Talking Shop
Shoppers in the seaside town of Deal can’t resist Navith Qamarul’s outstanding new Premier store.
Welcome
Fields are turning from green to gold and as we approach the autumn, with its rich crop of seasonal celebrations, retailers have an abundance of opportunities to harvest plentiful footfall, sales and profits.
From the ‘Back To School’ rush to Diwali, Halloween and Bonfire Night, there’s a whole host of events and celebrations to get behind as we build up to the crucial festive season – and as ever Premier is helping you to make the very most of them with a plentiful crop of support.
Check out the Halloween feature in this issue to get the low-down on some of the marvellous Mega Deals, NPD and activity that we’ve got planned to help you harness frightfully good sales.
As the home delivery opportunity continues to gather momentum, you’ll also find a great piece on Scoot –Booker’s new low-cost rapid delivery solution, which is already proving massively popular with Premier retailers across the country. In this issue you can read how the Singh brothers in Sheffield have driven sales growth of 20% since moving to Scoot.
Be sure to also check out the feature on Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen brochure which has been designed to help retailers maximise opportunities across one of the fastest-growing areas in convenience.
Available to Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots, the brochure includes practical guidance on how to optimise their fresh and chilled offers, grow basket spend and respond to evolving shopper expectations around freshness and convenience.
Our latest feature on Booker’s Colleague Networks and the inspiring work of Women@Booker is another must read.
Naturally, this issue of Talking Shop also includes the same scrumptious serving of new product updates, news and inspiring retailer profiles.
So sit back, relax, and read on to bask in the glow of the autumn opportunity.
I wish you all fruitful trading.
Martyn Parkinson, Sales Director – Booker Wholesale
COVER STORY
Navith Qamarul’s new Premier store is making waves in the seaside town of Deal.
THE THREE BIG STORIES
7 WhatsApp?
Booker continues to dial up comms with its new WhatsApp channel.
56 Scoring with Scoot
The Singh family have never looked back since moving to Scoot.
75 Get connected Shining the spotlight on the Women@Booker Network.
Share your shop news
If you’ve got news, tips or feature ideas, please get in touch with Talking Shop:
News
Premier dials up customer comms with new WhatsApp channel for retailers.
Community News
The latest round-up of community stories from Premier stores.
Industry News
C-stores remain a top three community service.
GroceryAid Update
The latest news from the grocery industry’s very own charity.
marvellous
Footfall, sales and profits are flourishing at Arul Palaniappan’s latest Premier store in Forres.
48
All smiles
One year on from opening his brand-new store in Alford, Premier retailer Munish Tandon’s got a lot to smile about. 56 Scoot
Update
Scoot continues to drive up sales and profits for Premier retailers.
Get set for a spooktactular Halloween season. 63 Freshen
Up
Chill out with Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen brochure. 69 New
product roundup
The real Deal
Our pick of the hottest new products around. 75 Booker
Networks
Navith Qamarul’s on the runway to success with his first store in the seaside town of Deal, Kent.
Praga Balasubramaniam has upsized his small Premier store with mighty fine results.
Shining the spotlight on the inspirational work of the Women@Booker network.
83
ACS Viewpoint
James Lowman ponders the Government’s new Small Business Plan.
The new Premier store making waves in Deal.
Rustington’s shoppers have a mighty fine new Premier.
Munish Tandon’s new Alford store is winning locally.
NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER
Premier retailers bag benefits of Booker’s official WhatsApp channel PremierNews
Booker’s official B2B WhatsApp channel provides retailers with more personalised content and early access to deals and new product news.
Premier retailers are reaping the rewards of joining Booker’s official WhatsApp channel, including first access to unbeatable wholesale deals and special offers.
Launched earlier this summer, the new B2B WhatsApp channel also provides retailers with access to far more personalised content – in line with their fascia, region, branch and more.
Urgent and time-sensitive messages, including order cut-off times, branch closures and weather warnings, can be sent and received in an instant – helping retailers to manage their businesses better.
They can also receive digital vouchers, Club information and updates on pre-sells and promotions.
Retailers who join the channel also enjoy being the first in line to find out about exciting new products, including Group Exclusives.
They also benefit from category insights and top tips to help them grow their businesses.
Retailers can join the channel in a variety of ways, including email sign-up, online, or via a link or QR code.
For more information, speak to your RDM.
Why join Booker’s official WhatsApp channel?
SPECIAL OFFERS
Get instant updates on new promotions, special offers and events.
FIRST TO KNOW
Be the first to see new products and Group Exclusives.
INSIGHTS AND TIPS
Get industry insights and category advice to help you grow your business.
STAY UP TO DATE
Keep up to date on trade shows, pre-sells, order cut-off dates, recalls and branch news.
JOIN HERE!
Use the sign-up link: app.proconnectplatform.com/join/booker
ACS WELCOMES LOW PAY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS
ACS has welcomed the publication of the Low Pay Commission’s remit for minimum wage recommendations in 2026, which will retain the two-thirds of median earnings target.
This year’s remit confirms that the Government has asked the Commission to ensure that the National Living Wage rate does not drop below two-thirds of median earnings.
The current central estimate for two-thirds of median earnings is £12.71 per hour, which would mean an increase of 4.1% next year. However, the Commission has stated that there are challenges with predicting this figure accurately, so have predicted a range of between £12.55 and £12.86 per hour.
The LPC will make its final recommendations by the end of October 2025.
NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER
Premier store says cheers to 40 years! CommunityNews
IN-STORE BOOK SHOP RAISES PAGE-TURNING CHARITABLE SUM
Third generation-run Denmore Food and Wine in Rhyl, Wales, has marked 40 years of successful trading with a special celebration for its local community.
The store, which has also been trading with Premier for 30 years, was established in 1985 by Bill Wilson and his son-in-law Bob Sykes and wife Angela.
Today, Bob and Angela’s son Seann also works in the business.
The milestone anniversary was marked with a community Fun Day held outside the store on Saturday 26 July that featured an
array of games, competitions, samples and product giveaways for shoppers to enjoy.
Booker helped to support the fun-filled day with free stock through its Wrexham CTM branch.
The store is an active supporter of community life, and also makes regular charitable contributions to the RNLI, local rotary club, Brighter Futures Rhyl and many more.
It also donated an oak tree, that Bob grew from an acorn, to nearby Gwrych Castle after storms damaged some of its ancient trees.
Charitable donations take off in Durham
Shoppers at Premier Core Convenience Store in Newton Hall, near Durham, have helped to raise just shy of £1,000 for a lifesaving regional charity.
By donating pounds, pennies and loose change to the store’s collection box, shoppers have raised £966.48 for the Great North Air Ambulance Charity.
The Great North Air Ambulance Charity operates a fleet of three helicopters across the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man.
The community-minded team at Premier Girvan, South Ayrshire, have raised more than £1,000 for charity through the sale of second-hand books.
The incredible sum, raised in just four months, has been donated to the Breast Cancer Now charity.
Local shoppers can donate used books for all ages to the store, which then sells them on for £1. Many of the books on offer have been donated by the in-store team themselves.
The book sale continues, with a new target of £2,000 now to be reached for the Beatson Cancer Charity.
In July, shoppers at Premier Girvan also said a fond farewell to sales assistant Steph, who retired after 14 years of loyal service.
Store manager Amanda Speirs said: “Steph has been with us since the day the store opened in 2011. Thank you, Steph, for your dedication and hard work. We hope you have a long and happy retirement, much love from us all.”
1m x 1m space required
Up to 200 drinks range
600mm x 1m space required
Available with or without Costa stand
WHY CHOOSE COSTA EXPRESS?
We sell 5 cups of coffee every second. Offer your customers the Nation’s No.1 coffee brand in store. You provide the milk and we provide all other consumables, marketing materials, field service support and training.
Please speak to your Booker RDM to find out more about getting Costa Express into your store. Alternatively, email bookergroup@costacoffee.com for more information.
A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY
Convenience stores remain a top three service for communities IndustryNews
the ‘Most positive impact’; and viewed as ‘Most important in supporting the local economy’, according to the 2025 Community Barometer, released by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).
