Your Budgens July 2023

New Cheshire Budgens store has the ‘wow’ factor Jack’s range continues to grow Game-changing social media solution unveiled

Welcome: Stewart Fenn

SALES opportunities heating up

A very warm welcome to your latest issue of Your Budgens as we enter the peak summer period and a whole new world of opportunities opens up to drive new footfall, sales and profits in the warmer weather.

One opportunity certainly worth exploring is the Women’s World Cup which runs all the way through to the 20th of August and is set to be a highlight of this summer. With a total of 64 matches taking place there will be endless chances to grow sale in categories like BWS, snacks, confectionery and soft drinks as shoppers meet up to watch England and the Republic of Ireland as they bid for glory. Budgens has a full promotional programme available to help retailers and their shoppers celebrate this huge global event so make sure you don’t miss out.

We’re also looking ahead to the everpopular Budgens Wine Festival in this issue, which throws a fresh spotlight

on a vitally important category. As ever Budgens has a full programme of activity and promotions to help you grow your wine sales and profits.

The Jack’s range continues to grow, as you’ll discover inside, with new ranges of sausages, snack packs and sustainable carrier bags unveiled

of outstanding value and fantastic quality.

Don’t miss the feature on SocioConnect, our new social media solution that can help turbocharge your social media presence. It makes handling your social media feeds across all networks quicker and easier than ever before and gives you instant access to professional Bookerproduced posts that you simply repost to your own pages. Best of all, it’s absolutely free.

in recent weeks. It’s a brand that is perfectly in tune with today’s shoppers and I would encourage every Budgens retailer to stock up. The feedback we’re getting from retailers and shoppers alike is that the Jack’s brand delivers a magical combination

Another feature worth checking out is our sustainability article which highlights some quick and easy wins to help you continue to create a more sustainable business and support your local community.

I wish you all fantastic summer trading.

With the summer well on the way there is a whole now array of opportunities opening up for Budgens retailers.

Industry News

Insights, advice and deals were all flowing freely at the Booker Trade Shows 2023.

Booker Trade Shows 2023

Budgens retailers from across the country flocked to the Booker Trade Shows 2023 in a bid to bag the very best inspiration, advice and support for the year ahead – plus hundreds of unmissable deals!

Held at Doncaster Racecourse on 16 March and Sandown Racecourse on 23 March, both shows provided a showcase of Booker’s key choice, price and service strengths, including exhibitions from more than 100 key suppliers from across the major food, drink and non-food categories.

Top Booker suppliers, including CCEP, Country Choice, Heineken, Britvic Soft Drinks/PepsiCo UK, Mondelez and Unilever showcased their bestsellers as well as the innovative new products tipped to help retailers drive sales and profits in 2023.

2024 Dates

Doncaster

14th March 2024

Sandown

21st March 2024

The shows also offered retailers the chance to make the most of market-leading WOW deals and take advantage of hundreds of Exclusive Trade Show Only deals.

Retailers attending the shows were also able to see and sample the full range of Jack’s and Euroshopper own-brand products available to them.

The Doncaster and Sandown shows also provided a valuable opportunity for retailers to network with fellow store owners and catch up with Booker Management and Leadership Teams.

Cooking demonstrations and free product samples also allowed retailers to fill their bags (and in some cases their car boots) with some of 2023’s most exciting new products yet, along with bestselling favourites.

“These shows provide us retailers with a truly valuable opportunity to come together, network and catch up with key industry suppliers and contacts. The world of convenience retailing is so fast-paced and trends are changing all the time, so the shows are a great place to get up to speed with all the very latest trends and new product developments.

“There’s a fantastic mix of suppliers from all the key sectors of the industry here today and there are also some great deals to take advantage of.”

Chris Shelly, Shelly’s Budgens Holbrook, Horsham

Unilever UK, Joanna Briggs

“The shows have been absolutely fantastic; we’re so pleased with the level of engagement we’ve been able to have with retailers. They have also been a fantastic opportunity to highlight our key new product developments for 2023, share best practice and make retailers aware of all the cabinets and POS that can help them to really maximise the ice cream sales opportunity this summer. We are also offering some very strong Trade Show Only deals and orders are coming in thick and fast!”

“The show is absolutely fantastic! To have so many key suppliers under one roof is such a benefit. Our store has recently undergone a significant refit so the show is a great opportunity for us to learn about all the new products and ranges that we could introduce, especially in key categories such as snacks and alcohol. We’re looking to add lots of innovation and excitement in 2023 and this is certainly a great place to start. We’ve only been here a couple of hours and already we’re brimming with new ideas.”

Lulia Andreea Burloiu, Manager, Budgens Caterways, Horsham, West Sussex

Development Group meets once more to shape future

The vitally important Budgens Development Group met once again recently to continue the two-way dialogue between retailers and the Budgens team. The Group has long played a vital role in ensuring that retailers’ views are heard, and that learning are shared more widely across the group.

As well as bringing Group members up to date on the latest developments and those that are planned for the future, the Group allows retailers to feed back their thoughts and

concerns as well as discussing fresh opportunities that can be shared among the entire Budgens family.

The most recent meeting took place in April and allowed the Budgens team to offer an extensive update on how the Budgens brand is performing and how the market is developing.

Hugely encouraging is the fact that 95 new stores have already joined Budgens in 2023 taking the total to more than 400 stores. Further, more than 30 full store refreshes have already been completed since the turn of the year.

Forum retailers also learned that the vaping category was performing exceptionally well, as were the Euro Shopper and Jack’s own brands.

Product categories including Dairy, Deli, Fruit & Veg, and Bread & Cakes were also driving sales.

The market update presented to the Group recognised that the cost-of-living challenges that shoppers face are driving them to seek out the best value and highlighted the vital role that own-brand products and promotions will play in the months to come.

Booker Retail Partners Sales Director Stewart Fenn told Your Budgens: “The Budgens Development Group has long been an indispensable forum for us, allowing retailers to bring us up to date on their own businesses while also providing a platform where we can share important updates with them on how the brand and the market is developing.

“The Group allows us to hear open, honest feedback and ensure that we at Budgens are doing all that we can to ensure that the Budgens offer remains as fantastic as ever.”

The Budgens Development Group met once more in April to continue the dialogue to ensure that Budgens keeps delivering its winning formula in the future.

Coronation celebration in Kenilworth

Kenilworth Budgens got into the swing of the recent Coronation of King Charles III by organising a street party.

100 miles

Budgens of Holt team member Maggie Hoyland walked 100 miles in six days to raise money for the retailer’s Charity of the Year, Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust.

Maggie walked more than 14 miles (approximately 31,000 steps) per day to reach her target. Budgens of Holt colleagues joined her for the final 14-mile home stretch.

Budgens of Holt is fundraising for The Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust in memory of a colleague of almost 15 years lost to the illness.

Delicious donations

Wilks Budgens Buckingham Park has become a donation station for Aylesbury Foodbank.

The foodbank was founded by local churches and community groups, working together towards stopping hunger in the local area.

The store now houses a basket where customers can leave items of food and drink for the charity.

Aylesbury Foodbank said: “Thank you to the staff and residents of Buckingham Park for your support.”

Cancer collection

Budgens of Cadnam, in Hampshire, has raised £87.07 for Friends of Cancer Research UK New Forest and Waterside through an in-store collection.

St John’s Budgens in Kenilworth in Warwickshire was one of many Budgens stores which organised a local street party to celebrate the recent Coronation of King Charles III.

Owner Avtar ‘Sid’ Sidhu organised for the street to be closed for the event and encouraged local residents to decorate the street and their houses. The day featured fancy dress competitions, music, a BBQ, and other activities.

One local resident said: “Thanks to everyone that organised. We had a great time meeting neighbours and having a chat.”

Sid told Your Budgens: “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity so we decided to go all out and try to create a true community party and, I have to say, it was a fantastic event. The entire community got involved and we had a fantastic time.”

Friends of Cancer Research UK New Forest and Waterside organises local fundraising events for the cancer charity and supports its national events such as World Cancer Day, Stand up to Cancer and Race for Life.

Summer school

Budgens Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, has donated £150-worth of vouchers to local Nene Valley Primary School.

The vouchers will be used as raffle prizes at the school’s annual Summer Fete, which takes place at the end of June.

The event, which brings the school and wider community together, will also feature lots of games, a tearoom, lucky dip, cake stall, a bar, and an ice cream van.

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Soft drinks ‘worth £2.8bn’ to convenience channel

Underage vaping crackdown welcomed

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed Government plans to tackle underage vaping and protect responsible retailers.

£2.8bn to independent retailers.

