Talking Shop Issue 91 October 2017

Talking Shop ISSUE 91 – October 2017

The magazine for Premier retailers

Instant success

Glasgow retailer sees 3% increase in profits in a week after bringing his four stores into Premier!

PLUS

Sweet sales

Festive confectionery sales in focus

Discover The Choice

Chillled own label range grows

Central Billing Top 5 must-stock suppliers

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ALL NATURAL ING

THE CONSUMER LANDSCAPE IS CHAN MODERATION

• 50% OF PEOPLE CLAIM TO MODERATE THEIR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION WITH MILLENNIALS LEADING THE WAY, MAKING FOCUSED, POSITIVE LIFESTYLE CHOICES

CALORIES

• 56% OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERN THE EFFECT OF DIET ON THEIR AND APPEARANCE

*CONTAINS NOT MORE THAN 0.05% ABV

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L INGREDIENTS, ONLY 69 CALORIES

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Talking Shop | October 2017

Welcome Talking Shop ISSUE 91 – Octob

er 2017

A very warm welcome to the

The magazine

latest issue of Talking Shop where

Glasgow reta iler increase in pro sees 3% fits in a week after bringin g his four stor es into Premier!

full of great insight, advice and news to help you increase footfall,

PLUS

Sweet sales

sales and profits. profiles in this issue from Belfast in Northern Ireland to Maldon in

lers

Instan succests

we have another packed edition

We have four fascinating store

for Premier retai

Festive confec sales in focus tionery

Discover The Choic

Chillled own e label range grows

Central Bil

Top 5 must-s ling tock suppliers

Essex by way of Glasgow and Tonyrefail in Wales. These inspiring tales demonstrate how Premier retailers are thriving across the country and I hope you find them interesting and useful for your own business.

You will also find news and updates on our expanding Discover The Choice chilled range which has been an immense success among both shoppers and retailers since launch. Glasgow multi-site retailer Nasser Javid, who has only recently joined Premier, describes the Discover The Choice range in this issue as “the best chilled range in independent retailing” – and I hope you agree.

With Christmas on the horizon we are also taking a closer look at that all-important category, Christmas confectionery, as well as reminding retailers not to forget those often overlooked grocery and non-food

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COVER STORY Instant success in Glasgow.

THE THREE BIG STORIES 45 Sweet sales at Christmas

A guide to maximising festive confectionery profits.

50 Central Billing update A look at 5 must-stock Central Billing suppliers.

54 Vape for success

It’s time to cash in on one of the fastest growing categories in retail.

Christmas essentials.

Updates on Central Billing, vaping and the fastgrowing protein category should also help you have a successful few months ahead. Great trading to all.

Martyn Parkinson, Brand Director Premier

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Share your shop news

If you’ve got news, tips or feaure ideas, get in touch with Talking Shop. Just pick up the phone and call:

0141 22 22 100 or write to: Talking Shop c/o 55 North Ltd. Waterloo Chambers 19 Waterloo Street Glasgow, G2 6AY or email: talkingshop@55north.com DISCLAIMER: Prices are correct at time of going to press, but may be subject to change.

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15 54

24 43

9

News

High protein products make the

store launches new deli counter.

move from gym to shelf, offering

11 Community news A round-up of the latest community work by Premier retailers.

13 Industry news Deposit Return Scheme to be implemented in Scotland.

15 Instant success

33 xxxx

Nasser Javid sees profits rise within a week of joining Premier.

18 Up for the challenge Belfast retailer Frank Denny fights back after a fire.

22 Like ducks to water Career change proves profitable for husband and wife team.

24 Steps to success Starting small then moving up works out for Nishan and Rimpi Sidhu.

29 Winter sales

39

33 Pumped full of protein

Edinburgh’s Premier Broadway

opportunities for retailers.

39 Ones To Watch Some of the latest products for retailers to consider stocking in their stores.

43 Stocking for Christmas These often-overlooked festive essentials can increase sales.

50 Central billing Make the most of this valuable Booker resource.

54 E-cigarettes Give your store an Edge with this new range of e-liquids.

57 Pizza profits Booker’s new Discover the Choice pizza range goes down a storm with shoppers and retailers.

61 Guest column Samantha Coldbeck streamlines

Heat up your profits as the

her chilled and frozen suppliers with

temperature starts to drop outside.

Premier.

Ones To Watch October 2017 TalkingShop

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PremierNews NEWS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OPINIONS FROM ACROSS PREMIER

New sandwich meal INBRIEF deal driving profits CARD PAYMENT NEWS AND TIPS

There are important changes

Booker’s exceptional new meal deal is set to accelerate vital footfall, sales and growth for Premier retailers.

impacting the card payments industry that affect all Premier retailers. Payment service provider, and Booker partner,

Booker has launched ‘the UK’s leading meal deal’ with a fantastic package that will drive sales, profit and footfall. The Meal Deal offers shoppers a Snax & Go sandwich, a packet of Walkers crisps, a Coca-Cola drink and a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar, all for just £3.

The deal delivers between 21% and 40% POR for Premier retailers and could earn your store up to an extra £5,000 profit every year.

Lakhvir Bhathal of Premier Dedman Stores in Shrewsbury recently introduced the deal and says it has been a massive hit with shoppers. He told Talking Shop: “There isn’t a deal to match that in the marketplace

NetPay, bring you the latest: l Visa has mandated that all contactless transactions, regardless of value have to be online-authorised by the bank. Previously the floor limit had been £15 for Visa and £20 for Mastercard, so not all transactions were authorised by the bank. This is no longer the case. Be prepared for transactions to attract an authorisation fee.

l In January 2018 it becomes illegal to levy a surcharge to

and it’s been absolutely flying in our store since we added it.

It’s simply a fantastic deal for shoppers.”

Premier Brand Director Martyn Parkinson said: “This

is the best deal on the market.

It delivers fantastic value for shoppers and fantastic POR for retailers. Retailers can generate an extra £5,000 profit annually. with the deal.”

shoppers who pay by card. If you are doing this you need to stop by then and must remove any signs saying you charge to use cards.

l As the busy festive season approaches don’t forget

Booker’s own label range continues to go from strength to strength thanks to a winning combination of value, quality and choice. That combination helped secure prestigious victories at the recent Q Awards.

Despite being launched only in the last few months, the Discover The Choice range has already come up trumps, picking up two awards. The Discover the Choice Meat Feast Pizza triumphed in the Pizza category, while the Discover the Choice Fish Pie won the Q Fish Ready Meals Award.

Euro Shopper Mild White Cheese was also among the winners, collecting the Value Q Chilled Award. Euro Shopper Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce collected the Value Q Ambient Award and a coveted Gold Q Value Award. £5 FISH PIE Berry Jennings of Premier Layer Village Store, Colchester, said: “The quality of the Booker own label range is now quite exceptional and it’s no surprise to see it picking up awards. It delivers on every front for shoppers and retailers.”

short-term rental may help

N EW

Own-label flying at Q Awards

the importance of reducing

Any 2 for

Tender chunks of smoked cod, salmon and pollack in a creamy mature Cheddar cheese and spinach sauce and topped with buttery mashed potato and a ciabatta crumb.

Each pack (400g) contains

Energy 2045kJ 488kcal

24%

Fat

24g 34%

Saturates Sugars

12g 60%

3.6g 4%

of an adult’s reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy 511kJ/122kcal

payment terminal through a solve the queues caused by temporary increases in demand at this busy time of the year. They can prevent business walking out of your door. A survey this year found that 89% of people had left a shop as a result of excessive queuing. It’s important to maximise your opportunities once you have the shopper in-store and ready to spend.

Use by

Salt

3.6g 60%

queues. Renting a card

Suitable for Freezing

Oven 25 mins

400g

Serving suggestion

Keep refrigerated

October 2017 TalkingShop

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News

Premier retailers come up trumps in IAA Top 100 once more!

Premier retailers have once again featured prominently in the prestigious Independent Achievers Academy Top 100 stores list with five stores making it through as finalists.

TOP TABLE: Premier Express The Corner Shop Crossgates made it onto the finalists list.

It has been another great performance from Premier retailers across the UK as they once again featured very prominently in the coveted Independent Achievers Academy (IAA) Top 100 stores list. The list features what the judges consider to be the best 100 stores in the country and Premier retailers account for a fifth of all stores on the list.

Of these, five stores made it onto the finalists list: Premier Singh’s Manor Store, Sheffield (Marketing to Customers and Digital Engagement); Tenby Stores & Post Office Premier Express (Customer Service); The Corner Shop Convenience Store Premier Express, Crossgates (Effective Ranging); Narinder’s Premier Convenience Store, Huddersfield (Merchandising); and Premier Smeaton Stores, Kirkcaldy (Service to the Community).

Premier Brand Director Martyn Parkinson told Talking Shop: “It’s always hugely encouraging to see Premier retailers perform so well each year and it’s great to see them putting in another fantastic show on the IAA Top 100 list once

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more.” Among the Premier retailers hitting the Top 100 this year was Akky Hayat of Premier Pricekracker & Post Office in Fintry who said: “Premier retailers work hard all year round to deliver the very experience for their shoppers and it’s always great to get some recognition for all that work. To be named in the Top 100 stores in the UK is an honour and a privilege and it’s also a big pat on the back for my team at the store.

“The support we are getting from Premier these days has never been better and I fully believe we have by far the best offer on the market – and we’re only getting stronger every year.”

Similarly delighted was Robert Kirkwood of Premier Express Crossgates in Fife. He said: “We all like to have our hard work and commitment acknowledged and recognised so it’s a real boost to be featured in the Top 100.

“It’s good for our staff and it’s good for our shoppers to know that this is one of the best stores in the country and it shows we’re going in the right direction.”

