SHOP TALK

IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

Armorel Willoughby, owner, Armadeli, Stroud

The best advice I was given, when contemplating my career change from personal injury solicitor to deli owner, was to gain hands-on experience. I started on the shop floor at Whole Foods Market in Cheltenham and worked my way up to speciality team leader. When the store closed in 2017, I worked for a few months at Gloucester Services Farm Shop and started looking for premises. I found a converted pub in the centre of Stroud that ticked all the boxes.

Although my original vision was to open a pure cheesemonger, my experience in those previous roles taught me the importance of stocking other speciality items. I opened the deli in September 2018 and used that first Christmas to boost cashflow. Everything went well until, halfway through year two, COVID hit. With our focus on cheese and luxury gifting, we couldn’t really be classed as ‘essential’. We didn’t have an online shop (something I wish I had done differently), so we had to close for three months. Although we reopened after lockdown, the town had changed in terms of footfall and our side-street location wasn’t working.

Then, in summer 2020, out of the blue I received an email inviting me to join the new Five Valleys food market in town. I’d already worked out that I was going to have to close after Christmas the way things were going, so it was a fantastic opportunity.

It was tough to negotiate my way out of the previous lease, but this was definitely the right move. The footfall here is much higher - and is growing each month. And we are surrounded by other food shops, like a butcher and a baker, so we all benefit from one another’s presence.

Interestingly, I haven’t changed anything about my business model. I think the difference is that the market format allows people to browse without feeling committed in the same way they do when they walk through a door.

I look at my sales every week to see what is performing and isn’t. That comes from working in larger retail where we had to do ‘explanatory reports’ every Monday. This year, despite everything, I’m on track to break even and next year, I hope to make a small profit.

It’s not really about turnover, though; it’s about margins, which is why I have just reviewed my pricing. I’m hopeful that further growth will come organically as the development is still quite new, but I can’t just rely on that.

I have a cute bar area that I would like to use more by opening in the evening and I also want to create an online shop, as, like it or loathe it, people want to shop online.

FOR THIS DAY and age, my barber is kind of unremarkable – he’s of average height and he’s got one of those Shoreditch hipster moustaches – but I couldn’t take my eyes off him during my haircut the other day. Rather, I couldn’t take my eyes off his apron. It was leather with canvas edging, very smart, and it elevated him from ‘Hercule Poirot’ to ‘Batman’.

As I sat watching my hair disappear, I pondered on whether those aprons would look good on my team. Yes, leather aprons have plenty of non-food applications, from rural blacksmith to certain Berlin nightspots, but they are very cool and they really make an impression.

I’ve always felt an affinity with hairdressers. After all, they’re the closest high street business to a deli. Like us they are individual, their customers regularly overshare during a transaction, and they love a good apron.

The thing is, I’m not sure I’ve ever really loved my aprons, even though we’ve had plenty of variations. We’ve done butchers’ aprons, canvas, logoed versions, aprons with the shop name, aprons with staff names. We’ve drifted

MODEL RETAILING

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER

ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER

My EHO insists on aprons being washed at more than 70°C, so they decay very quickly

towards Cath Kidston via Laura Ashley, from chef professional to company colours and then to bright red – just because I like red. We’ve been lazy, convenient and cheap.

Despite all of these attempts, I do still believe strongly in uniforms. Health food shops can do all that casual knitwear and sandals. We are in the business of looking smart – and the apron is the perfect solution for staff that have to switch between kitchen, deli counter and table service all during one shift.

The thing about aprons is they are also a headache. My EHO insists on them being washed at more than 70°C, so they decay very quickly. Ours get washed, pressed and ironed twice a week. After about four washes they look tired. Six months of this process and they look very last season.

And aprons are not cheap for a large team needing at least two a week. Then you’ve got to consider that there are only two sizes for a variety of heights and body shapes. Taller people look like members of a Chippendales act while shorter employees look like extras from a period drama.

My team is pro pockets but the EHO is anti (it collects food scraps which are a crosscontamination risk) and we got in an almighty row with the laundry company when a biro got into their washing machine.

This is not to mention the places out the back that I’ve found dirty ones discarded by some 17 year-old keen to leave their shift faster than Homer Simpson.

How can something so cosmetic be such a challenge? Aprons, like life, are more difficult than they look.

At least I got a good haircut, though.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

We’re pre-packing everything now, madam, so I’ve taken the liberty of doing your shopping for you. Besides, you always have the same thing every week.

This vending machine makes things so much easier for customers. Plus, I don’t have to do tastings anymore. Sorry, nothing in the counter today. The shop’s all online now.

FFD says: Just because more consumers want convenient options, it doesn’t mean you should do away with your old methods entirely. There are still plenty of shoppers who visit independents because there is attentive service and they want to talk to another human being. And you will lose out on upselling opportunities if you leave all the work to machines. By all means, embrace technology but don’t lose the old-school charm – that’s your true USP.

editorial@gff.co.uk

GUIDE TO BEARS

PANDA BEAR

The cute and cuddly panda bear thinks bamboo is delicious. So much so, a single panda can eat 40kg every 24 hours. The only thing on the planet that consumes more bland material per day is the Ed Sheeran fan base.

