offer is already going down a treat with local shoppers.

“We’ve only been open a matter of days and already we are seeing new and more shoppers coming in after the school drop-off for their coffees and drinks-to-go, while

FROZEN FOCUS: Expanded section targets the growing frozen category.

after school there has also been an uptick in parents visiting with their children to buy slush and the Fwip ice cream,” Victor says.

“We are also noticeably busier in the evenings with shoppers coming in to buy from the new chilled alcohol range. There’s a takeaway pizza unit as well as a fish and chip shop next door, so already we are seeing more shoppers pop in for a chilled bottle of wine or some beers to drink with their fish and chips,” he adds.

The refitted store also features a new vape offer out on the shopfloor.

“Vape products used to be behind the counter, but we’ve now brought that offer out onto the shop-floor and increased our range of disposables, in line with market trends,” Victor adds.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

“We now sell all the key brands that Booker supplies including Geek Bar and Elf Bar and we’ve also just introduced NicNac. Victor says moving the vape range onto the shopfloor has already made a big difference: “Shoppers feel more comfortable browsing the range from the shopfloor and we are noticing that they generally spend longer in-store as a result and are spending more too.

“It is slightly more labour intensive for me because the display cabinet is locked, meaning that I have to come out from behind the counter to serve shoppers who want to buy vape products, but obviously I’m more than happy to do it. It’s also a great opportunity to engage with local shoppers.

ESSENTIAL MESSAGING: Exterior messaging is clear and concise.

VAPING VOLUMES: Bar devices are flying high.

BIG SELL: Chilled 2L soft drinks have been popular.

“While existing vape shoppers know what they want straight away, there are a few who are transitioning over from tobacco to vape who require advice on which brands or devices to go for. It’s a great opportunity to talk to those shoppers and impart feedback from other vape shoppers.

“All vapers are different and have different needs when it comes to flavour, price and longevity and it’s great that we can offer them the advice they need. Price and value for money tend to be the most common questions we receive though.”

“Price is really important to our shoppers and a result we always seek to keep prices as low as possible by sticking to Premier RSPs and running as many promotions as

CHECK IT OUT: The tillpoint offers food to go and backlit spirits.

possible. We are also part of the Booker Tobacco Club and we stick to all those prices.

“Thanks to the refurbishment, we now have a store that not only offers a great value for money proposition but also offers an exciting new range, including a large chilled offer and looks the part too.

“For our shoppers it’s such a refreshing change and we’ve had nothing but positive feedback – even our elderly shoppers, who tend not to like change, are so pleased.

“When we started this process, our plan was to spend around £50,000. It’s ended up being almost three times more than that but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s been worth every penny.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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STORE PROFILE | Bolton

retail Destination

TEAM WORK: Valerie and John Jones have revitalised Premier Blackrod.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

ALL NEW: The new store is unrecognisable after a full refit.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Blackrod Convenience Store, Bolton Retailer: John Jones Size: 1,000sq ft Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8am-10pm Services: Lotto, Paypoint Staff: 4

A new chilled focus and Big Night In offer has put Premier Blackrod well and truly on the map.

W

hen John Jones went to join his father, also called John, in the family business back in 1997, he had no idea of the transformation that he would one day oversee.

Today, John and his partner Valerie are the proud owners of a 1,000sq ft leading-edge Premier convenience store, expertly crafted to meet the needs of shoppers both near and far.

But it wasn’t always quite so. While the store had always served the local community to the best of its ability, at just 500sq ft, the old store – formerly an end of terrace house – established by John’s parents in 1990, was in real need of “a shake up.”

And it has had quite the transformation!

John explains: “We first joined Premier

in 2012 after carrying out an internal refurbishment of the old site and it did really well. Takings went up by 25% overnight and we enjoyed almost a decade of successful trading from then on. However, at just 500sq ft, space was always an issue. There was a sales ceiling that we knew we could never break, unless we physically expanded the space,” he explains.

That breakthrough came in 2020, when John and Valerie purchased the house next door to the store – a move that would allow them to eventually double the size of the shop floor and create two new flats above.

“The work to knock through the two properties started in August 2021 and was complete by November, with the shop-fit taking place immediately after,” John says.

“We were lucky to not only have an excellent team of builders but also fantastic June 2022 TalkingShop

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86551 Hovis Londis 1886 and Granary Advert.pdf

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

DECKED OUT: New refrigeration is energy efficient and looks great.

Knocking through into the house next door saw the shop-floor space double to 1,000sq ft SPACE RACE: The store makes use of space without being cluttered.

CORKING SALES: Wine sales have overtaken beer due to a variety in price offers.

support from Premier, so the whole process ran very smoothly.

“We created a partition wall between the old shop and the new space which allowed us to carry on trading throughout the process.

“It was a really exciting time for us but also for our shoppers, many of whom have known the store for 32 years. We had shoppers popping in on a daily basis just to see the latest.”

When the partition wall came down and the fully refitted and re-ranged 1,000sq ft store was revealed to shoppers in early December 2021, the reaction was “overwhelming,” John says.

“Prior to the refit we only really dabbled in chilled. I’d visit the chilled section of my local Booker branch for no more than three or four minutes, just buying a few key lines such as butter and cooked meats.

“Now I’m in there for a good half an hour, four days a week, in addition to my big weekly delivery from Booker.

“We now have five metres of fresh food, including a broad range of fruit, vegetables and herbs plus fresh meats and more than 15 different ready meals.

“Shoppers are thrilled with the new offer.

We set out to create a store they could rely on for a full meal solution and we certainly have that now. We’ve complemented the new chilled range with an expanded chilled white and rosé wine offer too, making us a new destination for shoppers after a bottle and an evening meal.

“Wine sales have actually overtaken beer now and we sell right across the pricing scale including strong sales of mid-priced and more high-end brands around the £9 mark. I think shoppers are much more educated about wine these days and I’ve definitely noticed that they spend longer browsing the range and reading the labels closely to get info on grape varieties, food pairings and alcohol content.

“As a result we are now busiest between 5pm and 8pm.

“I used to think that we served the majority of Blackrod but clearly I was wrong, because since the refit we are seeing countless new faces every day. Now, I can say with confidence that the majority of Blackrod shops with us.

And it’s not just locals who are being drawn in. “We are even seeing shoppers travelling to us from the nearby villages of Adlington and also parts of Wigan, which is just incredible,” John adds.

But the store’s new fresh focus is by no means the only new draw.

The creation of an eye-catching new Refresh section, complete with Tango Ice Blast, Fwip, June 2022 TalkingShop

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TS.indd 46 45038a GB2194 Booker Talking Shop Ad - Sprite Chill time 280(h) x 210(w) mm v3.indd 1

27/06/2022 18:11:20 26/04/2022 11:08

What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

Hershey’s and Reece’s Freeze, has had a “transformational” impact – turning the store into a true ‘Big Night In’ destination.

“The Refresh section is totally unique in our area and really sets us apart,” John says.

“This is a residential area, with a large youth demographic and the Refresh section holds a really strong appeal to them.

“We now get large numbers of teenagers and young adults coming in on weekend evenings to stock up on drinks and snacks for various ‘Big Night In’ occasions, which we never had before.

Tango Ice Blast and Hershey’s Freeze, in particular, are huge sellers. We’ve also expanded our range of crisps and introduced a new ‘Pick and Mix’ station, which has been astoundingly well-received.”

“It’s self-serve so it does require a bit

more management on our part to ensure that everything is kept clean and things don’t get spilled or dropped on the floor but it’s definitely worth it.

“It’s inspired us to introduce a new selfserve fresh cream cake and dessert offer which we plan to do with the help of a local bakery. We think it could work really well and fit nicely with our new ‘Big Night In’ focus.

“For a store of 1,000sq ft we’ve packed a huge amount of newness in but it’s been so cleverly done by the team at Premier that the space still feels really open, light and airy.

“The new layout, fixtures and fittings allow the more traditional lines that we’ve always stocked to shine. I can’t tell you how many shoppers have come in post-refit and said ‘Oh you’ve started selling these’ about

MINI ADVENTURE: John recent won a Mini with Premier!

FULL OFFER: The store offers everything that shoppers could need.

an item that we’ve had in stock for 30 years.

“The new layout simply means that shoppers have the space to stand back and a get a proper look at the range in its entirety.

The old shop was just an end of terrace house converted into a shop, the aisles were so narrow that it really was hard for shoppers to appreciate what was there. That’s certainly not the case anymore!”

Store sales are currently up 35% since the refit and growing week on week, especially during periods of warm sunny weather, when chilled and Refresh sales fly.

“I’ve been so touched by how much the change has meant to so many of our shoppers,” John adds.