IAA TOP 100 – PREMIER STORES l Burn Valley Premier Stores, Hartlepool l Hayre Premier Express Convenience Store, Leicester l Knight’s Premier Express Convenience Store, Gosport l MJ’s Premier Store, Oldham l Narinder’s Premier Convenience Store, Huddersfield l Premier Eldred Drive Stores, Orpington l Premier Green End Store, Huntingdon l Premier Hayers Mead Vale Store, Weston-SuperMare l Premier Jimmy’s Store, Northampton l Premier Jules Convenience Store, Telford l Premier Pricekracker & Post Office, Dundee l Premier Singh’s Manor Store, Sheffield l Premier Smeaton Stores, Kirkcaldy l Premier Upholland Village Store l Premier Woodcross Convenience Store, Coseley l St Mary’s Premier Supermarket, Southampton l Tenby Premier Express Stores & Post Office l The Corner Shop Premier Express Convenience Store, Crossgates l The Premier Hollow & Post Office, Northampton

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

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News

Dennis and Linda introduce The Premier Deli in Edinburgh Edinburgh Premier retailers Dennis and Linda Williams have introduced a new hot food and deli counter in their Premier Broadway Convenience Store.

INBRIEF PREMIER RETAILER BACKS LOCAL MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Alloa Premier retailer Jaspreet Singh helped local football team Alloa Saints enjoy a hugely successful football tournament recently which is held every year in honour of a young boy and former player for the team who died tragically in 2012.

The Alan McGillivray Memorial Tournament took place at Stirling University Sports Centre and Jaspreet’s Medwyn Premier Stores was among the sponsors this year. The tournament saw eight teams compete in an

Dennis and Linda Williams of Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh have introduced a new hot food and deli counter to their store, along with an array of new services and lines.

The development is the latest move as the couple prepare for the arrival of a new Aldi store almost literally next door in January.

PDG Member Dennis told Talking Shop: “We’ve known

for a while that Aldi is moving in next door but fortunately the date has been pushed back a few times which has given us more time to prepare. Premier has been so supportive of us as we get ready for the arrival of the discounter and we feel as ready as we can be.”

Dennis and Linda have focused on a strategy of offering as many products and services that Aldi don’t provide in order to ensure that they

retain the shoppers they have been serving in the store for over 30 years.

Dennis explains: “We have added a hot food counter, a deli, a coffee machine and we have a big focus on e-cigarettes and we are obviously working even harder at the customer service that has served us so well for three decades. It’s a concerning time, obviously, but we are remaining positive and upbeat.”

emotional yet enjoyable day.

Jaspreet told Talking Shop: “We like to play our part in the local community and this memorial event is really important to a lot of our shoppers.

“We were abslutely delighted just to be able to help make the day a success and it was a fitting tribute to young Alan who died at such a tragically early age.”

Time for a Macmillan charity coffee at Jimmy’s Northampton Premier retailer, PDG Member and active community engagement specialist Jimmy Patel held a Macmillan Coffee Morning in his Premier Jimmy’s Store recently to raise much needed funds for the cancer charity.

The event was a huge success and was very popular with shoppers, raising over £500 into the bargain. “It was a great day, a lot of fun and such an easy event to put on for any Premier store,” says Jimmy. “I would recommend that other retailers do one too because the charity needs money and it puts it to very good use. Our shoppers loved it and it created a great atmosphere, as well as raising money for Macmillan Cancer Research.”

Visit www.coffee.macmillan.org.uk for advice on hosting your own event or for tips on organising a successful Macmillan Coffee Morning.

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Visit www.whatisgoodnessknows.co.uk for more information

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CommunityNews OPINION, NEWS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FROM PREMIER RETAILERS

Premier Smeaton donates £1,000 to keep school breakfast club going

INBRIEF COT HOUSE PREMIER WELCOMES RALLY DRIVERS! Premier forecourt Cot House Services in Dunoon in Scotland was at the heart of the sporting

Outstanding community retailers Asif and Abada Akhtar have kept up their long-running commitment to the local community by donating £1,000 to the local Balwearie High School to enable the school to continue to provide a breakfast club for its pupils.

The high school was struggling financially to continue providing the vital service for pupils at the school and approached the pair to see if they could help in any way.

Abada told Talking Shop: “It’s only a small gesture but we both think it’s so important to support our local community wherever we can and we saw this as a great opportunity to give a little back to our shoppers of the future.”

Neil McNeil, the school’s head teacher, said he was “delighted” to receive the donation.

“We all know the importance of a good meal first thing in the morning,” he added. “This is a very generous offer and I’m looking forward

action recently when it welcomed a party of elite rally drivers and their cars.

The visitors were taking part in the ‘Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally’, the fifth round of the official Scottish Rally Championship.

Owned by Alistair Murray and family, the forecourt was the only one in the area selling super unleaded fuel at the time which made the store a

to working with Mr and Mrs Akhtar in the future.”

The Akhtars are also currently working on a separate project to organise a Healthy Living day at the local school to educate pupils on the importance of having a healthy breakfast to make a good start to the day.

very popular place on the day.

A number of drivers chose to make Cot House their pitstop between the six stages of the rally around a number of routes in the local region.

Alistair told Talking Shop: “It was a bit of fun really but

Carnival time comes to Premier Springvale in Winchester Shoppers at Jude Varghese’s Premier Springvale Stores and Post Office in Winchester could have been forgiven recently for thinking they had mistakenly wandered into a scene from the famous Brazilian Carnival.

Jude had won a competition with PepsiCo brands Tropicana and Naked to win a carnival takeover for his store and shoppers to help create excitement and engage with the local community.

The takeover came complete with a tropical themed photo booth, stilt walkers and a steel

band, as well as product sampling for shoppers as they embraced the carnival spirit.

Jude said: “It was a brilliant day and I know the community was excited in the lead up to the event, to visit and see what we’re doing. The store takeover has been extraordinary and my customers have really enjoyed the carnival inspired day, along with the free samples!

“We were really happy we were able to unite our local community during the event and the customer feedback has been overwhelming.”

the local community loved seeing the rally cars here and it added a bit of excitement.

“The cars are pretty special machines and it was exciting for us, our staff and our shoppers to see and hear the cars up close. And we even managed to see some fuel!”

TALKING TACTICS What are you doing in-store to stand out in your local market?

Share it with us and your Premier retailer colleagues at talkingshop@55north.com 0141 222 5380

October 2017 TalkingShop

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TalkingShop.indd 12PMP Booker Talking Shop FP - Ad [outline].indd 1 Nescafe GB Relaunch

18/10/2017 22/09/2017 15:34:36 14:50:31

IndustryNews A DIGEST OF NEWS FROM THE INDEPENDENT RETAILING INDUSTRY

Scottish Government confirms plans to launch Deposit Return Scheme Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that the Scottish Government intends to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks cans and bottles.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has announced that a Deposit Return Scheme for used drinks cans and bottles will be introduced in Scotland to tackle the rising tide of waste ending up in the countryside and seas.

The design for the new system has yet to be finalised, but will likely involve an extra cost being levied on the purchase price of a packaged drink, which is then refunded when the container is returned to a collection point for recycling.

The schemes have been shown to improve recycling rates for drinks containers in other parts of the world. The current rate stands at 50%

in Scotland, but rates in places such as Norway are as high as 95%.

Zero Waste Scotland has been charged with designing the new system. Chief Executive Iain Gulland said: “A deposit return scheme follows on from the hugely successful carrier bag charge and will help reduce litter and increase recycling.”

The scheme has been criticised by both the Association of Convenience Stores and the Scottish Grocer’s Federation as “the wrong way to go” with an estimated set up cost of £40m for retailers. Ms Sturgeon did not make it clear if the scheme would be mandatory for small stores.

INBRIEF OLD STYLE £1 COIN DEADLINE PASSED

Premier retailers are being reminded that the deadline for the withdrawal of the old style £1 coin has now passed.

Retailers should no longer accept the old style coin from although it is anticipated that most banks will continue to accept them from customers for a limited period after that date.

Andrew Jones, the Exchequer Secretary to the

Extra resources for retailers from Bank of England

Treasury, said: “The clock is ticking. We are urging the businesses who are yet to do

The Bank of England has improved the range of resources it provides for independent retailers to help with staff training and development.

The resources can be found online at bankofengland.co.uk The ‘Bank of England Banknotes’ app is an interactive touch screen guide to help retailers check

banknotes. It enables users to view detailed images of all current Bank of England banknotes and their security features. It includes a backlight function and a simulation on how the notes would look if viewed under ultra-violet (UV) light. The app has just been updated to include features on the new polymer £10 note, issued on

14th September.

The site also features a selection of short films providing general advice about banknotes, highlighting how they can be checked quickly and easily. An online training section highlights the security and design features and includes a short test to ensure retailers have fully taken the advice onboard.

so to update their systems before the old coin ceases to be legal tender.”

The Royal Mint is striking 1.5 billion new 12-sided £1 coins, which were introduced to help crack down on counterfeiting.

The Mint has claimed the new £1 is the “most secure coin in the world”, replacing the previous £1 coin, of which about one in 40 are thought to be fake.

Credit card surcharges banned from January

The new coin has a string of anti-counterfeiting details, including material inside

From January 2018, retailers will no longer be permitted to charge shoppers an additional fee for paying by debit or credit card, the government has confirmed.

From that date, businesses will not be allowed to add any surcharges for card payments, even for low level purchases, and convenience stores will be included in the ban.

the coin itself which can be detected when electronically scanned by coin-counting or payment machines and microsized lettering inside both rims.

October 2017 TalkingShop

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TWO BUDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE STOCK UP ON BOTH NOW

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Paisley, Glasgow | STORE PROFILE

success!

Instant When Glasgow retailer Nasser Javid brought all four of his stores into Premier he expected improvements – but he didn’t expect a 3% increase in profits in the first week!

COME A WINNER!: Jay never expected the success he is enjoying.