MALAYAN SUN BEAR MALAYAN SUN BEAR It will come as no surprise that sun bears love It will come as no surprise that sun bears love catching a few rays. They climb the trees of Southeast Asia so they can stretch out and enjoy all that glorious sunshine. Some bears might wear bikinis, but the majority are bear-chested. SLOTH BEAR Baloo, from ‘The Jungle Book’, is a sloth bear. He’s known for his love of snacking, taking it easy and for losing man-cubs. Misplacing things in the wilds of India is easy enough. After all, jungle is massive. SYRIAN BROWN BEAR The Polish army enlisted one of these bears during WW2. Private Wojtek was so good at carrying crates of ammunition, that he was promoted to corporal. Wojtek remains the most highly decorated bear to ever bear arms. GRIZZLY BEAR GRIZZLY BEAR If you encounter a grizzly bear in the woods, the standard advice is not to run, but to stand your ground instead. This might keep you safe, or, alternatively, it might be fake news spread by crafty and hungry grizzlies.

ANDEAN SPECTACLED BEAR These studious bears from South America love word play. A favourite joke is, ‘What’s the difference between a bear and a comma? One has claws at the end of its paws, the other’s a pause at the end of a clause’.

SLOTH BEAR ASIAN MOON BEAR ASIAN MOON BEAR Before entering hibernation, moon bears will Before entering hibernation, moon bears will gorge themselves for weeks. Fruits, nuts, bugs and fish are all on the menu. They won’t stop eating until the need for sleep totally eclipses their need to eat, by which time they’re rather full moon bears. POLAR BEAR Polar bears nap frequently, and will settle down to sleep under soft blankets of snow. It’s important that these bears conserve their energy, especially in winter. They need to save their strength for breaking the ice at all those Christmas parties.

CODE OF PRACTICE

Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing

This month we take a look at... storing

cheese and cured meat at ambient temperatures

Some hard cheeses (e.g. Parmesan) and cured meat varieties (e.g. Serrano and Parma Ham) and also some varieties of fermented sausages (e.g. salami) are safe to display and store at ambient as they do not support the growth of food poisoning bacteria.

Normally this information should be provided by either the producer or the wholsaler. It could be delivered either in writing on a label or via verbal instructions. Contact your supplier if the information you need is not included and ask for guidance.

The safety of ambient stable products relies on the acidity and/or the dryness of the product. For example, Parma Ham is very dry

Parma Ham is very dry and bacteria require water to grow

and bacteria require water to grow.

If maturing or ripening cheese, there is a general exemption from the chill holding requirement for “food which must be ripened or matured at ambient temperatures, but not when the process of ripening or maturation is completed” (See Schedule 4 of The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013).

The guide is available in PDF format and is free for Guild members. For non-members, it costs £250+VAT. To request a copy of the Code of Practice, or for further information, email support@gff.co.uk

INDUSTRY SURVEY: FACE MASKS

As winter sets in and COVID case numbers are on the rise again in many areas of the country, consumer confidence remains low (YouGov), and so does mask-wearing. We polled retailers and retail experts for their thoughts on how they are approaching the subject...

“We originally saw a high uptake in mask wearing after the Government revoked the mandatory status, with around 95% wearing masks. As we hit November, this has undoubtedly dropped, though we still have a higher rate of ‘wearers’ than I see elsewhere, with still over 50% wearing masks. I appreciate many are thinking this is perhaps a time to feel ‘free’ before the full grip of winter, but we’ve yet to see a winter of COVID without restrictions, and the complacency is concerning.” OLIVER STUBBINS, general manager,

Welbeck Farm Shop & Harley Café, Notts

I’ve seen a drop-off in mask wearing when I’ve been out and about, but in the deli, I think there’s a bit of reciprocal courtesy going on. Because we still have social distancing in place, are wearing our visors and have our screens up, most of our customers put their masks on when they come in. Not everyone does – and we don’t challenge them – but overall, they do. We’ll keep things the same, requesting but not demanding – in line with Government rules. It’s not on my staff to demand that of people. VAL BERRY, owner, Haley & Clifford, Leeds

Being flexible and able to adjust is the best thing retailers can be doing. Everybody’s personal circumstances are different so everyone will be looking at mask wearing and other precautions differently. Help your team to adjust their behaviours accordingly by helping them to recognise the different types of customers. If someone comes in wearing a mask, they may not be neurotic, they may have someone vulnerable at home. And while it may not be mandatory for staff to wear masks, if someone approaches the counter wearing one, then be flexible and have one to hand to make them feel safer. LUCY KNIGHT, customer experience

specialist, Insight 6

WHAT’S TRENDING

1 NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

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1 Climatarianism Waitrose recently announced its food trend predictions for 2022. One that caught our attention was the move towards a ‘climatarian’ diet; making diet choices based on options that are kinder to the planet. This comes at a time when many have shifted to a plant-based diet, yet environmental concerns surrounding things like soy production and deforestation still loom large. Beyond provenance, climatarianism is set to shine a brighter light on production processes, transportation, preservation and storage.

2 Reimagined ramen From heady bowls of Tonkotsu, pork based broths, to those built up with dashi and miso, steaming bowls of ramen have cemented themselves into the very fabric of UK fast-casual restaurants. Right now, there’s an influx of new vendors that have been fortifying London with reimagined ramen. Ramo Ramen blends Filipino staples with the famed Japanese noodle dish. Its Sinigang ramen uses a fish and tamarind broth, topping noodles with king prawns and chillies. Meanwhile, Menya Ramen House in Bloomsbury takes a Korean tilt with the fiery and fermented.

3 Net-zero spirits The carbon footprint of producing spirits has cast a big shadow over the drinks industry for some time. However, many distilleries are taking broad steps towards carbon neutrality through land management, renewable energy and planting heritage grains. Bruichladdich, Scotland’s first B Corp distillery is embracing tidal and hydropower, while relative newcomer Nc’Nean has become the first UK net zero distillery producing an organic single malt whisky and an organic botanical spirit.