“To them the new store is a real asset in their lives and shoppers are constantly saying

Store sales are up

35% since the refit

ON THE GO: A high margin drinks to go offer is popular.

things like ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’.

One shopper who is particularly thankful for his new store is loyal local Danny McGlade, who was presented with a brand new Mini at the store’s launch, after he won Premier’s national scratchcard promotion which took place during the UEFA European Football Championship last summer. The win, which was covered in the local press, helped to drive even more excitement and goodwill locally.

“Lots of our older regular shoppers have also told me how proud my dad would have been. He sadly passed away last year and never got to see the build completed, but I know those shoppers are right, he would be thrilled with the change and that makes me very proud indeed.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | Alfred Button Exclusive Range

On the Button The Alfred Button own brand range offers Premier retailers fantastic value and quality and a brilliant way to provide shoppers with exclusive products they won’t find in a supermarket.

T

he Alfred Button range offers retailers everything that today’s shoppers are looking for, all rolled into one fantastic brand: great quality, fantastic value and something a little different.

First off, the entire range is exclusive to Booker – so you won’t find it in any supermarkets. Secondly, it’s a fantastically shelf-friendly range with high quality bottling, packaging and labelling, delivering exceptional standout on the fixture.

Thirdly, the entire range is priced at a level that allows retailers to offer their shoppers an outstanding product at a great value price, something that’s more important to shoppers than ever at the moment.

And last, but not least, the liquid inside is absolutely top quality.

The Alfred Button range first began life in response to the explosion of interest in gin and liqueurs. Everything about the brand – even the name and the bottle shape – was developed from the ground up to allow retailers to offer fantastic products that were bang in line with the latest trends while also ensuring great value for shoppers and great margins for retailers. At its essence, the range was created to help retailers either make or save money – often achieving both.

It’s no surprise that the range has become so successful which has allowed Booker to grow the Alfred Button range to tackle other gaps in the market, offering high quality but great value alternatives in popular product categories.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

ALFRED BUTTON LONDON DRY GIN After huge growth in flavoured gins, shoppers are now rationalising into a core range of flavoured and traditional London Dry Style gins.

Premium, heavy weight, tinted glass bottle with wooden enclosure gives stand out on-shelf.

Clear call out of style in block capitals assist shoppers browsing the spirits fixture.

Die cut, two part, metallic labelling give a quality presentation Strong communication of botanicals on label, something that increasingly matters to shoppers.

Case size: 6x70cl WSP: £71.89 RSP: £19.49 POR: 26.2%

ALFRED BUTTON SMOOTH VODKA

ALFRED BUTTON VANILLA VODKA

Great vodka is often defined primarily as ‘smooth’ and that is exactly what Booker was aiming for with this vodka.

This product was created with one simple goal: to help shoppers make the best Porn Star Martini possible!

Easy drinking, versatile and triple distilled to remove harshness.

Not available in UK supermarkets or other drinks suppliers so offers a clear point of difference.

Produced in the UK to ensure availability.

Blue branding helps land a premium Vodka cue.

Case size: 6x70cl WSP: £65.89 RSP: £18.75 POR: 29.7%

The Pornstar Martini is by far the UK’s most popular cocktail, accounting for around one in five of all cocktails made.

The challenge with Alfred Button Vanilla Vodka was to deliver maximum vanilla.

The product smells delicious and tastes fantastic with a great balance of sweetness, flavour and aroma.

It’s also bold enough to cut through the passion fruit flavours in a Pornstar Martini Just as easy to mix with Cola for a simple serve.

Case size: 6x70cl WSP: £65.89 RSP: £18.75 POR: 26.5%

ALFRED BUTTON PASSION FRUIT LIQUEUR When developing Alfred Button Vanilla Vodka, some retailers complained about the lack of availability on the well-known leading liqueur brand that features in the Pornstar Martini.

Booker was asked to help develop one and wanted a product where the passion fruit really stood out. The result is Alfred Button Passion Fruit Liqueur!

As well as a core ingredient in a Pornstar Martini, it also capitalises on the popularity of passion fruit flavours at the moment and is perfect for simple serves like passionfruit and lemonade.

Case size: 6x70cl WSP: £44.89 RSP: £13.49 POR: 33.5%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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New JUUL2 coming soon.

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WARNING: This product contains nicotine TS.indd 50

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For more information on the responsible retailing of vapour products, visit juullabsretailer.co.uk

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FEATURE | Gin

Gin:

the spirit that keeps on giving

Gin is set to offer Premier retailers lots more opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits – and Booker has everything you need to make the most of this vital category.

BOOKER STOCKS 125 GIN LINES THE TOP 20 GINS ACCOUNT FOR 80% OF SALES

T

he rise and rise of gin over the last few years has been little short of phenomenal. Despite many industry predictions that the enormous gin bubble had to pop at some point, the renowned juniperbased spirit just keeps on performing and it looks extremely likely that this summer will see gin once again take its place as the star of the spirits show in Premier stores.

Indeed, gin is performing extremely

well right now, up 12.3% from a value perspective and 3.3% from a volume perspective [Nielsen, 2022] – so the signs are positive for another strong summer, particularly if the sun makes a regular appearance.

80/20 RULE Despite the many twists and turns in the category from plain gins through a myriad of flavoured gins and, most recently, a

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

GORDON’S ACCOUNTS FOR 60.5% OF GIN VOLUMES

SHOPPING LIST: GINS Premier recommends that retailers stock the following range of big-selling gins to ensure that they have something to cater for every taste and every pocket: Product

WSP

RSP

POR

Gordons Gin PM 70cl Gordons Pink Gin 70cl Gordons Gin 70cl Bombay Sapphire Gin 70cl Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger 70cl Gordons Passionfruit Gin 70cl Gordons Mediterranean Orange 70cl Hendricks Gin 70cl Tanqueray Gin 70cl Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin 70cl Gordons Sicilian Lemon Gin 70cl Gordons White Peach Gin 70cl Whitley Neill Pineapple Gin 70cl Beefeater Pink 70cl Grosvenor London Dry Gin 70cl

£10.25 £11.5 £10.95 £16.29 £19.49 £11.5 £11.5 £23.99 £14.17 £19.49 £11.5 £11.5 £19.49 £13.49 £9.99

£14.79 £20.99 £18.75 £24.49 £29.25 £20.99 £20.99 £35.99 £26.25 £29.25 £20.99 £20.99 £29.25 £20.25 £14.25

16.8% 34.3% 29.9% 20.2% 20.0% 34.3% 34.3% 20.0% 35.2% 20.0% 34.3% 34.3% 20.0% 20.1% 15.9%

‘Direct Delivered’ – how does it work?

Booker’s Direct Delivered from Classic Drinks service offers you access to a huge range of products including 80 gins that you won’t find in a Booker branch. l Browse the products at Booker.co.uk l ‘Direct Delivered’ products are clearly marked with a blue flash l You can order by the bottle and have them delivered direct to your store l Minimum spend is £75 to qualify for free delivery

June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

return to more classic London Dry gins, it’s interesting to note that gin perfectly follows the famous 80/20 rule: 80% of all gin sales by value are accounted for by the top 20 products.

So if you are planning on getting ready for summer and are considering taking a fresh look at your range, the best-selling products highlighted in this feature represent the perfect place to start.

MIX IT UP When building a great range, to make sure that you are offering the choice that your shoppers are looking for, it makes sense to ensure that you have a good mix of products on your shelves. This means a selection of flavoured gins as well as the more traditional London Dry gins. It also means a mix of premium and value gins and a good offer of branded and own label products to ensure that you have something for every taste and pocket.

It’s also a good idea to make sure you have some price-marked gins on the shelf such as the Gordon’s Gin £15.49 PMP, as price marks instantly communicate value

to shoppers and will help drive sales and profits.

DESTINATION STORE While a strong range of the best-selling lines will cater for most tastes, if you are looking to add a few more unusual gins or if you are keen on becoming a destination store in your local area for gin lovers, Booker has everything you need.

It might surprise you to learn that Booker stocks no fewer than 125 gin lines!

Of these, you can find some in Booker branches and the rest are available via the Booker website. These lines are available for delivery direct to your store. You can order by the single bottle and if you spend £75 or more, delivery is free.

Direct Delivered offers an easy, no-fuss way of adding some more interest to your gin fixture and helping you set your range apart from those of your competitors.

Among the gins available through this service are well-known brands such as Plymouth, Malfy, Bloom and Greenall’s as well as some quirkier and more specialist products like Ableforth’s Bathtub, Thomas

Dakin and Mermaid. There’s even a Jaffa Cake Gin. Plus, for gin lovers who prefer an alcohol-free version of their favourite drink, there are a number of Sipsmith plain and flavoured alcohol-free gins.

