Talking Shop
Shoppers and staff alike are giving a big thumbs up to Premier New Elgin’s astonishing new offer
Welcome
A warm and sunny welcome to our latest issue of Talking Shop as we navigate the key summer trading period and the sea of sizzling opportunities to grow footfall, sales and profits.
From garden get-togethers to impromptu BBQs, sporting events and park picnics, the summer season serves up a generous helping of occasions to cater for, and inside you’ll find a fantastic feature to help you do just that. There’s also a ‘teaser’ feature for Booker’s soon-to-be released Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure. Available to all Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots, this brochure will provide even more insight and advice to help you make the very most of these key categories – this summer and beyond.
Don’t miss our update on Scoot either. Booker’s new low-cost rapid delivery app is already driving increased sales and profits for Premier retailers.
There’s also a deep-dive into Booker’s flourishing Race & Ethnicity Colleague Network. Created in September 2023, Race & Ethnicity@Booker provides a safe space to celebrate diversity, spark meaningful conversations, support colleagues from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and help shape an inclusive future at Booker.
This issue of Talking Shop also celebrates the astounding array of Premier retailers who have triumphed at several high-profile industry awards so far this summer. My heartfelt congratulations to all of you!
I would also urge you to read the four fantastic customer profiles in this issue. There is so much to learn from fellow Premier retailers, and you might pick up an idea or two that might work in your store.
And, as always, you’ll find the usual mix of news, views, NPD, and insight that makes Talking Shop a must-read for Premier retailers.
We truly believe that we have put together a superb support package for Premier retailers this summer that’s sure to help you make it the hottest yet. I wish you all fantastic trading.
Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director – Booker Wholesale
COVER STORY
Premier New Elgin Service Station offers a generous serving of ‘wow factor’ following a full-flavour store development
THE THREE BIG STORIES
7 Premier News Premier triumphs at key industry awards
58 Get your grill on Set your sales sizzling this BBQ season
77 Booker Networks
Spotlight on Booker’s Race&Ethnicity Colleague Network
Share your shop news
If you’ve got news, tips or feature ideas, please get in touch with Talking Shop:
Premier triumphs at the SLR Awards 2025, accruing an astonishing 11 accolades.
The latest round up of community news from Premier stores
Callum Beattie has been confirmed among the headline acts at this year’s Checkout Scotland music festival.
‘Oscar’s On The Green’ is making an even bigger name for itself after a show-stopping refit.
Lowestoft’s locals can’t get enough of Oulton Road’s gripping new convenience offer
Premier East Ardsley has had a full-scale transformation 20 years after it was first profiled
Get your grill on and make the most of the summer BBQ opportunity.
49 Recipe for success
Arul Palaniappan is tasting even greater success following his full-flavour development of New Elgin Service Station. 58 Summer sizzlers
Make the most of the summer BBQ opportunity.
Look out for Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen brochure. 71 New Product Roundup
Our pick of some of the hottest new products to hit the shelves
77 Booker Networks
Shining the spotlight on Booker’s Race&Ethnicity Colleague Network 87 ACS Viewpoint
James Lowman digests the early impact of the disposable vape ban and the opportunities and challenges to come
Premier New Elgin is a big store with a sizeable offer!
It’s smiles all round at Premier East Ardsley.
Premier Oulton Road is a real ‘Best Seller.’
Oscar’s On The Green has never looked so lush.
in 12x330ml & 4x568ml packs
M249725 - Heineken Original (12x)330ml M302214 - Heineken Original (4x)568ml PMP £7.99
NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER
Premier retailers win big at the SLR Awards 2025 PremierNews
Premier retailers scooped 11 high-profile accolades at the SLR Awards on 4 June 2025.
Premier retailers triumphed at the SLR Awards 2025 – scooping a staggering 11 accolades at the coveted annual celebration of epic Scottish retailing.
Shamly Sud and family’s Racetrack chain were the heroes of the night – taking home not only the top prize of the Scottish Local Retailer of the Year title but also four other awards for its new Premier store in Wishaw.
SLR Publishing Director Antony Begley
said the Sud family had “rewritten the rule book” for convenience retailing”.
“The family’s unique vision is backed up by a huge commitment to investing in their stores and creating not so much convenience stores as mind-blowing retail experiences. There’s nobody else in the UK doing what they do,” he added.
>>> Continued on page 9
INBRIEF
PREMIER STORES SHINE AT FED AWARDS
Premier retailers also tasted glory at The Fed Awards 2025, claiming a super seven high-profile prizes at the ceremony on 18 June. The prize for Convenience Store of the Year in the Symbol category was awarded to Premier retailer Girish Jeeva of Girish’s Premier Barmulloch. Congratulations also went to Harman Puni from Premier HP Convenience in Chesterfield, who claimed the Diversity, Inclusion & Equality award. Soft Drinks Retailer of the Year meanwhile, went to Karan Patel of KP’s Premier in Middleton. Nila Patel from Premier Millbrook Post Office and Convenience Store also claimed the Community Champion award for her sterling community efforts.
There were also prizes in-store for Premier retailer Andrew Board of Premier Core Convenience Store in Newton Hall, who was named as the Responsible Retailer of the Year and Confectionery Retailer of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Rising Star award went to Thayanathan Santhirakumar of Premier Gleneagles Superstore in Grindon!
>>> Continued from page 7
Racetrack Wishaw triumphed in four of its eight shortlisted categories: Confectionery, Soft Drinks, Vaping, and – in a rare tie – New Store. The judges were unable to separate it from Premier Dunbar, which also won the Off-Trade Retailer of the Year Award for former sommelier Shiva Kumar.
For the third year in a row, the Sustainability Retailer of the Year award was handed to Moira Dean and her team at Premier DUSA
whose continued success in the sustainability arena left judges awestruck once again.
The Newstrade Retailer of the Year award was won by Premier Turriff, while Refit of the year was claimed by Premier Drongan.
Premier retailer Girish Jeeva of Premier Girish’s@Barmulloch also triumphed in the #ThinkSmart Innovation category.
Held at the Radisson blu in Glasgow, The SLR Awards 2025 were hosted by Scottish wrestling legend and TV star Grado.
Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), B6, Biotin (B7), B12, Vitamin C
STOCK UP NOW
M300452 M300453
NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER
Premier retailers from across the UK continue to sign up to Booker’s new rapid response delivery service Scoot!
Among May’s list of new signups was the awardwinning Premier Broadway Convenience Store in
Edinburgh. The store’s delivery van has also been given a revamp and is now looking “Scoot-iful!”
The Singh Team have also signed three of their stores up to the service, which promises to deliver groceries to local shoppers in as little as 30 minutes. Their Premier store in Herries, Sheffield was the latest to join on 19 May.
Meanwhile, Premier VJ’s in Chatham Road, Hartlepool has also joined the Scoot crew, launching with a special offer of 99p for 2L bottles of Coke.
The new service promises to help retailers make an estimated £34,000 of additional profit each year. For more information visit scootdelivery.co.uk/ retailer or talk to your RDM.
NEW BEGINNINGS
Premier New Elgin Service Station has donated a number of goody bags to two key local charities.
The bags, which were left over after the new forecourt store’s recent Grand Opening Day, were given to The Elgin Youth Charity and The Link Community Space –to whom it already gifts a weekly drop of grocery products.
Retailers enjoy Scootiful sales! Local legend goes live! CommunityNews
Premier retailer Girish Jeeva and his award-winning convenience store in the Glasgow suburb of Barmulloch starred on the city’s Glasgow Live news outlet earlier this month.
The coverage highlighted Girish’s outstanding community support, convenient new services and recent triumph at The Convenience Awards 2025, which saw the store crowned Convenience Retailer of the Year.
Commenting on the coverage, Girish said: “Wow! We made it onto Glasgow Live! It’s such an incredible feeling to see our hard work and dedication recognised by a platform so integral to our local community. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of our amazing customers and neighbours.
“At the heart of any truly exceptional store lies a thriving community. We believe that a great shopping experience goes beyond just the products we offer. It’s about fostering a sense of belonging, creating connections, and contributing positively to the lives of those around us. We strive to be more than just a business; we want to be a hub for connection and a place where everyone feels welcome.”
Store owner Arul Palaniappan said: “We’re proud to support the amazing work these organisations do for our local community.