The soft drinks category delivered the biggest absolute value growth of any product category in 2022 and is now worth £2.8bn to the convenience channel, according to Britvic’s Soft Drinks Review 2023.

Energy drinks were the star performer last year, responsible for £96.9m (28%) of the category’s £347.4m growth. Cola and plain water added just over £70m each, with sales of plain water having surged by +39.4%. The research also reveals on-the-go missions rose from 13% of store visits in 2021, to 14.9% in 2022. Soft drinks’ share of these occasions also rose significantly, featuring in 48% of all on-the-go occasions, making them the number one on-the-go item bought in independent stores.

The resurgence of on-the-go trade is also changing dynamics in packaging formats, with onthe-go single-serve sales outperforming take-home across all channels.

Britvic has identified five key drivers for retailers to bear in mind as they tap into the opportunity on-the-go formats present: recruiting generation Z, winning with food, maximising health, simplifying shopping experiences, and evolving energy.

Frozen returns to volume growth

Frozen food sales returned to growth in the first quarter of 2023, according to the British Frozen Food Federation. The 12-week figures to 19 March show that volume sales of frozen food grew by more than 2.5m tonnes, year-on-year.

The value of the retail frozen food sales also continued to increase in the same period, up 9.5% (£273m), largely driven by inflation across the entire food supply chain.

Announced at the end of May, the measures include increased education and dedicated school police liaison officers to keep vapes out of schools, a review on the level of fines for shops selling illicit vapes and a review on whether ‘nicotine-free’ vapes should be banned for under-18s.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The vaping market has grown significantly over the past few years and independent retailers have continued to act responsibly in the sale of these products by implementing age verification policies such as Challenge25.

A new report from Britvic has found that soft drinks have delivered the biggest value growth of any category over the last year and are now worth

62% of vegan shoppers focused on promotions

living.

Following years of growth in plant-based product sales, new data from NielsenIQ (NIQ) has found that almost threequarters (73%) of vegan shoppers are actively trying to make savings on their food bills with 62% of them believing buying into promotions is the best way to do this.

Data from NIQ shows that plant-based alternatives often cost more than the standard ranges and it is likely that shoppers are becoming more price sensitive in the current climate.

Veganuary, traditionally a time for shoppers to switch to dairy and meat alternative diets, resulted in a decline in unit sales for most dairy and meat alternative categories this year compared with the same period last year.

Consumer confidence recovery continues

Consumer confidence has continued to improve, up 3% in May, according to GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index.

The most recent index reveals that all measures of confidence – personal finances, the economy, major purchases, and savings – were up in comparison to the previous month.

Joe Staton, Client Strategy Director at GfK, said: “This is the fourth monthly increase in a row and retailers will be pleased to see further improvement in how people view their personal finances in the next 12 months. The overall trajectory this year is positive and might reflect a stronger underlying financial picture across the UK than many would think.”

NIQ data shows, however, that 38% of the UK population are still replacing meals containing meat with vegan or vegetarian alternatives at least once a week. The data also shows that over half (52%) of plant-based shoppers buy vegan NPD at least once a month,

Katrina Bishop, UK Thought Leadership Activation Manager at NIQ, said: “There continues to be a market for plantbased alternatives, and many consumers are still reducing the amount of meat they eat, so it is important to appeal to flexitarians as well as those with vegan or vegetarian diets.

“Messaging is therefore key – bringing the out-of-home occasion inside can save money, even with premium products, and shoppers are still willing to spend on occasional indulgent treats.”

Lottery sales hit near record levels

Camelot UK has reported that total National Lottery sales for the year to the end of March increased by £99.6m to £8.19bn – the second-highest annual sales total since The National Lottery’s launch.

As a result of this powerful performance, returns to good causes from ticket sales alone hit an all-time high of £1.8bn in 2022/23, £6.2m higher than in the previous year.

Over the same period, The National Lottery awarded £4.69bn in prize money to players – up £81.7m and the second highestever amount awarded – and created 382 new millionaires.

Despite tough trading conditions, in-store sales recovered slightly over the past six months to reach £4.49bn for the full year as people visited stores more frequently in search of best value.

New data from NielsenIQ has revealed that 62% of vegan shoppers are increasingly buying into promotions to help them cope with the cost of

School Essentials Grant returns

up to £150 per child in financial support.

GroceryAid’s hugely popular Back-to-School Essentials Grant Scheme is back once again this year to help people working in the independent retailing sector.

Applications can now be made at groceryaid.org.uk and is a great way to help industry colleagues at an expensive time for families: the start of a new school year.

Eligible families can get £150 per school-age child, for up to three children per household. Applications will close once the fund is spent.

To get a GroceryAid School Essentials Grant, colleagues need to meet the following criteria:

l They have been working in your store for at least six months;

l They are already receiving Universal Credit/Child Tax Credit for school-age children (aged 4-18 as of 31 August 2023);

l Their household savings/balances are less than £4,000;

l They haven’t received a financial grant from GroceryAid in the period since 1 April 2023.

To apply, colleagues imply need to upload onto the application form copies of a current payslip, their Universal Credit statement and their name and address. If they receive child tax credit, they should provide a PDF of their current bank statement showing the Child Tax Credit entry. The Fund will remain open until fully subscribed.

Checkout Scotland line-up revealed

The Scottish committee of GroceryAid has unveiled the headline acts for this year’s Checkout Scotland event, which takes place at Barras Art & Design in Glasgow on 31 August.

Crossover dance music star Example will headline the event and he will be joined by popular Irish girl group B*Witched and legendary Scottish songsters The Supernaturals.

Checkout Scotland will once again help raise awareness of the free and confidential support that GroceryAid offers to all industry colleagues.

Visit groceryaid.org.uk/event-bookings/CS2023 to purchase tickets for the event, which cost £75 + VAT.

If you need support of any kind, contact GroceryAid’s free and confidential 24/7 helpline on 08088 021 122.

average families spend around £337 on secondary school uniform each year, with primary school parents paying as much as £315 a year per child.”

Applications are now open for GroceryAid’s exceptionally popular Back-to-School Essentials Grant Scheme which offers industry colleagues

“GroceryAid’s School Essentials Grant will help to alleviate some of the financial strain at the start of the new school year, particularly after the year everyone has had. On

Mandi Leonard, GroceryAid Welfare Director

Fresh thinking

Shingadia’s Budgens in Southwater is in its best shape yet following its latest store development project.

THE STORE HAS ADDED

300 NEW GROCERY LINES

More than 35 years have passed since the Shingadia family first opened their Southwater convenience store in West Sussex.

However, thanks to an ongoing cycle of astute investments and store development projects, the 2,500sq ft community-centric store is still continuing to attract new faces, greater footfall and meatier sales.

Its latest store development project, carried out in February 2023, has certainly proved to be no exception.

Just over four-and-a-half years since the store’s transformation from Londis to Budgens, the family has once again invested in a top-to-bottom refresh of the store’s look, range and mix – in-line with evolving shopper trends.

Alpesh Shingadia, who oversees the running of the store established by his father and mother Ramesh and Nim, explains: “Shopping trends have changed significantly since the pandemic, so it was time for another revamp to continue futureproofing the business. Southwater is also a growing village; there has been lots of development recently, giving us an opportunity to appeal to an ever-broader mix of shoppers.

“As a result, one of our key aims was to give the store more of a ‘supermarket’ feel and less of a convenience store feel to drive basket spend upwards.”

Central to achieving this particular aim has been an expansion of the store’s grocery offer. At a time while many convenience stores are scaling back

on grocery, Budgens Southwater has increased the amount of space that it dedicates to the category – adding 300 new grocery lines in the process.

Many of these new lines are premium-priced, including top-of-the-range condiments, cooking sauces, noodles, jams, nut butters and dips.

The store’s home baking section has also been extended, with more premium cakemaking kits, as well as decorations and frostings.

The premiumisation drive has also touched the store’s soft drinks category, fuelling the addition of premium-priced bottled water brands including Fiji, bubble tea, and premium health juices and shakes.

HANGING

“New additions such as these were designed to help us change perceptions about our offer and take shoppers by surprise,” Alpesh says.

“There’s quite a bit of retail competition in Southwater, so it’s really important that our offer stands out from the crowd and includes products that shoppers simply can’t find in other stores,” Alpesh says.

The comprehensive refit also included a number of upgrades and refreshes to its fixtures and fittings, including the addition of a number of new Budgens concepts, such as smart new anthracite grey shelving and a brand-new eight-door chiller for soft drinks and food-to-go.

Meanwhile, the store’s existing 14-metre run of food and dairy chillers were resprayed on-site by an external company to give them a fresh lease of life and help them complement the new anthracite shelving installed in the facing grocery aisle.