Store CV:

Name: Premier Paisley Convenience Retailer: Nasser Javid Number of stores: 4 Time as a retailer: 22 years Time with Premier: 3 months Size: 4,000sq ft Services: PayPoint, Hermes, Lottery, Country Choice, Rollover, ATM, licensed, Costa Coffee Nearest competition: Tesco and Iceland within 200 yards Trading hours: 7am-10pm

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STORE PROFILE | Paisley, Glasgow “

{

“I couldn’t believe it when I took a look at the first week’s figures with Premier. In a single week we had added about 3% to our profit.

It’s almost incredible.”

4

Premier stores in chain

T

here are many reasons why retailers decide to join Premier but at the very top of the priority list is profit – and that’s exactly what attracted Glasgow retailer Nasser Javid to Premier, but he didn’t for a second expect to see the sort of instant improvements that he experienced when he moved his four stores into Premier just a few months ago.

Nasser, or Jay as he prefers to be known, explains: “I had been with Costcutter a very long time – I actually had the very first Costcutter store in the UK – but in the last few years I was increasingly disillusioned and I was looking for a new partner. Business was getting expensive and I needed a partner who understood that and wanted to work with me to allow me to keep developing my business. Premier was one of those I was considering and the more I looked into it the more I realised that the package was outstanding. So, after looking at it from all angles, I finally decided to go for it earlier this year.”

Jay admits he was hoping for an

ROOM FOR GROWTH: The 4,000sq ft store has lots of space for shoppers.

16 TalkingShop TalkingShop.indd 16

}

improvement in his bottom line but says he never for a second expected to see the sort of instant success that actually played out. “Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I took a look at the first week’s figures with Premier. In a single week we had added about 3% to our profit. It’s almost incredible.”

It may be almost incredible but it was completely true. And, a few months down the line, Jay has even more reasons to be pleased that he made the move to Premier.

“Everything about the Premier package is better. The pricing is fantastic, the promotions are knock-out and, most importantly to me, availability is exceptional.

I was having so many availability problems before and I was having to drive to the nearby Booker branch on a regular basis, which wasn’t how I wanted to be running my business when I had a delivered wholesale partner. I needed better service than that.”

Ironically, it was Jay’s regular visits to Booker that got the conversation started about joining Premier. “I just got speaking to a

few folk and then I met the RDM and the more I heard about Premier the more I liked the sound of it.”

Converting four stores to Premier was no insignificant task, of course, but three of the four stores are now fully refitted and branded as Premier with the fourth taking place over the next few weeks.

3%

Increase in profits in first week of joining Premier “The Paisley, Barrhead and Maryhill stores have all been redone and Clydebank happens soon, so it’s all going to schedule,” he says.

Jay’s Paisley store – the subject of this profile – is a very large store at 4,000sq ft and gave Jay lots of options when the Premier team first began working with him. He outlines the conversation: “We discussed what we could do other than just re-ranging, remerchandising and re-branding the

IMPULSE LINES: The store has been carefully laid out to maximise impulse purchases.

October 2017

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

4,000 SQ FT Store size

store and I liked a lot of the ideas so we decided to progress with most of them.”

That involved adding hot food to the store for the first time by adding a Country Choice solution, to complement the store’s Costa Coffee machine. A new Rollover hotdog stand was added too, as was a Tango Ice Blast slush puppy unit.

“We had the space in the store to accommodate all of this new stuff and we reckoned that the new offerings would help drive more footfall to the store as well as pushing up sales and profits,” he says. It turned out to be a good move and the new additions have proven popular with shoppers, as indeed has the move to Premier.

Jay is very enthusiastic in his praise: “My shoppers absolutely love the new store. They keep telling me how the pricing is so much better, how much they love the deals – particularly the Mega Deals – and how the store looks fantastic these days in its new colours.”

Jay does point out that in the three years he has had this store, he

has always kept it looking pristine but admits that it now looks better than ever.

“The range is bang on, the own label stuff is brilliant and the promotions are what really make the store tick these days,” he says.”

He also singles out the new Discover The Choice range as “absolute world beater”. He explains: “It’s probably the best own label chilled range on the market and I have a feeling it’s going to be huge for us going forward. It looks great, it tastes great and it’s priced well.”

With so much success happening at the moment, Jay is keen to capitalise and says he has a fifth store in the pipeline in Cumbernauld in Glasgow. There’s still a fair bit of work to be done on that project but he hopes to have it open reasonably soon – and yes it will be a Premier.

“The move to Premier has been a complete success as far as I’m concerned,” he concludes. “The package is spot on, the Premier team is brilliant and I have the basis to grow further in the future now.”

MEGA SALES: The Mega Deals have helped transform the store.

ALL IN THE DETAIL: Attention to detail is exceptional across the store.

PEOPLE POWER: Giving shoppers what they want is Jay’s mantra.

HIGH STANDARDS: Jay is a stickler for high standards in all of his stores.

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STORE PROFILE | Pembroke Loop, Belfast

Up for the

challenge

Despite a series of significant challenges including a devastating fire, Belfast retailer Frank Denny has fought back and has seen sales grow 30% since joining Premier.

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HEART OF THE COMMUNITY: A friendly welcome is guaranteed at Pembroke Loop

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

DEAL MAKER: Frank believes the Premier promotional package is at the heart of the store’s success.

I

n his 10 years as an independent trader, Belfast Premier retailer Frank Denny has had more than his fair share of challenges to contend with but thanks to what he terms “grim determination and a desire to succeed” he has met every challenge head on and now runs a thriving store that has seen its turnover increase by 30% since joining Premier just a few years ago.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, to be honest,” laughs Frank. “I was actually a fast food retailer for many years just down the road from where this shop is. My outlet was in a little parade of shops that basically relied on each other to bring footfall and stay successful, so when the convenience store in the parade announced that it was closing I decided to buy it just to keep it trading and keep the parade alive.”

Frank admits that he knew “absolutely nothing” about independent retailing at the time but decided his time in business had taught him what he would need to make a go of it. “I’d never had a convenience store before but I reckoned I had what it took to buy a tin of beans and sell it on at a profit,” he explains.

It turns out he was correct and, despite having a successful competing store just a few hundred yards down the road, he made a good enough job of it to see his competition off.

He says: “We opened up and within a year the other store had closed down which left us as the only business of our kind in

the immediate vicinity, which did wonders for us as you can imagine.”

Then, just as the store was beginning to make real headway, disaster struck when an arson attack destroyed the entire parade of shops in September 2013.

“It was a really terrible time,” recalls Frank. “We had worked so hard and things were going well and suddenly it looked like we would be left with nothing but we had to just pick ourselves up and get on with it. Then we got a real piece of luck when a unit only a few hundred yards along the road became available so we could basically just up sticks and start again.”

Within just seven weeks of acquiring the site along the road, the store had been fitted out and was up and trading. A consummate entrepreneur, Frank took the opportunity to buy up the other three properties in the new parade. He kept two – one for the store

Store CV:

Name: Premier Pembroke Loop, Belfast Retailer: Frank Denny Time as a retailer: 10 years Time with Premier: 3 years Size: 1,850sq ft Staff: 8 Services: Lottery, PayPoint, internal ATM, hot drinks, hot food-to-go.

Nearest competition: independent convenience store 500 yards; Supervalu and EuroSpar 1 mile; Lidl, Asda and Sains burys 2 miles away.

Trading hours: 7am – 10pm Mon to Sat; 8am – 10pm Sun

HIGH STANDARDS: Maintaining high standards across the store is key for Frank.

October 2017 TalkingShop

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18/10/2017 15:34:49

THE UNIQUE AND ICONIC TASTE OF DISARONNO EXPERTLY BLENDED WITH REFRESHING LEMON FOR THAT PERFECT COCKTAIL EXPERIENCE

ENJOY DISARONNO RESPONSIBLY

TalkingShop.indd 20

SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. SELECTED STORES ONLY.

18/10/2017 15:34:50

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

and one for a new fast food outlet – and let the other two out to a Chinese restaurant and a beautician, thereby recreating a selfsufficient parade of businesses once more that helped drive footfall to the area.

“It was amazing how it all played out,” he says. “At the time it seemed like the end of the world but we’ve come out of it stronger than ever, so it just goes to show what happens when you hang in there.”

At that point, Frank had long been a customer of Makro and learned that Booker was buying it over. “It seemed like another problem we could do without and there were lots of rumours that it might close,” he says. “But I got talking to the team in there and soon learned that it wasn’t closing and it was at that point that I first heard of Premier.

“The more I heard the more I liked the sound of it and, even though there was only one other Premier in Northern Ireland at the time, I decided to take a chance and have a go at it.”

Before deciding though, Frank took the time to visit a few Premier stores in Scotland, speak to some retailers and reassure himself that he was making the right decision.

“After that trip I was convinced it was the right way to go for us,” says Frank.

“The model just sounded perfect for the customer base I have at the shop. Great value, great pricing, great promotions.

Everything just seemed just what I needed at the time.”

That was three years ago and Frank has never looked back. “We joined Premier in 2014 and it has been a real success for us,” he says.

“My shoppers love the fact they know they’ll get great prices and brilliant promotions every time they shop with me and Premier is a great partner to have.

They work with me and allow me some flexibility so I can ensure I’m delivering exactly what my shoppers want.”

Frank was particularly pleased to see how flexible and helpful Premier was when sourcing local lines that he considered essential for the store. “I was a wee bit worried that Premier would have a problem with me sourcing key lines for the local market, but far from it.

“Not only did they not stand in my way, they actually helped me find them and listed them so I could order them through Central Billing. That’s great service, as far as I’m concerned.”

And that’s how Frank came to ensure he still sells popular lines that may be unfamiliar to many non-Irish Premier retailers including C&C Lemonade, Golden Cow butter and Denny’s Meats.

Frank then got more good news when he learned that 100 new houses were being built next to his store.

“After such a run of bad luck we were due a couple of bits of good luck,” he laughs.

“So Joining Premier and having all those new houses built was just what we needed

OWN LABEL: The Booker on label range is core to the store’s value offering.

and the store is going from strength to strength.”