The report asks UK consumers to rank 16 different local services on a range of areas and – across the main categories – pharmacies, Post Offices and convenience stores ranked as a clear top three.
As part of the Community Barometer, ACS also asked consumers about the main reasons why they use their local convenience store. The top six reasons are:
1. Picking up additional bits of shopping through the week to top up the main shop.
2. Dropping off or collecting parcels.
Pharmacies, Post Offices and convenience stores are the three services that make the biggest positive difference to communities, new findings show.
Using Post Office services.
Getting additional bits of shopping because they’re the only shop that has what I need.
5. Getting cash out from a cash machine.
6. Doing the main shop for the week.
ACS chief executive, James Lowman, said: “It’s clear that people use their local shops for diverse range of products and services, and increasingly as parcel hubs to bridge the gap between online and physical shopping, but also for the intangibles like as a social hub.
“Every community has different needs and our members’ superpower is adapting their offer to make sure the right products and services are available.
“We’re proud of our members’ commitment to making everyone welcome in store and being at the heart of their communities.”
EVRI TO INVEST £50M IN CUTTINGEDGE LOCKERS
Evri is seeking to more than double its network of ParcelShops and lockers to 25,000 by 2030.
To support the growth, Evri is investing more than £50m in the launch of an owned, in-house network of smart lockers that it says will “bring dynamic new functionality to the consumer experience”.
More than 10,000 lockers will be rolled out as part of its plans.
Evri currently has a network of more than 10,000 ParcelShops and lockers.
Its partnerships and investment will more than double this by 2030, with Parcelshops and locker locations set to grow to 25,000 –hitting the 2,000-locker milestone before Christmas 2025.
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
HFSS promotion restrictions soon to be enforced in England
Retailers are being reminded of new HFSS promotion restrictions coming into force this October.
New regulations restricting the promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) will come into force in England on 1 October 2025.
The regulations apply to businesses with 50 or more employees regardless of store floor space size.
Symbol group or franchise retailers may also fall within scope, depending on how staffing and operations are structured.
Under the new rules, volume-based promotions on HFSS products will be banned, meaning retailers will no longer be able to offer:
l Multi-buy deals such as ‘3 for £10’
l Free product incentives like ‘Buy One Get One Free’ (BOGOF) or ‘50% extra free’
l Loyalty point incentives on HFSS items
l Promotions on party-style platters containing HFSS items
Meal deals and pre-packaged multipack offers will still be permitted under the legislation. Affected categories include items such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, cakes, ready meals, confectionery, and soft drinks.
To support retailers, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has developed a summary of the measures and a comprehensive Assured Advice guide.
Visit acs.org.uk/advice/hfss-regulations for more information.
NEW GUIDANCE ON SLUSH SALES FOR PARENTS AND STORES
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued new guidance urging retailers to not offer free slush refills to children aged under 10.
Manufacturers of slush ice drink concentrates have also been reminded to use only the minimum amount of glycerol necessary to achieve the frozen effect.
The guidance was timed to coincide with the launch of a new summer communication campaign urging parents and caregivers not to give children under seven any slush ice drinks containing glycerol.
The FSA also advised that children aged seven to 10 should have no more than one 350ml slush drink per day.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is also urging retailers who sell slush to display signs reminding shoppers that slush containing glycerol should not be consumed by children under seven.
While not a legal requirement, the ACS said that displaying the signage was best practice.
Report calls for urgent action on Post Office Horizon scandal
Sir Wyn Williams has published the first volume of his final report into the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, including urgent recommendations.
Urgent action must be taken to ensure full and fair compensation for the victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal, Sir Wyn Williams has demanded in the first volume of his final report on the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
The 162-page report featured 17 case studies of Horizon victims, illustrating the devastating ways in which their lives had been impacted.
“Between 2000 and 2013 in England and Wales, and for some time after 2013 in Northern Ireland and Scotland, postmasters and others suffered the trauma of criminal prosecution, conviction, and punishment and, for some, punishment meant lengthy periods of imprisonment. I received reports that some people held liable for shortfalls became ill as a consequence; tragically I heard, too, of people of whom it is said that they were driven to take their own lives,” Williams said.
Laid before Parliament in July 2025, Williams made 19 urgent recommendations to resolve issues that are hindering full and fair redress, including that:
l The Government and the Post Office should agree on a definition of ‘full and fair’ compensation, and this should be followed when deciding the level of compensation to offer.
l Horizon Shortfall Scheme claimants should receive legal advice, funded by the Government.
l Close family members of people affected by the Horizon scandal should receive compensation.
Responding to the report, Post Office Chair Nigel Railton, said: “I would like to make a clear and unequivocal apology to every single person affected by this scandal on behalf of Post Office.
“I will do everything in my power to make sure that affected postmasters receive the redress they are entitled to, as soon as possible.”
PayPoint doubles retailer commission for Love2shop gift cards
PayPoint has doubled retailer partner commission on Love2shop gift card sales and revealed new display units.
Retailers can now earn 10% on each physical gift card sold.
With £32 being the average gift card value for consumers to purchase, this will earn retailers £3.20 on the sale.
The boost in commission comes at the same time as a newly designed gift card.
PayPoint retailers can also earn 1% commission on digital gift vouchers for a wide range of brands including: Amazon, Deliveroo, Google Play, Netflix, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Anthony Sappor, Retail Proposition and Partnerships Director at PayPoint, said: “We hope that the doubling of commission on Love2shop gift cards provides an extra boost and incentive to promote the gifting option to customers and reward retailers accordingly.”
RISING FOOD PRICES NOW TOP CONCERN FOR UK SHOPPERS
Food prices are now the top concern for UK shoppers – overtaking worries about energy costs, IGD’s latest Viewpoint report revealed.
The finding came as IGD revealed that food inflation was set to peak at 5.1% in late summer 2025, significantly outpacing general inflation.
The rise is expected to place further pressure on both households and businesses, as the UK economy continues to grapple with sluggish growth and persistent price pressures, IGD said. Looking ahead to 2027, the report offers cautious optimism, forecasting a gradual decline in food inflation to 1.8% by mid-2027.
Michael Freedman, Head of Economic and Consumer Insight at IGD said: “Amid economic uncertainty, shoppers are cautious with their finances, increasing private label purchases while reducing impulse and indulgence buys.”
JTI campaign seeks to turn screw on illicit tobacco
The ‘It costs more than you think’ campaign will push for policy change at a national level, including tougher enforcement and better crossborder controls.
JTI has launched a new national campaign calling on the Government to dial up its efforts to tackle illicit tobacco sales which continue to harm communities in every region of the UK.
The call to action coincides with the publication of a landmark new study, which reveals that threequarters (77%) of consumers are concerned about the repercussions of reporting illicit tobacco in their community.
The ‘It costs more than you think’ campaign highlights how the illicit trade in tobacco is at an inflection point, with a fear of repercussion in reporting, lack of awareness in identifying it and a lack of law enforcement in response.
Notable findings include:
l 69% of UK adults have heard of illegal tobacco but 64% are unsure how to identify it.
l 77% say they are worried about potential repercussions if they report it.
l 81% believe there is not enough enforcement to stop illegal tobacco sales.
l 90% are alarmed that illicit tobacco trade is fuelling organised crime.
l 38% want stricter enforcement.
In the coming months, the campaign will seek to raise awareness of the negative impact of illicit tobacco sales and push for policy change at a national level, including tougher enforcement, improved funding for Trading Standards and better cross-border controls to tackle serious organised crime.
The costsmorethanyouthink.co.uk website also has a dedicated retailer page with information on how to report stores selling illicit goods.
Retailers can also download a letter template to share with their local MP to raise awareness of illicit tobacco in their area.
DIGITALISE PHYSICAL STORES OR BE LEFT BEHIND, IGD WARNS
Retailers who fail to invest in digital technology for their physical stores are at risk of becoming “irrelevant,” IGD is warning.
