Why you should substitute your range to local produce, according to Goran Raven

Championing local produce is crucial to setting yourself apart from competitors, according to Budgens retailer and forecourt operator Goran Raven.

Speaking at the Lumina Convenience Strategy Forum last week, Essex-based Goran said he has seen a surge in sales thanks to his commitment to stocking fresh and locally sourced goods.

“The biggest thing for us is that we really focus on local products, it really makes us stand out from anyone around us,” said Goran.

The approach is paying off, he said. Previously spending just £100 a week on meat with a local butcher, he now invests £5,000 weekly to meet shopper demand - marking a 4,900% increase. “I’ve actually had to buy in more chillers just to stock their products,” he told the audience.

To name a few, the store offers a local range of coffee, eggs and potatoes. “Anything we can substitute over,” said Goran.

“In the summer we found a local soft fruits seller,” he explained. “We’d sell 10 to 15 punnets of strawberries a week. Now we’ve moved over to a farm space 10 miles from us, we’re doing a thousand punnets a week.”

Sharing new local lines on social media is a must, explained Goran, as “you can see sales come directly straight away”. Social media is a great tool to boost sales and showcase your store’s unique offering, he said.

A bonus is that shoppers will come in to buy local products and then compliment their basket with the store’s standard range, Goran said. “It’s one of those things where everyone benefits from it.”

Local scotch eggs and sausage rolls are a food to go favourite. “The scotch eggs we picked up four weeks ago started with 10 on the shelf, but they evaporated in the first hour. We now sell 120 each week and try to get in as many as we can.

“The butcher actually needs to employ more people to keep up with the demand,” Goran added.