As well as a 30% increase in turnover in the last few years, Frank has also seen his profit margins rise by around 3%. He’s also in the process of applying for an alcohol licence – a complex and hugely expensive business in Northern Ireland – but if his application is successful he expects to see even more massive growth.

“It can cost up to £150,000 to get a licence here,” he says. “But you’ve got to speculate to accumulate, and if we are successful it would transform the store once more. They say good luck comes in threes so I’m hoping the licence application will be my third bit of good luck!”

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STORE PROFILE | Maldon, Essex

Relishing the

retail opportunity Poologasingom and Amitha Sutherson only decided to change careers and become retailers a year ago but are already delighted they made the move with Premier after growing sales by over 600%!

T

he tale of how Poologasingom and Amitha Sutherson decided to call a halt to their previous careers and pursue a life in independent retailing will be familiar to many retailers.

After many years of working hard but never feeling in control of their own destinies, the husband and wife team decided to follow several of their family members by buying a store and

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taking charge of their lives – and have never looked back.

“I was working in telecommunications but I was getting increasingly frustrated at how little control I had over things,” says Poologasingom.

“I sat down with my wife one evening and we were talking our options over. The obvious choice was retail because our family already has three Premier stores in the area and I had watched them all grow and

GREAT IDEA: Independent retailing has been a revelation for the couple.

October 2017

18/10/2017 15:34:51

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

Store CV:

Store: Premier Johns Convenience Stores, Maldon Retailers: Poologasingom and Amitha Sutherson Time as retailers: 1 year Time with Premier: 1 year Size: 650sq ft Services: Licensed, PayPpoint, Lottery, free ATM, Home News Delivery Staff: 5 Nearest competition: Tesco Extra and Morrisons 1 mile; small independent off licence 400 yds Trading hours: 6am – 1pm Mon to Sat; 7am – 10pm Sun

progress and they all seemed to be enjoying life and getting lots of satisfaction out of it, so we decided that we would give it a go.”

Poologasingom promptly handed in his notice around 18 months ago and, with the help of the retailers in his family, identified a store that he thought ticked all the boxes.

“First and foremost we were looking for a business that had potential to grow, a store where we could work hard and make a difference,” he explains.

When he came to choosing the right retail partner, there was only ever one real option.

“My family did advise me that Premier was the best on the market but just to do my due diligence I checked all of the other major options available,” says Poologasingom.

“At the end of that process however, it was clear that Premier’s was far and away the best package. The range is perfect, the promotions are the best on the market and, importantly, we were able to retain a lot of control over our new business. It’s a great business model.”

The store itself had lots of positives when Poologasingom and Amitha bought it, but it was in very poor shape. “To be honest, it was terrible,” he laughs. “It needed a full refit and most of the shelves were at least half empty. So we rolled our sleeves up and got to work.”

A full-scale refit and countless visits from the Premier team later, the store was

600% INCREASE IN

SALES IN FIRST

YEAR WITH PREMIER

FRESH START: The store is unrecognisable from before.

POWER OF CHANGE: The stores sales have increased dramatically since joining Premier.

unrecognisable. “Our shoppers just couldn’t believe it when we were finished,” says Poologasingom. “We changed everything – floors, ceilings, refrigeration, counter, the lot. And Premier did a fantastic job of identifying the range we needed and then merchandising it perfectly for our opening day.”

And it wasn’t long before Poologasingom and Amitha realised that their decision to embrace retail was working. “The store wasn’t great before we took over, as I say, so we expected quick growth – but we were absolutely amazed at how rapidly sales grew,” he says.

In the first week alone, sales grew by 400%! “We were blown away, we really were,” says Poologasingom. “We did leafleting and took an ad in the local paper so we hoped for a few new faces through the door but to quadruple turnover in a week was amazing.”

But the good news doesn’t end there. A year down the line, the store is regularly now hitting figures 600% up on when they took over – and Poologasingom believes there’s still plenty of headroom to grow for the business “The store is on the main road out of Maldon in Essex, just a few hundred yards from the main street,” he explains. “So we get lots of passing trade and throughout the year more and more shoppers have decided to stop and give us a go. It’s the promotions that keep them coming back and I’ve had lots of shoppers tell me our promotions are better than other stores along the road.

“But we’re not finished yet. We’re in the process of adding a Jack’s Beans coffee machine and a Rollover hot dog machine so, fingers crossed, the growth will keep on coming. After that, who knows? But I have to say that we’re enjoying life and we’re so glad we had the courage to do it.”

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STORE PROFILE | Porth

Steps to success

Store CV:

Name: Premier Sidhu Stores & Post Office, Tonyrefail, Porth Retailers: Nishan and Rimpi Sidhu Time as retailers: 9 years Time with Premier: 2 years Size: 1,800sq ft Services: Post Office; licensed; Lottery; coffee machine Staff: 4 Nearest competition: Nisa 1m Trading hours: 7am-9pm Mon to Sat; 8am-8pm Sun

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS: Rimpi and Nishan’s story has been one of continual expansion.

Over the course of their near decade-long retail career, Nishan and Rimpi Sidhu have taken over increasingly large stores and now find themselves in a striking 1,800sq ft Premier store.

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W

ith an extended family in retail and ambitions to create a successful future for themselves and their families, it was always an attractive option to buy their own store for husband and wife team Nishan and Rimpi Sidhu.

“I was driving a forklift truck in Peterborough,” says Nishan with a loud laugh, “and just wanted a bit more out of life so my wife and I decided we follow our family into independent retail. The family stores are all in Wales so we decided to join them and they helped us find a very small 400sq ft store in Tonyrefail, near Porth, northwest of Cardiff. We reckoned it was sensible to start small,

learn the trade in a manageable little store and then see what happened down the line.”

That was back in 2008 and, true to their word, the couple worked away and built up a little business while gaining invaluable experience and skills. Then, in 2014, a great opportunity presented itself. “We’re in a very, very small village and at the heart of that was the Post Office which was only just along the road from our store,” explains Rimpi. “One day the people who run the Post Office came into the store and told us they were selling up and asked us if we knew of anyone who might be interested because they didn’t want to just close it down as it was so important to the local community.”

Not ones to pass up an opportunity

October 2017

18/10/2017 15:34:55

What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

CHILL KEY: A strong chilled offer helps drive up sales.

AVAILABILITY: The store now enjoys exceptional availability.

MULTIPACK MIX: The store offers a wide range of multipacks.

FROZEN OPPORTUNITY: A large frozen range is available.

STACK THEM UP: Nishan uses floor stacks to drive bulk sales.

DRINK TO THAT: The alcohol section has been expanded.

POST IT: The Post Office helps drive footfall to the store.

DEAL MAKER: Strong promotions keep shoppers coming back.

PAPER DEALS: Paper promotions generate volume sales.

like that, Nishan and Rimpi did their sums and concluded a deal in January 2015 to take over the 800sq ft Post Office unit.

“We knew then that we needed a wholesale partner to support us in that larger store with a larger range and a lot more complexity so we joined Premier as an Express store,” says Rimpi. “The offer was perfect for us – fantastic prices, great promotions and an instantly recognisable brand above the door – but we were just a little too small to become a full Premier.”

The couple soon set about revitalising the store and things were progressing extremely well when another opportunity appeared.

“There was a pub directly across from the store that had lain empty for about three years,” explains Nishan. “We were approached to see if we might consider it and to be honest we had always had one eye on it.” Sensibly, the pair commissioned

SOFT TOUCH: An enlarged soft drinks chiller is popular with shoppers.

a number of feasibility and demographic studies to ensure that the facts and statistics backed up their instinct that the site would make a great convenience store.

“It was going to involve a big investment and a bit of a gamble,” says Nishan. “So we had to be sure we covered every angle.

We even talked to a few other symbol groups but we were happy with Premier and satisfied ourselves that we were with the best in the business already.”

The legals concluded, work commenced on site in January this year. The store opened in June as the pair left their old premises – no longer trading as a convenience store – for the larger new unit. “It was a mammoth amount of work,” recalls Rimpi. “I hardly saw my husband for six months because he was constantly on site ensuring the refit was going well. But when we saw the finished article, we were

just over the moon.”

The store was bigger again – 1,800sq ft this time – and allowed the pair to migrate from Express into full Premier for the first time, another long term desire come true.

“It’s a big store so we needed help to get the ranging and merchandising right, but Premier came good again,” says Rimpi. “I can’t see us ever leaving Premier because they can never do enough for you.”

Nishan says that they are still bedding the new store in as they are only a few months down the line, but more work is already underway with a brand new café and restaurant being created in the space that had once been the dining room of the pub.

“The café and restaurant should help drive footfall as well as ensure that we’re busy in the evenings too,” says Rimpi. “It’s all just moving really quickly but we’re loving it and it’s so exciting!”

October 2017 TalkingShop

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Winter Warmers | FEATURE

Warm up

your winter sales

WINTER WARMERS MERCHANDISING ADVICE

With summer all but gone, it’s time for Premier retailers to get a plan in place to grow those all-important winter sales.

Talking Shop offers some great advice.

I

t’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and the winter months are fast approaching, but that just means a fresh sales opportunity is just around the corner for Premier retailers: winter warmers.

From soups to hot desserts, there are plenty of products available to target the winter shopper and drive additional colder weather sales in the winter months.

But while the winter period brings different shopper needs, a targeted range and different merchandising focus, remember that your shoppers’ habits will largely stay the same.

ON THE GO First and foremost, this means that Premier retailers should increasingly be looking to

meet the growing demand for on-the-go products. The food to go sector continues to grow in categories right across your store and food to go is the main reason 13% of shoppers visit your store, according to the ACS Shop Report for 2016. This trend is just as important when it comes to the winter warmers opportunity, so be sure to make sure you are delivering what your shoppers are seeking.

Whether people are stopping by in the morning for a convenient lunch they can eat quickly at work, or visiting during the day for a snack to keep them going, ensure you stock a range of solutions whether that be a Batchelors Cup a Soup prepared on the spot using a hot water station for shoppers or some freshly made hot soup straight from the soup kettle in the store.