BASKET BOOSTERS To drive bigger basket spends around gin, why not merchandise relevant, related products close to the gin fixture? There are many products that fit the bill such as tonic, lemonade, lemons, fruit garnishes, ice and more.

Making it as easy as possible for shoppers to quickly find everything they want will encourage bigger spends and satisfied shoppers.

Finally, don’t forget to shout about your gin range on social media to help grow footfall, particularly around key seasonal events.

With the summer now upon us, why not take a few minutes to have a fresh look at your gin range and see if there’s scope to grow your footfall, sales and profits even further?

June 2022 TalkingShop

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FEATURE | New Jack’s Range

Your new exclusive own brand range!

The full-scale rollout of Jack’s is continuing, delivering key benefits to Premier retailers and their shoppers.

P

remier retailers across the country are basking in the glow of happy shoppers and plumper PORs as the rollout of the new Jack’s range continues this summer.

Once complete, the rollout will see the Jack’s range extended to more than 500 lines across all key food and non-food categories – a move which will offer a plethora of big benefits to Premier retailers.

One Premier retailer who is already enjoying the advantages of his store’s growing Jack’s range is Sag Patel. His Premier store on Norton Road in Stockton-on-Tees currently stocks just over 170

of the new Jack’s lines and he’s already reporting “delighted shoppers and incremental sales.”

“We absolutely love the new Jack’s range,” Sag says. “There are just so many positives – a key one being that it makes things so much simpler for shoppers – and for us retailers too. Having just the one key Jack’s brand as opposed to a variety of own brands means that our range is so much clearer for shoppers to understand and to shop.

Clarity and simplicity are really important to shoppers these days – especially busy shoppers on a mission,” he says.

And with clarity and simplicity also key concerns for busy convenience retailers, the future prospect of stocking just one strong Jack’s brand, in the place of the current Happy Shopper, Discover The Choice and Farm Fresh own brand proposition, is also “extremely attractive” to many retailers, given the benefits of simplified ordering and merchandising.

All Jack’s products also come in shelf ready packaging - delivering further important operational efficiencies to retailers.

As Sag alludes above, the only existing Booker own brand which will remain under its current guise once the Jack’s rollout is complete later this summer, is the well-known Euro Shopper range which, with its value focus, continues to meet shopper needs in the current challenging economic climate.

Another key benefit of the new Jack’s range is also its exceptional standout on shelf – thanks to its consistent, high-quality and eye-catching packaging.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

Sales support

OVER 500 NEW LINES

The rollout of the full Jack’s range is being supported with a full and extensive POS pack which retailers will

MINIMUM 30% POR*

receive featuring everything they need to really bring the Jack’s brand to life in-store and make the products

EXCLUSIVE TO BOOKER GROUP

unmissable for shoppers.

The POS pack includes everything from pennants, shelf stripping and barkers to posters, freezer vinyls and shelf cards.

To help retailers shout about the Jack’s range on

* EXCLUDING PRODUCE, FRESH MEAT AND SELECTED CHILLED LINES

social media, a range of pre-prepared professional content is also available from www.booker.co.uk and retailers are urged to make use of this facility to make Jack’s unmissable on their social media feeds.

The content available covers both generic

RETAILER VIEW

messaging and promotion-specific messaging, so you will never run out of ‘new news’ to share with your

SAG PATEL Premier Norton Road, Stockton-on Tees

shoppers online.

“We are currently at 170 Jack’s lines at the moment but we are swapping more in every day and I really look forward to the day that we have the full 500 plus.”

Jack’s Crisps & Snack Range – Sample Selection Jack’s Bacon Rashers PM65 Case Size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £0.65 POR: 40.1% Jack’s BBQ Hoops PM65 Case Size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £0.65 POR: 40.1% Jack’s Burger Bites PM65 Case Size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £0.65 POR: 40.1% Jack’s Cashew Nuts PM100 (50g) Case Size: 24 x 50g WSP: £13.95 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.3% Jack’s Cheese Puffs PM65 Case Size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £0.65 POR: 40.1% Jack’s Chilli Flavour Peanuts PM59 Case Size: 24 x 60g WSP: £7.05 RSP: £0.59 POR: 40.3% Jack’s Dry Roasted Peanuts PM59 Case Size: 24 x 60g WSP: £7.05 RSP: £0.59 POR:40.3%

Promotions and Deals l

Consumer promotions every four weeks

l

Premier leaflet will feature each promotion

l

3-for-2 deals

Jack’s Mature Cheddar & Red Onion Flavour Hand Cooked Crisps PM100 Case Size: 16 x 120g WSP: £9.29 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.3%

l

BOGOFs

l

2-for deals

Jack’s Mini Poppadums PM65 Case Size: 16 x 25g WSP: £6.19 RSP: £0.65 POR:40.5%

l

Enhanced POR campaigns for Premier retailers

Jack’s Honey Roasted Peanuts PM59 Case Size: 24 x 60g WSP: £7.05 RSP: £0.59 POR: 40.3% Jack’s Lightly Sea Salted Hand Cooked Crisps PM100 Case Size: 16 x 120g WSP: £9.29 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.3%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

Jack’s Confectionery Range – Sample Selection

Jack’s Biscuit Range – Sample Selection

Jack’s Apple Pencils PM89p Case size: 10 x 140g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Bourbon Creams PM115 Case size: 12 x 400g WSP: £9.55 RSP: £1.15 POR: 30.8%

Jack’s Assorted Mints PM89 Case size: 12 x 140g WSP: £5.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Bourbon Creams PM75 Case size: 12 x 150g WSP: £5.85 RSP: £0.75 POR: 35.0%

Jack’s Chocolate Mini Eggs PM89 Case size: 12 x 87.5g WSP: £5.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Coconut Rings PM115 Case size: 12 x 300g WSP: £9.55 RSP: £1.15 POR: 30.8%

Jack’s Fizzy Cola Bottles PM89p Case size: 10 x 145g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Cream Crackers PM115 Case size: 12 x 300g WSP: £9.45 RSP: £1.15 POR: 31.5%

Jack’s Fizzy Tropical Fruit Slices PM89p Case size: 10 x 145g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Custard Creams PM115 Case size: 12 x 400g WSP: £9.55 RSP: £1.15 POR: 30.8%

Jack’s Fruit Pastilles PM89 Case size: 12 x 140g WSP: £5.99 RSP: £0.89POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Custard Creams PM75 Case size: 12 x 150g WSP: £5.85 RSP: £0.75 POR: 35.0%

Jack’s Giant Strawberries PM89p Case size: 10 x 145g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Fruit Shortcake PM115 Case size: 12 x 200g WSP: £8.89 RSP: £1.15 POR: 35.6%

Jack’s Gummy Mix PM89p Case size: 10 x 145g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Garibaldi PM115 Case size: 12 x 200g WSP: £9.55 RSP: £1.15 POR: 30.8%

Jack’s Jelly Babies PM89 Case size: 12 x 140g WSP: £5.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Ginger Nuts PM75 Case size: 18 x 200g WSP: £8.79 RSP: £0.75 POR: 34.9%

Jack’s Jelly Beans PM89p Case size: 10 x 140g WSP: £4.99 RSP: £0.89 POR: 32.7%

Jack’s Milk Chocolate Digestives PM115 Case size: 12 x 200g WSP: £7.99 RSP: £1.15 POR: 30.5%

{

The full-scale rollout of Jack’s will bring major benefits to retailers and shoppers alike. The new, unified branding will simplify the shopping experience and will allow retailers to improve their merchandising in-store.

}

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier Justin Whittaker, owner of MJ’s Premier in Royton explains: “We’ve had the Jack’s range in store since it first launched and I have to say I’ve been really, really impressed, as have my shoppers.

“The products look great on shelf, the packaging is really strong and modern and the pricing is spot on.”

Sag agrees: “The products just look great. The colours of the packaging are so vibrant and they really stand out on shelf.”

And “vibrant” colours are not just the only thing that shoppers love about the new Jack’s packaging.

“Another key positive about the packaging is that all Jack’s products are also labelled as being ‘part of the Tesco family,’” Sag adds.

“That message that Jack’s is part of such a wellknown and trusted brand as Tesco means such a lot to shoppers. That trust is extremely valuable.”

As Sag says, all Jack’s packaging will carry the ‘Part of the Tesco Family’ logo - giving retailers and shoppers alike, the reassurance of Tesco quality for an affordable price.

And while simplified ranges, high-impact packaging and trusted assurances are certainly key, the cornerstone benefit of the new Jack’s range is undoubtably its quality.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

{

}

I’d have to say the quality is even better than Farm Fresh and that’s also what my shoppers are telling me.