“Thank you to everyone who helped make our Grand Opening a success!”
For more information on Premier New Elgin’s show-stopping store development journey, turn to page 47.
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
IndustryNews
A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY
Spending Review: Long overdue funding for tobacco enforcement announced
Government to dish out an additional £80m per year in tobacco cessation programmes and enforcement, Chancellor confirms.
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the 2025 Spending Review to MPs in the UK Parliament, including additional cash to fund tobacco enforcement.
Reeves announced an additional £80m per year, for the next five years, for smoking cessation and enforcement, linked to the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) welcomed the “long overdue” funding boost.
Research conducted for ACS last year showed that Trading Standards teams would need at least £140m over the next five years to deal with illicit vapes alone, with £30m required this year.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The investment in enforcement of the tobacco and vapes market is long overdue and will be welcomed by all responsible retailers who are sick of seeing rogue operators trading with impunity in their communities. This must change, and if the £80m
announced for smoking cessation and enforcement is properly allocated to the front line, it could make a real difference.
“We must prioritise resources to shore up the most basic principles of the rule of law, to support those who follow it and intervene against those who don’t.”
However, ACS believes that the Spending Review fell short on police funding.
The Chancellor also revealed that policing budgets would rise by 2.3% per year above inflation over the next five years – in line with the baseline for other departments.
“When coupled with concerns across the country that local council budgets are stretched to breaking point, both the police and local enforcement officers are facing real resourcing challenges to deal with the tide of theft, abuse, violence and rogue trading blighting the communities where local shops trade,” ACS said.
RETAILERS ACCUSE UK GOV OF BREAKING PROMISES
More than four in five retailers (82%) believe the UK Government has broken its promises to support small businesses, a JTI survey has revealed.
Rising business rates, an increase in National Insurance contributions, the proposed generational smoking ban and minimum wage increases have left 70% of retailers feeling “disillusioned” by the actions of the Labour Government towards small businesses since they came into power in July 2024.
In fact, 85% of retailers think it will be harder for their business to succeed in 2025 as a result of the new laws and policies proposed.
When it comes to the proposed generational smoking ban, 58% of retailers believe it would have a negative impact on their store, with 87% saying it could lead to more illicit tobacco activity in their area.
Photo by Michael D Beckwith on Unsplash
Postgraduate funding available for c-store workers
Students can apply to receive a bursary of up to
£5,000 for
the 2025/26 period via the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust.
Convenience store workers and their families have until 1 September 2025 to get their applications in for a postgraduate bursary from the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT).
The charity’s bursary scheme is open to students on postgraduate courses, whose parent, carer, or spouse is employed in convenience retail.
The opportunity is also open to those already working in convenience who want to fund their own study. The bursary can be put towards tuition fees, or other expenses such as course materials, equipment or travel costs. Applications are open until 1 September and students can apply to receive up to £5,000.
As the cost of attending university mounts year on year, the bursary has been designed to help families who may be concerned about supporting a child, partner or even themselves through further higher education. With the charity’s core belief that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their academic potential, LTCT hopes that it will help alleviate some of the financial pressure on students and their parents.
In 2025, the total number of bursaries awarded since the scheme launched is expected to exceed 5,000, totalling £28m worth of financial aid.
SNAPPY SHOPPER TRIALS DISABLED HOUSEHOLDS DELIVERY DISCOUNT
Snappy Shopper has announced a trial partnership with Purpl to deliver an exclusive grocery discount for disabled households across the UK.
Eligible Purpl members will receive a 25% discount on their first online grocery order via Snappy Shopper, available through the app and website.
The offer includes same-day delivery or click and collect at selected local retailers. Additionally, all Purpl users will benefit from three months of free delivery during the trial.
This initiative supports the 16.1 million people in the UK – 24% of the population – living with disabilities, offering tangible savings on everyday essentials.
To access the discount, customers can register with Purpl and upload proof of disability.
Verifications are typically completed in seconds, after which a unique discount code becomes active for use on Snappy Shopper.
The ice cream of ice creams.
Minister responds positively to call for rates reform
The Government will publish an update on plans for business rates reform in the coming months.
Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed Government confirmation that proposals for business rates reform will be brought forward within months.
The Retail Jobs Alliance, a coalition of major retailers and Usdaw, is calling on the Government to remove shops from the scope of the proposed higher business rates multiplier to protect jobs, safeguard investment and support local communities.
Responding to a question from a Conservative shadow spokesperson in the House of Commons, Business and Trade Minister Gareth Thomas said: “We have said that we will introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and
leisure. The Chancellor of the Exchequer set out our initial thoughts on that in the Budget in October, and we will publish an update on where we are on that issue in the coming months.”
Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis said: “The current business rates system is not fit for purpose, as it places in-store retailers at a significant disadvantage to online retail. In effect, this amounts to nothing more than an unfair tax on shops. We need action to help save our shops and retail jobs, and we welcome the Chancellor committing to transforming business rates at the last Budget, after a number of missed opportunities by the previous Government.”
ALLWYN UK LAUNCHES PARTICIPANT PROTECTION CONFERENCE
National Lottery operator
Allwyn UK is to hold a new participant protection conference, as it seeks to set a new global industry standard.
Taking place in London on 23 September, the conference will cover a range of topics – including AI, lived experience, a masterclass on measuring responsible play, and digital ID and youth protection. It will be an invite-only event for academics, practitioners and stakeholders. The conference is a continuation of Allwyn’s ongoing work in participant protection since becoming operator of The National Lottery last year.
Allwyn’s Director of Strategy, Transformation and Participant Protection, Richard Dawkins, said: “Not only do we want people to enjoy playing The National Lottery, and to do so in a responsible way, we want to empower the rest of the lottery sector in their responsibilities to players.”
HFSS regs to be laid in Scottish parliament this Autumn
The Scottish Government says that incoming regulations on products that are high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) will align with those already in place and scheduled in England.
The Scottish Government has announced plans to bring forward regulations restricting the promotion of food and drink High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) this Autumn – in-line with the rest of the UK.
The regulations will come into force 12 months after they are laid in the Scottish Parliament, although the exact date on which this takes place is yet to be determined. It is expected that the rules will come into force in Autumn 2026.
Under the regulations, retailers with 50 or more employees (symbol groups counted as an entire business not as an individual store) and floor space of more 2,000 sq ft will have to comply with restrictions on HFSS products at the end of aisles, at store entrances and within 2m of checkouts and queueing areas.
The proposed rules will also mean that
regardless of store size, retailers with 50 or more employees will have to stop multibuy and volume promotions for HFSS products.
Examples of volume promotions and multibuys are promotions like ‘50% extra free, ‘buy one get one free’ and ‘three for £10’.
However, meal deals and temporary price reductions (eg 20% off for a defined length of time) are excluded from the proposals.
In England, HFSS regulations on location restrictions have been in place since October 2022, with volume promotion restrictions being introduced in October 2025.
The Welsh Government has signified its intent to introduce comparable HFSS restrictions in Spring 2026, although the implementation date has not yet been confirmed.
CRIME AND POLICING BILL AMENDMENT
Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, tabled by Anneliese Midgley MP (Labour, Knowsley), which would extend the offence of assaulting a retail worker to home delivery drivers. New Clause 48 could be considered during the remaining House of Commons stages of the Bill.
Usdaw recently surveyed over 300 retail home delivery drivers working mainly in the grocery sector. The results show that in the last twelve months:
l 77% had been a victim of abuse.
l 13% were assaulted.
l 26% had refused a delivery due to fear for their own personal safety.
Retail home delivery drivers are required to obtain proof of age for a number of products which are subject to age-related sales legislation. If they fail to obtain it, they may be liable for prosecution – resulting in a heavy fine and/ or disciplinary action from the employer.
The Crime and Policing Bill introduces a new legal requirement on drivers to verify a customer’s age when delivering knives ordered online.
STOCK THE UK’S NO.1 CHILLED COFFEE*
STARBUCKS RTD IS 58% OF RTD COFFEE SALES IN IMPULSE**
Shoppers love a Ready to Drink coffee in convenience, and the top 6 must stock SKU’s based on rate of sale are*: THE RTD COFFEE CATEGORY IS WORTH £71.9M IN IMPULSE**
TOP 6 STARBUCKS MUST STOCK SKU’s
Callum Beattie confirmed for Checkout 2025
Chart-topping music star Callum Beattie has been confirmed among the headline acts at this year’s Checkout Scotland music festival in support of industry charity GroceryAid.
