Issuu

Jan – Feb 2024

Paul Wilks unveils his newest store in Stony Stratford Bag additional sales and proﬁts with the latest Jack’s range update Volume 24

Booker invests in new value campaign

SPRING OPPORTUNITIES • NPD • BOOKER WOMEN’S NETWORK • BOOKER DRAGON RACE

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1Ltr M207715

YourBudgens: Contents

… e u s s i s i In th BOOKER INVESTS IN VALUE

Booker has invested more than £5 in delivering Amazing Value to its retail customers at the start of the year.

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Paul Wilks is putting Budgens on the map in Stony Stratford.

SALES SOAR IN DECEMBER

SEASONAL FEATURE

Shoppers supported local stores in the run up to Christmas.

Build momentum through the Spring months with some fantastic Budgens promotions.

ENERGY SUPPORT

JACK’S UPDATE

Energy regulator Ofgem unveils plans to extend free dispute support to more retailers.

Bag additional sales and profits with Jack’s relaunched confectionery range.

COMMUNITY NEWS

NEW PRODUCT UPDATE

A round up of news from the Budgens community.

GROCERYAID UPDATE

A round up of the top new products to hit the shelves.

MEET THE TEAM

Booker will lead a unique Dragon Boat Race this summer in support of industry charity GroceryAid.

Booker’s Head of Transport Maria Chittenden tells us about the vital role she plays in keeping stores stocked up.

CUSTOMER PROFILE

ACS VIEWPOINT

Budgens Whitfield Service Station has been totally reimagined with a footfall-driving development.

What will a general election mean for independent retailers?

Jack’s 34 Update Jack’s relaunched confectionery range

BUDGENS Email enquiries@bookerretail.co.uk Your Budgens Team Email yourbudgens@budgens.co.uk

NPD New products, new sales

Volume 24: January-February 2024

Cover Story Seasoned operator Paul Wilks’ has just opened his latest Budgens store in the smart Milton Keynes suburb of Stony Stratford.

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sellfaster fortheMexican foodlovers!

Welcome: Stewart Fenn

GET SET FOR A

fresh start The year ahead is brimming with fantastic opportunities to boost footfall, sales and profits.

A very warm welcome to your first issue of Your Budgens in 2024 and I hope you are all energised and excited about the many opportunities that lie before us in 2024. A fresh new year always brings fresh excitement and energy, even after what was undoubtedly a challenging 2023 in many ways for independent retailing.

to help boost your business and, as usual, Budgens has put together an exceptional promotional programme to help you make the very most of the spring.

The year ended on a high note with both Barclays and British Retail Consortium data showing that the independent retailing sector had a strong December with the Barclays data in particular revealing that sales in the independent sector rose by 5.1% year-on-year as shoppers “chose to support their local businesses in the run-up to Christmas”. That’s clearly a good sign and to help kick 2024 off with a bang and build on that momentum, Booker invested more than £5m in a huge array of fantastic promotions including no fewer than 20 Mega Deals. January can be a tough month so we hope that this investment by Booker clearly demonstrates our commitment to both you and your shoppers and I really hope that the promotions helped drive additional footfall, spend and profit for your business. With a series of great seasonal opportunities on the horizon there will be plenty more opportunities

We have also refreshed the Jack’s confectionery range, which you can read about inside, and we’ve done it to ensure that the POR retailers make on each line has been increased to 35%. Not only that, we’ve also brought back a ‘2 for’ pricing mechanic to boost basket spend as well as updating pack designs and further improving the quality of many of the products themselves to help you maximise sales and profits. You’ll also find the usual mix of news, new products, store profiles, advice and information to help you keep building in 2024 and enjoy another profitable and successful year. I wish you all fantastic trading through this important spring period.

COMING SOON

500ml to replace 380ml NEW 500ML PRICE MARK PACKS: Orange: M291814 Original: M291816 Cherry: M291812 Apple: M291778 Zero Pink Lemonade: M291813

News: Industry Update

Industry

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Booker has invested more than £5m in a new campaign to offer shoppers Amazing Value.

Booker invests more than £5m into new year value campaign. Deals include:

 9 roll Velvet Toilet Tissue – Better than Half Price £3.19 (Save £3.30)  Jack’s Baby Potatoes 750g – Better than Half Price £0.59 (Save £0.60)  Tetley Tea Bags 80s – Buy 1 Get 1 Free (PM£2.89)  Jack’s Kitchen Towel – Buy 1 Get 1 Free (PM£1.79)  Wisemans 2ltr Milk – New £1.65 PMP Milk Volume 24: January-February 2024

After another challenging year in 2023, Booker has given retailers a huge boost in January – typically one of the quietest months of the year – by investing more than £5m in a huge value campaign to drive footfall, sales and profits. With many shoppers tightening their belts after the festive season, the ‘Amazing Value’ promotional campaign was created to drive some fresh life and impetus into January for retailers across the UK. This campaign featured more than 20 Mega Deals including 12 ‘Buy One Get One Free’ and five ‘Half Price’ Deals, as well as a number of eye-catching Jack’s own brand promotions. Alongside this, there were three Frozen Meal Deals. There was also improved pricing on fresh everyday essentials such as bread, milk and eggs as well as savings of over 30% on produce ‘Fresh 4’ promotions, including a 750g bag of Jack’s Baby Potatoes better than half price at 0.59p. The campaign ran all the way to the 30th of January and shoppers were unable to miss the deals with eye-catching POS offered free of charge to all retailers. In addition to the promotion, Booker is supporting shoppers even further with over 100 fresh and frozen everyday low prices and over 200 everyday low prices across alcohol across January and February. Colm Johnson, Managing Director – Retail, said: “It is essential that retailers can rely on Booker to deliver the best choice, price, and service for them, while still delivering high margins. This strong value offering through a usually quiet month shows we will continue to be committed and offer excellent value for not only the shoppers but also our retailers.”

News: Update

Government to help clear Horizon victims The government is to introduce new legislation to make sure that those convicted as a result of the Post Office’s faulty Horizon IT system are swiftly “exonerated and compensated”. Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted 736 sub-postmasters and mistresses based on Horizon. More than 700 branch managers were given criminal convictions – only 93 of these convictions have been overturned. The government has now committed to making sure these convictions are overturned. Individuals will then be entitled to at least £600k in compensation. Former Post Office Chief Executive Paula Vennells has handed back her CBE after a petition attracted 1.2 million signatures.

December spend up 5.1% as shoppers choose to ‘support local businesses’ Independent food and drink stores saw sales shoot up 5.1% year-on-year in December as shoppers ‘chose to support their local businesses in the run-up to Christmas.’