With fresh and chilled participation running at well over 30%, the Shingadias also upgraded the store’s fresh produce

BAGS HAVE BEEN TRIPLED

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chillers, which now feature Budgens’ new-concept curved shelving and rustic wooden crates to better display fruit and vegetables.

“The new curved shelves are really aesthetically pleasing and the feedback from shoppers has been very positive,” Alpesh adds. “It’s all about enhancing the overall look and feel of the store and delivering a more premium experience.

“There have been lots of little touches like that to improve the store’s overall look.”

At 470mm deep, the new anthracite grey shelving units have also helped to increase the width of the main shopping aisle by 200mm – a small change which Alpesh says had a made a big difference to the feeling of space.

“We have also removed POS such as dump bins from the aisles to help boost that overall sense of space,” Alpesh

adds.

Around 200 lines were also taken out, with the vast majority of these coming from the health, beauty and personal care aisles.

The store’s checkout area was also relocated from the righthand wall to the very front of the store, a move which Alpesh says has achieved multiple benefits including the expansion of its chilled beer, cider and wine offer by a further 2.25 metres.

“Doing this has enabled us to bring in more international beers and premium products. German and Kenyan beers are so far proving to be a big success,” he adds.

A new backlit spirit display and Vape Store offer has also been created in what was the store’s front window and new till point.

“With the refurbishment still so fresh and new faces continuing to pour in, now is the perfect time keep up that innovation drive and experiment with new products and ranges.”

Alpesh Shingadia

“I was a bit worried about blocking up the front window at first, but those worries have proved unfounded,” Alpesh adds. “The new backlit spirit display ensures that the area is still very bright and having the three tills along that front wall is a much better use of space. It’s allowed us to create more room at the front of the store and added to the overall bright and airy feel.

Relocating the till points also allowed the Shingadia’s to devote more space to promotions, including a whole new ‘Value’ bay and a brand-new Euroshopper aisle-end bay.

The front of the store has been further improved with the creation of an enhanced food- and drinks-to-go area, including new zonal flooring.

Playing a starring role in the new drinks-to-go offer is F’real, Tango Ice Blast and a new-generation Costa Express machine.

The sense of light and space at the front of the store has been maximised further by smart new lower-level shelving for confectionery. “Confectionery has undergone a big shake up,” Alpesh says. “We’ve tripled the size of our hanging bag offer. When it comes to confectionery, value is everything these days and hanging bags offer shoppers greater value for their money. Sales are flying and the same is true for multipacks, whereas sales of singles are much slower.”

FACTFILE

Store name: Shingadia’s Budgens

Location: Southwater, West Sussex

Size: 2,500sq ft

Staff:

Services: National Lottery, Post Office, car park, food-to-go, drinks-to-go, Cook!

Opening Hours: 7am-10pm Mon-Fri, 8am10pm Sat-Sun

Finally, the store’s bread and bakery zone was also augmented with Budgens’ new-concept self-serve cabinets featuring smart pull-out drawers.

“We’ve also added a number of new premium bread products and added a new range of local cakes from EF Bakers at the till point which are complemented by a new range of multipacks within the bakery aisle,” Alpesh says.

“Local products continue to be a big trend and our range includes a number of great-quality local goods including eggs, seasonal vegetables and meat products from A&R Bailey’s and Bangers Galore.

“All in all, we are absolutely delighted with the changes we’ve made and the feedback from shoppers is so positive.”

The work is most certainly not over though.

“We’ll continue to tweak the range over the coming months,” Alpesh adds. “With the refurbishment still so fresh and new faces continuing to pour in, now is the perfect time keep up that innovation drive and experiment with new products and ranges.

“Some things may not work but lots of things will, and if managed correctly, it’s a small risk that’s well worth taking. Sometimes you can achieve very surprising results!”

“With the refurbishment still so fresh and new faces continuing to pour in, now is the perfect time keep up that innovation drive and experiment with new products and ranges.”

Alpesh Shingadia

The wow factor

In just five short months, retail entrepreneurs and business partners Sajeev Gowrinathan and Suvarnan Sivapatham have transformed the retail offer in the small Cheshire village of Tarvin – gifting its well-heeled shoppers a brand-new store they never knew they needed and now “can’t live without”.

Opened on 14 December 2022, the cutting-edge 2,000sq ft Budgens store sits on the site of what was formerly a 300sq ft forecourt kiosk “selling mainly tobacco and confectionery”.

“Aside from one store in the village of Tarvin, there was little else in the way of competition in the local area, so the site jumped out at us straight away,” Sajeev explains.

“Tarvin itself is a beautiful and quite affluent village, with lots of residential housing and a couple of schools.

“It’s also just six miles away from Chester and five miles from Tarporley – which was recently named as one of the top places to live in England by the Sunday Times.

“When we first viewed the site, the retail kiosk was tiny but the site itself was very large and included a large workshop to the side. With only one other convenience store nearby, we saw a significant opportunity to develop the site into a showstopping destination store that could offer local shoppers a comprehensive and exciting range supported by all the additional services

you would expect on a forecourt,” Sajeev adds.

“We had a very clear vision for what we wanted to achieve and how we wanted the store to look. It was all about creating a ‘wow’ factor.”

Following a lengthy, year-long planning progress, work to achieve Sajeev and Suvarnan’s vision began, with old walls demolished and fresh, promise-filled foundations laid.

“We wanted to create something really futuristic that would help to change perceptions about what a convenience store can be,” says Sajeev.

“Our Budgens RDM Peter Kowalczuk played a key role in the development process, helping us to source shopfitters, plan the design and build the range.”

“We wanted the range to be as comprehensive as possible in a bid to make us the first port of call for local shoppers, including a powerful mix of

Sajeev and Sivapatham set out to create a store with a real “wow factor” – and they are delivering.

unique local, premium and big-brand products, plus as a strong value-formoney option.

“We also wanted the store to be a real showcase of all the latest trends, the kind of place that excites shoppers as they walk in, and hopefully inspires other retailers too.

“I’m fascinated by the psychology of shopping and a big believer that if a store looks and feels like a great place to be, shoppers will want to buy into it to take a slice of that feeling home.”

The result, Sanjeev says, is a “bright, welcoming and modern” store that really does make shoppers go “wow” when they enter.

“With the Budgens brand over the door, we have positioned ourselves as a premium supermarket-style store that also sells fuel – rather than a fuel site which also sells groceries,” he adds.

Greeting shoppers when they enter, is a striking 10-metre run of chillers

featuring the full Budgens range, plus a couple of extra shelves for local meat.

“We source the local meat, including premium-quality steaks, chickens, sausages and black pudding from Rose Farm – a very well-known and highly thought of local business,” Sajeev explains. “The quality is fabulous, and we sell products for exactly the same price that shoppers would get if they bought from the farm directly.

“It’s really helped to add a unique ultrapremium touch to our fresh and chilled range that local shoppers love, and it results in a high volume of associated fresh purchases.

“Fresh and chilled sales have been flying since we opened and now account for just over £4,000 a week and growing.”

Local products, including ales and spirits from Cheshire brewer and distiller Weetward, are also helping to add a unique point of difference to the store’s BWS offer, which currently generates just over £6,000 a week in sales.

“BWS is one of our best-performing categories, which is amazing considering the old store never sold alcohol before,” Sajeev says.

“Local shoppers are thrilled with the offer that they now have on their doorstep and we often hear comments like: ‘I don’t know what we did without you!’”

Sajeev Gowrinathan

ENERGISE YOUR SALES

“We have 13 metres for BWS including an ultrapremium one-metre Laithwaites section, featuring bottles priced at £20 and up, which is doing very well.

“This clearly highlights the type of shopper that we are attracting,” he adds. The store’s premium BWS offer also complements its fresh and chilled range and its Cook! frozen food offer.

“We have three Cook! freezers and the range is so popular that we’re doing five freezers-worth of sales out of them,” he laughs.”

Cook! aside, Sajeev says that the store is also reporting increasingly-strong sales from its own freezers.

“Frozen is becoming an increasingly significant category, we currently have four freezers and we could do with more to be honest! We fly through chips and frozen ready-to-cook vegetables.”

Sales are also flying from the store’s dedicated shop floor vaping unit – currently worth just over £2,300 a week, and driven by disposable products.

FACTFILE

Store name: Budgens Greenacre, Tarvin

Retailers: Sajeev Gowrinathan and Suvarnan

Sivapatham

Store size: 2,000sq ft

Best performing categories: BWS, snacks, fresh and chilled

Services: National Lottery, PayPoint, food- and drinks-to-go, fuel, carwash

Opening hours: 6am-11pm

Staff: 6

“With the Budgens brand over the door, we have positioned ourselves as a premium supermarket-style store that also sells fuel – rather than a fuel site which also sells groceries.”