28TH AUG, GLASGOW TICKETS
£95
The Scottish Committee of convenience and grocery industry charity GroceryAid has announced that Scottish chart-topping singer-songwriter Callum Beattie is to perform as one of the headline acts at this year’s Checkout Scotland music festival in Glasgow on 28 August.
Beattie will be playing at Checkout a matter of weeks before performing at the 12,000 capacity OVO Hydro.
Beattie has gone from selling just 30 tickets in small grassroots venues to selling out the iconic OVO Hydro in the space of four years, a remarkable rise. His first two albums both reached number one on the Scottish album charts and with his third album on the horizon, Callum is set to reach global audiences.
In addition to his stellar music career, Callum and his manager have raised over £750,000 for various charities over the past four years, using
their platform to make a meaningful difference to communities across the country.
With already half of the tickets to this year’s Checkout Scotland already sold, if you want to be there to see Callum Beattie, while also helping raise much-needed funds for GroceryAid, act now to book your tickets.
Simply go to www.groceryaid.org.uk/events/ checkout-scotland.
GroceryAid Scotland Chairman Matthew Howie commented: “To secure a homegrown top-notch talent like Callum Beattie for Checkout Scotland is a massive coup, particularly as he will be playing to a packed Hydro just weeks later.
“We’re expecting tickets to sell out fast, so I would urge everyone who wants to be there and help us raise awareness of GroceryAid to get in touch now to make sure they will be at one of the highlights of the UK independent retailing calendar.”
SCHOOL ESSENTIALS GRANT TO TOP £1M
GroceryAid’s School Essentials Grant is providing £1m of support for convenience and grocery colleagues’ school-aged children this year, after securing funding from The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust.
The fund provides a £150 non-repayable grant for every child of school age, up to a maximum of three children per eligible household, up to the fund total. This year, more than 6,660 children will benefit from the fund, an 11% increase from last year.
Applications for the grant were open for only three days before the £1m allocation was fully subscribed. If you applied and received a confirmation email with a reference number, you will find out by email if your application was successful no later than Friday 11 July 2025.
WIIINGS
WITH THE TASTE OF GRAPEFRUIT & BLOSSOM.
NEW
VITALIZES BODY AND MIND®.
THE NO.1 FOR YOUR TURNOVER.
The name game
Named after their first-born son, Neil and Margi Patel’s ‘Oscar’s On The Green’ store is now making an even bigger name for itself after a showstopping refit incorporating Premier’s new concept.
There aren’t many kids who can claim to have not just their own store – but also their own café. But Oscar and Ollie Patel certainly can – and rejoice in telling people so, especially their schoolfriends!
Oscar and Ollie’s parents are the entrepreneurial retail and catering duo Neil and Margi Patel, who are also the proud owners of the family run Oscar’s On the Green and Café O in Hove, East Sussex.
The business was originally founded by Neil’s parents 37 years ago and taken on by Neil when his dad “retired” in 2019.
Back then the family-owned store was still a small newsagent, but soon after Neil took the reins, the off-licence next door came up for sale, creating an opportunity to expand the store and introduce a fuller convenience offering.
It was then that ‘Oscar’s On The Green’ was born – along with its namesake baby Oscar.
Baby Ollie made his appearance a few years later, and the couple’s café, just 200 yards up the road from the store, was named after him when it opened in 2023.
In November 2024, a further opportunity arose, when the store the other side of Oscar’s On The Green was also put up for sale. If he bought it, Neil knew that the move would allow him to double the size of his store’s footprint.
“It was a fantastic chance to achieve my key aim of creating a truly stand-out fresh and chilled offer,” Neil says. “That’s what local shoppers were asking for and it’s what I was determined to deliver.”
The new store features floor-toceiling murals of the family business through the ages that chart its development – as well as the family’s –with heartwarming family photographs of Neil, Margi, the boys and Neil’s parents too.
And deliver he has! The new 1,800sq ft store opened in April 2025 with a fresh and chilled offer that’s more than triple the size of what went before.
“The old store had 2.5m of chilled foods and it’s now surged to 8m of chilled foods,” Neil adds. “Frozen has also doubled.”
In another key change, the store has also joined Premier proper.
Having used Booker as his major supplier for many years, Neil had been planning to
join the Premier fold for a while –yet he’d wanted to wait until he’d acquired the store next door before adopting the fascia.
“Once we got the shop it was full steam ahead. I was keen to go all out with the full Premier concept, including a Beer Cave and a Soft Drinks Cave,” he says.
“The beer and soft drinks caves have allowed us to increase our space in a really different and interesting way,” Neil says.
“We’re the first store in Hove to have anything like this, so it has caused a stir locally.”
Store profile
Name: Premier, Oscar’s On The Green, Hove
Retailer: Neil Patel
Size: 1,800sq ft
Opening hours: 6am-9pm
Services: Too Good To Go, parcel collection, home delivery, National Lottery
Footfall has surged since we re-opened, and we are seeing so many new faces every day, as word about our amazing new range continues to spread.
Neil Patel
The caves have also allowed him to expand his chilled BWS offer from 3.75m to 11m –while space for chilled drinks has grown from 1.8m to 9m.
“I can’t stress enough how excited and engaged shoppers are with the beer and soft drinks caves,” Neil adds. “Adult shoppers Facetime their mates from the Beer Cave, while the kids love the Soft Drinks Cave –we’ve treated both demographics to something really different.
“We get local kids asking their parents to take them to ‘Oscar’s’ and they’re only too happy to comply,” Neil laughs.
One element that has remained fundamentally unchanged though is the deep connection the business has with the local community.
“We’ve been part of this community for
almost 40 years, so as well as having truly meaningful relationships with many local shoppers, we also try to support the wider community in as many ways as we can,” Neil says.
“We sponsor the local football team, the West Hope Dynamos, supporting them with new kits and jackets. We also support local charities, donate to the local foodbank and will always support the local school with raffles and events.”
Joining the Premier fascia has also not come at the cost of Oscar’s own unique identity. In fact, that’s very much celebrated.
The new store features floor-to-ceiling murals of the family business through the ages that chart its development – as well as the family’s – with heartwarming family photographs of Neil, Margi, the boys and
Neil’s parents too.
There are also striking sepia images of local landmarks including the Brighton Pavilion.
“We have a real history and connection with this area – and we thought it would be lovely to showcase that in the refit,” Neil says.
“As a business, we’ve always strived to be a bit different. We’ve got a unique brand for our store that tells a story, and we also have our own branded uniforms,” he adds.
“We are a Premier store but with a bit of a difference.”
Other unique touches include a mouthwatering range of home-made cakes, sandwiches and wraps that are all made fresh each morning in the family’s ‘Café O’ just down the road.
“The sandwiches and wraps are branded up in our style and provide us with another
It’s wonderful to watch shoppers walk in and instantly pick up a basket – before heading over to the fresh meats and vegetables. For me, the success of our new fresh and chilled range is my proudest achievement. It’s a bit like my baby, and I’m delighted to see it grow!
Neil Patel } {
Shoppers can quench their thirst in the store’s new Refresh@Premier zone, which includes a Costa Machine, Slush Puppie and
“Shoppers have accepted the change so positively,” Neil says. “They are truly blown away by all the amazing new touches and
“They are also dazzled by the Amazing Value and special offers that we can offer them
“Value for money is so important to shoppers, so they can certainly see the
The store’s biggest-selling categories since re-opening are BWS, soft drinks and fresh and chilled – which Neil is delighted to say is
“It’s wonderful to watch shoppers walk in
and instantly pick up a basket – before heading over to the fresh meats and vegetables,” he adds.
“For me, the success of our new fresh and chilled range is my proudest achievement. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes, and it’s been a steep learning curve, but it looks so good. It’s a bit like my baby, and I’m delighted to see it grow!”
Neil’s dad, and the founding father of the business, is also thrilled with the store’s new look.
“Dad ‘retired’ six years ago but as most retailers know, you can never really retire from this business,” Neil laughs. “Dad still comes in once or twice a week, and everyone still calls him the gaffer!”
In addition to better meeting the needs of its existing shoppers, the new store is also now welcoming many new ones too.