The latest Consumer Spending Report from Barclays shows that food and drink specialist stores including independent convenience operators “saw a notable uptick in spending of 5.1% year-on-year (YOY) in December as consumers chose to support their local businesses in the run up to Christmas”. The report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with shopper research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending. Growth in independent retail significantly outstripped growth in grocery retail in December which grew by only 3.1% YOY, driven by the deceleration of food price inflation. Total card spend in December grew 2.3% which is less than the inflation rate at the time of 4.2%, and is also less than the November growth figure of 2.9%. Spending on essential items rose 1.8%, compared to 3.3% in November, as falling petrol prices continued to impact fuel spending (-12.5%).

On 22 December Barclays set an all-time record for the number of transactions processed per second and the day proved to be the busiest day of the entire year. The report also took a look at shoppers’ plans for 2024 with nearly one in five (18%) saying they were planning to take part in Dry January to ‘be healthier’ (50%), save money (42%), or just to drink less alcohol (30%). Longer term, nearly half of shoppers (48%) want to save more money this year and nearly nine in 10 (87%) are concerned about the impact of rising household bills on their personal finances. Reassuringly, however, more consumers are feeling confident about both their household finances (67% – the highest figure since August 2023) and their ability to live within their means each month (73% – the highest since November 2021), likely as a result of falling inflation and mortgage rates.

Volume 24: January-February 2024

News: Update

Food inflation falls for eighth consecutive month Food inflation decelerated to 6.7% in December, down from 7.7% in November, new data reveals. The latest BRC-NielsenIQ Shop Price Index for the period December 2023 reveals that food prices decelerated for the eighth consecutive month and inflation is at its lowest since June 2022. Fresh Food inflation slowed further in December, to 5.4%, down from 6.7% in November, to reach its lowest level since May 2022. Ambient Food inflation decelerated to 8.4% in December, down from 9.2% in November, and is the lowest since August 2022. Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, NielsenIQ, said: “Low price, quality, and availability were the top factors for shoppers when planning where to do their main Christmas grocery shop this year so the further fall in shop prices will

have helped shoppers celebrate the festive season. But there was a lot of pressure on discretionary spend and price discounting was deeper and began earlier in food retail where promotions got back to a four-year high at the end of the year.” Meanwhile, overall shop price annual inflation was unchanged at 4.3% in December, below the three-month average rate of 4.6%. Shop price growth remains at its lowest since June 2022. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Overall shop price inflation remained steady in December. Households did have reason to celebrate as food inflation fell for the eighth consecutive month thanks to retailers’ efforts to bring down prices in the run-up to Christmas.”

Black Friday ‘broke parcels record’ New data from Collect+ has revealed that more than three million parcels (3,178,906) were processed over the 2023 Black Friday period, a 45% year-on-year increase in UK parcel traffic. With an additional million parcels processed (1,169,096) compared to Black Friday 2022, the increase reflects a growing number of shoppers looking to take advantage of big deal days and make the most of discounts on offer.

Scottish ‘health supplement’ set to cost retailers The Scottish government is preparing to reintroduce its ‘public health supplement’ which forces larger retailers to pay extra if they sell alcohol and tobacco.

The proposal was not announced publicly by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison during her Budget speech but was hidden within the Budget documents.

Set to come into force at the end of the year, retailers selling alcohol and tobacco from premises with a rateable value of more than £300,000 have to pay an extra tax. The supplement was first introduced in 2012 before being scrapped in 2015.

David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “A new levy on grocers smacks of incoherent policymaking within government. It’s a bizarre way to behave when other ministers are looking to retailers for help to implement new regulatory measures including in-store restrictions

Volume 24: January-February 2024

on alcohol marketing, curbs on selling products high in salt and sugar, and a likely rise in alcohol minimum unit pricing.”

News: Update

Food sales ‘up 8.1%’ in 2023 The latest BRCKPMG Retail Sales Monitor for December 2023 shows that food sales grew by 8.1% in 2023, ahead of total retail sales which were up 3.6%. Food sales increased by 6.8% in the final quarter of 2023 and sales were in year-on-year growth in December itself. Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of BRC, said: “2024 looks to be another challenging year for retailers and their shoppers, and spending will continue to be constrained by high living costs. Retailers will also have to juggle various cost pressures, including the rise to business rates this April.”

Retail ‘leads the way’ in cutting carbon emissions New research shows that the UK retail sector leads the way in reducing energy consumption and cutting carbon emissions. The UK retail sector is leading the way in reducing carbon emissions, ahead of every other industry sector. The retail real estate sector saw the biggest fall – 17.6% average per site in 2023 – in its carbon emissions while other sectors, such as hotels and hospitality, actually saw rises in emissions when compared to the previous year. Carried out by environmental, social and governance data intelligence business Deepki, the research also shows that energy consumption per site in the retail sector fell by 13.2% on average, significantly ahead of the total UK industry reductions of 2.86%.

Commenting on the findings, Lindsay Taylor, Head of UK Delivery at Deepki, said: “The findings show that key channels across commercial real estate in the UK are embracing the path to net zero and moving in the right direction. “Measures that are being implemented to improve the carbon footprint of assets through greater energy efficiency, such as improving insulation and ensuring better regulation of equipment, such as lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning so that they are in tune with use patterns and seasons, are starting to pay dividends.”

ACS calls for shop theft to be prioritised The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has reiterated its calls to all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to prioritise shop theft as more Commissioners continue to outline their plans to tackle crime in their local areas. ACS has been campaigning for more action on shop theft from local forces throughout the last year and has recently launched the Stop Shop Theft Campaign which calls on all Police and Crime Commissioners to deliver the new National Retail Crime Action Plan locally, tell retailers how to report shop theft offences and provide a single point of contact for businesses in their policing area. Most recently, PCCs in Bedfordshire, Northumbria and Dorset have engaged with the campaign, submitting vital information for retailers trading in those areas. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We are delighted to see more Police & Crime Commissioners across England and Wales prioritising retail crime and making it clear that shop theft and violence against shopworkers will not be tolerated. Partnership working and information sharing are the keys to making the implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan work, and we want all retailers to engage with the police, report all crime and act together to identify and apprehend the prolific repeat offenders who blight communities.”

Volume 24: January-February 2024

News: Industry Update

Businesses could get free advice for settling energy supplier disputes Ofgem unveils plans to offer free support to more retailers to help settles disputes with their energy suppliers without the need for a trip to court. Energy regulator Ofgem has unveiled plans to expand existing rules on Standards of Conduct to all businesses, increasing transparency for businesses when using brokers and expanding who can access the Energy Ombudsman.

The move follows a survey conducted by regulator Ofgem, which found that 94% of the total respondents – which included business organisations, consumer groups, and suppliers – said they would welcome this move.