In its latest Retail Analysis report, ‘The hyperconnected store: the retail revolution,’ IGD says that retailers who want to stay relevant and thrive in the digital age should reinvent their real estate and evolve operations to create a ‘unified commercial offering’.
This means joining up online and offline shopping experiences by linking stores to ecommerce, loyalty, retail media, and data and insights.
“Retailers have to accelerate their investment in technology to digitalise the physical store and create a hyper-connected environment that enables them access to unparalleled data and insights to drive efficiencies and profitability,” Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner at IGD says.
Government unveils new Small Business Plan
The
Government has published its new Small Business Plan which seeks to level the playing field and better support local stores.
The Government has published its new Small Business Plan, which aims to support growth by levelling the playing field for small businesses.
The Plan seeks to tackle late payments, increase access to finance, and accelerate small business growth potential.
New legislation will introduce maximum payment terms of 60 days, reducing to 45 days, giving firms certainty that they’ll be paid on time.
Additional measures include: Transforming business rates in this Parliament, introducing permanently lower business rates
multipliers for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, starting in April 2026.
Creating safe places to do business with 13,000 more police officers to provide visible community policing to crack down on shoplifting and rolling out the Safer Streets initiative.
Creating a consistent progrowth national approach to licensing and establishing hospitality and night-time economy zones to cut red tape, support al fresco dining and latenight venues, in response to the
Licensing Taskforce.
Cut the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25%.
Welcoming the plan, Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: “Local shop owners will be pleased to see the government’s small business strategy identify many of the issues that matter most to them: crime that blights retailers and communities, illegal traders that undermine responsible retailers, the unfair burden of business rates, and the growth-limiting potential of regulation and licensing regimes.”
SHOP THEFT FIGURES BREAK OFFICIAL RECORDS AGAIN
Record new crime figures from the Office for National Statistics have highlighted the continued need for action on shop theft and other retail crime offences.
In the year to March 2025, shoplifting offences rose by 20% to 530,643 from 444,022 in the previous year.
This is the highest figure recorded by the ONS since the figures started being collected in this way in 2003, continuing a trend of recordbreaking levels of theft. Responding to the figures, Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: “These record-breaking shop theft figures continue to demonstrate the need for retail crime to be taken seriously throughout the justice system, as only then will we be able to start bringing the numbers down and stop widespread reoffending by criminals that are acting with confidence that they will not be apprehended.”
STOCK UP ON THE UK’S NO.1 WATER BRAND
GroceryAid delivers ‘76% increase’ in incidences of support
GroceryAid’s annual impact report has recorded a huge increase in demand for help and saw a 76% increase in incidences of support by the charity in the last year.
The last 12 months have undoubtedly been challenging for many colleagues throughout the independent retailing and grocery channels, a fact borne out by industry charity GroceryAid’s latest 2024/25 Annual Impact Report.
The report reveals that over 139,000 incidences of support were provided to industry colleagues over the last year, a huge 76% on the previous year.
The support provided by the charity includes financial, emotional and practical support. The concerning figures unveiled in the report show that demand for support across all three categories is soaring, in no small part thanks to the continuing cost-of-living pressures facing those working in the retail sector.
As a result, GroceryAid made more than 8,500 financial grants in the period covered by the report, a significant 23% increase on the year before. Almost 6,700 children were supported by the charity’s Schools Essentials Grant, which provides non-repayable grants of £150 per qualifying child. This represented a 12.5% increase on the previous year.
In addition, some 523 financial grants were awarded to caring households, a 35% increase year-on-year (YOY).
Along similar lines, the charity’s debt advice service was accessed more than 15,200 times (a 151% increase YOY). The cost-of-living advice webpages were also viewed more than 52,000 times (a 136%
SUPPORTING COLLEAGUES 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR
increase YOY) and the financial wellbeing hub was used more than 5,800 times.
It was a similar story in terms of emotional and practical support with over 12,300 calls taken by the GroceryAid helpline, more than 5,300 in-the-moment counselling sessions provided and 1,128 colleagues receiving counselling support (up 67% YOY).
The GroceryAid Annual Impact Report makes for sobering reading but reinforces the importance of the role that the charity plays in helping our industry colleagues through the challenges they are faced with.
HARIBO Sour Skeletons
MAOAM Halloween Mixx
Make your Christmas sales sweeter! Make your Christmas sales sweeter!
Blooming marvellous
Arul Palaniappan has put the petal to the metal with his latest new store opening in the town of Forres, near the north Aberdeenshire coast.
With multiple successes in UK-wide floral competitions and a treasure-trove of high-profile floral trophies to its name, it’s little wonder that the charming Scottish town of Forres is affectionately known as the flower capital of Scotland.
And now, following the opening of a spectacular Premier at its gateway, Forres has a blooming marvellous new convenience store to boot.
The store, a 2,000sq ft former car showroom, is one of the latest cultivars to stem from the green fingers of Arul Palaniappan, director of the fast-growing SRJ Convenience chain, and the man behind the breathtaking behemoth that is Premier New Elgin, profiled in the last issue of Talking Shop.
At a little over 2,000sq ft, Forres is significantly smaller than New Elgin but thanks to Arul’s trademarks of exceptional service and services, unique products,
footfall-driving features and cracking prices, it’s positively flourishing.
“The location is great, I knew at once that it was perfect for one of our stores,” Arul explains. “There’s plenty of parking outside and it’s on a key road into and out of Forres town centre that also leads towards Inverness and Aberdeen, so it benefits from a huge volume of passing trade.”
The site is also surrounded by local housesForres has a population of around 10,000 -and is just a stone’s throw from a pleasant public park where locals and tourists alike flock in the warmer months.
There is also, however, an abundance of competition from other supermarkets, discounters, multiples and symbol stores – a fly in the ointment for some retailers perhaps, but not Arul.
“I knew that what we could offer would be totally different from what was out there already,” he says. “What our stores bring to the table is unique - and I knew that even with the presence of other retailers, we could still
achieve a great turnover.”
So let’s talk about that table and what it bears.
“First of all, we get all the basics right, because that’s what successful retailing is all about, getting the basics done really well,” explains Arul. “We don’t compromise on anything: products, availability, price, service – it’s all first class, all the time.
“Service is a key strength. Our in-store teams are motivated and energised. They like to have a bit of banter with the shoppers at the tills, to engage and to create an engaging experience.”
Experience is certainly the word. Walking the aisles of Premier Forres and encountering the wealth of unique products from local and small producers leaves shoppers enthralled.
“Shoppers love local and at Forres we really hand it to them,” Arul says. “A shopper who walks into a supermarket or other multiple operator is unlikely to find a local strawberrybut here, we’re brimming with them.
“We go out of our way to source local
What our stores bring to the table is unique. I knew that, even with the presence of other retailers, we could still achieve a great turnover.
Arul Palaniappan } {
products that shoppers can’t find in the other stores and that really sets us apart.”
From local fruit and vegetables to fresh meats, cakes, biscuits, breads, pies, samosas, ready meals, milk and so much more, Premier Forres is positively laden with local goods. And that includes the store’s very own range of homemade sandwiches and cheesecakes, all made fresh every day.
“Our sandwiches are so unique,” enthuses Arul. “Shoppers simply love them. We have a central kitchen where we make all our own sandwiches and food to go products, which are then distributed to the stores each day.”
With such a sizeable operation, the business employs a team of 14 who are entirely dedicated to making top quality fresh sandwiches, rolls, wraps and more each day.
This set up also enables the store to engage shoppers on yet another level with staff routinely asking shoppers what type of sandwiches and fillings they’d like to see - and reacting to their suggestions.
“We also have the ability to have a bit of fun – and we do,” Arul laughs. “When M&S launched its viral ‘strawberries and cream sandwich’ in June, we trialled a similar thing. The feedback was great. It was very labour intensive though, so it didn’t remain for long!”
“The other lovely thing about all these unique local and homemade products is that they complement our fantastic range of branded and own label Jack’s products really well,” he adds.
“Shoppers who come to our store can pick up a totally incomparable basket, including great value Jack’s goods, brilliant branded items and unique products from local
REFRESHING THOUGHT
suppliers.