“Footfall has surged since we re-opened, and we are seeing so many new faces every day, as word about our amazing new range continues to spread,” Neil says.
“We’ve also supported the opening with a truly fantastic launch pack, including loads of great giveaways and competitions to really fire up local interest and shopper engagement.”
The new store has also been enhanced with additional new services, including InPost parcel lockers outside – and Neil’s also gearing up for the launch of Scoot home delivery in the coming weeks.
“The last couple of months really have been a whirlwind but we’re so delighted with what we’ve achieved – and excited by what’s still to come too,” Neil adds.
And what of the store’s namesake Oscar?
“He’s thrilled too,” Neil laughs.
How could he not be?
Fresh chapter
Lowestoft’s locals can’t get enough of Oulton Road’s gripping new convenience offer.
As a former funeral directors, 143 Oulton Road had witnessed the closing of many stories.
But now, following a transformative store development project, the old building is beginning a fresh new chapter of its own.
The large corner unit sits at the end of a small parade of shops on the outskirts of Lowestoft in Suffolk and was bought by multisite Premier retailer Piratheepan Rajakoon over the summer of 2024.
Surrounded by housing, yet with no supermarket competition within a onemile radius, Piratheepan spied a first-class opportunity to provide the local community with a brand-new convenience solution.
Fresh, chilled and frozen were all to be key priorities for the new store, which began its £170,000 development story in December 2024.
A number of internal walls and the former
chapel of rest were removed to make way for a spacious new 1,700sq ft shop floor, with the entrance also relocated to allow space for the creation of a striking new counter at the front.
The store was then kitted out with all-new floors and ceilings – with uplifting blue-sky light panels fitted above key zones, including the counter, chilled aisles and in the new soft drinks and beer caves.
Located side by side, the glass-fronted caves create a seriously cool impact on the shop floor, with each cave accommodating a range-roving 8.4 metres of shelving – more than double the space that could have been achieved with standalone chillers.
Each of the marvellously merchandised caves boasts a vast selection of top-selling products from big-name brands – offering local shoppers an unbeatable range of chilled choice and value.
And Premier Oulton Road’s champion chilled offer certainly doesn’t end there. In a bid to offer local shoppers a basket busting
Premier Oulton Road boasts more than 12 metres of chilled foods – including a dedicated fridge for chilled food to go which houses Premier’s Mega Meal Deal of five items for just £5.50.
range of chilled choice, the new store also boasts more than 12 metres of chilled foods – including a dedicated fridge for chilled food to go which proudly houses Premier’s Mega Meal Deal of five items for just £5.50.
And then there’s the frozen offer. With no supermarket competition in the immediate local area, and the only other convenience store nearby offering just 800mm of frozen, Piratheepan knew there was also a sizeable opportunity to offer shoppers a true frozen feast.
As such, the new store includes a jaw-dropping 12-door sweep of freezers which house a copious choice of iced delights from great-value meal solutions to sides, desserts, ices and much more.
Shoppers’ snacking and sweet needs are met by a 4.4m confectionery range including a dedicated Kids Zone, with more than five metres dedicated to crisps and snacks where shoppers can pick up a pack of top-selling branded crisps for just £1.25, or two packs of Jack’s crisps for the same price.
Space has also been dedicated to a small, yet perfectly formed, Refresh@ Premier zone at the front of the store, offering fresh Lavazza coffee to go,
Soft drink sales already account for more than £400 a day –and growing.
The impeccably merchandised beer and soft drinks caves each accommodate 8.4 metres of shelving.
Store profile
Retailer:
Store size: 1,700sq ft
Opening hours: 7am-10.30pm
Services: National Lottery, home delivery,
Top
Name: Premier Oulton Road, Lowestoft
Piratheepan Rajakoon
PayPoint.
selling categories: Soft drinks, confectionery, BWS, fresh and chilled
CRAFT BEER BRAND* UK’S
Hershey’s and Reese’s Freeze and Millions Slush.
Completing the store’s drinks-to-go offer are a mouthwatering selection of local cakes, pastries and fresh breads from Linzers Bakery – offering shoppers all they could possibly knead.
The store’s strong value for money proposition is also showcased via dedicated Amazing Value, Mega Deals, Jack’s and Euroshopper bays – with Jack’s products currently outstripping sales of branded goods.
A striking promotional display outside the beer and soft drinks caves offers shoppers even more bang for their bucks – showcasing a range of new ‘Deals of the Week’ every week.
Deals include money off selected food and drinks to go, such as 50p
off a cup of coffee, or striking special offers on multipack products.
And while it’s still early days, brand new Premier Oulton Road certainly seems to be scoring with shoppers.
Soft drinks and confectionery have emerged as the top two biggest selling categories since the new store’s Grand Opening Ceremony on 11 March – with soft drink sales alone already ringing in at more than £400 a day.
Chilled sales, meanwhile, account for just over 15% of weekly sales and are growing week on week, as is frozen’s contribution.
With all that said and done, it’s clear that the next chapter in 143 Oulton Road’s story is going to be a real page turner.
Transformation territory
Premier East Ardsley has never looked so good following a full-scale transformation 20 years after it was first profiled in Talking Shop.
Tweakments. Whether we’re talking subtle non-surgical beauty treatments, or mini store makeovers, tweakments offer a cost and time-effective way of enhancing fascias as well as faces.
The concept is certainly not lost on dynamic retailing duo Navaneethan Eswarapatham and his business partner Gajendran Sorubakaanthan who have carried out a successful series of tweakments to their Premier store in East Ardsley, Wakefield, over the years. However, with local competition intensifying, the summer of 2024 saw the pair decide to shift gear – moving from tweakment town into transformation territory.
“East Ardsley was one of three former Londis stores that we bought and converted to Premier 20 years ago,” Navaneethan explains.
Incredibly, it’s also 20 years to the month, that the pair and their East Ardsley Store were first profiled in Talking Shop too!
All three stores have traded successfully over the last 20 years, with Premier East Ardsley having built up a large and loyal following of local shoppers over that time – whilst also catering to the substantial volume of passing trade that rumbles by on the village’s Main Street.
“We’d continuously invested in the store over the years, but with local competition having intensified, the time was right for a much more significant refit,” Navaneethan says.
Shoppers, especially the younger generation, love the experience of shopping the Soft Drinks Cave and there are huge efficiency benefits for us too – not to mention freeing up stockroom space.
Navaneethan Eswarapatham
“We wanted to incorporate a number of new Premier concepts, such as a Beer Cave and a Soft Drinks Cave” – the latter of which was to be a first for the region – “and crucially, we also wanted to improve our space allocation for key growing categories such as fresh, chilled and frozen,” he adds.
Work began in July 2024, with the store reopening following a top-to-toe transformation on 7 August – having only fully closed for three days, while the smart new floor was fitted.
Brand new Premier East Ardsley delivers all the pair (and their shoppers) wanted and more, starting with a seven-metre chilled offer that’s double what was there before.
“Demand for quick and convenient meal solutions is on the rise – and we needed to cater to that with a much wider range of choice – and we certainly offer that now,” Navaneethan says.
“Fortunately, Premier’s chilled offer has also been enhanced of late, with new additions
Store profile
Name: Premier East Ardsley, Wakefield
Retailers: Navaneethan
Eswarapatham and Gajendran
Sorubakaanthan
Size: 1,400sq ft
Staff: 7
Opening hours: 7am-11pm
Services: Payzone, parcel collection, home delivery
Some
shoppers will order from us every single day. Convenience really is everything these days.
probably
That’s
the biggest shift we’ve noticed over the last 20 years – that and how much quicker trends change.
Navaneethan Eswarapatham
to the deli range and lots of new ready meals too, so we’ve been able to make the absolute most of that.
“We now have the space to offer all the Jack’s ready meals and have also just introduced a new range of Pro Cuisine and My Protein ready meals which are already selling incredibly well – and hitting the key price, health and convenience marks with shoppers.”
“We’ve also increased our frozen offer from four doors to eight,” he adds.
The store also features a “talk of the town” glass-fronted Soft Drinks Cave with ample space to house all of Premier’s fastest-selling lines and more.
“Shoppers, especially the younger
generation, love the experience of shopping the Soft Drinks Cave and there are huge efficiency benefits for us too – not to mention freeing up stockroom space. We hardly need to store any drinks in the stock room anymore.”
The Beer Cave is another boon.