Under the proposals, companies with up to 50 employees would qualify for support from the Energy Ombudsman with issues ranging from disputes over bills and energy supply, to how an energy product or service has been sold, or wider customer service issues.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said: “We want to ensure that businesses are getting proper support and service in dealing with energy suppliers.

Currently, this support is only available to businesses of up to 10 employees, and households.

“That’s why we’re proposing expanding the reach of the Energy Ombudsman to cover an extra 200,000 businesses, allowing them to access free, impartial advice and resolve issues with their supplier without the need for an expensive trip to court.”

FCA proposes new rules to protect access to cash The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed new rules to protect access to cash. The FCA has launched a consultation on a new regulatory regime, which would require banks and building societies to assess and address gaps in cash access provision. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the FCA’s proposals but it is important to note that further measures will be needed. The government needs to review ATM interchange fees to ensure that they rise to a level which properly covers the cost of providing and managing the long-term future of the UK’s free-to-use ATM network.” Volume 24: January-February 2024

Retailers urged to ‘Be Vape Vigilant’ The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has launched a UK-wide initiative to identify and report rogue traders who are suspected of selling vapes to minors or stocking illicit goods. The ‘Be Vape Vigilant’ initiative, supported by trading standards and the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has been created to mobilise legitimate retailers and the general public to turn in retail outlets and wholesale operations that are blatantly selling vapes to under 18-year-olds, or supplying illicit vapes. James Lowman, ACS Chief Executive, said: “This campaign will help identify irresponsible businesses and allow trading standards officers to focus their resources on them.”

News: Community Update

Pack your bags Sweeneys Budgens Wendover, in Buckinghamshire, has helped raise £102 for Aylesbury Grammar School’s Malawi initiative.

Sweet success Khindas Budgens in Maulden, Bedfordshire, has raised £337 for its local food bank by holding a Christmas competition. The competition challenged locals to guess how many chocolates were in a jar, with the winner taking home a Christmas hamper. The funds were used to provided much needed provisions, as well as a few Christmas treats for those in need.

The store allowed George Greer to pack bags in-store to raise funds for the initiative, which aims to improve education and standards of living for one of the world’s poorest countries. George’s mum Sarah said on social media: “Thank you so much to Sweeneys Budgens and everyone that shows such generous support.”

Little Miracles

Budgens of Donington in Spalding, Lincolnshire, has been raising funds for local charity Little Miracles. The store sold raffle tickets for a chance to win a luxury festive hamper with all funds going to support the charity, which supports families whose children have additional needs, disabilities or life limiting conditions.

Christmas treat donation Budgens Hook, in Hampshire, has donated treats to Hook Schools Community Association for its Christmas raffle.

Supporting soccer Jay’s Budgens of Crofton Park has sponsored its local youth football team Hillyfielders FC. The youth football club – based in Oak Park, South London – provides training and teams for boys and girls aged six to 18-years-old. The store’s name now appears on the team’s shirts.

The raffle helped raise funds for Hook Infant School and Hook Junior School. Hook Schools Community Association said: “A massive thank you to Argur for the donation of all of these treats – so many we made two big bundles for our Christmas raffle.”

Volume 24: January-February 2024

News: Charity

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Thursday 6th June 2024 Booker will be leading a unique Dragon Boat event this summer Bishamindustry Abbey, Marlow Road, which hopes to raise over £150k for GroceryAid to support Bisham, Marlow, SL7 1RR colleagues in need of a little help.

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Booker is set to lead an exciting and innovative new event in 2024 to help raise significant additional funds for GroceryAid, the industry charity that provides practical, emotional and financial support to industry colleagues. The Booker Charity Dragon Boat event will take place on 6 June at a private event space on the River Thames at Bisham Abbey in Marlow, with easy access from the M4 and M40. Dragon Boat racing is one of the most exciting and inclusive water sports in the UK today, with Chinese origins dating back over 2,000 years. The Booker Dragon Boat Race is an exciting new addition to the GroceryAid 2024 fundraising calendar, and the charity’s first-ever partnership event with Booker.

The day will feature three 200m heats for each boat entered followed by two semi-finals and a final race to decide the winners. The event will bring together over 40 teams, racing to be crowned Dragon Boat champions as they row to the beat of the drum. A host of entertainment including a celebratory BBQ and music will help ensure the day is a fantastic experience for everyone getting involved. Teams will enjoy a day of thrilling but friendly competition, as well as networking with industry colleagues. A number of sponsored supplier activations are also being sold with extensive sponsorship opportunities available. Ultimately, it is hoped that the day will raise an amazing £150k for GroceryAid.

Team of 5 - £5,000 + VAT (shared boat) Boat of 10 -Yaxley £10,000 + VAT Booker CEO Andrew said: “The

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(All teams will include to Booker Dragon Boat Racethe isoption a brandhave a Booker rower) new event in support of our charity partners GroceryAid. I would encourage SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES everyone to join us for a fantastic day Sponsor £12,000 + VAT of friendly Major competition, entertainment Includes team of 5 and member of Booker exec team and networking, raising vital Activation while£750 + VAT funds for such important causes.” CONTACT US TO ENQUIRE

HOW WILL IT WORK?  10 rowers and one drummer per Dragon Boat  Over 40 teams  A Booker colleague in every boat  200m race course  Three heats for each boat  Two semi-finals  One final

Want to get involved? Each Dragon Boat takes 10 people and can either be purchased as two teams of five or one team of 10. Participants can also host a Booker colleague in their boat for the day. Team of 5: £5k Team of 20: £10k To enquire or to book, email events@groceryaid.org.uk or visit: groceryaid.org.uk/events/booker-dragon-boat-race

TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT GROCERYAID.ORG.UK/EVENTS/BOOKER-DRAGON-BOAT-RACE Volume 24: January-February 2024

Retailer Profile: Budgens Whitfield

Building better Budgens Whitfield Service Station has been totally reimagined with a footfall-driving development designed to meet both local and passing needs. Kanagaratnam Rajaseelan’s aim is to “build products that sell themselves” and he’s certainly done just that at his Budgens forecourt site in Whitfield, Dover. Seelan as he likes to be known, is an illustrious entrepreneurial force in the local area, owning three local care homes and the four-star Dover Marina Hotel. In 2011 Seelan added Whitfield Service Station to his property portfolio and he has been successfully

trading it as a Budgens since 2017. “We had seen a great deal of success since signing up with Budgens,” Seelan explains. “The store’s footfall, sales and margin had all grown – leading us to feel very positive about the site’s future prospects.” So positive in fact, that at the start of 2023, Seelan decided to invest a whopping £1.5m on a showstopping development designed to maximise the primely located site’s potential.