Sajeev Gowrinathan

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One of the store’s most showstopping categories, however, is food- and drinks-to-go.

“Food and drinks to go has really helped to create that ‘wow factor’ we were looking for,” Sajeev adds.

“We offer Costa Coffee, Tango Ice Blast and Hershey’s and Reece’s Freeze. We also have a strong hot food-to-go offer thanks to Country Choice and we’re looking to develop a fresh pizza offer in the coming weeks. This could be game changing as there is very little in the way of takeaways around here.

“Drinks-to-go are a key draw. We’ve not experienced a summer yet, but on a good week in winter we will easily sell £500-worth of slush so I’m expecting that to take off when the warmer weather hits in earnest.

“Coffee is also doing well – we’re currently selling upwards of 30 cups a day which is pretty good considering our highly local customer base and the fact that the old store never sold coffee.”

The store further supports its standout offer with regular posts on social media, including engaging themed promotions.

On Valentine’s Day for example, dozens of local shoppers were inspired to ‘Like and Share’ a store post to be in with a chance of winning two 10oz Ribeye Steaks from Rose Farm, a bottle of Diablo Dark Red wine and a box of Guylian Belgian chocolates. A similar initiative was employed for the store’s Grand Opening day, with local shoppers invited to like and share a post to be in with a chance of cutting the store’s ceremonial ribbon.

“Social media can be such a powerful tool when it comes to engaging local shoppers and it’s something we will look to develop even further this year,” Sajeev adds.

So far though, local shoppers certainly seem enamoured with their brand-new store.

“Sales are exactly where we hoped they’d be and we’re anticipating further growth to come as we hit the summer and develop our food-to-go offer. We’re also planning to launch a new home delivery service which will add a further string to our bow,” Sajeev says.

“Local shoppers are thrilled with the offer that they now have on their doorstep, and we often hear comments like: ‘I don’t know what we did without you!’ and ‘We couldn’t live without you now!’ which is wonderful.”

Jack’s adds snacks bangers and bags

The continuing expansion of the extremely popular Jack’s range continues with the addition of new snacks and sausage ranges as well as the launch of two new carrier bags.

As the pressure on shoppers’ wallets shows no signs of easing it’s little surprise that more and more shoppers are turning to own-label products to help make their hardearned pounds go further.

In a recent report from NielsenIQ, over a third of shoppers said they were watching what they spent more closely than ever and almost as many – 31% – said they were turning to own-brand alternatives to help them do so.

The launch last year of the Jack’s own-brand range couldn’t have been better timed and with the range now extending to over 530 products across all key categories, Budgens retailers have the perfect weapon in their armoury to meet the increased shopper demand for great value without sacrificing on quality.

Coupled with an outstanding promotional programme and extensive EDLP offer, the Jack’s range provides retailers with all that they need to deliver value while also achieving the margins they need to run profitable, successful businesses.

SNACK ATTACK

The latest evolution of the Jack’s brand sees the launch of a whole new range of fruit and nut snack packs priced in two distinct bandings: £1 and £1.25. The 12-strong range features an array of healthy, popular snacking favourites such as almonds, dried apricots, fruit & nut mix, chocolate raisins and chocolate peanuts.

Presented in attractive recyclable pots, the range is perfect

Jack’s £1 Snack Range

New to the continually expanding Jack’s range is a selection of £1 snack packs.

Jack’s £1.25 Snack Range

Also new to the Jack’s brand is a range of £1.25 snack packs.

Jack’s Sausages Range

Expanding the Jack’s chilled range is a new selection of great quality, fantastic value sausages.

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

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for tempting shoppers looking for healthier, tasty snacks at any time of day but don’t want to pay over the odds. The range should be ideal in helping boost basket spend, particularly at lunch and breakfast times.

Every product in the range delivers a strong POR of 25% for retailers.

MEATY PROFITS

Also new to Jack’s and further enhancing the already outstanding fresh and chilled range is a selection of three top-quality sausage lines: Traditional Pork Sausages, Cumberland Sausages and Lincolnshire Sausages.

All three lines are made in the UK from Red Tractor-certified pork and all three are gluten-free. Hand-trimmed by skilled butchers, the sausages are made with prime cuts of pork and offer shoppers great value for such high-quality products at just £3.50 for a pack of six.

The lines all carry the same WSP of £17.15 and deliver strong PORs of 30%. The products will make a welcome addition to the chilled cabinet and the eye-catching packaging will help drive trial.

IN THE BAG

The Jack’s range is also being expanded with the addition of a choice of three carrier bags to meet continuing shopper demand. While the carrier bag tax has resulted in fewer bags being requested by shoppers, data shows that a significant demand remains.

In order to meet that demand responsibly, Booker has launched two new branded solutions: a Jack’s Bag For Life and a Jack’s Paper Handled Bag.

The Bag For Life is made from strong yet light plastic which contains 30% recycled materials and is itself 100% recyclable. At 45cm x

Jack’s Bags

*All prices correct at time of going to press.

“The Jack’s brand has played a crucial role in our store since we opened in December 2022. The range perfectly complements our many local products, creating a powerful value-formoney proposition which shoppers love. We get consistently good feedback about the quality of Jack’s products, including the fresh produce, meats and deli items. Fresh and chilled sales have been flying since we opened and now account for just over £4,000 a week and growing.”

Sajeev Gowrinathan, Budgens Greenacre, Tarvin

45cm, it is identical in size to standard Tesco Bags For Life and is the ideal size for the convenience channel.

Each bag can comfortably hold between 10 and 12kg and the bags are available in bundles of 25 or in outers of 10 x 25. The RSP on each bag is 19p, delivering a POR of 47%.

The Jack’s Paper Handled Bag is made from lightweight sustainably sourced, FSC certified paper and is manufactured in the UK. Again, the bag is 100% recyclable, holds between 10 and 12kg and at 31cm x 39cm is the perfect size for independent retailing.

The Paper Handled Bags are available in cases of 100 at £15.99 with an RSP of 25p, offering retailers a POR of 36%.

In addition, Booker has produced an unbranded Vest Carrier that contains 30% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. These lighter bags can hold up to 10kg and are available in cases of 10 x 100 at £21.99 with an RSP of 5p and a POR of 60%.

The new bags provide Budgens retailers with a great, environmentally sustainable way of meeting ongoing shopper demand for carrier bags.

BIGGER AND BETTER

Since launch, the Jack’s brand has continued to grow and evolve in response to retailer and shopper feedback and is now a fully-fledged brand in its own right. Feedback shows clearly that shoppers trust the brand and appreciate the Tesco branding that appears on-pack, giving them the

confidence to trial products from the range. The quality of the Jack’s range then comes into its own and helps drive those all-important repeat purchases.

Stephen Hutchinson of Budgens

Sandyford Road in Newcastle upon Tyne is one retailer who has seen Jack’s play a major role in driving his business forward. Located next to the main campus of Northumbria University, students account for the vast majority of footfall and, as Stephen explains, those students are all about the fresh: “Fresh sales are huge here. The students like to cook fresh every day and they choose to buy fresh pastas and fresh pasta sauces as well as fresh soups over ambient varieties. Fresh ready meals, such as the Jack’s-branded pizzas and pasta dishes are strong sellers. The students love the price and promotions offered by the Jack’s brand so we offer the full range of Jack’s ready meals and students can’t get enough of them, especially the Spaghetti Bolognaise and Ham & Mushroom Tagliatelle which offer excellent value for money at £6 for two.

“Students are value-driven but they are also happy to pay for quality – that’s what’s most important to them. If you can offer them great quality and value combined then you’re on to a real winner – and that’s why the Jack’s brand has proved to be so powerful here.”

The Jack’s ‘2 for’ deals Stephen referenced have been particularly effective in Budgens Sandyford Road and are becoming even more so thanks to the recent launch of new on-pack messaging to make the Jack’s ‘2 for’ deals unmissable and increase buy-in yet further.

The mechanic is already available across a wide selection of high-volume categories such as crisps, nuts, confectionery, chilled foods and more, and features an even bigger and brighter ‘2 for’ band to help land the value message with even greater force.

Redemption levels on Jack’s ‘2 for’ offers were already over 85% and the bold new approach is expected to drive take-up even higher, improving retailers’ footfall, sales and profits into the bargain.

Refresh your sales this summer!

With summer upon us, it’s the perfect time to consider installing hot and cold refreshment zone in your store and follow the many other Budgens retailers who have seen sales and profits rocket.

