Fascia & Franchise: working together

 

Samantha Coldbeck, Premier

Samantha Coldbeck, co-owner of the Premier in Wharfedale, Hull with husband Mark, confesses the couple have been with the group for 27 years - so you could say they have experience with it.

However, when they first joined, the group was the new kid on the block. “Premier was a relatively new concept when we joined,” Samantha explains. “But we could see that the promotions, POS and leaflets they offered would really drive our business forward as we diversified from a newsagent to a convenience store.”

Samantha says the ranging has made staying with Premier easy over the years. “Booker always listen to their retailers and have adapted with the changing market. The chilled and frozen ranges have grown over the years and the meal deals are great to drive basket spend, alongside the low prices on essentials like milk and bread. We also receive a kit every four weeks with posters, point of sale and leaflets to drive promotions, and there’s an RDM who’s on hand when we need her.”

Being such a longstanding member of the group, Samantha says she can act as a sounding board for retailers as well. “As a member of the Premier Development group we regularly meet to ensure retailers’ concerns and comments are taken on board and promotional activity is relevant and of maximum benefit to them.”

Samantha adds that in terms of what Premier can improve on, that too comes down to stock. “The availability of stock can be an issue, but this seems to be mostly supplier led due to price increases,” she explains. And what advice would Samantha offer anyone considering a new symbol group? “They should think about which one can help to engage their customers and see if the promotions are attractive and give them an advantage over their competitors. Will the margin offered allow you to afford your overheads and allow you to make a living?”

Kaual Patel, Nisa

Kaual Patel, who runs his only store in Torridon, Catford, has been a member of Nisa for over 25 years, but says it was not until 2022 that he chose to convert it to bear the group’s signage as a dual branded business.

“I’m so happy with the service from Nisa and I can’t really fault it,” he says. “I wanted to make the store look different and Nisa were fully supportive in terms of the developments and colours. Gone are the days of just pictures of simple croissants, pears, apples and tomatoes - you see that with every single window. We wanted a very clean ‘less is more’ look, with simple plain text, which Nisa went for.”

This flexibility is reflected in Kaual’s access to support from the group, he says. “I’m lucky in that I can pick up the phone to pretty much anyone in Nisa, I can get help from my RDM right up to Peter Batt if I need assistance with anything. They’re all there for me.”

Through Nisa, Kaual also has access to Co-op’s range of own label products. “The Co-op products are fantastic, especially in chilled. Obviously, you’ve got the Irresistible range and the value range too, so they tick all the boxes.

Kaual’s says anyone considering joining a symbol group should place their independence above all else. “What I love about Nisa is the freedom to be an independent retailer. They don’t put constraints on me and the prime example is my wine selection - it’s so much bigger than your average store.

“So my advice is that you should be looking for independence. That’s probably the most critical factor and that’s what always swung in Nisa’s favour for me. I realise one rule doesn’t work for everybody, but it’s a freedom as we’re independent retailers after all.

Kaual doesn’t underestimate his own worth as a longstanding member of the Nisa group, however. “We’ve built those relationships over the years and that’s critical. You know, these guys are here to develop your business and help you where they can. They’re virtually tools at your disposal. You need to use them if you’re not happy about something. There’s no point in ranting online, reach out and see if you can find a solution. These guys are all for my business - the better I do, the better they do.”

David Charman, Spar

For over two decades, Kent-based retailer David Charman has proudly run his store under the Spar banner, a partnership shaped by the group’s “flexibility and support”. Reflecting on why he originally chose Spar, he recalls “The one that suited us absolutely the best was Spar because at the time, you had the opportunity to buy as much as you wanted and the more you bought, the cheaper it became.

“But the difference between Spar and quite a few of the others at the time was that we have a unique butchery business and we wouldn’t have been able to do that with some of the other groups that were available to us,” he says.

The owner of Spar Parkfoot appreciates the group’s approach, which allows its franchisees to make individual decisions: “They still give us the freedom and the flexibility to run our own business and that’s really important to me.” He emphasises that “guidance is essential, but not when it becomes regulated and controlled”.

This flexibility allows the retailers to purchase around 75% of their stock through Spar, while also offering a local produce range. David explains that the symbol group recognises the importance of supporting local suppliers and products.

Spar’s support is not just about product supply, the group also bring a hands-on approach to store design and development. “They’re happy to come up with a really professional plan, so that you can see exactly how your store is going to look like and you can see all the improvements that you could make to it. And then finally they have the team available to implement that, so it’s really a one stop shop when it comes to running your business.”

Moreover, David says that the group is comminited to keeping retailers connected: “They have a fantastic team of people working behind the scenes, giving you the opportunity to visit and look at lots of different formats from either this country or Europe or around the world.”

He explains that these gatherings create the opportunity to share tips among retailers. “This industry never stands still and you have to invest and adapt,” he says. “Spar understands that and gives us the chances to learn from other’s successes and challenges.”

On a personal note, Spar’s events are inclusive of retailers families, acknowledging that runing a store is often a family effort. “Spar organises events when kids are out of school, allowing us to particpate fully as a family. It’s a thoughtufl touch I haven’t seen with other groups.”

David highlights theft and profilbilty as ongoing concerns, but values Spar’s workshops and continued efforts to support competitive pricing while acknowledging the toll that retail crime takes on both retailers and employees.

Nish Patel, Costcutter

After four years of partnership, Nish Patel of Costcutter Bargain Booze in Canterbury credits Costcutter’s resources and support - especially after his store’s recent £1m refurbishment and rebuild.

Nish’s store was closed for 18 months and relaunched at the start of October as a Costcutter and Bargain Booze store concept. “I always knew that we would undergo a major refurbishment. After speaking with other retailers, I found that Costcutter supports new store openings and assists with store layouts, design, look and overall flow. This was a key reason for our decision to go with Costcutter,” says Nish.

One standout benefit for Nish when choosing to go with Costcutter was the availability of Co-op products. “That was great because it has allowed us to have access to a larger range of products, including fresh and chilled. Also, the group’s promotions were very attractive in regard to offerings that we could pass over to our customers.”

Nish shares that his Business Development Manager (BDM) provides dedicated support and is always ready to help him when he needs it most.

“The biggest challenge we currently face is that we are a new store,” he says. “We have assumed that certain products and ranges will sell well, but it all depends on developments over the next two to three months. Our main challenge is to adapt quickly to ensure that customers find the right range of products when they visit the store.”

Every two weeks Nish collaborates with his BDM to evaluate the top selling and slower selling items, focusing on how to utilise and maximise every range available in the store. “That’s been done quite religiously to make sure that we have the right products in the store,” he added.