“As forecourt sites go, you couldn’t really ask for a more prime location,” Seelan says. Situated on the busy Whitfield roundabout, just off the A2, the site is the gateway to the port of Dover and Europe beyond – the last major site for passengers boarding crosschannel ferries and the first that they encounter upon arrival. It’s also a valuable community asset, providing much-needed meal, top-up and convenience solutions to the thousands of residents who live and work nearby.

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“What we have created is a store that can now meet a really wide range of different food to go needs right around the clock .” Kanagaratnam Rajaseelan

“One of the development’s key aims was to maximise the massive food-to-go opportunity that we knew existed but that we weren’t formerly making the most of,” Seelan explains.

offer boasting a footfall-driving mix of unique food-togo solutions – including a dedicated serve over counter featuring Bake & Bite products.

“With thousands of hungry shoppers, commuters and holidaymakers passing by every single day we knew we had a massive opportunity to offer them something truly unique.”

Hungry shoppers on the hunt for a customised meal to go can now have their precise needs met by made to order sandwiches, baguettes, and toasties – plus Asian specialities including home-made filled rotis.

Work on what would be a six-month development project began in January 2023, with the site trading throughout. The relocation of former office space to the first floor allowed Seelan to increase the size of the shop floor by 400sq ft, creating a full 2,000sq ft of space in which to construct his vision. The finished article was officially revealed in late July at a grand opening day attended by hundreds of local people, plus community and business leaders, including local MP Natalie Elphicke, who cut the store’s ceremonial ribbon.

Shoppers after a grab-and-go solution can also treat themselves to a variety of freshly baked savoury and sweet pastries from a smart new self-serve unit on the shop floor. Supplied by Bake & Bite, the range includes top sellers such as sausage rolls, pasties, croissants, donuts and more. Rollover Hot Dogs are also available. A dedicated chiller on the shop floor also offers a broad range of Urban Eat pre-packed sandwiches and salads from Budgens, all of which are available as part of the great-value £4.50 Meal Deal.

What met them inside was a showstopping new convenience Volume 24: January-February 2024

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Retailer Profile: Budgens Whitfield

And the mouthwatering food-to-go offer doesn’t end there. Located to the rear right-hand side of the store and clearly visible to passing trade via large side windows, is a dedicated Fireaway Pizza offer providing shoppers with a vast range of custom-made pizzas to have in or take away. With a choice of more than 50 toppings, including vegan and gluten-free options, the authentic fired pizza offer is available from 11am until midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Drinks-to-go needs are met by two Costa Coffee machines and a Tango Ice blast. A range of specialist teas are also available from the store’s serve over counter. Shoppers on ‘food for later’ missions can also have their pick of a comprehensive new fresh and chilled offer, including fresh meats, Jack’s ready meals, deli items, fresh produce and dairy, thanks to an expanded Budgens range.

Pizzas are available to order and collect from the store or for home delivery. Shoppers can also choose to enjoy a slice or two in the dedicated seating area which features 15 comfortable seats.

The store also stocks a range of mouthwatering patisseries and cream cakes, which are made fresh every day by the Dover Marina hotel’s skilled pastry chef. Housed in a smart chilled display cabinet at the front of the store, the range offers Budgens Whitfield yet another totally unique point of difference.

“What we have created is a store that can now meet a really wide range of different food-to-go needs right around the clock,” Seelan says.

There are also two Cook! freezers, plus five doors of frozen Budgens-sourced products including the Budgens frozen Meal Deal.

FACTFILE Store name: Budgens Whitfield Service Station, Kent Store size: 2,000sq ft Owner and Director: Kanagaratnam Rajaseelan (Seelan) Staff: 25 Services: ATM, National Lottery, Health Lottery, PayPoint, Opening hours: 24 hours Best-performing categories: Food to go, fresh and chilled, bakery

GET READY

Retailer Profile: Budgens Whitfield

Shoppers’ alcohol needs are also met by a top-selling range of beers and wines from around the world, while spirits are housed on a smart back-lit display behind the counter.

“The feedback since opening has been incredibly positive, with shoppers delighted about the enhanced offer that they now have.

“Shoppers now liken our offer to a mini supermarket, which is exactly what we were hoping for,” Seelan says. “In addition to meeting the needs of passers-by, local people can now rely on us to provide them with a large and quality-driven range of goods and essential services 24 hours a day.”

“A huge thanks must also go to Budgens who have supported us every step of the way, especially our RDM Abdul Mustapha.

New parking facilities with space for 20 cars were also created as part of the move, which also saw the store create 15 new jobs for local people.

“I’m so proud of what we have built at Whitfield – which I now think is one of the best sites in the southeast of England! Footfall and sales are both in strong growth and what’s even better, is that we still have more excitement to come – so watch this space!”

Sales since the store’s Grand Opening Day have soared by more than 50% and are growing week on week. The store has also been warmly welcomed by local enterprise, including representatives from the Thanet & East Kent and Dover District Chambers of Commerce, who attended the opening ceremony. “All in all, we are absolutely delighted with the result, as are local people,” Seelan says. Volume 24: January-February 2024

Retailer Profile: Wilks’ Budgens

Seasoned operator Paul Wilks’ years of experience are bearing fruit in Stony Stratford. Spanning almost 40 years and including a stint heading up the Budgens’ store development team in the early 2000s, Budgens retailer Paul Wilks’ career history has earned him a particularly rich understanding of the recipe for retail success. And his latest store development project in the smart Milton Keynes suburb of Stony Stratford brings all that experience to bear. Paul, who also the runs the successful Wilks’ Budgens in Buckingham Park, Aylesbury, explains: “I’d been on the lookout for a new site for a couple of years when an opportunity

FACTFILE Store name: Wilks’ Budgens Stony Stratford Size: 1,800sq ft Retailer: Paul Wilks Staff: 16 Opening hours: 7am-10pm Services: Post Office, ATM, National Lottery, PayPoint

“Sales have started well ahead of expectations and are continuing to grow week on week .” Paul Wilks

suddenly presented itself in Stony Stratford back in February 2023. “It’s an affluent area with a very traditional high street and quite an elderly population. “The store was a former McColl’s and was one of the sites that Morrisons had agreed to sell as part of the CMA investigation. “I’m reasonably local and a long time ago I actually ran the old corporate Budgens store that used to be located in Stony Stratford, so I already knew the village well and felt that there was a great opportunity here.