“The Beer Cave has led to a significant rise in overall BWS sales,” Navaneethan adds.
“Multipack sales of beers and ciders in particular have soared.”
Encouragingly, the striking new Beer Cave also appears to be driving demand for, and sales of, more premium-priced wines.
“We have a mixed shopper demographic in East Ardsley – not rich but certainly not poor either, and prior to the refit, mid-priced
wines with RSPs of around £6 and £7 were the biggest sellers.
“We hardly sold any wines with an RSP of more than £9 or £10 – but that’s a whole different story now. I never thought we’d see the day that wines with an RSP of £11 and even £13 would sell well – but they do now. The popularity of more premium-priced brands, such as Oyster Bay and Wairau Cove, are all on the up.
“I think that the whole experience of shopping in the Beer Cave is prompting shoppers to trade up. When shoppers see it, they know that they are going to get a premium experience and so their mindset shifts – and they are prepared to spend more.
£70.7M Sales
“They are then further surprised and delighted when they also spot our strong promotional offer – which prompts additional impulse purchases. For example, selected bottles of 19 Crimes wines are currently on offer for just £8.49 and shoppers are snapping them up!”
The store also further delights its shoppers with a vibrant Refresh@Premier bar which also features a custom-designed ‘Fresh Blast’ slush machine from Blue Ice offering cola, cherry and blue raspberry slush.
Think Fresh Shakes, Snow Shock slush and Bean to Cup Coffee have also been added to the mix.
And while the new store doesn’t currently offer hot food to go, the smart new servicepacked counter area is home to a tempting array of freshly baked chilled pies, cakes and pastries from the nearby Dale Bakery.
Premier East Ardsley has also recently launched home delivery via Snappy Shopper.
“Rapid response delivery is such a huge trend. A lot of people around here continue to work from home, but they are busy and don’t always have the time to pop to the shops for lunch or a quick dinner solution, so they’ll order it online.
“Some shoppers will order from us every single day. Convenience really is everything these days. That’s probably the biggest shift we’ve noticed over the last 20 years – that and how much quicker trends change.
“There are literally new learnings to be gleaned every single day. Just because your shoppers liked prawn cocktail crisps last week doesn’t mean they will this week.
“I watch our EPoS data like a hawk, to ensure that I’m always plugged in to the latest trends and can spot new opportunities as they appear.”
And with such a full-bodied new store –Navaneethan and Gajendran are certainly primed to do just that.
Recipe for success
Arul Palaniappan is tasting even greater success following his full-flavour development of New Elgin Service Station.
When you’ve got a cracking recipe, it pays to stick to it. One man who certainly agrees with that sentiment is Arul Palaniappan, director of rapidly growing SRJ Convenience.
Incredibly, SRJ Convenience opened a new store every month in 2024 – and had opened a further three by May 2025 – with more on the way.
At the time of going to press, SRJ Convenience operated 21 convenience stores and seven forecourts across the North of England and Scotland – although as Arul laughs: “The count goes up all the time. If you’d have called me next week, the figures would likely be different.”
Given those figures, it’s clear why Arul favours sticking to a tried and tested recipe for new store openings and developments.
As he says: “If you’ve got a great recipe, just scale it up and make more curries.”
However, sometimes, just sometimes, even the best recipes can benefit from a twist – as Arul’s full flavour development of his New Elgin Service Station in Moray, Scotland, proves so deliciously.
Although when it comes to New Elgin – ‘twist’ might be something of an understatement!
The first thing to note about newly opened Premier New Elgin is that it’s big – 5,000sq ft of big to be precise.
“New Elgin is massive!” Arul says. “It was one of the first stores we bought in Scotland four years ago and I’ve been dragging the refit along a bit because I knew it was going to cost a fortune!
“However, because of its size, I also knew that we had an opportunity to do something spectacular.
“There’s also a lot of supermarket and convenience competition in the local area so I wanted to create a store that would truly stand out. A store that would make shoppers question why they would ever go elsewhere.”
Arul also knew from the start, that Premier
Premier New Elgin Service Station features a mammoth 800sq ft Beer Cave AND an 800sq ft Soft Drinks Cave!
would be the perfect fit for the new store and its demographic.
“We have a long history with Premier, and I truly believe that there is no better brand out there at the moment,” he adds.
So, after more than a year in the planning, work to cook up a delectable new look and offer for the old site began in February 2025.
“February is generally the quietest trading period at that site so it’s the ideal time to close the store and carry out the work,” Arul explains.
However, with Easter marking the start of its busiest trading period, the pressure to complete the development on time was on!
The store also features a standout Hot Kitchen offer providing shoppers with freshly made hot food to go including breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
“Thanks to its breathtaking scenery, sites of historical interest and many local distilleries, Elgin is a very touristic area that receives a huge influx of visitors from Easter onwards –so the clock was ticking,” Arul adds.
At 5,000sq ft there was clearly no need to extend, however, the shop floor itself was entirely reimagined with a brand-new layout that saw aisles not only re-directed but also widened, from 1.3 metres to two.
Some of the store’s old storage space was sacrificed to help achieve the feat and to create an array of standout new features.
Chief among these are two cavernous caves – one for soft drinks and one for BWS.
The Beer Cave stands at a whopping 800sq ft – rendering it the largest in Scotland to date – and larger than many convenience stores!
And that’s not all – Premier New Elgin has
also been fitted with an epic 800sq ft Soft Drinks Cave too.
“I had actually hoped we could make the Beer Cave even bigger, but doing so would have meant losing an aisle and I didn’t want to make that sacrifice – plus 800sq ft is probably big enough!” he laughs.
The mammoth space hosts 22 bays which house a vast range of chilled BWS choice, including Perfect Draught Kegs.
“We’ve tested with and without, and a Beer Cave is a proven footfall and sales driver –and a key ingredient in all of our recent store developments,” Arul says. “Every single one of the shops we opened last year had a Beer Cave for that reason.
“For shoppers, it looks professional, it looks exciting and most importantly, it means that shoppers can buy their products chilled ready
to drink – even cases and kegs.
“A Beer Cave, or a Soft Drinks Cave, also produces huge operational efficiencies. You fill up in the morning and you hardly need to fill again until the end of the day. You can keep almost all your stock in there, so availability is perfect too.”
Another standout feature is an in-store ‘Hot Food Kitchen’ offer. Highlighted with bespoke neon category signage, the open plan kitchen offers shoppers a wide menu of freshly cooked products, many of which feature locally sourced goods, including sausages, burgers and pastry products.
The menu changes throughout the day with morning choices including hot breakfast rolls, followed by lasagna, chilli con carne, chicken nuggets, curries and more, from lunchtime onwards.
“We’re also planning to launch pizzas as an evening choice later this summer,” Arul says.
And despite it still being early days (the new store’s Grand Opening was on 18 April) Arul says the offer has taken off very encouragingly – already selling more than 60 hot breakfasts and more than 40 hot lunches a day.
Further food-to-go choice can also be found in the store’s chilled aisles, including a whole bay of store-made sandwiches, baguettes and salad boxes.
“The old store only had two bays of chilled and now it has 13,” Arul says. “That’s another huge footfall driver.”
The additional space has also enabled Arul to expand the number of local lines that the store stocks, including two bays of local meats.
Further local lovelies can also be found in the store’s warm and welcoming bakery zone – home to a jaw-dropping display of doughy delights, many of which are locally sourced.
“Local products are another key ingredient for all our stores,” Arul says. “Our shoppers, both locals and tourists alike, seek out local products. They like the idea of supporting the local economy and they know the quality is great.
“Bakery is without doubt another standout feature in this store and we pride ourselves on the variety that we offer. In fact, sales are so strong that we are having to fully replenish the shelves three times a day.”
The stunning bakery zone has been further elevated with a number of bespoke touches including custom-built wooden display stands, which grant it the look and feel of an artisan bakery.
Bespoke feature lighting has also been created for the store’s brand-new supermarketstyle foyer.
“The development also included a total redesign of the storefront and its entrance,” Arul explains.
“The old store was quite dark with just one door that opened straight onto the shop floor. It can get quite chilly up here in the winter months and the old store used to let a lot of cold air in when it opened.
“Creating a new supermarket-style foyer entrance not only looks smart but also creates a much more comfortable shopping experience, with no cold draughts leeching in every time the door opens. Dirt and carbon from the forecourt are also kept from blowing in,” he adds.