Justin Whittaker, Premier MJ’s, Royton

Jack’s Bread & Cakes Range – Sample Selection

Jack’s chilled drinks range – Sample Selection

Jacks 20 Chocolate Brownie Bites PM199

Jack’s Orange Juice From concentrate (Bits) Case size: 8 x 300ml WSP: £3.49 RSP: £0.79 POR: 33.7%

Case size: 4 x 20s WSP: £4.69 RSP: £1.99 POR: 41.1% Jacks 20 Mini Flapjack Bites PM199 Case size: 4 x 20s WSP: £4.69 RSP: £1.99 POR: 41.1% Jacks 20 Mini Shortbread Bites PM199 Case size: 4 x 20s WSP: £4.99 RSP: £1.99 POR: 37.3% Jacks 3 Blueberry Muffins PM139 Case size: 6 x 3x WSP: £5.39 RSP: £1.39 POR: 35.4% Jacks 3 Double Chocolate Muffins PM139 Case size: 6 x 3 WSP: £5.65 RSP: £1.39 POR: 32.3%

Jack’s Orange Juice From concentrate (Smooth) Case size: 8 x 300ml WSP: £3.49 RSP: £0.79 POR: 33.7% Jack’s Original Orange Juice Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £5.32 RSP: £1.59 POR: 33.1% Jack’s Pure Apple & Mango Juice NFC Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1% Jack’s Pure Apple Juice NFC PM200 Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1% Jack’s Pure Orange Juice Smooth NFC Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1%

Justin elaborates: “The quality is just fantastic.

On the fresh lines we’ve had in for a few months, I’d have to say the quality is even better than Farm Fresh and that’s also what my shoppers are telling me. I’ve tried most of the lines myself and I would have to agree.

“The Jack’s range is also extremely fresh and it stays fresh, which makes the fixture look great day after day and drives sales and profits. It’s all about shopper confidence in the fresh category so to have a fixture full of bright, attractive packs with really fresh, amazing quality products inside is just superb.”

Premier retailer Mos Patel of Premier Heyside in Oldham agrees: “I’m really happy with the new Jack’s range,” he says.

“Having a strong brand like that is a great way of giving our shoppers even more confidence in our offer and really helps us to stand out from the crowd. The fruit and vegetable offer in particular is really great and shoppers have already commented on the quality.”

And according to retailers, shoppers are pretty pleased with the prices too. All Jack’s products feature prominent price-marks and to help drive trial of the ever-expanding range, Premier will be running a number of strong promotions starting in

Jack’s Pure Orange Juice With Bits NFC Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1% Jack’s Real Dairy Spray Cream PM169 Case size: 12 x 250g WSP: £14.19RSP: £1.69 POR: 30.0% Jack’s Smooth Orange Juice Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £5.32 RSP: £1.59 POR: 33.1% Jack’s Strawberry & Banana Smoothie Case size: 8 x 250ml WSP: £3.69 RSP: £0.89 POR: 37.8% Jack’s Tropical Juice Drink From concentrate Case size: 6 x 1ltr WSP: £5.32 RSP: £1.59 POR: 33.1%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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WIIINGS FOR YOUR SUMMER. WITH THE TASTE OF APRICOT-STRAWBERRY.

RED BULL SUMMER EDITION - M275785

VITALIZES BODY AND MIND.

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What are your views? Email talkingshop@booker.co.uk

Jack’s Frozen Vegetables Range – Sample Selection Jack’s Broccoli Florets PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1% Jack’s Brussel Sprouts PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1% Jack’s Cauliflower Florets PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1% Jack’s Chunky Vegetable Mix PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1% Jack’s Crinkle Cut Oven Chips PM100 Case size: 8 x 750g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1% Jack’s Garden Peas PM100 Case size: 10 x 500g WSP: £6.49 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

Jack’s Cooking Sauces Range – Sample Selection Jack’s Bolognese Sauce PM109 Case size: 6 x 440g WSP: £4.55 RSP: £1.09 POR: 30.4%

Jack’s Mixed Vegetables PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

Jack’s Italian Tomato Puree Double Concentrate PM85 Case size: 12 x 200g WSP: £6.69 RSP: £0.85 POR: 21.3%

Jack’s Roast Potatoes PM100 Case size: 8 x 750g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

Jack’s Korma Sauce PM109 Case size: 6 x 440g WSP: £4.55 RSP: £1.09 POR: 30.4%

Jack’s Sliced Green Beans PM100 Case size: 8 x 500g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

Jack’s Lasagne White Sauce PM109 Case size: 6 x 440g WSP: £4.55 RSP: £1.09 POR: 30.4%

Jack’s Straight Cut Oven Chips PM100 Case size: 8 x 750g WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

Jack’s Sweet & Sour Sauce PM109 Case size: 6 x 440g WSP: £4.55 RSP: £1.09 POR: 30.4% Jack’s Tikka Masala Sauce PM109 Case size: 6 x 440g WSP: £4.55 RSP: £1.09 POR: 30.4%

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Retailer POR will be maintained or improved when compared with the outgoing range and every single product will be HFSS compliant.

NP3 including 3-for-2 deals, BOGOFs and 2-for deals such as the recent 2-for-£1 promotion on Jack’s flapjacks and muffins.

Additionally, Jack’s promotions will feature prominently in the Premier leaflets and there will be shopper promotions every four weeks.

As despite the vast majority of Jack’s products offering retailer PORs of 30% or more, Premier will also be running several enhanced POR promotions to help retailers grow their profits even further.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director – Premier says: “The full-scale rollout of Jack’s is a very significant development which will bring major benefits to retailers and shoppers alike. The new, unified branding will simplify the shopping experience and will allow retailers to improve their merchandising in-store while continuing

}

to provide exceptional choice and value to shoppers. I would ask all Premier retailers to really get behind their new exclusive own label range because it will repay them where it matters most: in the till.”

Sag is already feeling the impact here: “We are already noticing incremental sales as a result of the new Jack’s lines,” he says. “Take cooking sauces as an example, whereas before we might have sold one jar of Happy Shopper Korma sauce a day, we are now selling three or four jars of Jack’s Korma Sauce.

“Shoppers just really like the brand and with PORs of 30% or more on most lines that’s certainly great for us too!

“We are currently at 170 Jack’s lines at the moment but we are swapping more in every day and I really look forward to the day that we have the full 500 plus.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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1.Source: Nielsen data as of December 2021 which encapsulates “heat not burn” product category.

This product is not risk free and provides nicotine, which is addictive.

Only for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products.

This material is restricted to those who are involved in the business of the sale or distribution of tobacco who are aged 18 years or over. This material should not be made available to the public or sent to anyone else.

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HEETS, designed for IQOS. The No.1 heat-not-burn product in the UK¹.

HEETS are available in a range of 10 variants, including classic tobacco, menthol and aromatic.

This product is not risk free and provides nicotine, which is addictive.

Only for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use other nicotine products.

This material is restricted to those who are involved in the business of the sale or distribution of tobacco who are aged 18 years or over. This material should not be made available to the public or sent to anyone else.

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We’re new bottles made from old plastic.

0cl% 1r0 d ecy e * c i t s a pl

We’re switching to 100% recycled plastic in all our on-the-go bottles** of 500ml helping us save over 29,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year. This change is another step on

Coca-Cola’s journey towards 100% recycled or renewable plastic in all our bottles, and the creation of a circular economy for our PET packaging.

To find out more email connect@ccep.com, call 0808 1 000 000 or visit my.ccep.com *Except label and cap. **From September 2021 onwards. ©2021 Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. All rights reserved.

COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR, DIET COKE, SMARTWATER, FANTA, SPRITE, DR PEPPER are registered trade marks.

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Ones to

watch

A selection of key products that will deliver for you in-store

Jack’s range unveiled WHAT? JACK’S RANGE WHEN? THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WHY? Booker is continuing the rollout of Jack’s, the new Group-exclusive own brand range. While a smaller range of Jack’s products have been available from earlier this year, the range is being massively extended and will ultimately extend to over 500 lines, the vast majority price-marked. The range covers all major product categories and delivers an exceptional combination of quality and value. Many products in the range will offer Premier retailers minimum PORs of 30% with many products offering much higher margins.

WHO? With such an extensive range across so many categories, Jack’s will appeal to every shopper demographic delivering the value and quality that shoppers are seeking in today’s challenging economic climate. Retailer and shopper feedback has already been enormously positive and the Group-exclusive Jack’s range offers Premier retailers a real point of difference over the competition.