There’s no such thing as a magic bullet in retail to help you instantly grow sales and profits – but the Budgens hot and cold drinks zone concept is as close to a guaranteed quick win as you are likely to get.

With additional sales of several thousands pounds a week common and margins of up to 80% on many of the solutions available, it’s easy to see why so many Budgens retailers are keen to get in on the action. But it’s not just about footfall, sales and profits, as Booker Retail Partners Sales Director Stewart Fenn explains: “The concept requires virtually no input from staff, which helps keep costs down. The machines cost only around £10 a day to run, and

customers serve themselves.”

One Budgens retailer who is reaping the rewards of investing in drinks-to-go is Stephen Hutchinson of Budgens Sandyford Road in Newcastle. Featuring Costa Coffee, Tango Ice Blast and Fwip, Stephen says the zone has played “a major part in helping store sales grow from £20,000 a week around £35,000 a week on average,”

So, isn’t it time you considered giving your footfall, sales and profits a Refresh? Here are just some of the options available to Budgens retailers…

TANGO ICE BLAST

Tango Ice Blast is a massively popular product that sells in high volumes in many Budgens stores.

Profit margins are between 70% and 80% a cup and you only need to sell two large cups at RSP a day to cover the lease fee!

COCA-COLA FROZEN

One of the fastest-growing brands in Budgens stores is Coca-Cola and Fanta Frozen.

The option allows retailers to leverage the power of the well-known soft drinks brand and deliver increased footfall, sales and profits. Through Budgens, retailers have access to three different sizes of machine on lease for Tango Ice Blast and Coca-Cola Frozen:

C4: £7,500 + VAT

G3.5: £5,350 + VAT

H4: £8,764 + VAT

The 3-year lease term includes installation, maintenance, servicing, repairs and parts and monthly finance options are available.

“Despite the squeeze on spending, shoppers are willing to pay for products that offer them a quality experience or something out of the ordinary.”

Kopi Kalamatham, Freshgos Budgens, Carcroft

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ROBINSONS FRUIT ICE

The Robinson’s brand is enjoyed by over 12 million families, according to the brand, and a Robinson’s Fruit Ice allows retailers to cash in on this massive popularity by offering Robinson’s favourite flavours but with an icy twist. With real fruit in every drop, the solution also helps retailers appeal to shoppers seeking out more natural options.

NO SUGAR SLUSHY JACK’S

Unlock the potential of Europe’s fastest-growing slush drink with No Sugar Slushy Jack’s. The brand offers a great-tasting classic slush which is dispensed via energy-efficient machines that use eco-friendly refrigerants. Every cup sold also raises money for Ocean Generation. Through Budgens, retailers have access to the Robinson’s Fruit Ice and No Sugar Slushy Jack’s at a lease rate of £1,997 + VAT for each machine.

Again, the 3-year lease term includes installation, maintenance, servicing, repairs and parts and monthly finance options are available.

To find out more, speak to your RDM or: Web: visit frozenbrothers.com Email: e-commerce@frozenbrothers.com Tel: 020 8578 5785

Keep winning with wine!

The recent Budgens Wine Festival provided a great platform for building long term growth in the important wine category and boosting summer sales and profits.

The historic Coronation of King Charles III in May provided the nation with a much-needed shot of joy and merriment, as people from across the country came together to mark the historic event – often with a glass of something nice in hand.

Building on that momentum, the recent Budgens Wine Festival helped shoppers remain in a celebratory frame of mind as well as pushing the important wine category into the limelight. Feedback from retailers suggests that the Wine Festival provided many with a great boost to footfall, sales and profits, thanks to an array of showstopping promotions and fantastic products.

The Budgens Wine Festival provided a fantastic platform for retailers to keep building sales in the category and ensure a busy and profitable summer.

This year’s serving of special offers was carefully designed

around key brands and the prevailing trends driving wine sales this year, including wines from Australia and South Africa, with sweeter taste profiles.

Deals were on offer across all price sectors, including value, mid- and premium-priced products, allowing Budgens retailers to meet the needs of a wide variety of different shoppers and social occasions.

With demand for sparkling options remaining high, especially as we approach the summer, this year’s Festival also included a number of fantastic deals on sparkling products to suit all budgets.

Building momentum

With the wine category firmly in the spotlight thanks to the Festival, it’s the perfect time to build that momentum further

“BWS is one of our bestperforming categories, and in total accounts for just over £6,000 a week in sales. Wine constitutes an important part of that and for us premium wines are a significant category. We actually have an ultra-premium onemetre Laithwaites section, featuring bottles priced at £20 and up which is doing very well. However, despite our affluent customer base, promotions still drive sales and events such as the Wine Festival are a great way to generate extra sales, prompting shoppers to stock up, and buy on impulse.

The Budgens Wine Festival POS also helped us to create some really nice in-store theatre.”

by following some simple tips that will keep shoppers coming back for more all summer long.

One of the most effective ways of doing this is to ensure that your range includes some wines that are in line with the latest trends. According to Booker’s lead for wine and RTDs, Mark Oldfield, the biggest trend of all is a move towards wines with sweeter taste profiles.

The easiest way to meet that demand is by focusing on Australian wines, advises mark. Not only do they tend to have sweeter taste profiles, they also tend to offer better pricing and availability since Australia is the world’s leading producer by sales volume.

NEW FORMATS!

Most Wanted Cans 187-200ml

Sajeev Gowrinathan, Budgens Greenacre, Tarvin

Pinot Grigio, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc Rosé

Your Budgens: Wine

Everyday low price!

BIN 201 SEVEN TENTHS RED, WHITE AND ROSÉ £4.99

weather

experienced throughout most of June, led to a dramatic rise in sales at both our Abbots Langley and Wendover stores. Total BWS sales participation at our Wendover store rose from 9.5% to 13% over the Wine Festival period which was a fantastic result.

SPARKLING RSPS KYLIE PROSECCO

Was: £12.99

Now: £10.49

PAUL LANGIER BRUT CHAMPAGNE

Was £23.79

Now £20.99

I HEART PROSECCO WHITE AND ROSÉ

Was: £10.99

Now: £9.49

LANSON BLACK LABEL BRUT CHAMPAGNE

Was: £45.99

Now: £34.99

Scrumptious sides

Retailers can also offer their wine shoppers a fantastic range of scrumptious sides and snacks to enjoy with their wine.

A wide range of Jack’s branded dips, such as Houmous, Cheese and Chive, Salsa and Taramasalata, are available on a Mix and Match ‘2 for £2’ deal.

The Jack’s brand includes four different types of Houmous: Classic, Reduced Fat, Red Pepper and Caramelised Onion.

The Jack’s range has also recently been augmented with the addition of new snack pots including a Roasted Nut Mix and Roasted Pistachios, both of which are available in case sizes of 12x55g for an WSP of £9.36 offering a 25% POR.

“The Budgens Wine Festival, in combination the warm

that we

“We’ve made a lot of other efforts to enhance our wine sales this year with new fittings including smart new wood-effect panels and bolder promotional fixtures so it’s fantastic to see it all paying off.”

Dary Sweeney, Budgens Abbots Langley

The UK’s #1 Tampon brand*

NEW PRICE MARKED PACKS

It’s also important to regularly review your range, delist slow sellers to make room for more popular wines and focus your attention and shelf-space on the brands that sell.

Oldfield also suggests that, with so much pressure on shoppers’ budgets, retailers should follow the RSPs on wine to ensure that shoppers are getting the value they are seeking.

Marvellous merchandising

l Have at least two or three facings of your best-selling wines.

l Support promotions with displays in prominent sites in your store like gondola ends.

l Chill all white and rosé wines, where possible.

l Make use of all the Wine Festival POS available.

WINE: TOP TIPS

l Having the right range will drive more sales than simply having a big range.

l Delist lines that aren’t working to make space for big sellers.

l Focus on the brands that sell.

l Offer a solid range across the key price points.

l Follow the RSPs.

l Sweeter wines are on trend, so try to reflect this in your range. Australian wines are a great option.

Trend watch

on key brands and some really attractive POS to create even more in-store theatre that will hopefully stop shoppers in their tracks.”

In terms of flavour trends, Booker’s lead for wine and RTDs Mark Oldfield says there is one trend that’s more noticeable than all the rest: a move towards wines with sweeter taste profiles.

This trend lends itself to Australian wines and Mark encourages retailers to make more of Australian wines in their stores.

“Australia is the biggest country in terms of sales volume so it’s really important that retailers also have a good core Australian offering across each of the price brackets,” he advises.

“Australian wines tend to offer that sweeter taste profile which a growing number of shoppers are looking for these days. They also tend to be more robust in terms of price and availability, which is key.”