Premier retailers can follow a few simple steps to help drive sales: l Why not create a ‘Winter Warmers’ display with the key products people will be on the lookout for – family favourites that can be prepared quickly?

This will not only inspire shoppers, but also help increase basket spend. l If you have a coffee station which dispenses hot water, consider setting up a takeaway station where shoppers can prepare their favourite hot products in-store? l Stock price-marked packs from popular brands, such as the £1 can of Ambrosia, to help drive impulse purchases. l To drive awareness of your ‘top up shop’ or ‘meal for tonight’ range, why not run a competition in-store for your customers to sign up for the chance to win a complete meal solution for their family?

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FEATURE | Winter Warmers

SOUP CATEGORY TOP TIPS TO MAXIMISE SALES Premier retailers can follow a few simple steps to help drive sales: l Merchandise Soup products by sub-segments (dry/wet/packet/ instant) as well as by brand for ease of shop. l Wet Ambient accounts for 81% of Soup sales, therefore should be centralised on the fixture and have good visibility for ease of shop. l Leverage Heinz as a beacon to signpost the fixture and help shoppers navigate. l Offer a concise range for ease of shop, and ensure you list the top SKUs for each of the key segments. The Core In Every Store range is the best place to start. l Utilise front of store display in winter to drive seasonal sales. l Ambient package grocery over-indexes with the Top Up and Meal for Tonight shopper missions: making soups easy to shop on the main fixture will help drive Top Up, while locating Soup and Bread together out of fixture will help drive incremental Meal for Tonight purchase.

TOP UP Once the darker evenings set in, people will also be more likely to use their local Premier store for top-up shopping to help save time. The same ACS report shows that 33% of people visit convenience stores for a top up shop, so it’s important to make sure you stock up on their winter favourites.

That may mean a range of market-leading wet, dry or instant soups, or it could mean a range of top selling hot desserts from Mr Kipling or Cadbury Sponge Puddings which are ambient products, meaning retailers don’t need to worry about chiller space.

Well-known brand names will attract shoppers and solutions like this are a quick option to

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prepare. To complete the evening meal, make sure you have the nation’s favourite custard brand available – Ambrosia.

Celebrating its 100th birthday this year, it is the perfect accompaniment for a range of sweet treats.

SOUPER SALES For many shoppers, winter means one thing: a warming bowl of soup. It’s important to signpost the category to make it easy for shoppers to find and one of the best ways of doing this is using the classic red Heinz Soup cans. Don’t forget to stock the full own label range too as many shoppers seek value and quality during the winter season.

According to Nielsen data to July 2017, Wet Ambient and Dry Soup sales are worth a massive £318m in the UK each year with over half the market being standard wet ambient. Another quarter is

CORE IN EVERY STORE MUST STOCK SOUPS: l Heinz Classic Tomato Soup PM99 400g l Heinz Classic Chicken Soup PM99 400g l Batchelors Cup a Soup Chicken PM129 81g l Batchelors Cup a Soup Tomato PM129 81g l Batchelors Cup a Soup Cream of Veg PM129 81g l Happy Shopper Tomato Soup PM55 / 2-for-£1 400g l Happy Shopper Mushroom Soup PM55 / 2-for-£1 400g l Happy Shopper Vegetable Soup PM55 / 2-for-£1 400g l Happy Shopper Chicken Soup PM55 / 2-for-£1 400g

October 2017

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

TOP 10 WET AMBIENT SOUPS

TOP 4 WET AMBIENT SOUP SEGMENTS l WET AMBIENT STANDARD (78% of sales) l WET AMBIENT CHUNKY (10%) l WET AMBIENT HEALTHY (5%) l WET AMBIENT SPECIALITY (3%)

l HEINZ CLASSIC TOMATO SOUP PM99 400G l HEINZ CLASSIC CHICKEN SOUP PM99 450G l HEINZ VEGETABLE SOUP PM99 400G l HAPPY SHOPPER TOMATO SOUP PM55 / 2-FOR-£1 400G l HAPPY SHOPPER VEGETABLE SOUP PM55 / 2-FOR-£1 400G l HAPPY SHOPPER CHICKEN SOUP PM55 / 2-FOR-£1 400G l HEINZ OXTAIL SOUP PM99 400G l HEINZ CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP PM99 400G l HAPPY SHOPPER MUSHROOM SOUP PM55 / 2-FOR-£1 400G l CROSSE & BLACKWELL CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP 400G

TOP DRY SOUP LINES l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP CHICKEN PM129 84G l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP CREAM OF VEG PM129 122G l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP TOMATO PM 129 92G l HAPPY SHOPPER CUP A SOUP CHICKEN & VEG PM69 / 2-FOR-£1.25 4S l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP GRANULES MINESTRONE 99G l HAPPY SHOPPER CUP CHICKEN VEGETABLE PM69 / 2-FOR-£1.25 4S l HAPPY SHOPPER CUP TOMATO & VEG PM69 / 2-FOR-£1.25 4S l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP CHICKEN & VEG PM129 122G l BATCHELORS CUP A SOUP CHICKEN & VEG 115G

TOP 2 DRY INSTANT SOUP SEGMENTS l DRY/INSTANT MULTIPACK (74%) l DRY/INSTANT SINGLE (16%)

Dry Instants, with multi buys accounting for 74% of all dry soup sales. Your range should reflect this breakdown to help ensure maximum sales.

Almost 80% of the population buy into the soup category and the average shopper buys into the category almost every month, picking up 2.4 items every time.

Statistics from Nielsen also show soup sales increase every winter as every one degree drop in temperature drives a 4% uplift in sales.

Heinz has the highest brand penetration at 52% with the average buyer picking up 2.6 items every time they shop. Some 50% of total soup sales is accounted for by just four lines: Heinz 400g Tomato, Chicken, Veg and Mushroom Soup.

It makes sense to use these four lines as the core of your soup range and to complement this with the full own label range of soups to build the perfect selection to suit all of your shopper’s needs.

MERCHANDISE CREATIVELY When it comes to maximising winter sales, why not take a more creative approaching to merchandising the categories involved?

Consider creating a dedicated ‘winter warmers’ fixture or bay to build excitement and drive awareness and impulse sales.

Or you could try running an in-store competition offering the chance to win a complete ‘meal for tonight’ to encourage shoppers to build their entire evening meal at your store? Social media is a great tool for doing this free of charge.

It’s a great idea if you have a hot water station or hot water readily available to offer to prepare instant soup for your shoppers there and then in the store, capitalising on the growth in the food-to-go market.

Most instant soups are ready in under two minutes, giving your shoppers just enough time to pick up a few other items to complete their breakfast, lunch or evening snack.

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E

STUD

IN

G IV

N GS

1

S

WI

GROWTH

S

+407%

WH RETAILAT ER SAY S’

A

BABAR SARFRAZ Manager Super Save Mini Market, Burnley

B U SI N ES

Y

THE NEW COOLER HAS BOOSTED SALES.

now grabbing a can of Red Bull helping us to increase our customer basket spend.

A real win, win situation.“

STEVE MAHONEY Manager Endike Stores Premier, Hull

How has working with Red Bull been good for business?

“Really pleased with the cooler, it’s massively boosted our Red Bull sales and looks brilliant in store. Red Bull is now always on our weekly delivery and 473ml in particular has seen a big increase. We’re now seeing new consumers buy into Red Bull for the first time in a while. A lot of tradesman who usually come in for a quick coffee, are also

WE’VE GONE FROM SELLING ONE CASE A WEEK TO THREE!

C

HOW HAS RED BULL GIVEN WINGS TO YOUR STORE?

G

“Not only has Joe helped grow our overall Red Bull sales, he’s also supporting our local charity event which will massively help towards raising extra money on the day! I look forward to Joe’s next visit to review the Total Soft Drinks Category in more detail.”

+30%

GROWTH

1

“Additional chilled placement has enabled me to stock the full Red Bull range, helping to increase sales.

The cooler looks fantastic and we’ve gone from selling one case a week to three a week!

How has working with Red Bull been good for business?

“Since working with Lydia, we’ve seen our Red Bull sales grow by 400%³. Lydia provided us with detailed insights on the Soft Drinks Category and highlighted the benefits of siting additional placements.”

To find out what a Red Bull Striker can do for your store, contact premier@uk.redbull.com today.

SOURCE:¹TOTAL RED BULL SALES IN VOLUME. SALESOUT, YTD LAST UPDATED 30.06.17; ²TOTAL RED BULL SALES IN VALUE. LAST 13 WEEKS. LAST UPDATED 30.06.17; ³OVER THE LAST 13 WEEKS VS PY.

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Protein | FEATURE

Protein key to

building growth Once seen as the preserve of fitness fanatics, high protein products have gradually become mainstream, opening up an entirely new revenue opportunity for Premier retailers.