The storefront itself was also granted a glittering new face, courtesy of floor-toceiling windows which let the light flood in – and shoppers with it.
“We set out to create a store that would stop shoppers in their tracks and give them no reason to shop anywhere else, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Arul says.
“Everyone who walks in can’t help but say ‘wow!’ and that’s exactly what we wanted.
“Premier New Elgin truly has it all. We have the range, we have the innovations, we have the services, we have the fuel – and we also have easy parking.”
And parking is about to get even easier, with construction of an even bigger car park currently in progress – paving the way to welcome even more shoppers in.
And in they most certainly are coming. Despite being open a mere four weeks at the time of writing, sales are up 30% and that’s off what was already a very strong base.
“The store was a great performer even before the refit – so to have already put on more than 30%, before the peak summer season even begins, is a fantastic result,” Arul concludes.
It certainly is!
Strike up sales this summer
While the Aussies might be renowned for their ‘snag’ sizzling skills, today’s Brits are certainly giving them a run for their money, especially at this time of year with ‘BBQ Season’ well and truly open and the battle for grilling glory on.
And they’ve certainly been getting in their practice. Despite its soggy start, last summer saw a 32% leap in burger sales over July and August, compared with the same period a year before, as Britons fired up their barbies.
Chilled prepared salad sales also rose by 22% over the same period, Kantar data shows.
Other processed beef products, including beef grills, beef sausages and sliced cooked
meats also experienced improved year-onyear volume performance over the summer of 2024, data from data from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) shows.
Added value products, including premarinated packaged meats, were a hit too, as shoppers stocked up on flavour-packed products that offered additional ease and
Toast the season
The NP5 promotional period serves up a
convenience.
And the signs for 2025’s Summer and BBQ Season look equally, if not more promising.
BBQ season 2025 got off to a banger thanks to the hottest ever start to May – a fact which prompted chilled burger sales to rise by 27% on the same period last year, according to Kantar data.
And shoppers didn’t forget the all-important sides, with sales of potato salad having rocketed by 32% and coleslaw and prepared salads by 19% each too.
Premier shoppers are certainly well placed to make the most out of this summer’s BBQ season with a vast array products sure to help shoppers achieve flame fame.
BUTCHER’S SPECIALS
The NP6 period will see Butcher’s Specials on 500g packs of Jack’s Chicken Breast Fillets which will feature a promotional RSP of £5.49.
The perfect addition to any BBQ, especially when glazed with marinade or sandwiched within a buttery brioche bun – these crowdpleasing poultry protagonists also offer retailers tasty PORs of 23.5%.
And that’s far from all. Jack’s sausages
will also be on promotion for just £2.99 per 400g pack in NP6. Available in a trio of tasty flavours including Premium Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire, the own brand bangers will offer retailers a meaty POR of 30%.
Butcher’s Specials will also apply to 430g packs of Jacks Chicken Drumsticks – ideal for using in snacky summer lunches and packing into picnics. With a promotional RSP of just £1.99 they will also drum up PORs of 24.1% for retailers.
And of course it’s not all about the mains. Sides also play a seminal role in the summer BBQ opportunity and Premier retailers have a cracking array to choose from, including Jack’s Deli Style Coleslaw and its hero Potato Salad, which recently underwent a recipe refresh ahead of the key summer period.
Perfect for topping burgers and stuffing into wraps, flatbreads and pittas, cheese products also offer grate prospects.
Premier retailers can tempt the shoppers to build bigger baskets with products including Jack’s Mild and Mature Cheddar Slices and grated products such as Jack’s Grated Mozzarella and Grated Mild and Mature cheddar – all of which feature £2.49 PMPs or can be bought as part of an ‘Any 2 for £4’ deal.
CREAM OF THE CROP
No summer BBQ occasion would be complete without an iced delight or two to round off proceedings and Premier retailers can offer their shoppers a real scoop with NP5 Mega Deals on key Ben and Jerry’s 465ml tubs including Choc Fudge Brownie, Cookie Dough, Phish Food, Strawberry Cheesecake and Karamel Sultra –all of which have an RSP of £6.55 and are available on a BOGOF deal!
Recipes for success
A number of key Jack’s deli products have been given a recipe refresh ahead of the
DELICIOUS DEALS
WINE TO SHINE
Retailers will also be able to offer shoppers a crisp serving of new wine products to accompany their summer gatherings and BBQsincluding new Red, Rosé and Pinot Grigio from the Not Guilty brand. Available now and throughout the NP5 period, each 75cl bottle will feature a promotional RSP of just £4.99 offering a POR of 20%.
As ever, the 2025 BBQ season will also be supported by a mighty mix of Mega Deals.
The NP5 period includes Mega Deals on key crisp and snack brands, ideal for shoppers to munch on while the sausages sizzle.
Look out for Mega Deals on Wotsits Giants Cheese and Wotsits Giants Flamin Hot both of which are on special offer to shoppers for just £1.65. There’s also
Cheezit Double Cheese and Chilli Cheese which are both available as part of a BOGOF deal.
In NP6, Premier retailers will also be able to offer Mega Deals on Pringles Hot Sweet Chilli and Hot Fried Chicken – both of which will be available in £2.75 PMPs and as part of a deal entitling shoppers to a 2-litre bottle of Sprite plus a tube of Pringles for just £3.50.
Other NP6 link deals include ‘Buy any Estrella or Thatchers 4-pack and get any 150g Tyrrells crisps free’
From vibrant vegetables to marvellous meats, the summer BBQ occasion also opens the door to creating inspiring displays and in-store theatre.
Premier can help here too - thanks to its bold and bright summer creatives that are sure to help you drum up even more delicious displays.
Premier’s bold and bright summer creative reinforces the ‘Summer Value’ message and features cheery ice cream, beach ball, hotdog and BBQ graphics on a colourful background.
Sticking with the colourful theme, retailers will also be able to offer their shoppers beautiful ‘Blackcurrant Smoothie’ inspired floral bouquets from Olive and Accacia over the NP6 promotional period.
With an RSP of just £6.50 and including an Extra 20% free, the berry-coloured blooms are sure to score with shoppers over the summer season. And with a POR of 30.8%, their bound to be a hit with retailers too.
So, what are you waiting for? Premier has supplied the matches and it’s time for you to strike.
M296890
NATURE MAKES US
Water is the fastest growing category in soft drinks*
In Impulse, Highland Spring is growing 5x faster than the category**
Chill out!
Available soon, to Premier stores serviced by BRP depots, Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure is packed with layers of cool counsel – guaranteed to help you become a true chilled champion.
Convenience stores have always played an important role within their local communities – and since the pandemic their place in local hearts, minds and shopping habits has moved to centre stage.
One of the many positive upshots of this continuing shift is the growing demand for fresh and frozen products – as local shoppers
increasingly look to their local stores to provide them with quality, convenient and affordable meal solutions right on their doorsteps.
As almost every single profile in Talking Shop quite clearly shows, Premier retailers are investing in both categories like never before, expanding and reconfiguring their stores to make way for new and improved ranges, purchasing new equipment and display
New
Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure
Coming soon, the new Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure will help retailers to make the very most of the growing fresh and frozen categories. Boost your footfall and basket spend with key info on:
l New products
l Range insights
l Category advice
l Merchandising masterclass
l New and emerging shopper trends
Iced delights
With its cost, convenience and sustainability credentials, it’s little wonder that the frozen food market has experienced such a resurgence in recent times.
Frozen vegetables, potato, bread and chicken products, plus ready meals, such as pizzas, have all been key drivers of volume and value growth.
In fact, if you remove ice cream (which suffered at the hands of 2024’s wash-out summer) from the equation – the frozen category achieved a value growth of 1.6%, with unit sales up 0.4% in the year to 29 December 2024, according to Kantar data.
Frozen poultry, savoury baked goods, desserts, ready meals and potato products all showed significant value and unit growth, with poultry volumes up 6.5%, savoury bakery up 2.9%, potatoes up 2.2% and ready meals up 1.3%.
With costs set to continue biting, frozen foods could well be set for an even more successful year – presenting retailers with a sparkling opportunity to boost footfall sales and profits.
