A trial partnership between Blakemore Retail and Crawshaws will continue to run, despite the fact that the value-priced fresh meat and food to go retailer has been placed into administration.
In September, Crawshaw’s, which has been operating since 1954, forged a new alliance with Blakemore Retail which would see three Spar stores sell its branded fresh meat products and food to go lines.
The move was designed to deliver “an enhanced shopping experience for Spar customers,” with quality Crawshaws branded products on sale at low prices. However, yesterday (31 October) the Crawshaws board announced it was placing the company into administration.
In a statement the company said it did not have “sufficient cash resources to effect the required restructuring of the business”.
“In the light of the above and the operational and financial uncertainty which the company now faces, in order to protect both shareholders and creditors, the board has taken the decision to place the company into administration and intends to appoint administrators shortly with the purpose of seeking buyers for the group’s business and assets on a going concern basis,” the statement added.
However, Blakemore Retail maintains that the trail will continue nonetheless.
“Blakemore Retail is not affected by the developments as we continue to serve our customers within our Spar retail convenience stores,” a spokesman told Convenience Store.
On 5 October the two initial stores at Crosspool Sheffield and Intake Doncaster started supplying Crawshaws branded products, while on 12 October Blakemore’s Spar store in Wath upon Dearne launched Crawshaw’s “factory store concept” via its in-store butchery counter.
The offer includes a range of fresh meats pricemarked at £2.50 and mix-and-match multi-pack deals.
The Crawshaw’s food to go range includes whole cooked chickens and joints; curries and stews; pies and cooked meats.
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