“We’ve also gone very heavy on US and international products and there’s still a huge demand for them. The other stores in our area just can’t come close to matching it.”
Like the vast majority of Arul’s other new stores, Premier Forres also features an 18-bay beer cave. “The beer cave is a true destination footfall driver and, if space permits, I urge any retailer planning a refit to include a beer cave,” Arul says.
Hardly surprising then that BWS is up there with fresh and chilled as one of Premier Forres’ best-selling categories – as is soft drinks, currently housed in a smart bank of chillers on the shop floor.
Services are another key strength. From
Premier Forres also meets shoppers’ drinks-to-go needs with its Refresh@Premier bar featuring Jack’s Beans coffee, Slushies slush and Think Fresh Shakes.
“Three machines are all that’s necessary here in my opinion,” Arul says. “For any convenience store, space is a luxury item that you don’t want to waste a centimetre of. Every little bit has to count and take a certain amount of money, and these three solutions do that.”
Store profile
Name: Premier Forres
Retailer: Arul Palaniappan
Size: 2,000 sq ft
Services: Home delivery, ATM, PayPoint, National Lottery
Opening hours: 7am-10pm
Opened: 30 May 2025
Will your case s core a touchdown?
home delivery to parcel collection, Paypoint, National Lottery and more, the store offers shoppers a wealth of helpful services. And that wealth is just about to get richer with the opening of a revolutionary new solution for dispensing prescription medicines.
The store will soon be fitted with a MedPoint dispenser, a British-made prescription collection point that provides a safe, quick and secure way for patients to collect their repeat prescription or medicine orders, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, boosting customer loyalty even further and freeing up pharmacists’ time.
There’s an amazing selection of stock and very friendly and welcoming staff. It was lovely when a member of staff recognised me from Elgin and went out of their way to say hello. Best of luck. I was very impressed.
“This is going to be a gamechanger, I’m sure of it,” Arul says. “Shoppers get a prescription from their doctor and can arrange for the medicines to be sent to the machine at our store. They then get a code to access the machine which will then dispense their prescribed medication at a time that suits them.”
With all that said and done, it’s hardly surprising to learn that, like the town itself, Premier Forres is coming up smelling of roses.
“It’s only been open a couple of months yet its doing more than double our original expectations - which were already very good,” Arul concludes. “And there’s still so much more to come.”
The real deal
Navith Qamarul didn’t plan on a career in retail - but his new store in the seaside town of Deal is on the runway to success.
Store profile
Name: Victoria House, Deal
Opened: April 2025
Retailer: Navith Qamarul
Size: 1,325sq ft
Staff: 6
Opening hours: 6am-11pm
Like many youngsters, Navith Qamarul dreamed of being a pilot when he grew up. Now, while his aerial ambitions might not quite have come to pass, Navith has become a pilot of sorts - having climbed into the metaphorical cockpit and taken full control of his family’s newest store in the holiday hotspot of Deal in Kent last year.
Navith’s feet may remain firmly rooted to the ground yet under his shrewd retail pilotage, footfall, sales and profits at brandnew Premier Victoria House are flying high. He joined the family firm three years ago after having successfully completed his studies in engineering and business management.
Back then, the business ran two successful Premier stores in Kent, but in Oct 2024 the family was presented with an opportunity to take on a spectacular new site in the seaside town of Deal – which Navith would run.
“The store used to be run by one of my
father’s friends,” Navith explains. “It was a hardware store and the owners were retiring, so they mentioned it to him.”
Just a shell’s-throw from the sea-front and with little other convenience competition around, Navith and his father were immediately struck by the opportunity that his beachside beauty could offer. And so, after taking the site on just before Christmas last year, the development began in February 2025.
The store’s location within a conservation area meant that a number of planning rules had to be adhered to, including the adoption of Premier’s special black and white fascia.
As for the store itself, Navith’s family had some experience of the area, which helped enormously. “My father used to run a small CTN on the same stretch, so we had a good understanding of the local demographic, and the categories and types of products that would be most in demand,” Navith says.
“It was clear that food and drinks to go, including ice creams, water and sandwiches, would be a hit with tourists and beachgoers, but we also knew that we’d attract a strong local trade and high demand for daily essentials, due to the large number of houses that also sit along the seafront and surrounding streets,” he adds.
The layout, revealed to shoppers just-in time for the key Easter weekend, has been carefully designed to meet these different need states.
After entering the bright and spacious new store through its centrally-located door, shoppers can turn left to fulfil their fresh, chilled, grocery and household needs, while those seeking slush solace can make a beeline straight to the vibrant Refresh@Premier barpositioned directly in front of the entrance.
Ice-creams, confectionery and snacks, including locally baked pastries and treats to go can be found to the right where the store’s swish new counter stands proud and ready to serve.
The rear of the store is home to two footfalldriving cool caves – one for beer and one for soft drinks. With 12x800mm bays and measuring 2,200mm high, the beer cave offers
shoppers a cornucopia of chilled choice across the beer, cider, RTD and wine categories.
The adjacent soft drinks cave is equally inspiring: an 11-bay emporium of carbonated joy which local shoppers and tourists alike simply can’t resist, especially on hot summer days.
“Both caves are exceptionally popular –shoppers come in with their friends and family members just to show them!” Navith says.
I’m a real hands-on person and I like to do my own engineering. Put it this way, if the slush or milkshake machine broke down, I’d probably know how to fix it!
Navith Qamarul
“Because they are such key footfall and sales drivers, it’s vital that both caves always look the part.
“I have four lines of every single item, and I take great care to face them up throughout the day, so that they always look full and impressive.”
Navith’s business degree and engineering diploma are clearly brought to bear in his management style. “For me, high standards and attention to detail are key,” he explains. “I keep everything exceptionally clean, tidy and organised. My finance and accounting studies definitely help me with the day to day running of the shop. I keep a very tight control on my stock and my waste.
“My stockroom is not overly full, although I’ve always got enough to last a week - but not much more than that. Some retailers I know have stockrooms that could see them through a month!
“My approach means that I also have very
low levels of waste. I keep a strict waste log, and I reduce to clear to sell things through. Anything that doesn’t sell is logged and tracked - enabling me to decide whether to order less of it or discontinue. So far, I’ve not discontinued a thing – just adjusted my orders.
“I’m also a real hands-on person and I like to do my own engineering. Put it this way, if the slush or milkshake machine broke down, I’d probably know how to fix it!”
Thankfully though, given the dizzying demand for slush and shakes since the store opened in May, no breakdowns have yet befallen.
Navith explains: “The milkshakes are a huge seller, on a Saturday or Sunday, we can easily sell more than 40 cups. They are especially popular with middle-aged shoppers - who prefer them to slush or hand-held ice creams.
“I have a two-door freezer just for ice cream and I get two deliveries a week but I think
In the mornings the store is packed with local shoppers who come in for their daily papers and to top-up on daily essentials, such as bread, milk, vegetables and groceries at the same time. Newspapers fly out, we sell close to 200 a day on a weekend morning.
Navith Qamarul
we’re going to increase to three, because the rate of sale is so high.”
Other best-selling categories include groceries and fresh and chilled. “Deal is a very touristic area but there’s also a strong local trade,” Navith comments. “In the mornings, the store is packed with local shoppers who come in for their daily papers and to topup on daily essentials, such as bread, milk, vegetables and groceries at the same time. Newspapers fly out, we sell close to 200 a day on a weekend morning.
“Before we opened up, locals had to walk or travel into the town to top-up, so they are so appreciative that we are here now.
“I have a ten-door chiller for fresh and chilled foods and two of those are dedicated to food to go including the Premier Meal Deal. I opted for the open concept chiller for fruit and vegetables, including wooden baskets which look very attractive and are also very easy to fill and to clean.”
And it’s not just shoppers who are benefitting from Navith’s new store.
“I’m also trying my best to support as many local initiatives and events as possible,” he says. “There are a lot of local events that take place on the seafront and on the bandstand and I’m trying to support as many as I can with donations and free stock.