“Beers, wines and spirits are one of our top-performing categories and wine sales in particular are very strong. We’ve made a lot of effort to enhance our wine sales this year with new fittings including smart new wood-effect panels and bolder promotional fixtures. The Budgens Wine festival will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to drive sales even further, with great deals

Dary Sweeney, Budgens Abbots Langley

Net new sales with Women’s World Cup

The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off this month and runs for a full four-week period offering retailers plenty of opportunities to cash in on a sporting highlight of the summer.

The growth of public interest in elite-level women’s football over the last few years has been nothing short of remarkable, thanks in no small part to the heroic achievements of the Lionesses in winning UEFA Euro 22 at Wembley last year. The Euro 22 final set the record as the biggest attendance at any Euros final – for men or women’s football - and interest in women’s football shows no sign of waning, with over 77,000 people in attendance for the Women’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United last month.

So, the stage is well and truly set for another footballing extravaganza when the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on the 20th of July. The tournament runs for a full month, all the way through to the final on Sunday 20th August. A total of 64 matches will see 32 nations compete in the ninth FIFA Women’s World Cup, offering Budgens retailers extensive opportunities to cash in as fans stock up and prepare to get behind their favourite teams.

WALL OF RED

Among the major brands helping retailers make the most of the event is Budweiser, the official beer of both the Lionesses and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. A key activity is an on-pack promotion across all Budweiser packs offering

Key Matches

Thursday 20th July

Opening Matches

New Zealand v Norway – 8am

Australia v Republic of Ireland –11am

Saturday 22nd July

England v Haiti – 10.30am

Friday 28th July

England v Denmark – 9.30am

Tuesday 1st August

China PR v England – Midday

11th & 12th August Quarter Finals

15th & 16th August Semi Finals

Sunday 20th August

Final – 11am

“Almost 90,000 people watched the Euro 22 final, a record for a women’s football match in the UK and the final also set the record as the biggest attendance at any Euros final – for men or women’s football.”

a range of great prizes including top-end TVs. The scan-towin mechanic makes it easy for shoppers to get involved and instantly learn if they have won a prize.

Budweiser is suggesting retailers create a ‘Wall of Red’ to make Budweiser and the Women’s World Cup unmissable in-store.

Throughout the tournament, Budgens will be running a special promotion on 660ml bottles of Budweiser, offering shoppers ‘Any 2 for £5’ – a promotion which will run also run across a range of other large-format bottled beers including Birra Moretti, Kronenbourg 1664, Heineken, Becks, Peroni, Stella Artois and Corona.

For fans of more traditional ale, Budgens is also providing a range of great promotions to help shoppers get in the mood. An ‘Any 2 for £4.50’ deal will run across a selection of the most popular 500ml traditional ale brands including Adnams Ghost Ship, Fuller’s London Pride, Hobgoblin and more. Cider fans won’t be left out, with a‘Any 2 for £4.50’ on 500ml bottles of flavoured and original cider from key brands like Kopparberg, Old Mout and Thatchers.

Beer Promos: 2 for £5

BIGGER BASKETS

As the tournament is being held in Australia and New Zealand, the time difference means that most of the matches kick off in the morning UK-time, which is why the Budgens Women’s World Cup promotional range covers a number of other important categories like soft drinks, confectionery, snacks and pizza.

A selection of great soft drinks promotions is available focusing on larger pack formats to help drive up basket spend. In confectionery, a special ‘Any 2 for £2.75’ deal is also running across a wide selection of the biggest brands. Budgens has also put together a fantastic package with Walkers that allows retailers to offer Walkers 12-packs at just £3.25 and Walkers 6-packs at just £1.75.

TIME TO WIN

All that remains then is for the Lionesses to give it their best shot and hopefully progress to the latter stages of the tournament. Whatever happens, the Women’s World Cup is set to be a true highlight of the summer and represents an opportunity not to be missed by retailers.

Cider Promos: 2 for £4.50

Product Size Shopper Deal

Kopparberg Mixed Fruit 500ml Any 2 for £4.50

Brothers Toffee Apple 500ml Any 2 for £4.50

Rekorderlig Wild Berries 500ml Any 2 for £4.50

Any 2 for £5

Soft Drinks Promotions

Bulmers Original 500ml Any 2 for £4.50

Snacks Promotions

STOCK UP CARTON ON OURNEW TOCK

ST PIERRE 4 BRIOCHE BURGER BUNS

GU INSPIRATIONS BROOKIE

LUCOZADE SPORT ZERO SUGAR RASPBERRY PASSION FRUIT AND ORANGE

AND PEACH

Say hello to... Martyn Hartshorne

Category Manager Fresh Produce

DESCRIBE YOUR CAREER JOURNEY UP UNTIL NOW?

Before joining Booker I was an independent retailer and small wholesaler of fresh fruit and vegetables. I sold the business around 20 years ago with the aim of trying something different, but fruit and veg is in my blood and when Booker asked if I was interested in a 12-week sales and development trial at their Coventry branch, I jumped at the chance. Twenty years later I’m still here, now as a Category Manager, and I’m thrilled to say that I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve been on an incredible journey with Booker and now that it is part of the Tesco Group, I feel that another very exciting chapter has begun.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF YOUR ROLE?

I’m one of three Fresh Produce Category Managers in the Booker Group. I work with Peter Ireland and Glen Goodall, and together we are responsible for offering our retail and catering customers the best possible choice, price and service in fresh produce. We source and select products from the best suppliers in the industry and we work really

hard with those suppliers to ensure that quality, value and freshness are always at their best. We are also constantly reviewing the range that is available to retailers and we work very hard on promotions, which are an absolute must these days.

The most important part of the role though is the customer. A key function of the role is spending time with those customers, and I love to spend time working with Budgens retailers in their stores whenever I can. It’s a massive part of the job for me, especially as I have that hands-on retail experience from my past. I have a really good relationship with a lot of our key customers and that really helps me when it comes to planning range and promotional developments.

HOW HAS THE ROLE OF FRESH PRODUCE CHANGED IN CONVENIENCE STORES OVER THE YEARS?

There’s certainly a bigger demand for a wider variety of fresh produce than ever before.

While the ranges that many our customers stock always

Martyn’s Top Tips

l Consistency, quality and price are key to shoppers these days. Approach your range with these in mind at all times.

l If there’s a line or two that aren’t selling that well, don’t give up! If you remain consistent, the sales will come.

l Having a consistent core range of products will boost shopper confidence in your availability and they will purchase.

l Go through your range and displays with a fine-tooth comb at least once a day to ensure that products are always looking at their best and always apply the ‘Would I buy it?’ principle.

l Don’t let wastage scare you. It’s better to discard one bruised apple than leave it on display where it could put a shopper off your entire range.

Watch out for the Strawberry Pre-sell!

A relatively new initiative for fresh produce is offering our customers pre-sells, and from mid-June we will be offering an 800g ‘Bigger Pack, Better Value’ pre-sell on beautiful British strawberries – just in time for the start of the Wimbledon tennis on 5 July.

The concept has been launched in direct response to customer feedback saying that they would like something a bit different and special, outside of the core range. We’re hoping that these bigger packs will create real excitement for them and help them make fantastic in-store theatre. The packs will also be supported with a stunning promotional POS package.

feature a number of core items that have remained the same over the years, recent times have also seen the arrival of exciting new products such as prepared vegetables, and also fancier and more exotic products.

The pandemic really changed things too, many retailers increased their fresh produce ranges to better support local shoppers during those challenging times and many of them have retained that custom.

WHAT KEY TRENDS ARE DRIVING FRESH PRODUCE SALES AT THE MOMENT?

Healthy eating is a big one and is certainly driving produce sales at the moment, as is the movement towards vegan and vegetarian diets, which continues to gain momentum.

WHAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF ACTIVITY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE MOMENT?

One of the biggest and ongoing pieces of activity is around price and value and that’s what we call our ‘Fresh 4’ produce promotion. Every period sees us run promotions on four key lines which are designed to drive incremental sales and profits for our retailers. We spend a lot of time on the programme, making sure that we have the right products at the right time and at the right price. They could be seasonal products or they could be core range, but either way, they are when the product is at its ultimate best.

We’ve also got some exciting developments on flowers with new seasonal products to complement the core range, including sunflowers, which we are hoping to be a big hit!

Your Budgens: Winter Pre-sell

Get ahead of the game

The Budgens Winter Pre-sell opens soon and is packed with outstanding deals once more, offering retailers the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the game.

The Budgens 2023 Winter Pre-sell will include:

l Over 100 New lines

l Over 10 Group Exclusive Lines

l Key Halloween Treats

l Key Christmas Treats

l Plus, great prizes to be won!