WHERE TO STOCK? Stock the Jack’s lines in every category very prominently within the relevant fixture and make use of the extensive free POS kit. The eye-catching packaging and clear price marking will help drive trial while the outstanding quality and value combination will drive repeat purchase.

JACK’S CHILLI FLAVOUR PEANUTS PM59 Case size: 24 x 60g WSP: £7.05 RSP: 0.59 POR: 40.3%

DRY ROASTED PEANUTS PM59 Case size: 24 x 60g WSP: £7.05 RSP: 0.59 POR: 40.3%

JACK’S VARIETY SNACKS PM100 Case size: 10x 5 WSP: £5.79 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.5%

500 lines in the range Booker Group exclusive Full POS kit

JACK’S VARIETY CRISPS PM100 Case size: 10x 5 WSP: £5.79 RSP: £1.00 POR: 30.5%

JACK’S CHEESE PUFFS PM65 Case size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: 0.65 POR: 40.1%

JACK’S S&V STICKS PM65 Case size: 16 x 70g WSP: £5.19 RSP: 0.65 POR: 40.1%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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NEW sparkling water & alcohol with real fruit juice*

96 calories

FRESH FROM PARADISE

*fruit juice from concentrate © 2022 AB InBev UK Limited, all right reserved.

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4.5% ALCOHOL Please drink responsibly, +18.

27/06/2022 18:13:36

To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

FRESH FRUIT – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S PINK LADY APPLES 4PK Case size: 6 WSP: £12.30 RSP: £2.75 POR: 25.5%

JACK’S GREEN APPLES 4PK Case size: 8 WSP: £10.32 RSP: £1.79 POR: 27.9%

JACK’S RED APPLES 4PK Case size: 8 WSP: £9.49 RSP: £1.79 POR: 33.7%

JACK’S KIWI FRUIT 4PK Case size: 10 WSP: £11.92 RSP: £1.59 POR: 25.0%

JACK’S BLUEBERRIES 200G Case size: 12 WSP: £23.40 RSP: £2.49 POR: 21.7%

JACK’S GREEN GRAPES Case size: 10 WSP: £19.50 RSP: £2.49 POR: 21.7%

JACK’S RED GRAPES Case size: 10 WSP: £19.50 RSP: £2.49 POR: 21.7%

JACK’S STRAWBERRIES 227G Case size: 10 WSP: £22.50 RSP: £2.99 POR: 24.7%

JACK’S ORANGES 5PK Case size: 10 WSP: £18.50 RSP: £2.49 POR: 25.7%

JACK’S LEMONS 4PK Case size: 12 WSP: £11.88 RSP: £1.29 POR: 23.3%

JACK’S LIMES 4PK Case size: 12 WSP: £11.40 RSP: £1.29 POR: 26.4%

JACK’S EASY PEELERS 600G Case size: 6 WSP: £8.95 RSP: £1.99 POR: 25.0%

FRUIT DRINKS & SMOOTHIES – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S ORANGE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (SMOOTH) Case size: 8 WSP: £3.49 RSP: 0.79 POR: 33.7%

JACK’S ORANGE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (BITS) Case size: 8 WSP: £3.49 RSP: 0.79 POR: 33.7%

JACK’S TROPICAL JUICE DRINK FROM CONCENTRATE Case size: 6 WSP: £5.32 RSP: £1.59 POR: 33.1%

JACK’S CRANBERRY JUICE DRINK FROM CONCENTRATE Case size: 6 WSP: £5.32 RSP: £1.59 POR: 33.1%

JACK’S PURE ORANGE JUICE SMOOTH Case size: 6 WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1%

JACK’S PURE ORANGE JUICE WITH BITS Case size: 6 WSP: £6.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.1%

JACK’S STRAWBERRY & BANANA SMOOTHIE Case size: 8 WSP: £3.69 RSP: 0.89 POR: 37.8%

JACK’S MANGO & PASSIONFRUIT SMOOTHIE Case size: 8 WSP: £3.69 RSP: 0.89 POR: 37.8% June 2022 TalkingShop

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OUT PERFORMING THE

CATEGORY BY 78%*

M230433

M207394

M177082

M272956

ALL LINES INCLUDED IN THE SANDWICH MEAL DEAL IN EVERY BOTTLE

ADDED SUGAR

NO ADDED NONSENSE

hello@juiceburst.co.uk | www.juiceburst.com | 0121 505 7585 *SOURCE: IRITotal market place Total Soft Drinks vs Juice Burst Value Growth 52weeks to 20.02.22 TS.indd 70

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

FRESH PRODUCE – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S MILD ONIONS 3S Case size: 20 WSP: £19.8 RSP: £1.29 POR: 23.3%

JACK’S RED ONIONS 3S Case size: 20 WSP: £19.8 RSP: £1.29 POR: 23.3%

JACK’S BABY POTATOES 750G Case size: 8 WSP: £7.52 RSP: £1.29 POR: 27.1%

JACK’S JACKET POTATOES 4S Case size: 8 WSP: £7.12 RSP: £1.19 POR: 25.2%

JACK’S CLOSED CUP MUSHROOMS 250G Case size: 8 WSP: £5.65 RSP: 0.99 POR: 28.7%

JACK’S BROCCOLI FLORETS PM100 Case size: 8 WSP: £5.19 RSP: £1.00 POR: 35.1%

JACK’S LITTLE GEM LETTUCE 2PK Case size: 10 WSP: £8.90 RSP: £1.19 POR: 25.2%

JACK’S CARROTS 500G Case size: 1 WSP: 0.55 RSP: 0.79 POR: 30.4%

JACK’S MIXED PEPPERS 3S Case size: 10 WSP: £14.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 28.2%

JACK’S GARLIC 3S Case size: 12 WSP: £8.88 RSP: 0.99 POR: 25.3%

JACK’S ASPARAGUS 250G Case size: 10 WSP: £20.9 RSP: £2.79 POR: 25.1%

JACK’S CHERRY TOMATOES 250G Case size: 9 WSP: £7.29 RSP: £1.09 POR: 25.7%

GROCERY & NON-FOOD – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S DOG GRAVY BONE BISCUITS PM189 Case size: 5 x 500g WSP: £5.09 RSP: £1.89 POR: 46.1%

JACK’S CLEAR HONEY (SQUEEZY) PM199 Case size: 5 x 340g WSP: £6.95 RSP: £1.99 POR: 30.2%

JACK’S FIRELIGHTERS PM109 Case size: 24 x 15 WSP: £14.29 RSP: £1.09 POR: 34.4%

JACK’S 20 LARGE FOOD & FREEZER BAGS PM159 Case size: 15 x 6 WSP: £64.59 RSP: £1.59 POR: 45.8%

JACK’S DOG BONE BISCUITS PM189 Case size: 5 x 400g WSP: £5.09 RSP: £1.89 POR: 46.1%

JACK’S GOLD ROAST FREEZE DRIED COFFEE PM239 Case size: 6 x 90g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.39 POR: 30.3%

JACK’S 60 SANDWICH BAGS PM139 Case size: 10 x 6 WSP: £40.49 RSP: 0.89 POR: 41.7%

JACK’S 12 LARGE REFUSE SACKS TIE TOP PM199 Case size: 15 x 2 WSP: £25.59 RSP: £1.99 POR: 48.5% June 2022 TalkingShop

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

FRESH MEAT – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S UNSMOKED STREAKY BACON RASHERS Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £14.10 RSP: £2.05 POR: 31.2%

JACK’S 12 BEEF MEATBALLS Case size: 4 x 336g WSP: £8.21 RSP: £2.69 POR: 23.7%

JACK’S SMOKED STREAKY BACON RASHERS Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £14.10 RSP: £2.05 POR: 31.2%

JACK’S BEEF QUARTER POUNDERS Case size: 4 x 454g WSP: £10.69 RSP: £3.59 POR: 25.6%

JACK’S UNSMOKED BACK BACON RASHERS Case size: 16 x 300g WSP: £27.32 RSP: £2.49 POR: 31.4%

JACK’S 20% FAT BEEF MINCE Case size: 4 x 500g WSP: £9.82 RSP: £3.49 POR: 29.7%

JACK’S SMOKED BACK BACON RASHERS Case size: 16 x 300g WSP: £27.32 RSP: £2.49 POR: 31.4%

Part of the Tesco family

CHEESE – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S MILD CHEDDAR PM199 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S MEDIUM CHEDDAR PM199 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S MATURE CHEDDAR PM199 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S EXTRA MATURE CHEDDAR PM199 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S MATURE CHEDDAR COLOURED PM199 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S MATURE CHEDDAR PM249 Case size: 10 x 200g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S GRATED MILD CHEDDAR PM199 Case size: 10 x 180g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

JACK’S MILD CHEDDAR 8 SLICES PM199 Case size: 10 x 180g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £1.99 POR: 33.2%

COOKED MEAT – SAMPLE SELECTION

JACK’S SLICED TURKEY BREAST PM 2FOR215 Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £7.20 RSP: £1.29 POR: 30.2%

JACK’S HONEY ROAST HAM PM 2FOR215 Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £6.80 RSP: £1.29 POR: 34.1%

JACK’S BREADED HAM PM2/215 Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £6.80 RSP: £1.29 POR: 34.1%

JACK’S CORNED BEEF PM200 Case size: 8 x 100g WSP: £11.12 RSP: £2.00 POR: 30.5%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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ENERGISING EVERYBODY IN EVERY WAY

THE UK’S NUMBER 3 ENERGY STIMULATION BRAND*

STOCK UP NOW *IRI Marketplace Data Symbols & Indies 26/12/2021

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PricesDown

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON COSTS AND BOOST YOUR PROFITS

Jack’s launch backed with action-packed promos

RETAILER VIEW DENNIS WILLIAMS Premier Broadway, Edinburgh

The exciting rollout of the full Jack’s range of more than 500 exclusive own brand lines will be supported by an extensive array of activity to boost sales and profits.