“Just last week there was a sponsored run and I donated a large amount of water to the runners. Supporting the local community is a big deal to me and I look forward to doing even more in the future.”
His approach is helping Premier Victoria House to achieve an equally welcome average basket spend of just over £9 and growing.
“It’s still early days but I’m thrilled with the store’s success so far and excited for all the opportunities yet to come,” he concludes.
Retail might not have been his original plan, but Navith’s new store is certainly shaping up to be a very ‘big deal.’
Mighty fine
Praga Balasubramaniam has upsized his small Premier store with mighty fine results.
Small and mighty: the prestigious title endowed upon Premier Hartley’s in Rustington, when it was first profiled in Talking Shop in October 2022. Back then, this pocket-rocket of a store stood at a smidge over 500sq ft – making it one of the smallest in the Premier estate at the time - and a shining example of the group’s new small store format.
Its owner, Praga Balasubramaniam, was
also a relative retail newbie in those days, having only recently made the leap from his previous career in food manufacturing. Fast forward to the summer of 2025 and it’s fair to say that things have changed – a lot.
The first thing to note is the store’s size. Now boasting more than 1,200sq ft, there’s certainly nothing small about this store any more. And, following a spectacular store development in April 2025, it’s mightier than ever.
Store profile
Name: Premier Rustington’s, Littlehampton
Re-launched: April 2025
Retailer: Praga Balasubramaniam
Size: 1,200sq ft
Opening hours: 6am-10pm Staff: 6
I really value space in a store. I want shoppers to feel free to move. After all, a shopper who feels restricted will be restricted in their spending.
Praga Balasubramaniam
The second thing to note is its name, which Praga has changed from Premier Hartley’s to Premier Rustington’s – in homage to the village and its shoppers who have supported it with such enthusiasm since opening.
And of course, Praga himself has changed too. With just over three years of successful store ownership now under his belt, his understanding of local needs, challenges and opportunities has flourished – as has his relationship with local shoppers.
“We’d been winning in the local area ever since opening really,” Praga explains. “At 500sq ft, the original store was obviously small but thanks to the Premier fascia, its smart new look, its quality products, the great promotions and of course the great service, it did very well.”
“However, as time went on, I grew increasingly aware of opportunities that we weren’t able to fully make the most of. I knew that with a larger store, we’d be able to offer
local shoppers a much wider range, with all the essentials, plus a few surprises, that locals needed.”
And in late 2024, an opportunity for Praga to do just that arose when the shop next door became available. After securing permission to knock the two buildings into one, work to transform the store from micro marvel to local legend began.
“The moment we knocked through was the moment we had been waiting for,” Praga grins. “I’ve got such a fantastic relationship with my Premier RDM Tom, and he was just as excited as me when we were finally able to sit down and start working on the plan.
“Tom and the Premier team helped me to develop a brilliant store plan, and we then got in touch with a fantastic shop-fitting company who helped us to bring it all to life.”
The refit took place over two weeks, completing right on schedule at the end of April 2025.
We’re busy all day long now. Existing shoppers are visiting more frequently and spending in greater amounts but we’re also attracting lots of new shoppers, especially those on food-to-go missions, thanks to the new hot food offer.
Praga Balasubramaniam
“The new store’s shopfloor is more than double the size of the old one and we also have more storage space than before,” Praga says.
“We’ve been able to bring in a vast new range of choice for shoppers, especially when it comes to fresh, chilled, BWS and food to go –all of which have been expanded significantly.
“But it’s not all about range. We’ve also created a store with a fantastic feeling of space that’s very pleasant to shop,” he explains.
“The old store used to have two gondolas in the middle of the shopfloor, but we’ve replaced those with one long central gondola with plenty of space for shoppers to flow around it.”
“I really value space in a store,” Praga says. “For lots of retailers, there’s a temptation to
fill empty space with stock but when you walk round those types of shops, you feel restricted. That’s now how I want my store to make shoppers feel.
“Parents with pushchairs should be able to walk around with ease, without feeling like they need to squeeze past other shoppers or that they might knock products off the shelves – and the same goes for elderly or disabled shoppers. I want shoppers to feel free to move in my store. After all, a shopper who feels restricted will be restricted in their spending.”
And as feedback from shoppers - both new and old - clearly shows, there’s a lot of local love for Praga’s spacious new store. Shoppers are also enamoured with its enticing fresh and chilled range which has been allocated more
than double the space it was before.
“The new store now has the space to offer shoppers a vast range of fresh produce and chilled items, including deli products and lunchtime and evening meal solutions,” he says. “The ready meals, such as the Jack’s pizzas, curries and pastas are flying off the shelves,” Praga adds.
The store’s counter has also more than doubled in size - as has the number of tillsto accommodate all the additional sales now ringing in.
The small counter-top display unit for local cakes has been replaced with a large freestanding chilled cabinet, brimming with beautiful bakes from Brighton and the surrounding area.
There’s also a new and improved Refresh@ Premier zone where the store’s existing Costa Coffee and slush machines have been joined by Think Fresh Shakes and a new hot food-togo offer from Rollover.
“Tom recommended that we try the Think Fresh Shakes and I’m so glad he did because they are proving to be a very popular addition,” Praga adds. “In-fact, one of the big keys to my success has been listening to my RDM’s advice and acting on it.
“Another new element that I’m especially proud of is our beer cave. A beer cave was a big ambition of mine and with Premier’s help we’ve created one that offers us a huge point of difference locally.”
When Praga first took the small store on back in 2022, it had been trading as an offlicence under the Hartley’s brand - and was a well-known destination for quality BWS products.
As a result, he had always worked hard to maintain a compelling BWS offer in his small Premier - yet at 500sq ft, its former size had
somewhat restricted him.
“I’d always wanted to be able to offer a wider range of choice in beers and wines and to have more of it chilled,” Praga says. “The new beer cave has helped me achieve that and more!
“Premier have done a fantastic job with the range - I’m delighted with the breadth of our offer now, as are shoppers. We’ve got a fantastic range of chilled beers, ciders, white wines, rosés, premixed cans and more. I can now also offer my shoppers large multipacks chilled - which I couldn’t before.
“The beer cave concept has also created so much excitement locally. Shoppers can’t stop talking about it and complementing me on it. It was especially popular during the June heatwave – shoppers were joking that they were going to come in with chairs and camp out in there – I was tempted to charge them £1 a minute for entry!
“I’m also offering all the Premier promotions – a fact which is bringing in even more shoppers who are then buying into other categories.”
Praga has also been surprised to see success in other categories like grocery since reopening.
“We’ve increased our grocery offer and I’ve been bowled over by how popular the section has become,” he admits. “More shoppers are now coming to us for their groceries and fresh and chilled products, instead of going to the supermarket around the corner.”
As a result, average basket spend has risen to £13, with footfall having also “soared”.
“We’re busy all day long now - existing shoppers are visiting more frequently and spending in greater amounts but we’re also attracting lots of new shoppers – especially those on food to go missions, thanks to the new hot food offer,” Praga explains.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without Premier though. Tom and the Premier team have once again gone above and beyond with their support - and they’re just as happy and excited by the outcome as I am.”
All smiles
With a year of successful trading at his latest store under his belt, Premier retailer Munish Tandon’s got a lot to smile about – and his shoppers are beaming too.
From luscious locally-made treats to Indian sweets, iconic Scottish brands, marvellous Mega Deals and more, Alford Convenience Store in Aberdeenshire offers its shoppers a winning selection of USPs.
But there’s one USP that shoppers prize above all others – and it can’t be bagged, bottled or bought: the warm and welcoming smile of store owner Munish Tandon.
“There’s lots of other stores nearby, but my way of working is very different,” Munish explains: “I serve with a smile.”
His team are all smiles too.
“At Alford Convenience store we truly know how to please our shoppers, and we go out of our way to do it,” he explains. “It doesn’t matter what time it is – it might be one minute to closing but if a shopper needs us, we will do everything we can to help.
“We know what our shoppers want, and in many cases, we’ll get their regular products ready for them at the counter as soon as they walk in.