Retailer Profile: Wilks’ Budgens

“The new store benefits from a prime high street location and features a Post Office but it had been quite neglected in recent years. “I had a firm belief that if we developed the site and introduced a new range, offer and customer experience, we could put Budgens firmly back on the map in Stony Stratford.” The process of doing just that began in August 2023 when work to “totally reconfigure” the store’s 1,800sq ft interior began in earnest. A tunnel, connecting the front door to the Post Office counter, ensured that Stony’s shoppers maintained access to key services throughout the five-week build – which saw the rest of the store’s tired, old interior ripped out. “It was a full fit out and we started from scratch with everything new from the flooring to the ceilings, lighting, and all the fixtures and fittings,” Paul explains. “The result is a store that looks exactly how a modern-day convenience store should, including the high standards that shoppers expect from Budgens. “In conjunction with the Budgens planning team, we worked on a design that would maintain the old store’s core strengths in news, stationery and cards, whilst introducing a fantastic new fresh and chilled offer. “Many years ago I was the head of development and maintenance for Budgens, so I had a good idea of what I was looking to achieve with this site but I’m absolutely thrilled with the end result,” Paul adds. Revealed to shoppers on 4 October 2023, the “end result” features a strong new fresh and chilled range including three bays of fresh produce, a whole bay of fresh meats, a bay of cooked meats and a strong food to go offer with chilled sandwiches, snacks and drinks supported by the Budgens Meal Deal.

AVERAGE CUSTOMER COUNT IS 3,500 25

NEW

LUCOZADE SPORT SUGAR

ZERO

Orange & Peach M292349

Raspberry & Passion Fruit M292352

VıTAMıN B3 HELPS REDUCE TIREDNESS VITAMIN TıREDNESS

*(Nielsen Scantrack, Latest 52 weeks, 30.09.22). **NIELSEN, VALUE SALES, TOTAL MARKET, LOW/NO CAL SPORTS & ENERGY, LATEST 52 WEEKS, 30.10.22 LUCOZADE, LUCOZADE SPORT and the Arc Device are registered trade marks of Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd.©Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retailer Profile: Wilks’ Budgens

“Many years ago, I was the head of development and maintenance for Budgens, so I had a good idea of what I was looking to achieve with this site but I’m absolutely thrilled with the end reult.” Paul Wilks

“The old store was very strong on news and magazines but had no fresh or frozen to speak of, so the new offer has been a real revelation to shoppers,” Paul says.

do really well, and we’ve been proved right. We have eight metres of BWS and the whole category is proving to be a great success.”

“Frozen has been another very welcome addition. We have five doors of frozen food and are receiving very good feedback from shoppers who love that they can now do a proper top-up shop here.

The store also introduced a brand-new food- and drinksto-go offer featuring freshly baked pastries from Country Choice, complemented by a Pret coffee offer.

“Alcohol is another very strong part of the store. Unlike the old store, all of our beers, ciders, white wines, rosés and RTDs are now chilled, which shoppers really appreciate, while spirits are primely sited behind the till points. “There actually isn’t an off-licence in Stony Stratford so we knew that if we gave the category enough space it would Volume 24: January-February 2024

“Unlike many of my fellow Budgens retailers, I decided not to install a Costa Coffee machine because, while Costa is an incredibly strong brand, it’s already quite saturated in Stony Stratford. I wanted to do something a bit different and Pret seemed like a good alternative. It allows me to offer shoppers a different type of premium coffee and so far, it’s being very well received.”

Retailer Profile: Wilks’ Budgens

Volume 24: January-February 2024

Paul’s Pret coffee machine is complemented by Tango Ice Blast and Think Fresh shakes, both of which are merchandised in a smart wood-effect display unit headed up with ‘Good To Go’ signage. “All the new Budgens Customer Journey signage looks really effective, as do the new specification fridges, shelving and colour schemes. The attractive, new-concept bakery display units also help our fresh bakery products to shine and maintain maximum freshness,” Paul says.

store that’s run by community-minded independent retailers,” he says. “We are keen to support the local community wherever possible and in the short time that we’ve been open, we’ve joined the local business association and already supported a number of local school initiatives.” Wilks’ Budgens was also involved in the village’s Christmas lights celebrations.

“Stationery sales are still very strong thanks to the Post Office, which continues to draw in a great deal of footfall.

“We want to be a big part of all the good things happening locally going forward,” Paul adds.

“When we bought the store, some shoppers were fearful that we’d close the Post Office, so we’ve worked hard to communicate the message that it’s here to stay. We’ve also extended the opening hours, which has been very well received.”

Good things are certainly happening at the store itself, where the average customer count is now above 3,500 and growing and sales also performing “ahead of expectations”.

Since opening, Paul and his team have also worked hard to engage positively with the local community. “We’re working really hard to build strong community connections here in Stony Stratford and to make it clear to local shoppers that that this is a new, modern Budgens Volume 24: January-February 2024

“We knew what the McColls store was taking each week and our sales have started ahead of expectations and are continuing to grow week on week,” Paul says. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and am feeling very positive about the outlook. I’m delighted with what we’ve managed to accomplish in an 1,800sq ft store and what more is still to come.”

Your Budgens: Seasonal Focus: Spring

Time to Spring into action Budgens has a host of fantastic promotions and activity planned for the Spring months to help stores build momentum ahead of the key summer months.

Pa n c a ke Day

£2

£2.69 £2.69

Day

TUESDAY 13TH TUESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY FEBRUARY

£3.19 340g £3.19

£2.50 200g £2.50

340g

Buy Buy any any 2 Goodfellas 2 Goodfellas Pizza Pizza & &a a tub tub of Cadbury of Cadbury Ice Ice Cream for £6 Cream for £6

£2.75 £2.75

£3.25 400g £3.25

200g

400g

MEAL DEAL MEAL DEAL

£6

£2.99 345g, 332g £2.99

SAVE £3.67 SAVE £3.67

£3.69 480ml £3.69

345g, 332g

£1

The spring months are packed full of opportunities for Budgens retailers as they continue to build momentum – as well as footfall, sales and profits – ahead of the key summer sales period. Booker has already helped Budgens retailers get 2024 off to a flyer with a £5m investment in a huge January promotional package to help set tills ringing in a typically quieter month 35g - 60g of the year. 35g - 60g

In the wake of that, however, an array of Every Day Low Pricing throughout February will continue to communicate that vital value message to shoppers who are no doubt still recovering from the expense of the festive period.

£1.50 £1.50

480ml

St Patrick’s Day to Pancake Day, Mother’s Day and even Easter itself, there’s a world of opportunity out there waiting to be unlocked.

£1.25 £1.25

AMAZING VALUE With Dry January and New Year’s resolutions on the wane, it’s a great time to tempt your shoppers with some great £1.65 50g - 75gon big brand wines – and Budgens 6 Pack has exactly what £1.65 deals 50g - 75g 6 Pack you need. The popular I Heart and 19 Crimes ranges of wine are on £1.09 £1.59 80p special offer all the way through February, £1.59 providing your £1.09 80p shoppers with eye-catching deals that deliver exceptional value.