PROTEIN RANGE AVAILABLE Mars Protein Case Size: 18 x 57g WSP: £21.99 RSP: £1.89 POR: 22% Snickers Protein Case Size: 18 x 51g WSP: £21.99 RSP: £1.89 POR: 22% Bounce Coconut Macadamia Case Size: 12 x 49g WSP: £13.59 RSP: £1.89 POR: 40% Bounce Almond Case Size: 12 x 49g WSP: £13.59 RSP: £1.89 POR: 40% Bounce Peanut Case Size: 12 x 49g WSP: £13.59 RSP: £1.89 POR: 40% Trek Flapjack Cocoa Case Size: 16 x 50g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £0.95 POR: 34% Trek Flapjack Cocoa Coconut Case Size: 16 x 50g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £0.95 POR: 34% Trek Energy Bar Peanut Power Case Size: 16 x 55g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £1.15 POR: 34% Nature Valley Protein Peanut & Chocolate PM £0.85 Case Size: 12 x 40g WSP: £6.39 RSP: £0.85 POR: 25% Nature Valley Protein Salted Caramel PM £0.85 Case Size: 12 x 40g WSP: £6.39 RSP: £0.85 POR: 25% Eat Natural Protein Packed Bar Case Size: 12 x 45g WSP: £6.19 RSP: £0.89 POR: 42% Grenade Reloaded Chocolate Brownie Flapjack Case Size: 12 x70g WSP: £10.99 RSP: £1.69 POR: 46% Grenade Carb Killa Caramel Chaos Bar Case Size: 12x60g WSP: £13.79 RSP: £2.49 POR: 45% Grenade Carb Killa Cookies & Cream Bar Case Size: 12x60g WSP: £13.79 RSP: £2.49 POR: 45% Grenade Carb Killa White Chocolate Cookie Bar Case Size: 12x60g WSP: £13.79 RSP: £2.49 POR: 45% Maximuscle Promax Lean Cookie Dough Case Size: 12 x 60g WSP: £13.39 RSP: £2.00 POR: 33% Maximuscle Promax Millionaire Shortbread Case Size: 12 x 60g WSP: £13.39 RSP: £2.00 POR: 33% Weetabix OTG Breakfast Protein Drink Vanilla PM £1.50 Case Size: 8 x 275ml WSP: £9.69 RSP: £1.50 POR: 20% Weetabix OTG Breakfast Protein Drink Strawberry & Raspberry PM £1.50 Case Size: 8 x 275ml WSP: £9.69 RSP: £1.50 POR: 20% Weetabix OTG Breakfast Protein Drink Chocolate PM £1.50 Case Size: 8 x 275ml WSP: £9.69 RSP: £1.50 POR: 20% Grenade Carb Killa White Chocolate Case Size: 8 x 330ml WSP: £12.69 RSP: £2.49 POR: 36%

PROTEIN LINES THAT ARE CORE IN EVERY STORE l Mars Protein l Snickers Protein l Nature Valley Protein Peanut & Chocolate l Nature Valley Protein Salted Caramel l Boost Protein Chocolate Drink l Boost Protein Strawberry Drink

Grenade Carb Killa Cookies & Cream Case Size: 8x330ml WSP: £12.69 RSP: £2.49 POR: 36% Grenade Carb Killa Fudge Brownie Case Size: 8x330ml WSP: £12.69 RSP: £2.49 POR: 36% Grenade Carb Killa Chocolate Mint Case Size: 8x330ml WSP: £12.69 RSP: £2.49 POR: 36% Maxi Nutrition Protein Milk Strawberry Case Size: 8 x 250ml WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 38% Maxi Nutrition Protein Milk Chocolate Case Size: 8 x 250ml WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.00 POR: 38%

NICHE NO MORE: High protein products have migrated to the mainstream.

Boost Protein Chocolate Drink PM £1.29 Case Size: 8 x 310ml WSP: £6.99 RSP: £1.29 POR: 32.3% Boost Protein Strawberry Drink PM £1.29 Case Size: 8 x 310ml WSP: £6.99 RSP: £1.29 POR: 32.3%

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

PREMIUM PRODUCTS: Grenade enjoys strong credibility in the sporting world.

SHAKE THINGS UP: Offer more than a range of bars.

SEAL THE DEAL: Add value with multi-buy savings.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANOGRAM FOR YOU

H

igh protein products were once niche products, bought mainly by fitness fanatics and those on specialist diets but in the last 12 months or so the category has evolved and grown and is now one of the most important growth trends in independent retailing.

The market has grown so quickly, in fact, that sales of high protein products are expected to grow to an amazing £358m by 2018, according to Euromonitor sales data.

Mintel data also shows that around 17% of UK consumers already consume food or drink that contains protein as a snack between meals.

Sales of protein bars alone grew by 58% last year, according to Nielsen figures – and that creates a huge opportunity for retailers keen to grab a slice of the market.

For maximum impact in-store, it is recommended that Premier retailers create a dedicated protein section.

Depending upon available space, that could be anything from a single one metre shelf to a full 6-shelf bay.

Premier has prepared planograms for all sizes of ambient and chilled fixtures, as shown here, to help you ensure you have the right lines in the right place to maximise sales and profits.

STEPS TO SUCCESS

The great news is that it couldn’t be easier to grow your sales of protein high lines, with three simple steps.Step one is to stock the Core In Every Store products in your store and create a dedicated protein section in store. Step two is to site the best selling lines at the tillpoint to drive up impulse purchases. Step three is to talk to your shoppers about the category to raise awareness.

This third step is particularly important if you have fitness fanatics or those on diets as shoppers. Long recognised as a muscle building aid, the use of protein in the diet is increasingly seen by many shoppers as an integral part of many weight management programmes. As more and more mainstream shoppers focus on healthier diets with

higher protein and lower sugar, the category offers Premier retailers an important new revenue stream.

BARS AND SHAKES

As in all product categories, shoppers are still looking for products that taste great and offer strong value for money. Two of October 2017 TalkingShop

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What are your views? Call 0141 222 5380 or email talkingshop@55north.com

PROTEIN PRODUCTS THAT ARE ON PROMOTION IN P9: 01.11.17 – 28.11.17 Description

Pk Size

Trek Cocoa & Oat Flapjack 50g Trek Cocoa Coconut Flapjack 50g Trek Protein Peanut Power 55g Grenade Carb Killa Cookies & Cream 330ml Grenade Carb Killa Fudge Brownie 330ml Grenade Carb Killa Chocolate Mint 330ml Grenade Carb Killa White Chocolate 330ml Nature Valley Protein Salted Caramel PM £0.85 40g Nature Valley Protein Peanut PM £0.85 40g

WSP

Consumer deal

£7.49 £7.49 £7.49 £8.99 £8.99 £8.99 £8.99 £3.99 £3.99

2 for 1.50 2 for 1.50 2 for 1.50 £1.79 £1.79 £1.79 £1.79 2 for £1 2 for £1

MARS ATTACKS: Familiar brands now offer highprotein variants.

HEALTHY SALES: The Protein Bars category is now worth £22m.

MAX POWER: Create a dedicated protein section in-store.

the most popular ways to consume Protein comes from Bars and Shakes.

Protein bars is a fast-growing category with sales currently valued at £22m, up a staggering £8.2m on the previous year according to Nielsen stats.

While the high protein market was once the preserve of specialist manufacturers and suppliers targeting niche markets, the growth of the category means that many of the world’s largest manufacturers have now launched high protein variants of already household names.

Good examples are the Mars and Snickers Protein Bars offering 19g and 18g of protein per bar respectively. Protein has been proven to help shoppers maintain focus longer throughout the day as well as promoting a ‘fuller for longer’ feeling which is ideal for those keeping an eye on their consumption.

The Mars and Snickers Protein Bars are just 200 calories and have the nutritional profile shoppers would expect from a protein bar but with the taste of Mars and Snickers that shoppers already enjoy.

two flavoured milk drinks under the Boost Brand.

Available in Strawberry and Chocolate flavours, Boost Protein drinks contain no added sugar and offer Premier retailers an entry level product in to the category. The product comes in a 310ml bottle which can be stored ambient but is best served chilled.

Each bottle contains 20g of protein and less than 150 calories. Price marked at £1.29, Boost will feature on Premier 11 with a £1 consumer mechanic. Unlike most soft drinks, Boost Protein is VAT free.

DRINK TO THAT

LONG TERM SPECIALISTS

Another new entrant to the protein market is Boost which has been supplying the independent trade with Sports and Energy Drinks for over 15 years. The company has now entered the protein market with

THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO SELLING MORE PROTEIN: l Range the CIES products l Dual site at the tillpoint to drive up impulse purchases l Talk to your shoppers to raise category awareness and the size of the range you stock.

Many companies may be new to the protein market but there are also many who have been focused on this once niche market for a long time, successfully serving the needs of high protein shoppers for many years

One such brand with a strong heritage in the protein market is Grenade, a specialist brand that has been around since 2010.

Already one of the most popular food brands sold on Amazon, Grenade already enjoys strong credibility within the sports market. Its bestselling “Carb Killa” range of High Protein bars have a proven rate of sale with the the two top variants being Cookies & Cream and Caramel Chaos.

These 60g bars contain over 23g of Protein and less than 1.5g of carbs. These are premium 45% POR products with an RSP of £2.49 which is very competitive.

New to the Carb Killa range are two High Protein Shakes in Fudge Brownie and Cookies & Cream Flavours. Containing 24g of Protein and less than 200 calories these shakes deliver strong PORs of 33.3% when sold at £2.49.

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Ones to

watch

A selection of key products that will deliver for you in-store

Discover The Choice!

WHERE TO STOCK? The ready meals and hams should be stocked prominently alongside similar products in the chiller. Blocking the products together will increase impact and drive trial, bringing new shoppers into the category and boosting sales and profits.

WHAT? EXPANDED DISCOVER THE CHOICE READY MEALS AND HAM RANGE WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? The new Discover The Choice chilled range from Booker has proven an instant hit in the market with the pizza range already successful at the recent Quality Awards in London. The range has now been expanded with an extensive selection of ready meals and hams. The products are available in all of the most popular variants and are set to give Premier retailers a huge advantage in capitalising on the continued growth of the chilled category. Booker is recommending five of the ready meals as must-stock Core In Every Store lines.

READY MEALS – MUST STOCKS! DTC BEEF LASAGNE DTC COTTAGE PIE DTC MACARONI CHEESE DTC CHICKEN TIKKA DTC SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE Case Size: 6 x 450g WSP (single): £1.90 RSP: £2.99 / 2-FOR-£5 PM POR: 36.45% HAM – MUST STOCKS! DTC BREADED HAM, DTC COOKED HAM, DTC

HONEY

ROAST HAM Case Size: 8 X 120G WSP (single): £1.37

WHO? Price marked at 2-for-£5, the ready meal range is well presented in high quality packaging while the usual combination of fantastic pricing and top quality product will ensure that retailers can secure trial and drive repeat purchases. Similarly, the new range of hams, price-marked at 2-for£2 (100g) and 2-for-£3.50 (120g), allows retailers to stock an extensive range of quality products at great value prices.