“We genuinely care and take an interestand shoppers really appreciate that.”
Before he lets them loose on the till, all new recruits must shadow Munish, or one of the other long-serving team members, to learn and absorb their working style.
“As a store owner, I’m very hands on,” says Munish. “Talking to shoppers, tending to their needs and making them smile back is what it’s all about for me.”
And his personable approach is clearly paying off with footfall, sales and profits all in growth one year on from Premier Alford Convenience Store’s grand opening in the summer of 2024.
But let’s rewind to the start of the story, back to the autumn of 2023 when the ‘store’ wasn’t even a store at all. “Back then it was a large disused barn,” Munish explains. “My wife and I had been running another store in nearby Keith since 2017 and we were on the lookout for a second site when a friend spotted the old barn for sale in Alford.
“It was a striking-looking building that had been sitting vacant for many years, and I immediately liked the idea of bringing it back to life.
“Alford is also a very nice village. There are a lot of retired people who live here and a lot of people who work in Aberdeen but commute
home to Alford because they appreciate the peace and calm that it offers. It’s got a strong community feel and we hoped to become a part of that.”
However, the process of converting a tired old barn into a modern new store didn’t initially run as smoothly as hoped; quite the opposite in fact.
“The previous owner had created all sorts of different rooms inside the old barn and each one had a different concrete floor,” Munish recalls with a wince. “It was a bit of a nightmare at first because no section of the floor was level, meaning we had to dig down almost four feet to make it so, which was a huge undertaking!
“We’d never done a build of this scale before, so it was quite the steep learning curve.”
Walls downed and floors levelled, work to
convert the space into a new-concept 1,650sq ft Premier began in in the spring of 2024, with a grand opening on 29 June.
“There is local competition so we knew from that start that we’d have to offer local shoppers something very different to get them to change their habits and shop with us, so that’s precisely what we set out to do,” Munish says.
Three vertical gondolas in the middle of the store offer local shoppers a comprehensive core range of convenience essentials, on the right hand side of the store, a long run of bread and bakery products offers up a fresh serving of doughy delights, including a huge selection of locally baked products.
“Local products really set us apart and local shoppers absolutely love them,” Munish says. “We’ve got a large range of bakery products from third generation family bakers Murdoch
We knew from the start that we’d have to offer local shoppers something very different to get them to change their habits and shop with us, so that’s precisely what we set out to do.
Munish Tandon } {
Allen, who supply us with fluffy white ‘softies’ and Aberdeen Butteries.
“We also have goods from Strathisla Bakery and we have a local lady from Keith who makes a delicious selection of sandwiches for us too.”
Munish has also started stocking a range of indulgent cakes, slices and desserts from the ‘Chloe’s Kitchen’ café just across the road – allowing shoppers to enjoy Chloe’s sweet treats, even when the café is closed.
He’s taken a similar approach with the village butcher, offering shoppers a range of quality local meats from Graeme Barber Butchers. “Shoppers love the products and it’s great to be able to support another local business,” Munish says.
A selection of locally made pies and lamb, chicken and vegetable samosas are also available from the store’s Cossiga unit up by the tills.
Another USP is the store’s high-impact Refresh@Premier bar, complete with Skwishee Slush, Bobalicious Tea, and a bean to cup coffee and hot drinks machine.
Shoppers can also bag hot products from Rollover and Bake & Bite.
The left-hand side of the store is home to what Munish describes as the “jewels” in Alford Convenience Store’s crown – two large beer and soft drinks caves.
“We were the first store in Scotland to have a Soft Drinks Cave, so it was really revolutionary at first,” he beams.
The 11-bay soft drinks cave has been carefully merchandised with best-selling impulse drinks on the back wall, sports, energy drinks, waters and international products on the right, while the entire left-hand wall is dedicated to large bottles and multi-packs including classic Scottish brands such as IrnBru and a wide selection of Barr flavours.
“The soft drinks cave created so much impact when we first opened, people round here had never seen anything like it before,” Munish laughs.
“With no doors or barriers in the way, a
Store profile
Name: Premier Alford, Aberdeenshire
Opened: June 2024
Retailer: Munish Tandon
Store size: 1,650sq ft.
Staff: 11
Services: Free ATM, National Lottery, Paypoint, parcel collection
Opening hours: 6am-8pm
soft drinks cave allows products to shine,” he adds. “Shoppers have the space to browse at their leisure and take in on the amazing deals that we also offer.”
In addition to running all the Premier promotions, Munish’s soft drinks cave also tempts shoppers with an ‘any can of drink and a Rollover Hotdog’ deal for just £3.50.
The 12-bay Beer Cave is an equally cool place to be. “The Beer Cave was a must,” Munish says. “Hardly any of the other local stores were offering a good range of chilled beers and wines, so it’s done wonders for our footfall and sales – especially since we added Perfect Draught kegs to offer too.
“We’ve also gone big on international products. Not just US products which continue to be a huge trend but also Japanese products and Indian sweeties. We also strive to be first locally for any NPD and we take care to showcase new products in-store and online.
“We also got in on the current trend towards Labalu dolls pretty quick and they sold out in hours!”
One year on and footfall and sales are exactly where Munish hoped they would be.
“Our first year of trading has been very good. We are bang on target and there’s still
lots of room for growth, so we’re certainly heading in a great direction. Soft drinks are one of our biggest selling categories. We have more than 10 metres of chilled space in the soft drinks cave and the best range in town, so shoppers come straight to us now.
“Confectionery, BWS, and food to go are also doing exceptionally well too, with food to go growing every day.”
“The Jack’s range is another USP, and shoppers are constantly complimenting the quality and price of products, especially when it comes to fresh produce.”
Word of Alford Convenience Store’s outstanding new offer continues to spread and one year on from opening, Munish says that
he still welcomes in new faces every day.
“We also do as much as we can for the local community, supporting local teams, events and raffles,” he comments. “A few months ago, we also donated stock to a local family who had been affected by a fire.”
The store has also introduced a raft of footfall driving new services including DPD and DHL parcel collection, a free ATM, National Lottery and Paypoint.
“But above all that, we offer shoppers the very highest levels of customer service,” concludes Munish. “We genuinely care about our shoppers and this community, and they can feel it. They see our smiles and they can’t help but smile back too.”
Our first year of trading has been very good. We are bang on target and there’s still lots of room for growth, so we’re certainly heading in a great direction.
Munish Tandon } {
We’ve never looked back with Scoot!
The Singh family in Sheffield recently adopted Booker’s rapid delivery Scoot service and have seen sales grow instantly to over £100,000 a month across their three stores.
There’s absolutely no question that Booker’s new low-cost rapid delivery Scoot platform is a game-changer on paper – but the true test is on the ground, in real Premier stores. Stores like the three fantastic Premier stores owned by Mandeep, Bal and Vrinder Singh in Sheffield.
Designed by retailers for retailers, 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.
GAME CHANGER
So how is Scoot performing in the real world?
“It’s an absolute game changer, there’s no doubt about it,” enthuses Mandeep Singh. “It’s the complete package, it really is. It does everything we need it to do and more. We’ve never looked back since moving to Scoot.”
Best of all, the Singh’s business has increased delivery sales across its three Premier stores – Teynham Road, Herries Road and Fairleigh Manor – by a remarkable 15% to 20% in a matter of weeks – and is saving thousands on commissions and fees.
“Unlike other delivery solutions, Scoot only
charges 1% commission on delivery sales up to £5k a week and above that level there’s absolutely no commission. It’s just amazing”.
It’s still early days for the Singh’s and their Scoot adventure but the cost savings made on these commission levels are likely to run well into the thousands on an annual basis compared with other delivery partners.
COMPLETE PACKAGE
And the good news doesn’t end there for the Singh brothers. “We’ve been doing home delivery for years,” says Mandeep, “so we’re quite experienced on that front. We have 13 delivery cars and at any given moment there will be seven to 10 out on the road. So we’re not new to home delivery – but Scoot is just a breath of fresh air for us.