But with a host of seasonal events from Valentine’s Day and

Volume 24: January-February 2024 400g

400g

80 Pack

1ltr

V Vaa

Your Budgens: Seasonal Focus: Spring

BOGOF & Half Price Deals! In Period 13 (1 Feb to 6 Mar), Budgens will be running a series of amazing value BOGOF and Half Price deals to help drive footfall, sales and profits. These include: Product

Case Size

Promo WSP

RSP

Shopper Deal

POR

Nomadic Limited Edition Oat

6x169g

£4.20

£1.79

BOGOF

21.79%

Nomadic Strawberry

6x169g

£4.20

£1.79

BOGOF

21.79%

Nomadic Oat Cluster Chocolate

6x169g

£4.20

£1.79

BOGOF

21.79%

Blueberry

6x169g

£4.20

£1.79

BOGOF

21.79%

Ginsters Original Cornish Pasty

6x227g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

& Onion Pasty6x180g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Moroccan Vegan Pasty

6x180g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Chicken & Bacon Pasty

6x180g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Limited Edition Slice

6x170g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Peppered Steak Slice

6x170g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Mushroom Slice

6x170g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Chicken Tikka Slice

6x170g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Ginsters Cheddar & Onion Slice

6x170g

£6.80

£2.85

Half Price

20.19%

Nomadic Oat Blackcurrant

Ginsters Cornish Cheddar

Ginsters Chicken &

Snack Attack Budgens has some fantastic sharing format and multipack snacking deals for February to drive basket spend and sales. These include: Product

Case Size

Promo WSP

RSP

Shopper Deal

POR

Walkers Classic Variety 20 Box

20x25g

£4.20

£5.99

£4.50

20.0%

Walkers Meaty Variety 20 Box

20x25g

£4.20

£5.99

£4.50

20.0%

Doritos Tangy Cheese

12x150g

£16.79

£2.50

Any 2 for £3.50

20.05%

Doritos Chilli Heat

12x150g

£16.79

£2.50

Any 2 for £3.50

20.05%

Doritos Cool Original

12x150g

£16.79

£2.50

Any 2 for £3.50

20.05%

Doritos Flame Grilled Whopper

12x180g

£16.79

£2.50

Any 2 for £3.50

20.05%

Doritos Mild Salsa Dip

6x300g

£8.39

£2.99

Any 2 for £3.50

20.10%

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

Volume 24: January-February 2024

Poonami-Proof nights with the Stop & Protect Pocket Available from Sizes 3 to 6

M281224

M281225

M281227

M281269

M281226

M254345

Wishing you a Poonami-Proof 2024

aster

Happy

Easter

The I heart range is available at a specially discounted WSP of just £25.45 per case, a saving of £5.14 on the standard price. That lets you offer the range to your shoppers at just £5.99 a bottle, a saving to them of £1.89 a bottle, while still delivering a POR of over 15% to you. Similarly, the 19 Crimes range is on offer at just £33.95 a case, saving you over £5 a case, and allowing you to sell each bottle to the shopper at just £7.99, a whopping £3 below RSP.

OME EASTER TREATS

16/11/2023 12:27

Deals like that are certain to grow footfall and sales, particularly if you shout about them on your social media channels and use the POS in-store. Again, the POR available to retailers on the 19 Crimes range tops 15%.

117391 Easter EAR 125Dia BLUE.indd 1

aster

16/11/2023 12:24

BARKER EAR 125mm Dia

£6.80 compared to the standard WSP of £11.44.

SNACK ATTACK

In a similar vein, Budgens is also offering a great range of snacking promotions that are perfect for Deals this strong can help shoppers planning to spend a bit of time indoors as they light up sales this period and with recover from the excesses of Christmas and stay out of the PORs in excess of 20% for the Ginsters cold. range and almost 22% BARKER EARon the Nomadic range, the deals will be just as welcome to you as they are to your shoppers. 125mm Dia Both Walkers’ Classic and Meaty 20-pack Variety Box are on promotion at just £3.00 a case, which allows you to offer SEASONAL STARS them to shoppers at just £4.50 a box compared to the standard £5 price point. The promotional WSP means you Spring is of course packed with special events and Budgens has built a range of bespoke promotional deals to help you still make a POR of over 20% on every box sold. cash in on celebrations like Pancake Day and Valentine’s The ever-popular Doritos range is also available on a great Day. deal in February with the price of cases of Doritos Chips slashed to just £16.79 from £22.50 to allow a fantastic ‘any For Pancake Day, shoppers can pick up all they need at 2 for £3.50’ deal for your shoppers. Also included in the your store with fantastic savings on every product including promotion are Doritos Mild Salsa and Sour Cream & Chives honey, butter and even Lotus Biscoff. Dips which carry a promotional WSP of £8.39, a saving of £4.41 a case. The PORs on every line in this promotion are Similarly, the Valentine’s Day deal offers two Jack’s steaks, a side and a Gü dessert for just £14.91. There’s also a great in excess of 20%. deal on Goodfellas Pizzas that offers shoppers any two BOGOF BANG pizzas and a tub of Cadbury Ice Cream for just £6.

Happy

Easter

OME EASTER TREATS

Happ

15/11/2023 16:00

117391 Easter BUNTING 210x210 BLUE.indd 1

Easter

Happy

A couple of promotions that are sure to grow sales and profits in February are the BOGOF deals available on the Nomadic range and the Half Price deals on the Ginsters range. The WSP on the Nomadic lines has been slashed from £7.40 to just £4.20 while the Ginsters promotional WSP is just Volume 24: January-February 2024

Easter

Happy

16/11/2023 12:18

117391 Easter BUNTING 210x210 BLUE.indd 1

Happ

These are cracking deals that your shoppers will go wild about, with discounted WSPs that you will love. Spring is packed with opportunity and Budgens is giving you the tools you need to turn that potential into reality in the till.

Your Budgens: Jack’s Update

More deals, more profit with Jack’s The Jack’s range of confectionery has been relaunched to deliver increased profits for retailers and to drive bigger basket spends with the return of the ‘2-for’ multibuy promotion. The hugely popular Jack’s confectionery range has been fully relaunched to deliver improved PORs for retailers and drive bigger sales and basket spend thanks to the return of the ‘2-for’ promotional pricing mechanic. The new and improved range features 23 individual products, all price-marked at £1.15 and all available on a new ‘2-for-£2’ deal to shoppers. The increased price mark means that the POR retailers achieve for every individual product sold has increased from 32.7% to 35.0% and it also means that even products sold on the multibuy deal deliver PORs of 25%.