“Getting your fresh and chilled offer right is an absolute must these days. It’s become a star performer in our store and now accounts for 40% of daily sales – massive for a store of just 600sq ft! Availability and presentation are key – as is perseverance, when introducing a new chilled range. We had some wastage in the early weeks but that’s dropped now that awareness of our offer has grown.”
MARCUS PARKINSON Windermere Convenience Store
RETAILER VIEW
solutions, and investing in staff training to make the absolute most of both opportunities.
And now, Booker is helping them to maximise the prize even further with a comprehensive new Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure.
Available to Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots from 11 August, this ultimate guide has been designed to help retailers create truly irresistible fresh and frozen offers that can’t fail to drive footfall, sales and profits to new heights.
Split into key sections, including Fresh Fruit, Deli, Cooked Meats, Juices and Smoothies, Frozen Vegetables, Frozen Bread and many more, the brochure will provide a deep dive into the vast range of fresh and frozen choice available to them.
It will also shine a spotlight on lesserexplored categories, such as Fruit and Nuts, Fish, Fresh Herbs and Salads – helping retailers to add even more colour and interest to their offers.
Must stock hero lines, including top-selling Jack’s-branded goods, such as Jack’s Garlic Flatbread, British Cooked Ham, Grated Mature Cheddar, Garden Peas, and Royal Gala Apples, will also be showcased.
Retailers will also be treated to an appetising array of category insights, market analysis,
and advice on the new and emerging shopper trends to get on board with and set their tills ringing.
They can also harness top tips for merchandising and creating delicious displays that look good enough to eat.
Commenting on the new Fresh and Frozen Food Brochure, Booker’s Retail Managing Director Colm Johnson said: “We know that fresh and frozen products are essential for today’s shopper – whether that’s great quality produce for tonight’s dinner or frozen essentials for the week ahead.
“This brochure is designed to help our retail partners unlock that potential with confidence, using fantastic products, strong value and clear guidance. It’s about helping retailers make the most of what the market is telling us customers want more of.”
RETAILER VIEW
THAMBIRAJAH Premier Queen Street
Cool runnings
Convenience stores invested more than £1bn in their businesses over the last year, with refrigeration ringing in as the largest area of investment, according to the ACS Local Shop Report 2024.
Well over half (56%) of convenience retailers invested in refrigeration in a bid to make more of the growing fresh and chilled opportunity.
“Frozen is a significant category for any convenience store these days but especially so in our store which has a large student demographic. As a result, our offer features a dedicated frozen zone, with dedicated freezers for Indian, Chinese and African ready meals and products. Four doors of space are also allocated to traditional British frozen fare, where potato products, frozen chicken and pizzas lead the way.”
JEYASEELAN
New Products
MJ’S DINER PMP ICE CREAM CLASSIC MILK CHOCOLATE LOLLIES
Case size: 20x4pk
WSP: £25.69
RSP: £2.49
POR: 38.1%
MJ’S DINER PMP ICE CREAM CLASSIC WHITE CHOCOLATE LOLLIES
Case size: 20x4pk
WSP: £25.69
RSP: £2.49
POR: 38.1%
MJ’S DINER AIR FRYER MEALS KEBAB MEAT WITH CHIPS AND SRIRACHA SAUCE
Case size: 12x450g
WSP: £25.79
RSP: £2.89
POR: 25.6%
MJ’S DINER PMP ICE CREAM CHOCOLATE AND NUT CONES
Case size: 16x6pk
WSP: £24.99
RSP: £2.99
POR: 37.3%
MJ’S DINER AIR FRYER MEALS SALT AND PEPPER CHICKEN WITH CHIPS
Case size: 12x450g WSP: £25.79
MJ’S DINER PMP ICE CREAM STRAWBERRY AND VANILLA CONES
Case size: 16x6pk
WSP: £24.99
RSP: £2.99
POR: 37.3%
New Products
SNACKSTERS SAUSAGE ROLL
Case size: 6x130g WSP: £5.89
MYPROTEIN
SNACKSTERS SANDWICHES CHEESE & ONION, CHICKEN & BACON, CHEESE & PICKLE, CHICKEN TIKKA, TUNA MAYO
Case size: 6x1
£7.29
£1.99
38.9%
POTS PANANG CHICKEN, FIRECRACKER CHICKEN, JAPANESE STYLE CHICKEN CURRY, CHIPOTLE BEEF CHILLI
Case size: 6x325g
WSP: £15.30
RSP: £4.25
POR: 40%
SNACKSTERS WRAPS CHICKEN FAJITA, CHICKEN CAESAR
Case size: 6x1pk
WSP: £7.99
RSP: £2.09
POR: 36.3%
New Products
PRO
CUISINE
BEEF RAGU, BEEF STROGANOFF, LAMB ROGAN JOSH,
BEEF
BOURGUINON, THAI GREEN CHICKEN CURREY
Case size: 6x400g
WSP: £16.25
RSP: £5.00
POR: 45.8%
BOOKER GROUP EXCLUSIVE
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE 50cl
Booker Group Exclusive
Case size: 6x50cl
WSP: £79.99
HARIBO HARRY POTTER
Case size: 12x160g
WSP: £9.09
RSP: £1.25
POR: 27.3%
RSP: £19.99
POR: 20%
BetterService
IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE
Open to all
Shining the spotlight on Booker’s thriving Race & Ethnicity@Booker Colleague Network.
Last issue we introduced you to Booker’s four flourishing Colleague Networks – the onsong quartet which strives to advocate, applaud and aid Booker colleagues from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Comprising Race & Ethnicity@Booker, Women@Booker, LGBTQ+@Booker and Disability@Booker – the fab four share three key objectives: Amplify, Celebrate and Consult – with each network seeking to spark important conversations and foster a deeper sense of connection and understanding across the business.
We’ll be exploring each of the four networks in detail over the coming months and we’re kicking off this issue by shining the spotlight on the Race & Ethnicity@Booker Colleague
Being part of the network provides a great opportunity to come together to talk on an informal level about diversity, equity and inclusion. Raymond
We get to learn so much about different cultures, personalities and preferences at various religious events. Penny
Network.
Created in September 2023, Race & Ethnicity@Booker provides a safe space to celebrate diversity, spark meaningful conversations, support colleagues from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and help shape an inclusive future at Booker.
The network makes that happen with the help of four key pillars:
l Engagement – proactively consulting colleagues via listening sessions and focus groups.
l Education – actively celebrating and educating on colleagues’ cultures, personalities and preferences.
l Community – supporting charitable events and organisations in the communities that Booker serves.
l Growth – encouraging all colleagues to understand others and embrace the opportunities and challenges of change.
Teamwork is the key to the network’s success. With the help and support of passionate Chairs, pioneering Executive Sponsors and progressive Allies, the network’s harmony of voices help drive meaningful change.
Its ambitions are also supported by three dedicated committees.
A Colleague Feedback & Insight Committee organises listening sessions which seek to identify new trends and any additional needs, along with common barriers.
Facilitating these sessions ensures that members feel heard and understand exactly how their feedback is being used.
Race & Ethnicity@ Booker
Network key aims:
l Celebrate diversity
l Ensure equity and inclusion for all
The network provides trust and security to share experiences and to speak up. Alpha
l Educate and raise cultural awareness
l Help shape an inclusive future at Booker
A separate Talent & Development Committee helps to promote internal and external opportunities for diverse talent and to celebrate success stories.
The Talent and Development Committee also works with other teams to facilitate mentoring programs.
Thirdly, a dedicated Events and Comms Committee plans, coordinates and promotes numerous events throughout the year – as well as providing updates to the wider network.
Recent initiatives have included a virtual event in celebration of Ramadan where Dr. Baiq from the University of Exeter talked network members through ‘ Understanding Ramadan’.
Eid was also celebrated at Booker Manchester, while Black History Month was marked at Booker’s Hatfield Distribution Centre.
Diwali, meanwhile, was celebrated in Leicester and Vaisakhi at the Gurdwara in Bedford.
A number of Listening Sessions, both Virtual and In-person were also held across the country to proactively engage colleagues, with more to follow in the coming months.
And, as with all four of Booker’s Colleague Networks, Race & Ethnicity@ Booker is open to all.
BetterService
IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE
Premier retailers deliver profits with Scoot
Booker’s new low-cost Scoot rapid delivery app is already driving increased sales and profits for Premier retailers.