“Really importantly for us, the promotions are really, really strong and, best of all, there’s no retailer contribution like you get on other platforms.
“The fact that Scoot also accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay is really important. We didn’t have that option with Zeus Labs, the platform we’d been using exclusively until we adopted Scoot. That cost us a lot of sales.
“Plus the app itself is brilliant. It’s so easy to use, it’s intuitive for shoppers and it just works.”
So as it made a difference to the bottom line? “You better believe it,” laughs Mandeep. “As I said, we already had a very mature and strong delivery service before we moved to Scoot so we weren’t expecting big sales growth. The cost savings alone made it worth our while to use Scoot – but we’ve seen an increase in home delivery sales of between 15% and 20%, which is remarkable really. We’re now doing well over £100,000 a month across the three stores.
“And you also have to take into consideration that the home delivery market is getting tougher because more and more retailers are doing it. So to achieve sales growth like that in a market as competitive as this is nothing short of amazing.”
THUMBS UP
With all that in mind, Mandeep has no hesitation in recommending Scoot to other Premier retailers. As he puts it: “Listen, if you’ve already got a delivery service, Scoot will make it slicker, simpler and more professional and you’ll make huge cost savings. And if you don’t do home delivery, Scoot gives you a super low risk, one-stopshop solution that can let you get into the home delivery sector.
“At the end of the day, home delivery is the biggest opportunity that exists for retailers today. Lots of retailers talk to me about buying new stores and going for big growth. I always tell them that they don’t need to buy another store to generate huge growth: just do home delivery. It’s effectively a store within a store. Something like a third of my total sales are home delivery which means that my Teynham Road store, for instance, has a turnover that’s equivalent to the turnover of three good stores – but I’ve managed it without all the hassle and expense of buying and running two more stores. It also helps mitigate the huge overhead increases that we’ve seen with the rises in minimum wage and National Insurance.
“Don’t get me wrong, home delivery is not a walk in the park but if you do it right, the profits are there.”
HARD BUT GOOD
Which leads us onto Mandeep’s parting words of advice. “Honestly, doing home delivery
It’s an absolute game changer, there’s no doubt about it. It does everything we need it to do and more and we’ve never looked back since moving to Scoot.
Mandeep Singh
properly is hard. It’s a lot of work and it requires a lot of commitment, but if you work hard and do it well, you’ll hit the jackpot. There’s nothing else like it for growing your business.”
So what are his top tips for “doing home delivery properly”? He comments:
“Well, remember that it takes time and it’s going to take work, a lot of work. There’s no good just bringing in home delivery and Scoot and then sitting back and expecting the orders to come flying in. Social media is your best friend here. We’re lucky in that we’ve been doing social media seriously for about 15 years, so we have a big audience.
Generate over £130k sales a year*
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.
“But the sooner you start on that journey, the sooner you get there. Talk about Scoot on socials all the time, flag up the promotions, remind people that you do home delivery every time you can, talk about any good NPD. Run your own deals or offers to drive engagement and also remember to brand-up your vehicles if you can, advertise Scoot instore and talk to shoppers about it. Booker can provide everything you need but you have to commit to it 100% to get the maximum value out of it.”
Mandeep advises that you need to commit at least an hour a day to social media, and probably a bit more if you want to fast track your growth. And he also advises staffing the operation up properly to ensure fast picking and fast delivery.
“On a typical day we’ll maybe have four staff on in-store, but we’ll have seven or eight drivers on. We pick everything from the shop floor so we’ve reworked the layout to make that easier. I don’t do stacks any longer, for instance, just to keep us ‘health, safe, legal’ but an added benefit has been that, because there’s always someone out on the shop floor picking, we’ve seen theft almost disappear.”
*based on weekly Scoot sales of £2,500
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.
ZERO commission once you reach £5k a week
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.
Conquer the fresh and frozen frontiers
Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots can access Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen Brochure, packed with cool counsel, to help them make even more of the growing fresh and frozen opportunity.
Once regarded as supermarket territory, fresh and frozen were terrains that few convenience stores dared to tackle.
Today, however, the opposite is true.
Shoppers’ calls for greater access to quality fresh and frozen products on their doorsteps have continued to intensify since the pandemic – fuelled by the desire to shop more locally and more sustainably.
And, as almost every single profile in Talking Shop these days clearly shows, convenience stores are answering those calls – lacing up their boots and marching with confidence into the fresh and frozen frontiers.
Premier retailers are investing in both
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.
Colm Johnson, Booker’s Retail Managing Director
FEATURE | Fresh and Frozen
categories like never before: expanding and reconfiguring their stores to make way for new and improved ranges, purchasing new equipment and display solutions, and investing in staff training to make the absolute most of both opportunities.
Just take Premier retailer Praga Balasubramaniam, for example. Praga, who is profiled in this issue of Talking Shop, has just invested in a significant expansion of his store’s fresh and frozen offer as part of a recent store development.
Space allocation for fresh and chilled products has more than doubled in brand-new Premier Rustingtons – and shoppers are “over the moon” with the choice that now exists on their doorsteps.
That choice includes quality fresh and frozen products from Booker’s great-value Jack’s brand – which provides retailers with a significant USP.
Helping retailers to make even more of the fresh and frozen opportunity, Booker has just launched a comprehensive new Fresh and Frozen Brochure, which is available now to all Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots.
Featuring information and insights on more than 1,500 fresh lines and 250 frozen lines – including more than 300 own-brand lines – Booker’s Fresh and Frozen Brochure is the definitive tool to help retailers plan and perfect their offers.
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 often lesser-explored categories, such as Fruit and Nuts, Fish, Fresh Herbs and Salads – helping retailers to add even more colour and interest to their offers.
More than 60 brand-new lines, guaranteed to drive excitement and give retailers the edge, are also showcased.
The guide also features a marvellous mix of ‘Must Stock’ lines, recommended by Buyers, 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.
Retailers can also digest an appetising array of category insights and market analysis on the latest consumer trends, helping them to understand what drives today’s shoppers.
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 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.”
Frozen fiesta
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, bread, chicken and potato 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 washout summer) from the equation, the frozen category achieved a value growth of 1.6% on units, 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.
COOL CAPERS
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.
NEW FRESH AND FROZEN FOOD BROCHURE
Available to Premier retailers serviced by BRP depots, Booker’s new Fresh and Frozen Brochure has been designed to help retailers make the very most of the growing fresh and frozen categories.
Inside, you can discover insights and information on:
information on:
l More than 1,800 lines across key categories
l More than 1,500 fresh lines
l
l More than 250 frozen lines
l More than 300 ownbrand lines
l New and key ‘Must Stock’ lines, including 60 brand-new lines with buyers’ recommendations
l The shopper trends that are driving today’s shoppers
“Local shoppers have been asking us for more fresh and chilled products, so that was exactly what we wanted to deliver when planning our recent store development. Our new 1,800sq ft store features 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. Frozen has also doubled.
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.”
NEIL PATEL Oscar’s On The Green (Premier), Hove
M296890
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IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE
Bridging the gap
In our latest feature on Booker’s Colleague Networks, we explore the valuable work and meaningful impact of Women@Booker.
Whether we’re talking tunnels, computers or communities –networks are all about connection: linking people and things together to facilitate collaboration, communication and understanding.
They can also offer a place of safety and support – and that’s exactly what Booker
is offering via its four thriving Colleague Networks, which seek to advocate, support and celebrate colleagues from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Including Women@Booker, Race & Ethnicity at Booker, LGBTQ+ at Booker and Disability at Booker – the four networks are open to all colleagues and share three key objectives: Amplify, Celebrate and Consult. Each strives to spark important conversations
and foster a deeper sense of connection and understanding across the business.
Over the coming months, we’re taking a closer look at each of the four networks to find out more about how they work, what they offer and the positive impacts they have on colleagues’ health, happiness and wellbeing.
This issue, it’s the turn of Women@Booker – the first of the four networks to launch back in 2023.
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NIKKI
WATTS
Sales Director, Catering
“Every part of the content on the day was absolutely brilliant, with my key takeaway being ‘it’s okay to not be okay’. Also, the inspiring colleagues who shared their stories and listening to them being so open.”