BETTER THAN EVER The relaunch follows a full review of Booker’s supplier base to deliver improved commercials and even better-quality products, all of which will help drive footfall, sales and profits for retailers. Many of the products also benefit from bigger packs and different pack weights to help retailers communicate the value message that is so important to today’s shoppers.

COMPREHENSIVE RANGE The new Jack’s confectionery range includes an array of popular candy and chocolate products with consistently designed, high-quality packaging to help retailers create eye-catching fixtures that will generate additional impulse sales. Booker recommends that retailers create dedicated fixtures for the range, double-facing each product where space permits, to help maximise impact and ensure that the range is unmissable to shoppers in your store. The fantastic, improved quality of many of the products will then help drive those all-important repeat purchases and, most importantly of all, deliver increased profits for retailers.

FROZEN HEROES Another great initiative from Jack’s is a new multibuy deal that offers shoppers a pack of 12 Jack’s Yorkshire Puddings free when they buy a pack of Jack’s Carrots, Brussels Sprouts and Roast Potatoes. In other words, everything they need to accompany a perfect roast. The promotion helps shoppers enjoy their traditional Sunday roast while also securing fantastic value for money and great-quality products.

Volume 24: January-February 2024

Your Budgens: Jack’s Update

Product description

Case size

WSP

RRP

POR

Jack’s Strawberry Pencils

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Apple Pencils

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Rainbow Belts

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Tangy Mix

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Fizzy Cola Bottles

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Gummy Mix

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Jelly Beans

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Giant Strawberries

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Sour Snakes

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Fizzy Tropical Slices

£6.25

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Chocolate Peanuts

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Chocolate Raisins

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Chocolate Mini Eggs

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Mint Imperials

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Chocolate Honeycomb

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Jelly Babies

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Assorted Mints

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Wine Gums

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Fruit Pastilles

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Assorted Toffees

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

Jack’s Giant Chocolate Buttons

£7.49

£1.15PM/2-for-£2

35.0%

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

The perfect roast

A new Jack’s promotion offers shoppers a free pack of Jack’s Yorkshire Puddings when they buy a pack of Jack’s Carrots, Brussels Sprouts and Roast Potatoes. That’s the Sunday roast sorted! Product

Case Size

RSP

POR

Jack’s Baby Carrots

8x500g

£1.19

49.58%

Jack’s Brussels Sprouts

8x500g

£1.19

49.58%

Jack’s Roast Potatoes

8x750g

£1.69

40.83%

Jack’s Roast Potatoes

8x750g

£1.69

35.25%

Jack’s 12 Yorkshire Puddings

12x185g

£1.39

31.70%

Volume 24: January-February 2024

W E N cts

u d pro

JACK’S SKIN ON FRIES Case Size: 8x750g WSP: £11.25 RSP: £1.99 POR: 29.3%

Budgens brings you all the latest new products BROOKLYN PILSNER

HOBGOBLIN SESSION IPA

Case Size: 12x330ml

Case Size: 2x10x440ml

WSP: £9.49

WSP: £14.59

RSP: £13.99

RSP: £11.99

POR: 18.6%

POR: 27%

FINISH POWERBALL POWER ESSENTIAL Case Size: 16x15s WSP: £26.45 RSP: £2.59 POR: 23.4%

Volume 24: January-February 2024

What’s new: Products

KETTLE SEASALT AND CRUSHED BLACK PEPPERCORNS Case Size: 12x130g WSP: £19.69 RSP: £2.75

GRAHAM NORTON SAUVIGNION BLANC

EUROSHOPPER MACARONI CHEESE

Case Size: 6x75cl

Case Size: 8x400g

WSP: £39.79

WSP: £14.00

RSP: £9.99

RSP: £2.50

POR: 20.3%

POR: 30%

POR: 28.4%

KERSHAWS BIG BREAKFAST

KERSHAWS CHIP SHOP CHICKEN CURRY

Case Size: 12x400g

Case Size: 12x460g

WSP: £24.79

RSP: £2.75

POR: 24.9%

CRUZCAMPO PINT CAN Case Size: 6x4x568ml WSP: £27.99 RSP: £7.00 POR: 20%

LUCOZADE ALERT MANGO PEACHADE Case Size: 12x500ml WSP: £6.35 RSP: £1.00 POR: 36.5%

Volume 24: January-February 2024

S E L A S R E T MONS

. G N I Y L F E R A Y A D O T P U K STOC RE VALUE DRIVE MONSTER WITH MOCKS MULTIPA

H £55.2M T R O W W O S ARE N ER MULTIPACMK PULSE & THE MONSTIN SALES, IN TOTAL I S DELIVERED £13.6M BRAND HAAT +22.9%* G R OW I N G

M286739

M293014

M293013

TO FIND OUT MORE CALL 0808 1000 000 OR EMAIL CONNECT@CCEP.COM ©2024 Monster Energy Company. All rights Reserved. MONSTER ENERGY®, ®, MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA® are all registered trademarks of Monster Energy Company. Source: *Total Impulse Nielsen MAT Value Sales w/e 25.11.2023

M286738

What’s new: Products

SNACKSTERS DELI FOUR CHEESE PANINI

PUKKA CHICKEN PIES

Case Size: 6x180g

Case Size: 8x2pk

WSP: £12.99

WSP: £3.89

RSP: £2.99

RSP: £3.89

POR: 27.6%

POR: 50.9%

SNACKSTERS DELI MEATBALL MARINARA

BECKY’S BAKERY DEVON AND SULTANA SCONES

Case Size: 6x218g

Case Size: 12x4pk

WSP: £13.44

WSP: £10.19

RSP: £2.99

RSP: £1.19

POR: 25.1%

POR: 28.6%

FILIPPO BERIO BALSAMIC VINEGAR Case Size: 6x250ml WSP: £10.25 RSP: £2.99

SOUR PATCH KIDS Case Size: 10x130g WSP: £7.19 RSP: £1.69 POR: 48.9%

POR: 42.9%

Volume 24: January-February 2024

Meet the Team: Maria Chittenden

Say hello to...

Maria Chittenden

In this first issue of 2024, we catch up with Head of Transport Maria Chittenden to find out about the vital role she and her team play in keeping Booker customers stocked up and ready to trade.

MARIA, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF… I’m Maria, I work in our Distribution function and I’m Head of Transport. This was a new role following a restructure to bring together our Wholesale and Retail divisions into one Distribution team. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career in distribution and logistics with Booker, working across a number of business areas. I’m Co-Chair and a founding member of the Women@Booker Network along with my colleague Abbie Hackwell. I’m also a mum of three - which is most definitely my favourite job! – I have 2 sons aged 11 and 13 and a daughter who is 8.