RSP: £1.99 / 2-FOR-£3.50 PM POR: 31.15% DTC CORNED BEEF, DTC HONEY ROAST HAM, DTC SLICED TURKEY, DTC WAFER THIN HAM Case Size: 10 X1 00G WSP (single): £0.82 RSP: £1.19 / 2-FOR-£2 PM POR: 31.09%

Any 2 for

£5

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE Spaghetti with minced British beef in a rich basil, oregano and red wine sauce.

Each pack (450g) contains

Any 2 for

BEEF LASAGNE

Any 2 for

£5

COTTAGE PIE

Energy 1716kJ 409kcal

£5

20%

Fat

16g 23%

Saturates Sugars

8.1g 41%

3.6g 4%

Use by

Salt

1.4g 23%

Suitable Microwave for Freezing 6 mins

450g

British Beef

of an adult’s reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy 381kJ/91kcal

Serving suggestion

£5

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Minced British beef in gravy with onion, carrot and swede, topped with buttery mashed potato.

£5

MACARONI CHEESE

Any 2 for

Minced British beef in a rich tomato and herb ragù, layered between egg pasta and topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and mature Cheddar cheese.

Any 2 for

Keep refrigerated

Macaroni pasta in a mature Cheddar cheese sauce.

WITH PILAU RICE

Tender marinated chicken breast pieces in an authentic tikka sauce made with paprika and yogurt, served with pilau rice.

Each pack (450g) contains Energy 2532kJ 605kcal

30% Each pack (450g) contains Energy 1985kJ 475kcal

24%

Fat

Saturates Sugars

25g 36%

15g 75%

2.3g 3%

Use by

Salt

1.7g 28%

of an adult’s reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy 441kJ/106kcal

Suitable for Freezing

Fat

30g 43%

Saturates Sugars

17g 85%

6.8g 8%

Use by

Salt

2.7g 45%

of an adult’s reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy 563kJ/135kcal

Suitable for Freezing

Oven 25 mins

British Beef

450g

Serving suggestion

Each pack (450g) contains Energy 2866kJ 686kcal

Keep refrigerated

British Beef

450g

Serving suggestion

Keep refrigerated

Energy 2311kJ 549kcal

28%

Fat

18g 26%

Saturates Sugars

7.2g 36%

5.0g 6%

34%

Use by

Each pack (450g) contains

Oven 30 mins

2.7g 45%

of an adult’s adult reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy: 514kJ/122kcal

Fat

38g 54%

Saturates Sugars

25g 125%

1.4g 2%

Suitable Microwave for Freezing 8½ mins

Medium

450g

Use by

Salt

2.8g 47%

of an adult’s reference intake Typical values per 100g: Energy 637kJ/153kcal

Salt

Suitable for Freezing

Oven 25 mins

450g

Serving suggestion

Keep refrigerated

Keep refrigerated Serving suggestion

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Paper profits WHAT? EURO SHOPPER 8-ROLL KITCHEN TOWEL & EURO SHOPPER 18-ROLL TOILET TISSUE WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? New to the Euro Shopper range is an exciting collection of paper products that could help Premier retailers make up to an extra £1,000 in profit per year! Launched in response to significant feedback from retailers, the new range includes an 8-roll kitchen towel line and an 18-roll toilet tissue product. Both come in ready to merchandise packaging. The toilet tissue product has an easy-carry handle.

WHO? The price marked lines – £1.99 for the kitchen towels and £2.79 for the toilet tissue – deliver fantastic value for shoppers and are expected to be popular with the widest possible shopper demographic. Just as important, both lines deliver over 30% POR for retailers.

WHERE TO STOCK? Both lines should be merchandised alongside other branded products where the eye-catching packaging and prominent price mark will help drive sales. It’s also worthwhile creating off-shelf stacks if space allows to reinforce the value message and drive bigger volume sales in-store.

EURO SHOPPER 8 ROLL KITCHEN TOWEL Case size: 3 x 8-Roll WSP: £3.45 RSP: £1.99 PMP POR: 30.7% EURO SHOPPER 18 ROLL TOILET TISSUE Case size: 4 x 18-Roll WSP: £6.49 RSP: £2.79 POR: 30.2%

Think pink WHAT? GORDON’S PINK GIN WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW WHY? As the biggest brand in gin, any new line from Gordon’s is sure to attract shopper attention and drive trial sales. The latest launch from Diageo’s biggest gin brand is new Gordon’s Pink Gin, made with natural flavourings and inspired by Alexander Gordon’s original 1880 pink gin recipe. Gin continues to be the hottest spirit in the trade so this launch is expected to be a huge hit in-store.

WHO? The Gordon’s brand has a very loyal following in independent retailing and retailers should expect significant trial from existing Gordon’s shoppers. The highly eye-catching bottle, liquid and packaging will also bring new shoppers into the category with ever more shoppers coming into the gin category in recent times. The line delivers a great 20% POR for retailers while RSP is a premium £17.99.

WHERE TO STOCK? The new gin should be merchandised alongside traditional gins where the standout format will attract attention and impulse sales.

GORDON’S PINK GIN 70CL Case size: 6 x 70cl WSP: £11.99 RSP: £17.99 POR: 20%

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To purchase these products now, visit www.booker.co.uk

Get some goodness WHAT? GOODNESS KNOWS

WHY? Mars is describing the launch of new treat bar goodnessKNOWS as its biggest launch since the unveiling of Celebrations. Coming in four snackable squares with fruit, whole nuts, rolled oats and dipped in dark chocolate, goodnessKNOWS is a shareable treat that can be eaten all at once, or broken up through the day. The brand will give 10% of all sales profits to the ‘goodnessKNOWS Fund’ to support UK community projects.

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

WHO? With under 160 calories per bar, the product should be popular with a wide range of shoppers.

WHERE TO STOCK? Stock the line with other breakfast bars.

GOODNESS KNOWS CRANBERRY & ALMOND, GOODNESS KNOWS BLUEBERRY & ALMOND; GOODNESS KNOWS APPLE, PEANUTS & ALMOND Case size: 18 X 34G WSP: £9.99 RSP: 90P POR: 26.0%

Set the juice loose!

WHAT? SCHOOLS-APPROVED RANGE OF JUICE DRINKS

The lines generate PORs of up to 48.78%.

WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

RADNOR HILLS APPLE JUICE DRINK

Tubs of cash WHAT? MAGNUM TUBS RANGE WHEN? AVAILABLE NOW

CARTON 200ML; RADNOR HILLS

WHY? Capitalising on growth in the chilled juice market, two new ranges of still and fizzy on-the-go fruit juices should be a hit with kids and with parents preparing lunchboxes. The schools-approved range comes under two brands – Radnor Hills and omj!

– and includes all of the most popular fruit flavours including apple, tropical, forest fruits, sour cherry and berry.

TROPICAL JUICE DRINK CARTON 200ML Case size: 24 WSP: £5.69 RSP: 49p POR: 41.93% RADNOR FRUITS FOREST FRUITS JUICE DRINK 330ML; RADNOR FRUITS TROPICAL STILL FRUIT JUICE DRINK 330ML Case size: 24 WSP: £8.59 RSP: 70p POR: 38.64%

WHO? The small format packs carry value RSPs from 49p to 70p and will prove popular with a wide range of shoppers looking for a convenient fruity drink to quench their thirst that, vitally, is fully schools-approved.

WHY? A new range of larger format take home tubs from ice cream megabrand Magnum is set to drive sales in Premier stores. The range includes two variants – Magnum Classics Tub and Magnum White Tub – and offers a taste of affordable luxury for shoppers seeking a tasty treat.

RADNOR FIZZ SOUR CHERRY JUICE DRINK PET 330ML; RADNOR FIZZ TROPICAL JUICE DRINK PET 330ML

WHO? Ice cream has long ceased to be a summer-only product and these new lines will help Premier shoppers target the wide demographic of shoppers who buy ice cream all year round, from mothers buying something for family dessert to students seeking a sweet treat.

WHERE TO STOCK? The new lines should be stocked prominently in the freezer near other take-home ice creams to drive impulse sales and trial.

Case size: 24 WSP: £6.99 RSP: 60p POR: 41.75%

MAGNUM CLASSIC TUB; MAGNUM WHITE TUB

WHERE TO STOCK? To maximise sales, the range should be stored ideally in the chiller alongside other fruit juice drinks where the bright packaging and handy pack formats will generate trial and impulse sales.

OMJ! APPLE TANG STILL JUICE DRINK

Case size:

CARTON; OMJ! VERY BERRY STILL JUICE

8X440ml WSP:

DRINK CARTON

£17.99 RSP:

Case size: 27 WSP: £7.49 RSP: 65p POR:

£3.50 POR:

48.78%

22.8%

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PricesDown

FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON COSTS AND BOOST YOUR PROFITS

Now’s the time to stock up on Christmas essentials!

Christmas can be a hectic sales period but to get the most out of the festive period it’s vital not to forget those often overlooked Christmas essential products that can drive up footfall, basket spend, sales and profits.

F

or many shoppers, Christmas shopping in their local Premier store often means traditional festive lines like chocolate and alcohol, but for retailers there’s another important festive opportunity to drive sales and profits by ensuring you stock the range of often overlooked Christmas essentials that shoppers will be looking for over the next couple of months.

Those essential grocery and non-food lines can turn a good festive trading period into a great one by driving up basket spend and footfall as shoppers remember those little lines that make Christmas so special.

Few shoppers will forget the Christmas turkey, but many may overlook vital elements like tin foil, gravy, stock cubes and stuffing. Non-food lines can play a particularly important role and Booker’s extensive OTL discount on-food range can help ensure Premier retailers don’t miss out on any incremental festive sales and profit opportunities.

The key is to stock up early and ensure that you communicate well with your shoppers using in-store POS and social media so they know they can find everything they need in your store.