T

he full rollout of Jack’s, your exclusive new own brand range will be backed by a heavyweight programme of activity of the coming months and long into the future to help establish the brand quickly and deliver increased footfall, sales and profits for Premier retailers.

Premier retailers have received a full and very comprehensive POS which contains everything they need to really bring the Jack’s brand to life in-store. Additionally, a range of pre-prepared professional social media content is available from www.booker.co.uk to help them make Jack’s unmissable on their social media feeds.

The content covers generic messaging and promotion-specific messaging to ensure a steady stream of high-quality content for you Facebook and Instagram pages.

“From what we’ve seen of the Jack’s range so far, mostly in fresh produce, it’s an absolutely fantastic range. Shoppers have gotten used to it so quickly and easy to see why: it looks superb on the shelf, the product quality is genuinely outstanding and the value is exceptional. It’s everything that today’s shoppers are looking for and I’m looking forward to welcoming many more Jack’s products into the store in the very near future.”

To make sure Jack’s lands with a bang, Premier will be running consumer promotions every four weeks which will include deals such as 3-for-2 promotions, BOGOFs and 2-for deals such as the recent 2-for-£1 promotion on Jack’s flapjacks and muffins.

Every promotion will feature on the Premier leaflet to drive new footfall and generate sales and profit growth.

Many lines in the Jack’s range will deliver a POR of at least 30% but to further boost profits, Premier will also run a series of enhanced POR campaigns.

With so much activity around the launch, it will pay to make sure that stock the range as soon as possible and make use of the POS and the social media content to help unleash the power of Jack’s.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Buy any 3, Save £5 POR: 46.8% *until 28th Jun

RETAILER VIEW MANDEEP SINGH Singh’s Premier, Sheffield “We dedicate a big three metre fixture to vaping on the shopfloor and it does really well for us, delivering sales of over £5k a week in our Teynham Road store alone. But we’ve definitely seen disposable bars grow and grow, so much so that we’ve recently re-merchandised the fixture to make more room for products like ElfBar. They’re fantastic value for shoppers and I’m told they’re brilliant quality too. Everything about them is simple and that’s just the way shoppers – and retailers – like it!”

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Raising the Bar

Booker has doubled the range of hugely popular ElfBars that it offers, giving Premier retailers more opportunities to offer their shopper more choice in a fast-growing category - and is running a special multibuy deal to boost PORs even further.

T

here’s little doubt that the stars of the vaping show in the last year or two have been disposable bars. Where ‘pod mods’ with replaceable pods once reigned supreme, the shift to those brightly coloured disposable bars with quirky names like Geek Bar and ElfBar have now firmly established themselves as the big growth-drivers.

From the shopper point of view, the shift is entirely understandable. Improved technology means the bars are long lasting, often up to 600 puffs and more, they don’t require charging and, critically, they’re relatively inexpensive. An ElfBar comes with

EXISTING RANGE ElfBar Blue Razz Lemonade ElfBar Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava ElfBar Vape Energy ElfBar Grape ElfBar Lemonade ElfBar Strawberry/Kiwi

an RSP of just £5.49, for instance. Perfect for the many shoppers who are keeping a close eye on their budget at the moment.

What’s more, they couldn’t be easier to use and the come in a huge choice of traditional as well as more weird and wonderful flavours.

MORE CHOICE One of the most popular disposable brands with Premier retailers is ElfBar. Booker has long stocked six variants and they have been just as popular with retailers as they are with shoppers, thanks largely to the fantastic POR of 43.19%.

The original range at Booker includes something to suit most tastes including Blue Razz Lemonade, Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava, Vape Energy, Grape, Lemonade and Strawberry & Kiwi.

To help retailer drive even more footfall, sales and profits from this fast-growing category, Booker has now added six new ElfBar flavours to its range, taking the full raage to 12 products.

The new, exotic flavours are Watermelon, Cotton Candy Ice, Strawberry Ice, Blue Sour Raspberry, Banana Ice and, last but not least, Cola.

The exciting new lines are the perfect

Case size:

10 x sgl WSP:

£25.99 RSP:

£5.49 POR:

43.19%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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VITAMIN B3 HELPS REDUCE TIREDNESS

18+, UK+I only. 00:01 04/05/2022 to 23:59 12/08/2022. Scan QR code to enter. No purchase necessary for Northern Ireland. Winners may be required to provide proof of purchase. Prize: x 1 (One) Xbox Series S to be won every day by one entrant. X100 (One Hundred) Xbox Series S available to win: Maximum one entry per person per day. For full T&Cs visit: https: https://lucoza.de/xbtw Lucozade and the Arc Device are registered trade marks of Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. © Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. All rights reserved.

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STOCK UP NOW 27/06/2022 18:14:20

NEW TO BOOKER

NEW RANGE ElfBar Watermelon 20mg

NEW TO BOOKER

ElfBar Cotton Candy Ice 20mg ElfBar Strawberry Ice 20mg ElfBar Blue Sour Raspberry 20mg ElfBar Banana Ice 20mg ElfBar Cola 20mg

platform to drive yet more growth from disposable bars, especially if you stock the new lines and shout about them on social media. The bars themselves are eye-catching and lively, perfect for attention-grabbing posts on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. Even better news for retailers is that Booker is running a special multibuy promotion offering Premier retailers £5 off when they buy three cases of any ElfBar products.

That deal runs until June 28th and means retailers save £1.66 a case which boosts the already outstanding margins to an even more attractive POR of 46.8%!

With the lines requiring such little shelf space, it makes sense to add all six new lines to your fixture and make sure that all of your vape shoppers are aware of them.

“There’s no doubt that disposable bars are where the growth is coming from in the vaping category from these days,” says Mandeep Singh of Singh’s Premier in Sheffield. “When we fully refitted the Teynham Road store

last year we decided to really make vaping a key feature of the store so we increased the size of the fixture to three full metres and we also put the fixture on the shop floor in a glass cabinet.

That way shoppers could browse at their leisure. The move was a complete success and we now do over £5k a week in vaping sales and the PORs are excellent, but we have noticed that shoppers are increasingly moving into disposable bars like ElfBar and Geek Bar. “In fact, we recently remerchandised the vaping fixture to make a lot more room for disposable bars and we’re already starting to see the benefit. It’s fantastic news that Booker has added another six ElfBar lines because, in my experience, many shoppers like to mix and match and try different flavours, rather than just sticking with their favourite. So it’s great to be able to offer them a whole new range of exotic flavours. And, of course, getting a fiver off when you buy three cases is an added bonus. We’ve certainly bought quite a few cases!”

Case size:

10 x sgl WSP:

£25.99 RSP:

£5.49 POR:

43.19%

RETAILER VIEW AMRIK AIDAN Premier Farnham, Surrey “We introduced a new, expanded vaping sector only a few months ago and there’s no question that it’s disposable bars that are leading the way. Shoppers just absolutely love them. They outsell every other vaping product by a distance and they deliver brilliant PORs so we’re delighted with how well they’re doing.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

The Too Good To Go app is a fantastic way for Premier retailers to reduce food waste, cut cost and boost their sustainability credentials, one Magic Bag at a time.

332,000 meals saved from going to waste 136 tonnes of food saved

June 2022 TalkingShop

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STOCK THEM,

TILL THEY

GUESS THEM!