WHEN DID YOU JOIN BOOKER? I joined in 2003 as part of the logistics graduate programme after graduating from the University of Swansea with a BSc in European Business Studies and Spanish. My secret superpower is that I’m bilingual, mainly because my mum is Spanish! In between graduating and joining Booker I spent about 18 months temping with Associated Newspapers in London but I saw an ad for the logistics graduate programme and it really interested me because I felt that logistics touched every part of the business spectrum and it would be an interesting role.

AND PRESUMABLY IT WAS? Well, I’m still here and I enjoy every day with all the challenges that are involved in helping run an efficient and effective

distribution function. I have a fantastic team around me and that’s absolutely critical when you’re running a division of the company that is so complex and multi-faceted and full-on!

HOW FULL-ON IS THE TRANSPORT DIVISION? Let’s just say that every day is a school day but Distribution is a huge operation. We have 10 distribution centres across the country, we make around 10,000 deliveries a week to 190 branches and to over 5,000 Booker Retail Partners independent retail customers. It’s a 24-7 operation and pretty full-on- it never stops and every part of the company relies on us, which is a daunting, but exciting responsibility when you think about it. It’s our job to get the right stock to our customers at the right time, so it’s a critical part of the Booker business. If we don’t do our job well, everything else falls down. Fortunately I’m surrounded by a talented, experienced and passionate team and I like to think that we do a fantastic job for our customers. At Booker we are massively focused on service, we understand how important it is to our customers and aim to deliver outstanding service every day.

ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR ROLE AS HEAD OF TRANSPORT? Yes, I am. When I saw the role advertised, I felt ready to really get on and step up so I applied. The teams across the whole of Distribution are exceptional and we all work well together. It’s only a year in, so still lots that we are working Volume 24: January-February 2024

Meet the Team: Maria Chittenden

ABOUT MARIA Maria Chittenden is Head of Transport at Booker, a role she has held since February 2023. She has been with Booker for more than 20 years, having joined the company in 2003 as part of the logistics graduate programme after graduating from University. Since joining Booker, she has worked in various roles across distribution within Booker, bringing that knowledge to the role that she holds today. Maria is also Co-Chair of the Women@Booker Network. She launched the internal colleague network alongside Chair Abbie Hackwell in March last year. The Women@ Booker Network continues to flourish and engage with more and more colleagues and has held a number of face-to-face and virtual events including a panel event focusing on allyship and spotlighting men’s mental health on International Men’s Day.

on to improve and build on, but as I say a great team and a great business, so I’m relishing the challenge.

HOW HAVE RECENT YEARS BEEN? Really busy! With the pandemic we all had to find new ways to work safely and the Distribution and Transport teams really rose to the challenge and ensured we safely got the cases out the door and delivered. Since then, certainly within Transport we have been impacted by a number of factors, not least the driver shortages, but we have a successful Driver Academy that has enabled us to overcome this particular challenge and also train and develop those colleagues who wanted to become drivers. Our drivers and Transport teams are pivotal to the business, delivering the final piece of the supply chain and it’s important that we recognise that.

TELL US ABOUT THE BOOKER WOMEN’S COLLEAGUE NETWORK That’s my other job! I’m really proud to be a part of something so inspiring and exciting and new! We launched the Women@ Booker network on International Women’s Day 2023 and what a year it’s been! It’s a fantastic initiative and we’ve been really busy since launch, setting our objectives, recruiting a committee of both women and men, and organising a number of events. We’ve already had two face-to-face events and one virtual event. We hosted a large allyship day in November which was really successful. It’s such an honour to be helping, supporting and inspiring colleagues across the Volume 24: January-February 2024

business through the network.

IS THE NETWORK OPEN TO ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES? Absolutely, it’s about empowering women first and foremost but ultimately, it’s about empowering everyone. Recently, for example, we celebrated International Men’s Day and held a virtual event with Andy’s Man Club, a fantastic suicide prevention charity for men. We’re trying to break down barriers and stereotypes and basically help everyone at Booker be who they want to be and achieve their goals both in their work lives and their personal lives. Through Distribution we’ve been able to extend that support further by getting some of the vehicles liveried up with the AMC logo.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE SUCH A SENIOR ROLE WITH YOUR OTHER INTERESTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES? Firstly, my husband and I make a good team, so that makes sure the home logistics is covered! I have a very demanding job but it’s also very rewarding and enjoyable. I get a kick out of doing a good job and delivering great service to our customers and helping them grow their sales and profits. Equally, I am honoured to be a part of the Booker Women’s Network because I feel like we are helping our colleagues in new and exciting ways. But there’s lots more still to do!

SHINE BRIGHT INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH A HOUSE THAT’S SPARKLING CLEAN

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ACS Update: Election Year

Election

fever?

2024 is very likely to feature a General Election – but what will this mean for independent retailers and what opportunities exist in this potentially dramatic year? James Lowman considers what an election year might mean for independent retailers across the country

We’re almost certainly into an election year now, with reports of both spring and autumn elections circling and an uncharacteristically early Budget adding fuel to the idea that we’ll be going to the polls sooner rather than later, so it’s likely that retailers across the UK will shortly be getting visits from prospective parliamentary candidates asking you for their support and wanting to hear about the issues that affect your business. With plenty of constituency seats set to change hands in the next election (all but guaranteed due to the number of current MPs standing down at the end of this parliament), the coming months are a perfect opportunity to build relationships with new candidates that will be able to fight your corner in Westminster. There’s no doubt that key issues like shop theft and abuse, product regulation issues, recycling regulations and business rates will be high on the agenda for discussions with prospective candidates, but it’s important to remember that we’ve got a positive story to tell about our sector as well. As a sector, we are prolific employers of local people, but where convenience store jobs differ from those in lots of other sectors is that working in convenience provides not just important flexibility for colleagues with other life commitments, but it’s also a very secure job. The majority Volume 24: January-February 2024

of people working in the sector live very close to the store where they work, which also helps to keep the cost of travel to work down and improve the perception of the job as a whole. We’re also big local investors, especially for stores that have had major refits over the last year. As a sector we invest over half a billion pounds a year in ways to make our stores more appealing to customers, more energy efficient and more sustainable in the long term. Thousands of retailers are also investing in services that would otherwise be lost to towns and villages, like pharmacies, bakery counters, butchers and others. The third positive story, and perhaps the most important for our sector is the story of our impact on the communities in which we serve. For several years, convenience stores have been consistently ranked in the top three services in a local area that have both a positive impact and are essential to local people. This often-intangible benefit cannot be overstated when talking to prospective candidates, as it is this that solidifies our place at the heart of the community. If you’d like to speak to us about hosting local candidates in your store, get in touch via email to willem.vandeven@acs. org.uk.

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