PRITPAL KASBE
Range Manager, Booker
“The Wellbeing Event was put together really well – great organisation and a fun and interactive day.”
PENNY
SOFELA
People Advisor
“We’ve had an absolutely brilliant day at the International Women’s Day event. It’s been very inspiring to hear the firsthand experiences from our colleagues, and to have the chance to network and build strong allies to help progress my career.”
Since its establishment on International Women’s Day 2023, Women@Booker has touched the lives of thousands of colleagues – providing a safe space for them to come together, share experiences and learn.
The Women@Booker network also strives to amplify the voices of those who identify as female, championing gender equality, raising awareness of gender imbalance and supporting, educating and motivating female careers in a bid to drive positive change.
It does this via impactful communication campaigns, learning and development sessions, and numerous in-person and online events.
Recognising the importance of engaging with and supporting Booker’s male colleagues too – all events, initiatives and learning sessions are open to all colleagues, including men.
Incorporating International Women’s Day in March and International Men’s Day in November, Women@Booker supports numerous national events that champion diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the year.
Women@Booker also organises a number of its own meaningful events and awareness days.
In the last year alone, the network has hosted a Wellbeing Festival and a raft of activity in support of Women’s Health Week.
Women@Booker has also partnered with male suicide prevention charity Andy’s Man Club and organised a recent Allyship event to outline the importance of allyship to underrepresented groups and what allyship for women looks like.
JAIME MCLAREN
IS Analyst
“It was great to be part of a platform where we could hear their experiences, but also share ours and support each other. Hearing the different paths the panel took to get to where they are now gave me the opportunity to speak up, ask questions, expand my network – and it has inspired me greatly.”
Colleagues have also been given the opportunity to boost their skillsets with Bite Size Learning sessions and take part in a Speed Mentoring event – among many other things.
With women’s sport having taken centre stage over the summer of 2025 thanks to the Women’s Euros and other major tournaments in rugby union and cricket, Booker colleagues were also invited to participate in a host of
STUART HYSLOP
Executive Sponsor
“We’ve seen real progress in male allyship across the Group this year – from amplifying voices not in the room to deeper support and everyday action. While we’re proud of the strides made, we know this is just the beginning of a longer journey toward lasting equity and inclusion. We need to see further commitment across all functions of the business and broader penetration across all bands of colleagues. When we see connections to our purpose alive and thriving in all branch and DC canteens as well as our office spaces, we will know that our passion for allyship is truly making a difference and is embedded in our culture. We are delighted with the forward momentum – but there’s still lots to do.”
engaging events to celebrate female role models at the top of their game.
And there will certainly be no let-up in the months ahead, with a raft of activity designed to help support career progression set for the autumn – including a further Speed Mentoring event in October and a Career Upskilling Conference in November.
Featuring inspirational external speakers, engaging interactive learning and excellent networking opportunities, the conference is expected to attract more than 200 colleagues.
JAIME MCLAREN IS Analyst
“It was great to be part of a platform where we could hear their experiences, but also share ours and support each other. Hearing the different paths the panel took to get to where they are now gave me the opportunity to speak up, ask questions, expand my network – and it has inspired me greatly.”
SHEILA GALLAGHER Executive Sponsor
“We recognise the value of female leadership, and we’re really focused on supporting our colleagues’ development and career journeys. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a strong increase in women in our most senior roles including across our leadership team, where the proportion of women has nearly doubled. That shift is significant – not just in the numbers, but in what it says about the culture we’re building together – and especially important in developing talent within the wholesale industry.
We’ve made some meaningful progress across our business and remain committed to creating a more inclusive, supportive environment for everyone; initiatives like our Women at Booker colleague network are helping to make a real difference. We know there’s still more we can do, but we’re proud of the journey we’re on and the positive change that’s already underway.”
Women@Booker is also currently working on a plan for International Men’s Day 2025 that will focus on promoting positive conversations about men and masculinity.
Further communication campaigns will also seek to continue raising awareness of key women’s health topics, including baby loss, ovarian cancer and menopause.
The network’s aims are delivered with the help and support of a dedicated team, which includes two Executive Sponsors, a Chair and Vice Chair, a Steerco Committee with two joint leads, and six colleagues who all work to shape the network’s future.
It also includes a number of inspirational Network Champions, who strive to advocate for the network and drive positive change –because Women@Booker understands that empowering women empowers everyone.
We stand for the best.
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BetterService
IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE
SoluM digital labels now available to ShopMate users
A
new partnership between popular Epos solutions provider ShopMate and electronic shelf edge label specialist SoluM makes the technology more accessible than ever.
Implementing electronic shelf edge labels (ESLs) is now easier than ever for retailers using the popular ShopMate Epos system thanks to a new partnership with SoluM, a global leader in the technology.
The collaboration brings cuttingedge ESL systems to independent retailers across the UK, making shelf edge pricing quicker, easier, and more accurate than ever.
ShopMate has partnered with retailers, service providers and wholesalers for 25 years and has over 3,900 customers operating over 6,000 systems.
ESLs automatically update prices and product info in real time, directly from the Epos system. With SoluM’s proven ESL technology integrated with ShopMate, retailers can save time and cut down on admin.
SoluM ESL provides additional benefits with waste management, dynamic pricing, speedy product picking for delivery services and a host of forthcoming new developments around merchandise management.
“We’re always looking for ways to help retailers save time and run their businesses more efficiently,” said Brian Eagle-Brown, Managing Director at ShopMate. “ShopMate and SoluM are aligned in their approach. Both companies are built on a foundation of providing reliable, long-term solutions that genuinely work for their customers. Like ShopMate, SoluM focuses on technology that proves its worth day in, day out, in real retail environments.”
“We’re thrilled to be working with ShopMate to bring our ESL technology to the UK convenience sector,” said Hugh Walker, Senior Sales Manager at SoluM. “ShopMate has a deep understanding of the challenges independent retailers face, and together we can deliver a smarter, more efficient way to manage pricing and help retailers streamline their processes.”
The SoluM system will be fully integrated with ShopMate, making setup simple and seamless. This partnership means a smarter, more modern way for stores to manage pricing and instore promotions.
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The Government’s Small Business Plan is a positive sign that the Government sees small businesses as an engine of growth, says James Lowman.
Plan of action
The Government has recently published its new Small Business Plan, which aims to support growth by levelling the playing field for small businesses, including convenience stores.
The Government has recently published a new Small Business Plan, outlining various ways it intends to support convenience stores and other small businesses. The headline measures focus on finance—both through new legislation to ensure small businesses are paid promptly by their suppliers, and by improving access to finance and making it easier to secure loans for investment.
While these headline announcements are welcome, it’s the detail further on that’s more noteworthy for our sector. An acknowledgement of the impact of crime, problems with the way licensing systems stifle growth, and a commitment to take action on business rates for small businesses are all areas that are much closer to being front of mind for retailers.
Attention in these areas is sorely needed. Shop theft and abuse continue to rise without any sign of slowing down, a tobacco licensing system could prevent stores from opening at all due to their proximity to schools and other amenities, and retailers are facing the prospect of a one-two punch on business rates through revaluation and the potential scrapping of the retail and hospitality relief in the upcoming Budget this autumn.
There’s also the elephant in the room: the cost of employment. In its introductory remarks, the Government cites an increase in the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500 as a positive step, but there’s no acknowledgement of the impact of the rise in the rate of employers’ National Insurance, the lowering of the threshold at which businesses
begin paying National Insurance, or the increase in the National Living Wage—all of which have cost the convenience sector an additional two-thirds of a billion pounds this year alone.
Overall, we must engage with the Small Business Plan as a net positive. It signals that the Government sees small businesses as an engine of growth and wants to help facilitate that—even if there’s little money in the Treasury coffers for direct support.
We need to ensure that the Government explores more creative, cost-effective ways of reducing the burdens on businesses. That means cutting red tape, incentivising investment, and recognising that when business owners take risks, there should be the potential for reward.