Summer is just around the corner and temperatures are hotting up, but now is also the time for retailers to turn their minds to the cooler winter months which lie ahead.

For many months already, the Budgens buying teams have been hard at work curating the 2023 Winter Pre-sell which is set to open for orders on 21 June.

Including an array of new Group Exclusive lines and other fantastic deals on key Halloween and Christmas Treats, the 2023 Winter Pre-Sell is sure to help your sales and profits

GET READY FOR THE 2023 WINTER PRE-SELL! THE BUDGENS WINTER PRE-SELL OPENS 21 JUNE AND CLOSES ON 24 JULY.

“We had a blast with our Christmas pre-sell in 2022. It allowed us to secure the very best stock and have perfect availability for our shoppers.

“I’d say, if we didn’t have the seasonal pre-sell there’s no way we would have had the incredible sales that we had over the winter season. The same was true for Easter. Pre-sells offer such a great opportunity.

“I actually wish I’d ordered even more stock in the last winter pre-sell and I certainly will this year. We did not have one thing left over. Securing the stock via the pre-sell is definitely the way to go.”

Sanjeev Gowrinathan, Budgens Tarvin

sizzle this winter season.

Products included in the 2023 Winter Pre-sell have been expertly curated in line with the key shopper trends expected to drive demand over the coming months, giving retailers a valuable head start.

Budgens retailers will also be able to order from a cache of more than 100 brand-new lines, guaranteed to help them ramp up in-store theatre and drive excitement at one of the most crucial times of year.

Retailers such as Sanjeev Gowrinathan of Budgens Tarvin said last year’s Winter Pre-sell helped his store to generate valuable additional sales and profits.

“Last year’s winter pre-sell allowed us to secure the very best stock and have perfect availability for our shoppers over the Christmas period,” he says.

“There’s no way we would have had the incredible sales that we had over the winter season if it weren’t for the presell. The same was true for Easter. Pre-sells offer such a

great opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.”

Group Exclusive Lines and hot off the press new products won’t be the only stars of the 2023 Winter Pre Sell, which will also offer retailers the chance to win an array of great prizes and competitions.

The Budgens Winter Pre-sell will open for orders on the 21 June before closing on 24 July so don’t miss out!

Conjure up bigger sales this Halloween

The 2023 Winter Pre-sell will also provide retailers with an array of spooktacular opportunities to bag bigger Halloween sales across key categories including confectionery, snacks and soft drinks.

Confectionery sales spiked over the 2022 Halloween weekend as shoppers stocked up on sweet treats.

Sales of sharing bags, including chews and chocolates soared over the weekend of 29 and 30 of October, data from PayPoint’s 28,000 UK retailer partners showed.

Compared to the previous four weekends, some of the products that were most popular among consumers over the Halloween weekend were: Swizzles Chew Bag (+74%), Haribo Tangfastics (+66%), Daim Bars (+48%) Skittles (+42%) and Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramel (+40%).

Away from confectionery, Halloween 2023 could also conjure up additional opportunities for retailers to grow their alcohol sales, particularly on products popular with Gen Z and millennial shoppers such as flavoured ciders.

“Pre-sells offer a fantastic opportunity to create real impact in the run-up to and during key seasonal occasions such as Halloween and Christmas and we’ll be making the most of the 2023 Winter Pre-Sell.

“A recent objective of our recent refit was to strengthen the ways in which we promote value in the store and as part of that we created a new six metre promotional space at the rear for Seasonal and Value displays. That new space should really allow us to maximise the pre-sell opportunity, making the most of deals and Group Exclusive lines.”

Dary Sweeney, Budgens

Abbots Langley

Sustainable growth

Sustainability is a critically important challenge for the independent retailing sector and a challenge that is only going to become even more important in future. It’s a challenge that Booker has been enthusiastically embracing for many years, culminating in the launch of the groundbreaking Better Trolley for a Better Planet set of commitments.

Under Better Trolley, Booker has committed to a series of important goals that are already having a huge impact across issues like waste, climate, diet and community. To support those commitments, Booker is also encouraging Budgens retailers to work towards improving their own sustainability credentials and has put in place a number of programmes that make it quick and easy for retailers to play their part in tackling key challenges like minimising food waste, reducing energy usage

and continuing to improve recycling rates.

Under better Trolley, Booker has committed to leading by example when it comes to sustainability and has already achieved some remarkable successes:

FOOD WASTE

Booker has been awarded the Fareshare Partner logo to recognise its continued focus on redistributing surplus food. Over five million meals were donated to Fareshare charity by the Group in the last year alone.

In total, 91% of all surplus edible food was redistributed last year, a huge step towards the ultimate goal of ensuring 100% of all surplus food finds a good home. This achievement represents a 34% improvement on the base year of 2015/16 and clearly demonstrates the huge progress that is being made.

RETAILER FOOD WASTE

Fareshare donation boxes have been made

Booker is encouraging all Budgens retailers to take some simple steps to help improve their sustainability credentials and play their part in building a more sustainable future.

available to all symbol group customers, including Budgens. Booker helped more than 600 independent retailers redistribute over 220 tonnes of food in the last year, supporting local communities through a partnership with the Too Good To Go solution.

PACKAGING AND INGREDIENTS

All non-recyclable materials have now been removed from own-brand products and recycling logos have been added to all packs. All own-brand paper products are 100% certified FSC or recycled content.

All own-brand eggs are cage-free, a commitment achieved two years early, while all own-brand tea, coffee and cocoa are sustainably sourced. Own-brand products containing palm oil use only sustainably sourced oil and the soy used in animal feed with Booker’s supply chain is deforestationfree.

All UK sourced meat and dairy will be Red Tractor accredited by 2025.

ENERGY

All Booker branches and sites are now lit by LED lights and Makro Exeter has become the first ever site in the UK to self-fund a solar power solution, expected to generate 25% of the energy required by the site.

GET INVOLVED

Booker has achieved remarkable success in building towards a much more sustainable future and is encouraging Budgens retailers to play their part by considering how they could make their businesses and stores more sustainable.

To help them do just that, Booker has entered a number of fantastic partnerships and secured some exclusive deals that can help Budgens retailers continue to make steps in the right direction.

Sustainability Gains: a snapshot

l Booker has been awarded the Fareshare Partner logo to recognise the continued focus on redistribution of surplus food.

l Over five million meals were donated by the Group to charity last year.

l Fareshare donation boxes have been rolled out for all symbol group customers.

l Booker has helped over 600 independent retail customers prevent and redistribute over 220 tonnes of food, supporting local communities by introducing them to our partners Too Good To Go.

l Science Based Targets have been set as a Group with a Net Zero commitment by 2050 and an aim to be carbon neutral in our own operations by 2035.

l All non-recyclable materials have been removed from own-brand retail products with recycling logos included on all packs.

l All own brand tea, coffee and cocoa are sourced ethically.

l Own brand products contain only sustainable palm oil and the soy used in animal feed within our supply chain is deforestation free.

l 91% of all surplus edible food was redistributed last year getting us close to our target of 100%.

l 34% reduction in food waste versus base line year of 2015/16.

l All own-brand eggs are cage free - a commitment achieved two years early.

l Own-brand paper products are all 100% certified FSC or recycled content.

l All Distribution and wholesale sites are lit by LED Lights.

l Planet Champions at every Booker site.

To find out about further ways we can support you please visit MY.CCEP.COM

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Here are some quick and easy wins that you could consider for your store:

1. EXCLUSIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT DEAL

Budgens retailers can save 11% on their waste management thanks to an exclusive deal with Booker’s partner Valpak on the collection of general waste, recycling and more.

The service is available via a simple, easy-to-use website – collectmywaste.com – which provides instant quotes showing the best prices for each service, including a Booker Group exclusive discount.

Simply choose the service you require, and you will be kept up to date in real time on the progress of your collection, helping you organise your team and maximise efficiency.

Collections are made by professional, friendly drivers who know their way around and can ensure fast, no-fuss pickups to let you get back to the business of running a great store and focusing your attention on your business and your shoppers.

Visit collectmywaste.com and quote ‘BOOKERWASTE’ along with your Booker customer number to claim discounted rates today!

2. VAPE RECYCLING SERVICE

Booker also works with Valpak to help Budgens retailers comply with the recycling legislation that applies to disposable vapes. If your store sells any type of vaping or e-cigarette products, including disposable vapes, you are required by law to comply with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling legislation. These products are officially classed as electrical and electronic equipment and, as such, retailers are legally bound to help with the recycling of them.

The legislation requires you to offer your shoppers a free of charge, safe recycling point – and it makes no difference where your shoppers originally bought their vaping products.