Designed by retailers for retailers, it’s little surprise that Booker’s new lowcost Scoot rapid delivery solution is already proving massively popular with Premier retailers across the country.
Scoot promises to help you make more and save more – an estimated £34,000 more profit each year to be precise, based on weekly sales of just £2,500 at 26% gross margin.
With only 1% commission charged up
to £4,999 of weekly in-app sales – and zero commission once you hit £5,000 a week –Scoot delivers an outstanding low-cost app that facilitates home deliveries to shoppers in as little as 30 minutes.
There are also no shopper charges – giving you the flexibility to offer the service for free, should you wish – or set your own delivery, service or minimum order fees. The app connects shoppers directly with participating stores, enabling them to order from a range of products, curated by you, the retailer.
GET ON BOARD
It’s easy to see, then, why so many Premier retailers have decided to use Scoot. Guppy Singh of Premier Ashurst in Lancashire, for example, had never offered home delivery before, but Scoot made it achievable for the first time.
He said: “I was delighted to hear that Booker was launching Scoot and couldn’t wait to sign up. As a Premier retailer for more than 20 years, I trust Booker with my business, and for me, Scoot offered the whole package.
Why Scoot?
l Fully flexible model
l Make an estimated £34,000 additional profit per year (based on weekly app sales of £2,500 at 26% gross margin)
l ZERO commission once you reach £5,000 of weekly sales on the app
l ZERO consumer charges giving you the ability to offer the service for free
l 0.7% average card transaction fee
l Save up to £16,000 per year with Scoot vs other rapid delivery platforms based on weekly sales of £4,999
l Want to get to the next band of Spend and Save? –Scoot can help you
l Dedicated onboarding and set up support, including PoS package
Did you know?
l Average delivered basket transaction is £27* (3x more than in store)
l One in three shoppers are interested in using Rapid Grocery Delivery*
l Key times for your shoppers to order are:
l Dinner
l Lunch and Evening snack
l Treats*
l The market is set to grow to £2.6bn by 2029 from £2bn*
l 34% of convenience stores offer a local delivery service**
l 80% of orders are delivered within a one-mile radius
l The busiest days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday*
l The top three categories are:
l Treats and snacks – including crisps, chocolate & sweets (68%)
l Cold drinks -including soft and alcoholic (62%)
l General food - top up shop (48%)*
“I’d never offered home delivery before, so the support and advice that I received during set up and launch was invaluable, and that support is ongoing. The marketing support that I am also receiving is another significant benefit.
“We had a very successful launch and I’m expecting sales to continue building over the weeks and months to come. We are already a very busy store and now home delivery is another string to our bow.”
MUST HAVE
To help retailers even further, Scoot has also partnered with the Eskuta brand.
Retailers can receive a Scoot-branded SX-250 Series 4 eBike for easy weekly payments from only £30 a week.
The cost includes damage and theft insurance, an eBike tracker, servicing at your store, and a helmet.
To find out more, visit eskuta.com/scoot or call 02476 350 150.
In 2019, just 12% of convenience stores offered home delivery, according to the Association of Convenience Stores’ (ACS) Local Shop Report – but by last year and in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, that figure had soared to 47%.
Convenience stores’ use of social media, the key medium for promoting home delivery services, has similarly surged over the same period.
We had a very successful launch and I’m expecting sales to continue building over the weeks and months to come. We are already a very busy store and now home delivery is another string to our bow.
Guppy Singh, Premier Ashurst, Lancashire
In 2019, only 39% of convenience stores had a Facebook page, while just 11% were on Instagram. But by 2024, those figures had climbed to 74% and 43% respectively – with 15% on TikTok too – the ACS Local Shop Report 2024 shows.
Today, rapid response home delivery services are widely regarded as a ‘must’ by successful convenience store owners – helping them to reach new customers and ignite sales and profits.
*TWS; **ACS
Done Right.
BASKET BOOM
One of the key attractions of home delivery is basket spend. Did you know, for instance, that the average delivered basket transaction is £27? That’s around three times more than in-store!
Scoot is a secure platform that also facilitates the ordering, payment, and picking processes, so all you need to do is organise the delivery. Retailers who sign up receive support from a dedicated Business Development Manager (BDM) and their existing RDM, who together will assist with on-boarding, including product file set up, training and live support.
Your dedicated BDM and RDM will also help you to develop a plan to grow sales to £5,000 – eliminating commission entirely – and increasing your profitability.
Retailers also receive an exceptional launch support package worth over £2,800 – including point of sale, digital assets and thermal delivery bags.
All of this is backed by heavyweight marketing support, including targeted social media adverts, and a contribution towards a full promotional wrap for your delivery vehicles.
Colm Johnson, Managing Director for Booker Retail, said: “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to help our customers grow their business, so we are incredibly proud to announce the launch of Scoot, to support them in doing just that.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our retailers to increase their basket spend and store sales, and connect with new and existing shoppers in their local communities.
“The feedback from our pilot test has been really positive and we look forward to welcoming more retailers to the platform over the next few months.”
SCOOT FAQs
What costs are involved for retailers who are interested in introducing Scoot to their store?
Retailers interested in introducing Scoot to their store will incur a one-time setup fee of only £395.
There is a 1% service charge on in-app sales up to £5,000 per week, however this is removed once a retailer consistently achieves over £5,000 in weekly in-app sales, over a four-week period.
A card processing fee of approximately 0.7% will apply to all transactions.
Next day settlement of all consumer transactions occurs, with the exception of the weekend and bank holidays. This means the money goes straight into the retailer’s account as opposed to being held for up to a week versus other platforms.
What is the set-up process like for retailers introducing Scoot to their store?
The setup process for retailers introducing Scoot to their store is designed to be seamless and non-intrusive, allowing them to continue trading as usual throughout the onboarding process.
Once confirmed, retailers should go live on the platform within two weeks of the merchant ID being completed.
What launch support can retailers expect?
Key support and equipment include:
l a hand-held terminal to facilitate easy order processing;
l thermal bags to maintain food temperature during delivery;
l a contribution towards vehicle wraps to help promote the service;
l digital marketing support with geo-targeted social media campaigns to reach the right audience;
l in-store radio advertising;
l full Point of Sale suite to promote Scoot in-store;
l the Scoot team will ensure that the retailer’s range is uploaded to the platform and the platform is correctly set up in advance of launch;
l market-leading and App Exclusive promotions.
One month after the ban on disposable vapes came into force, James Lowman considers the challenges and opportunities that still lie ahead for retailers.
Digesting the disposable vape ban
Convenience retailers are doing a great job of helping to drive up vape recycling rates but further education for vapers may be needed for the regulations to achieve their aim.
The ban on disposable vapes has now been in force for around a month, with retailers switching out their remaining product lines for compliant devices and moving disposable stock away from the shop floor.
For many, this has been an ongoing process over the last few months that has been a pretty straightforward transition for both colleagues and customers. In many cases there aren’t instantly recognisable differences between the packaging for the old disposable products and the new rechargeable ones, so just switching customers across to the ‘new version’ has been the preferred route for lots of retailers.
The intention of the regulations is to stem the tide of disposable vape products being discarded in huge numbers on our streets. Rechargeable and refillable vapes are intended
to be used several times, so people should in theory keep hold of them longer. And as they’re more obviously electrical products, the idea is that they’ll be more likely to be recycled when people have finished with them rather than being thrown away.
The danger of course, is that if customers aren’t really paying attention to whether they’re rechargeable or not and their previous behaviour was to throw the vape away when it ran out of puffs, it’s very unlikely that they’ll change course without some kind of intervention or education.
The other reason why people may be inclined to throw away the new devices they purchase is the availability of refills. The regulations state that refills for the products sold have to be available on the market, but don’t have to be available in the same shop that the device itself is sold in.
There are clearly benefits to being able to offer pods or refills to shoppers to secure that repeat business and loyalty, but for some it will create an unintentional barrier for customers.
Retailers have done a lot of great work in recent months since the introduction of requirements to provide vape recycling bins in store came into force and communicate those facilities to customers, so in this next phase of the vaping category our sector is set up well to drive recycling rates and do our part to reduce litter and the waste of important components like the lithium batteries that devices include.
It remains to be seen whether the Government will see this intervention as a success, but to give it the best chance they, and we, should do our best to communicate to customers that any vape, old or new, should be recycled and never thrown away or discarded.