M274686

fanTa IS THE b1 R a C d E R U O v a L f .1 nO fanTa IS 4.5X LaRGER THan nEaREST COMPETITOR1

2021’S WHaT THE fanTa CaMPaIGn aCHIEvEd aLMOST 2 X RaTE Of SaLE Of fanTa ORanGE2

© 2022 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. FANTA is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.

Sources: (1) Nielsen Total Value LC MAT TY (w) w/c 06.11.21. (2) Nielsen, a top Grocery Retailer, Unit ROS (Wtd,) Latest 8wks up to w/ed 27.03.21.

TS.indd 82 45555a GB2311 Booker WTF Talking Shop v1.indd 1

27/06/2022 18:14:27 20/04/2022 09:55

I

f you were offered the opportunity to cut some costs, reduce your food waste, help shoppers reduce their outgoings and boost your sustainability credentials with one simple solution, would you take it?

Hundreds of independent retailers like Peter Saleem of Premier Broadway Stores in Blyth have taken that opportunity by implementing the Too Good To Go app and between them, they have saved the equivalent of over 332,000 meals from going to waste in just the last 12 months. Or to put it another way, these retailers saved over 136 tonnes of food from going unnecessarily in the bin. This represents a CO2 saving of 337 tonnes, which equates to 503 return flights from London to New York!

That’s a phenomenal effort by any standards – and it demonstrates the power of the Too Good To Go app. Is it time that you considered using it too, if you don’t already?

Catherine Marston, Sustainability Manager at Booker, commented: “I am proud of our symbol group retailers who have taken the opportunity to reduce their food waste through the sale of magic bags. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it helps families to reduce their outgoings – which has never been more important – and underpins our values to support communities and the planet.”

9.1 MILLION

PEOPLE FINDING AND SAVING DELICIOUS FOOD

20,527

BUSINESSES REDUCING THEIR FOOD WASTE

12 MILLION

MAGIC BAGS RESCUED SO FAR

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Reduce food waste Cut costs Help shoppers reduce their outgoings Boost your sustainability credentials

RETAILER VIEW PETER SALEEM Broadway Stores in Blyth, Northumberland

The bags guarantee to deliver three times’ worth of value to shoppers.

“Too Good to Go is a great way of reducing food waste and supporting low-income shoppers.

Food waste is such an important issue and one that I feel we have a responsibility to address, especially in the current climate when so many shoppers are struggling financially. Our shoppers love the scheme and it’s something that we are often praised for,” he said.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Too Good To Go couldn’t be simpler. The app exists to achieve one very simple mission: to make sure all food gets eaten, not wasted.

The free-to-download app provides the perfect platform for Premier retailers to advertise short-dated food items to a huge audience of 9.1 million registered shoppers.

Perfectly good short-dated food is then placed in ‘Magic Bags’ for shoppers to purchase at a discounted rate and collect from the store.

As retailers that are signed up will know, the contents of each Too Good To Go Magic Bag differ from store-to-store and from dayto-day, but the bags guarantee to deliver three times’ worth of value to shoppers.

In other words, the products in the bag are worth three times more than the cost of the bag.

There is no need to predict what food won’t sell. Simply fill the Magic Bags with your daily surplus – whatever it ends up being. It’s also fast and easy: pre-set your daily quantity of Magic Bags and let it roll into next week automatically. No item-byitem uploads are necessary.

And there’s no extra equipment required and no impact to your day-to-day operations.

Too Good To Go will have you online in five minutes so you can start saving food and money straight away.

CUTTING COST While the app clearly helps massively reduce food waste, it also benefits retailers directly by allowing them to recoup some money from great food that would have otherwise gone straight into the food recycling bin.

It also directly benefits hard-pressed shoppers as the cost of living continues to rise by helping them reduce their outgoings and feed their families for less.

Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, said: “It’s been fantastic to see our partnership with Booker’s customers go from strength to strength. Not only is reducing food waste one of the most important things we can do to fight climate change, but it also allows for people to try out delicious food in an affordable way – it’s a win-win-win. And I would encourage all Premier retailers not currently using the app to sign-up and start seeing the benefits themselves.”

WWW.TOOGOODTOGO.CO.UK

June 2022 TalkingShop

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Enjoy Heineken® Responsibly

Stock up now for the BIG UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Ticket Giveaway*

™

Make sure you’re stocked up on our Heineken® Original, Heineken® Silver and Heineken® 0.0 range ready for our biggest giveaway yet! Running in NP4 for your customers, there will be hundreds of tickets to win for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022™.

SKU’s list for customer purchase for competition entry: Heineken® Original 4x330ml Bottle M034634, Heineken® Silver 4x330ml Bottle M277162, Heineken® 0.0 4x330ml Bottle M227837, Heineken® Original 4x440ml Can M274544, Heineken® Original 4x568ml Can M274578, Heineken® Original 10x440ml Can M257538, Heineken® Original 12x330ml Bottle M249725, Heineken® Silver 12x330ml Bottle. *Your customers will have to purchase a pack listed above and scan a QR code on supporting point of sale to enter. Point of sale will be provided through the standard NP4 POS kit process.

© UEFA. All rights reserved. “Heineken®” is a registered trademark.

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LaunchReview FEEDBACK ON THE LATEST BOOKER PRODUCTS

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN ALL BRANCHES

Jack’s fresh range proves a hit

JACK’S BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASE SIZE: 14S WSP : £13.30 RSP: £1.29 POR: 26.4%

JACK’S AVOCADO CASE SIZE: 10 X 2PK WSP: £19.90 RSP: £2.49 POR: 20.1%

JACK’S MILD ONIONS CASE SIZE: 20 X 3PK WSP : £19.80 RSP: £1.29 POR: 23.3%

JACK’S FINE BEANS

20.1% Minimum POR

Driving fresh growth While the rollout of the fantastic Jack’s own brand is now well underway, it was the Jack’s fresh range that first came to market earlier this year. A total of 14 new fresh lines were launched and it’s fair to say that feedback from retailers and shoppers alike has been exceptional.

The full rollout sees Booker consolidating three of its popular own brand ranges under the unified Jack’s brand. The Happy Shopper, Farm Fresh and Discover the Choice own brand ranges are being moved under the Jack’s banner, a development that will soon see over 500 individual lines re-branded as Jack’s. The first 14 fresh Jack’s lines, however, have now been in market long enough to establish that the new brand is on course to be a massive hit with shoppers, which is brilliant news for Premier retailers.

The move simplified and improved the shopping experience and brought a number

of benefits to Premier retailers in terms of consistent branding, simplified ordering and more effective merchandising in-store. The fresh range features the high quality, eyecatching Jack’s packaging that is already becoming familiar to shoppers and is rapidly become a by-word for the fantastic quality and great value products that they have come to expect from their local Premier store.

All 14 lines deliver minimum PORs of 20.1% with some lines delivering PORs in excess of 38%. Feedback suggests that shoppers love the branding and the quality of the range, which is vital in a category as important as fresh.

It’s important to stock the lines prominently within the relevant fixture to help shoppers get ever more familiar with the Jack’s brand and encourage your team to explain the Jack’s range to shoppers. You will see the rewards in the till.

CASE SIZE: 8 X 200G WSP : £8.00 RSP: £1.39 POR: 28.1%

JACK’S COOKING ONION CASE SIZE: 1KG WSP : £11.84 RSP: £0.99 POR: 25.3%

JACK’S SALAD CRESS CASE SIZE: 12 X 100G WSP : £2.88 RSP: £0.39 POR: 38.5%

JACK’S RED ONIONS CASE SIZE: 20 X 3PK WSP : £19.80 RSP: £1.29 POR: 23.3%

JACK’S RED APPLES CASE SIZE: 8 X 4PK WSP : £10.32 RSP: £1.79 POR: 27.9%

JACK’S KIWI FRUIT CASE SIZE: 10 X 4PK WSP : £11.92 RSP: £1.59 POR: 25.0%

JACK’S GREEN APPLES CASE SIZE: 8 X 4PK WSP : £10.32 RSP: £1.79 POR: 27.9%

JACK’S CLOSED CUP MUSHROOMS CASE SIZE: 8 X 250G WSP : £5.92 RSP: £0.99 POR: 25.3%

JACK’S PINK LADY APPLES CASE SIZE: 6 X 4PK WSP : £11.94 RSP: £2.75 POR: 27.6%

June 2022 TalkingShop

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shopper’s view…

Mike Elbaum, Norwich “I only recently came across the Jack’s brand at my local Premier store and I’d never heard of it before. I try to live quite healthily and I cook most of my food from scratch so I buy a lot of fresh produce and but it regularly so it’s nice and fresh. I picked up a few of the Jack’s products just to give them a try and I was really, really impressed.