To comply with the legislation, Budgens retailers first have to calculate the value of vaping products they sell in their store each year. If that value is less than £100,000 you can join the Distributor Take-back Scheme.

If that value of products you sell is in excess of £100,000 however, you are required to provide your shoppers with a free in-store take-back service that complies with WEEE regulations.

To help Budgens retailers quickly and easily put the relevant solution in place, Booker is working with leading environmental compliance business Valpak who can answer any questions you may have as well as helping you put in place the solutions you need to become fully compliant with the WEEE regulations.

Web: recycle-more.co.uk/vapes

Email: info@valpak.co.uk

Tel: 03450 682 572

3. ELIMINATE FOOD WASTE

Budgens retailers can entirely eliminate food waste, recover costs and support their local communities by taking advantage of three fantastic partnerships set up by Booker:

l Too Good To Go: to sell short-dated food and recover costs.

l OLIO: to donate surplus food not sold to your local community and save on food disposal costs.

l FareShare: to set up a donation box for your shoppers to support local charities.

“With costs rising across the board, every cost saving we can make is important these days, so this new waste disposal deal is fantastic news for Budgens retailers. Savings of up to 11% represent a significant benefit and, once again, it’s great to see Budgens retailers gaining real value from being part of a bigger Group.”

Girish Jeeva, Budgens Barmulloch, Glasgow

LUCOZADE SPORT ZERO S U G A R

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By taking advantage of these three partnerships, retailers can ensure that not a single food or drink product is wasted – and getting involved with all three solutions couldn’t be simpler.

By taking advantage of these three partnerships, retailers can ensure that not a single food or drink product is wasted – and getting involved with all three solutions couldn’t be simpler.

TOO GOOD TO GO

Too Good To Go is a social impact company and the world’s largest business-to-consumer app for surplus food. Retailers simply sign up to the Too Good To Go website, then download and log in to the app. After that, all retailers need to do is preload the portions of unsold food as ‘Magic Bags’. Shoppers then buy the Magic Bags through the app and collect them in-store at the time set by retailers.

As a general rule, all Magic Bags sold should be sold at approximately one third of the cost of the contents.

With so many Too Good To Go app users in the UK, it can help you reach new shoppers and increase footfall and your local community is sure to appreciate your commitments to reducing food waste and helping the planet.

Each Magic Bag sold through Too Good To Go is subject to a £1.09 fee with a yearly admin cost of £39. This is deducted from what retailers are paid each quarter.

To find out more, visit www.toogoodtogo.co.uk and you can download the app on both Google Play and from the Apple app store.

OLIO

While Too Good To Go is a fantastic way to sell short-dated products, if any products remain unsold, don’t worry – you can use OLIO to ensure that the unsold food doesn’t go to waste.

OLIO is a hassle-free way for Budgens stores to redistribute more of their unsold food.

There are 6.5 million OLIO app users in the UK and a huge team of 68,000 volunteers help ensure that OLIO provides a fast, reliable service for retailers.

Retailers simply scan a QR code to let OLIO know if there’s food to collect. A volunteer collects it, lists it on the OLIO app, and arranges collections with people in their local area.

OLIO will collect all edible food waste including hot, chilled or frozen food, loose ingredients and cooked meals. They will collect food up to the ‘use by’ date and will collect any volume of unsold food from carrier bags to full pallets. Collections are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be ad hoc or regular, all at times specified by the retailer.

Set-up is hassle free and the user-friendly tech means it’s easy for your team to get to grips with.

To find out more, visit www.olioex.com/business or email business@olioex.com. Alternatively, you can call 07729 130 824.

FARESHARE

If you want to take your commitments to the next level, you can even help generate additional donations to support vulnerable people by working with FareShare to set up a donation box in your store for your shoppers to support local charities.

To get involved, all you have to do is speak to your RDM about having a FareShare dumpbin and relevant POS installed in-store. Once the dumpbins are full, retailers can contact FareShare who will come and collect the donations.

Drive footfall with SocioConnect!

Booker has recently launched an exciting new free service which allows Budgens retailers to control their social media platforms in one app and post engaging content more regularly with a minimum of effort.

Social media is one of the most powerful tools available to Budgens retailers to help drive footfall, reach new potential shoppers, highlight promotions and engage with the local community.

Finding the time, however, to manage social media channels, create regular posts and answer any queries or comments from shoppers can be difficult with so much going on in a busy store.

That’s precisely why Booker has launched a brand-new solution that can make posting regular, high-quality content to multiple social media networks quicker and easier than ever before – and it’s entirely free.

SocioConnect is an innovative solution that lets retailers manage all of their social media content across all popular platforms all from a single, easy-to-use app. SocioConnect lets you do it all in one single step.

All you have to do is register then download the SocioConnect app to your phone or, if you prefer, you can do it all from your desktop.

Once you’re registered and the app is installed, you are ready to start turbocharging your social media output, driving more footfall, attracting new shoppers and engaging more effectively with your local community. It’s that simple.

The app even makes responding to comments on your pages a piece of cake. Again, you can do it all, across every network, all from within the SocioConnect app.

Even better, the app allows you access Booker’s centrally-produced posts and then copy them across to your own social media pages in minutes with a minimum of fuss. The solution provides you with a full bank of easily accessible content that has been professionally designed and will help you enhance your own pages.

SocioConnect: the lowdown

Sign up to use Booker’s centrally created posts and copy onto your social pages for FREE!

l You can opt in to use Booker’s centrally-produced posts on your own social pages – either all posts, or just cherry pick those that relate to your store.

l Manage all your social platforms from one place – no more logging into separate networks. Just connect your chosen networks and you’re done.

l Track each post’s performance.

l Message customers directly and respond to their messages.

l Schedule promotional posts in advance or let the app do it for you.

l Compatible with phone and/or desktop.

l It’s super easy and it’s FREE!

How do I sign up?

1. Visit www.socioimplementation.com/budgens-storessignup and enter your email address and store number.

IT WORKS...

2. Download the SocioConnect phone app and log in. Or you can use your desktop.

3. Link your social media pages to access branded content and scheduled posts from Booker.

Additionally, the app allows retailers to pre-schedule posts to ensure that they appear on the network at exactly the right time. That could be to coincide with the launch of a new promotional period, for instance, or to highlight new products that are being listed in-store.

SocioConnect has been trialled in 30 pilot stores over the last year and resulted in a mammoth 180% increase in posts and a 300% increase in followers. In other words, it has been proven to work.

So, if you’re looking for a fast, efficient and professional way to enhance your social media presence and turbo-charge footfall, sales and profits, look no further than SocioConnect.

Visit www.socioimplementation.com/budgens-stores-signup and enter your email and store number. You can then download the SocioConnect app and link your social media pages to access branded content and scheduled posts from Booker!

SocioConnect has been trialled in 30 pilot stores over the last year and the results were conclusive:

l 30 stores

l 180% increase in posts

l 300% increase in followers

Budgens

Many happy returns to all those celebrating their time with us. More than just a brand, Budgens is a family of like-minded convenience retailers whose focus is to provide a much-needed service to their local community.

Retail more relevant

ACS recently held its largest-ever annual conference with one of the clearest conclusions of the event being that, despite the enormous flux going on around us, independent retailing is more relevant to shoppers than ever.

At the end of April, we held our biggest-ever annual conference, with 500 retailers, suppliers and industry experts coming together to talk about the present and future of the convenience sector. There were some great insights from our speakers on the day, so I’ve reflected on some of the things that we’ve learned.

Firstly, convenience is as relevant to people’s lives as ever. Let’s be clear, these are challenging times for our sector with rising costs and increasing competition from all directions, but it’s not complacent to note that local shops can survive and thrive in tough economic times. There are a dozen or so reasons for this, but there’s one over-riding factor: relevance.

Secondly, it’s clear that innovation is a muscle. I could write thousands of words on the innovations that came out of our ‘10 Habits of Highly Effective Retailers’ films and the rest of the presentations, but there’s an overarching point: it’s not about individual initiatives or strategies, it’s the process of innovating, the constant strengthening and toning of that innovation

muscle, that really matters.

Finally, we heard that human interaction and investment in technology are compatible. Conference confirmed my opinion that technology can unlock better customer service rather than being a trade-off. Let the customer who wants to get in and out of the store while they’re on a Zoom call do that –and save colleague time by taking them out of that transaction… but then repurpose that colleague time by giving more attentive service to the customers who want it. Or introduce new services that you might have discounted because of the time taken to operate them.

If you were with us at Conference23, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you for joining us and being part of it. If you couldn’t make it, please check out the 10 Habits videos – there are some fantastic stories from leading independent retailers that can provide inspiration for all of us. All the content is available on our YouTube channel and our social media accounts.