The packaging is really modern with a clean design and I like that you can see the products inside. The quality of the produce was just fantastic too, much better than I would have expected – particularly given how amazing the value is. Everything I bought was at least on par with what I’d expect from my local supermarket and some it was even better.

It was so fresh and in perfect condition.

I buy Jack’s products all the time now and I’ve started seeing more and more Jack’s products at my local Premier store, which is great. I totally trust the brand now so I’m more than happy to try the new products I see – and I haven’t been disappointed yet.”

IN SUMMARY

1

2

BOOKER GROUP EXCLUSIVE RANGE EXCEPTIONAL SHOPPER AND RETAILER FEEDBACK

3 4

EYE-CATCHING, MODERN PACKAGING

FANTASTIC QUALITY PRODUCTS

RETAILER VIEW JUSTIN WHITTAKER Premier MJ’s, Royton “I have to say that the Jack’s range has been a really big hit in our store, probably even more so than I thought it would be. Shoppers tell me that they really like the way it looks on shelf and they like that I have so many products under that one brand. But the most common thing I hear is that the quality is absolutely fantastic, even better than Farm Fresh. We’re seeing lots of trial and, more importantly, we’re seeing even more repeat purchases.”

RETAILER VIEW JOSH JOHAL Premier Birnam “Fresh is a growing and really important category these days. I think shoppers almost judge a store by its fresh offer to some extent, so it’s great news to be able to offer them a unified brand across so many categories so that they can build a relationship with the brand and really develop trust in it. That’s even more important in the fresh category and the Jack’s fresh lines have been rock solid. They look great on the shelf, they hold their freshness well and the quality is spot on.”

RETAILER VIEW STEVE DHINSA Premier VG, Wheatley Hill “Despite being a very small store we offer an extensive fresh range of around 350 lines but being so small, it’s quality over quantity that we’re looking for. We don’t have space for lines that don’t sell so we work hard at keeping our range really focused and there’s no question that the Jack’s fresh range is more than earning its space in our store. The quality of the produce is just amazing and the value is brilliant.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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Try our NEW flavours!

Fizzy Cherry, Raspberry & Blackcurrant Still Blackberry, Raspberry & Blueberry

Cherry, Raspberry & Blackcurrant

SKU - M276233

Original

SKU - M275505

Blackberry, Raspberry & Blueberry

SKU - M275508

www.vimto.co.uk Vimto is a registered trademark of Nichols PLC.

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27/06/2022 18:14:45

Too Good To Go | GUEST COLUMN

Cath Marston Booker Head of Sustainability Cath Marston celebrates the enormous achievement of Premier retailers in reducing food waste.

Tackling waste one Magic Bag at a time Premier retailers have more than played their part in helping save over 300,000 meals from going to waste by using the Too Good To Go app.

W

ith food waste such an important issue these days, we were absolutely thrilled recently to announce that Booker symbol group retailers have already saved over 300,000 meals or 136 tonnes from going to waste as part of our partnership with anti-food waste organisation Too Good To Go. Too Good To Go has one very simple mission: to make sure all food gets eaten, not wasted.

Premier retailers more than played their part in helping us reach that unbelievable achievement. Stores around the UK are

signed up to reduce food waste via the free-to-download app that allows shoppers to search for and purchase ‘Magic Bags’ containing delicious short dated food items.

As retailers that are signed up will know, the contents of each Too Good To Go Magic Bag differs from store-to-store and from dayto-day, but the bags guarantees to deliver three times’ worth of value to shoppers.

That helps massively reduce food waste and it also helps retailers recoup some money from perfectly good food that would have otherwise gone straight into the food recycling bin.

To put into some kind of context the scale of that achievement, consider this: over the

For those retailers not yet benefitting from Too Good To Go, you just need to sign up www.toogoodtogo. co.uk

last 12 months alone this initiative has saved over 135,000 kg of food going to waste. How much food is that in real terms? Well, it’s the equivalent of 323,293 meals!

Or to put it another way, this is a CO2 saving of 337 tonnes which equates to 503 return flights from London to New York!

I am so very proud of our symbol group retailers who have taken the opportunity to reduce their food waste through the sale of magic bags.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, it helps families to reduce their outgoings – which has never been more important – and underpins our values to support communities and the planet.

June 2022 TalkingShop

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sales@snowshock.co.uk 27/06/2022 18:14:48

ACS Viewpoint | Everyone Welcome

James Lowman unveils a new guide to help retailers offer outstanding customer service to all.

Everyone is welcome!

ACS recently launched its Everyone Welcome Guide as an invaluable resource for retailers to help them deliver excellent service to all shoppers, including the millions with disabilities and different needs.

O

ne of the things that our sector is most proud of is ensure that they could continue to feed their customers, from offering offering our communities good customer service home deliveries to widening aisles to comply with social distancing. experiences. Convenience stores operate at the heart Convenience retailers are extraordinarily talented in their ability to adapt and I am confident that the retailers in our sector of villages, towns and cities across the will be able to take the information from this guide UK and provide access to essential and apply it in their business and demonstrate that products and services as well as acting as a social IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO everyone truly is welcome in our sector. hub to reduce loneliness in their local areas.

GET INVOLVED IN THE As always, if you have any questions please Recently, we launched our new Everyone POLITICAL WORK OF ACS get in touch with a member of the ACS team.

Welcome Guide which has been developed ....................... CALL ......................

The full guide is available to download here: in consultation with the Alzheimer’s Society, www.acs.org.uk/advice/everyone-welcomeBusiness Disability Forum, Sense, Age UK, and 01252 515 001 guide National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise ............. OR LOG ON TO ........... and we’re delighted to have been able to work www.acs.org.uk with these organisations to produce a resource for retailers on how to provide excellent customer service for all customers including the millions of customers with disabilities and different needs.

We are proud to have developed this new guidance which will help retailers to make their stores more accessible and as a result have a positive and lasting impact on their communities by ensuring that everyone is welcome.

The guide provides retailers with helpful and practical tips on how they can make their store accessible for everyone. When thinking about improving the accessibility of your store, there are a number of steps that you can take, these might be physical changes such as installing ramps and ensuring that aisles are free of obstacles or behavioural changes such as changing the way that you communicate with customers and ensuring that colleagues are on hand to provide customers with assistance if they should need it.

Making adjustments in your store can benefit your customers and colleagues and many of the tips outlined in this guide do not require any investment but can still have a huge impact in improving your customers’ experience.

Over the course of the pandemic, we saw convenience retailers go above and beyond to adapt the day to day running of their stores to June 2022 TalkingShop

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YOURSHOUT GOT A QUESTION? Want to post a question or raise an issue with the Premier Team?

Get in touch by email at talking shop@55north.com or call 0141 222 5380.

YourShout WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? RETAILERS PUT THEIR QUESTIONS TO PREMIER

Should we be good to go?

It’s time to be backing Jack’s With the full rollout of Jack’s now underway, what can we expect from the new range? We’ve had some Jack’s lines in for a few months new and they’ve been performing really well, possibly even better than I’d expected.

MANDEEP SINGH, SINGH’S PREMIER, SHEFFIELD MARTYN PARKINSON, SALES DIRECTOR – RETAIL SAID: “We are thrilled to be in the

middle of a the full roll out of the Jack’s range and by the end of July we expect to have in excess of 500 Jack’s lines available for Premier retailers to buy. The limited range that we’ve launched so far has been massively well received by both retailers and shoppers and we are very confident that Jack’s will be a fantastic addition to every Premier retailer’s armoury. The range is completely exclusive to the Booker group and offers us a unique point of difference.”

Gin-soaked summer?

We keep hearing that gin’s time in the limelight has go to come to an end, but in my experience it still seems to be flying. Do you think it’s worth focusing on once again this summer?

IAN MITCHELL, PREMIER GIRVAN

We’ve had a really positive experience with the Too Good To Go app and it seems to be something that more Premier retailers should be considering. Do you agree?

PETER SALEEM, PREMIER BLYTH MARTYN PARKINSON, SALES DIRECTOR – RETAIL SAID: “Too Good To Go is a really, really simple way for Premier retailers to reduce food waste and cut cost. Hundreds of Premier retailers already use the app and have helped save over 3000,000 meals from going to waste in the last year alone. It also helps retailers recoup some money from perfectly good food that would otherwise end up in the food recycling bin. It’s definitely worth considering.”

MARTYN PARKINSON, SALES DIRECTOR – RETAIL SAID: “Gin has been performing so well for so long but the signs are that gin will once again shine this summer. Booker stocks an incredible 145 gin products to help refresh your range, but remember that 80% of gin sales are accounted by just the top 20 products.”

June 2022 TalkingShop

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THE REFRESHING ITALIAN TASTE TS.indd 96

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