Product

Case Size

WSP

Bisto Gravy Granules PM139

12 x 170g

£8.49

Consumer Deal

POR

now only £1

29.30%

Bisto Chkn Gravy Gran PM139

12 x 170g

£8.49

now only £1

29.30%

Oxo Beef Cubes PM139

12 x 71g

£8.49

now only £1

29.30%

Oxo Chicken Cubes PM139

12 x 71g

£8.49

now only £1

29.30%

Paxo 170g PM1.39

8 x 170g

£6.39

now only £1

20.10%

Ambrosia Rice Pudding PM100

12 x 400g

£5.69

now only 60p

21.00%

Ambrosia Devon Custard PM100

12 x 400g

£5.69

now only 60p

21.00%

Colmans Mix Saus Cass PM99

12 x 39g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Mix Sheps Pie PM99

12 x 50g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Mix Chkn Cass PM99

12 x 40g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Mix Chil/Carne PM99

12 x 50g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Sce Mix Parsley PM75

12 x 20g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Sauce Mix Bread PM75

12 x 40g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Sce Mix Cheese PM75

12 x 40g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Sauce Mix White PM75

12 x 25g

£4.49

2 for £1

25.20%

Colmans Sce Classic Mint

8 x 165g

£4.49

now only £1

43.90%

Colmans Sce Bramley Apple

8 x 155g

£4.49

now only £1

43.90% 43.90%

Colmans Sce Seafood

8 x 155g

£4.49

now only £1

Colmans Sce Horseradish

8 x 136g

£4.49

now only £1

43.90%

Colmans Sce Tartare

8 x 144g

£4.49

now only £1

43.90% 20.20%

Hellmanns Mayo Real PM219

6 x 400g

£4.79

now only £1

Hellmanns Mayo Light PM219

6 x 400g

£4.79

now only £1

20.20%

Colmans Mustard English

8 x 100g

£5.99

now only £1

25.10%

Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry

6 x 250g

£4.79

now only £1

20.20%

Top tips for cashing in on Christmas essentials… l Stock price-marked packs (PMPs) from big name brands to help drive impulse purchases and increase basket spend. PMPs help shoppers feel they are getting great value, and 85% of retailers agree that these formats are either important or very important to their business [HIM, 2015]. l Create secondary siting in-store to attract shopper attention and drive sales, why not create a Christmas Essentials display with products to help shoppers create a three-course meal. Siting these items together in the build up to Christmas will make it easier for time-poor shoppers to find what they need.

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Time to capitalise on sweet Christmas sales When it comes to making the most of Christmas, confectionery is near the top of the priority list for shoppers and retailers – and the key is to stock up early.

CHRISTMAS – TOP TIPS PAUL HAMLYN, RETAIL SUPPORT MANAGER, OFFERS THE FOLLOWING GREAT TIPS TO HELP MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE MOST OF A VITAL SALES PERIOD: l Stock your Christmas goodies early so your shoppers know they’re available right through the festive period. l Stack displays are great for highlighting your best deals. l Ensure you have the widest possible promotional offer for your shoppers. l Encourage staff to dress up and get in the Christmas spirit and ensure you use all POS to create that theatre in-store. l Dual site promotions for maximum impact. l Complete your presell to make sure you’re guaranteed the stock you need and order extra leaflets for distributing in the local area. l Review your opening times, is this an opportunity to open later and gain more sales. l Give your premises a spruce up – you want your store to be looking its absolute best! l Offer great customer service as always. l Make use of social media to communicate your offers to shoppers consistently. l Why not run a Christmas competition to drive engagement with your local community?

 MORE

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XMAS CONFECTIONERY Thorntons Classic collection 5x248g WSP: £14.59 RSP: £7.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.50 Thorntons Continental 6x142g WSP: £17.50 RSP: £6.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.50 Rocher T16 (5x4) 20x200g WSP: £53.00 RSP: £5.39 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 Ferrero Collection T15 6x172g WSP: £15.90 RSP: £5.59 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 Thorntons Reindeer large hollow 4x200g WSP: £10.40 RSP: £5.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.00 Thorntons White Snowman hollow 4x200g WSP: £10.40 RSP: £5.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.00 Kinder Joy (Xmas variant) 32x20g WSP: £16.00 RSP: £1.00 CONSUMER DEAL: 2 for £1.50 Kinder small hollow Santa 12x75g WSP: £16.00 RSP: £2.69 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00 Kinder Advent calendar 18x135g WSP: £34.99 RSP: £5.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.99 Dairy Box Deluxe 8x400g WSP: £19.80 RSP: £6.00 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.50 Quality Street Jar 6x600g WSP: £14.80 RSP: £5.19 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.50 QS Matchmakers Mint 10x130g WSP: £7.00 RSP: £2.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 QS Matchmakers Orange 10x130g WSP: £7.00 RSP: £2.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 QS Matchmakers Salted caramel 10x130g WSP: £7.00 RSP: £2.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 Milkybar Kid advent calendar 12x85g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £2.19 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.50 Smarties Giant Tube 15x150g WSP: £10.00 RSP: £1.39 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 Milkybar Buttons giant tube 15x100g WSP: £10.00 RSP: £1.39 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 Caramac Buttons giant tube 15x100g WSP: £10.00 RSP: £1.39 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 Rowntree Fruit Pastilles giant Tube 15x125g WSP: £10.00 RSP: £1.39 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 After Eight Carton 18x 300g WSP: £24.00 RSP: £4.01 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00 Merry Teaser Reindeer 32x29g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £0.65 CONSUMER DEAL: 2 for £1.00 Maltesers & Friends Large Selection Box 8x213g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £4.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Galaxy Collection Large Selection Box 8x246g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £4.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Snickers and Friends Large Selection Box 8x273g WSP: £13.29 RSP: £4.29 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Galaxy Advent Calendar 11x110g WSP: £11.00 RSP: £2.79 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.50 Galaxy Milk Tablet 16x390g WSP: £26.00 RSP: £3.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Variety Family Favourites 12x358g WSP: £20.00 RSP: £4.20 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Celebrations tub 4x680g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £10.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.00 Celebrations Large carton 6x388g WSP: £11.95 RSP: £4.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.00 Maltesers box (New 100g) 16x100g WSP: £10.67 RSP: £1.90 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 Cadbury Medium selection box 8x169g WSP: £10.65 RSP: £2.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00 Cadbury Snowballs 8x112g WSP: £10.67 RSP: £2.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00 Terry’s Chocolate Orange 12x157g WSP: £8.99 RSP: £3.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00

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hen it comes to Christmas, there’s one category that truly that comes into its own and has the potential to drive huge sales and profit increases for Premier retailers: confectionery. According to IRI figures for last year, Christmas confectionery was worth an enormous £824m to retailers in 2016.

That represents a truly huge opportunity for Premier retailers to cash in.

GENERAL APPROACH

The number one priority for retailers this Christmas is to stock the right range for their store – and stock up early. Shoppers increasingly expect to find Christmas lines in-store earlier and earlier every year, so the time to start planning the range and getting it out onto the shopfloor is now.

Remember that Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year which means the

supermarkets will have to adhere to Sunday Trading regulations. This presents a unique opportunity for Premier retailers to capitalise on their extended opening hours. It may even make sense to open an hour or two longer to get the most out of this rare opportunity.

Making a big deal out of Christmas, in every conceivable way, is the key to unlocking big sales so use all of your POS, encourage your staff to wear their best Christmas jumpers and use as much in-store theatre as possible to create excitement among your shoppers. Use social media to communicate some of that Christmas excitement and perhaps organise a competition or even a festive event such as carol singers in your store too. That way you can be sure you’ll get the best out of the period.

With an extensive array of market-leading promotions, Booker will be helping Premier retailers to deliver some fantastic festive deals for shoppers and it is a great idea

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Christmas Opening Hours Opportunity!

Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year which offers Premier retailers a fantastic sales opportunity as the supermarkets will have to adhere to Sunday Trading regulations.

It’s the perfect chance to capitalise on your extended opening hours.

Why not even open an hour or two longer to really exploit this rare opportunity?

XMAS CONFECTIONERY

Heroes large carton 6x290g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £4.59 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.00 Roses large carton 6x290g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £4.59 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.00 Milk tray small box 4x180g WSP: £5.29 RSP: £4.25 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00

to ensure those deals are communicated efficiently to your shoppers. One way of doing that is by ordering extra promotional leaflets around this time to target a wider audience than usual. You may even want to consider extending your opening hours as a way of gaining even more sales and squeezing every penny of profit out of your Christmas confectionery sales. Use floor stacks too as an arresting, eye-catching feature in the store, particularly on promoted lines. Booker has a superb selection to choose from this year.

And of course, don’t forget the basics: make sure your store looks clean, bright and attractive and redouble you and your team’s efforts to deliver the outstanding customer service that Premier stores are renowned for.

RANGE REVIEW When it comes to choosing the right confectionery range, the key is stocking the big brands that your shoppers know and trust.

The leading manufacturers are spending tens of millions of pounds this year supporting their brands and that media spend will drive shoppers to your door – so make sure you stock what they seek.

All of the major confectionery manufacturers have long since launched their Christmas ranges and there are lots and lots of great products to entice your shoppers with.

Try to ensure you stock a good selection of product formats and sizes to cater for every taste. That means having a good range of the following options: l Seasonal impulse lines l Gifting products l Boxed chocolates l Sharing boxed chocolates l Seasonal tubes l Seasonal blocks l Novelties l Advent calendars l Selection boxes

Cadbury large 360g block 14x360g WSP: £22.75 RSP: £3.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 Foxs Fabulously 4.6 6x600g WSP: £18.00 RSP: £4.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £4.00 Family time 6x660g WSP: £13.99 RSP: £3.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.00 Jacobs Biscuits for Cheese 6x450g WSP: £14.00 RSP: £4.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.00 Haribo Mega Party Multipack (25x16g) 10x400g WSP: £13.30 RSP: £2.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.00 Lindor Cornet Milk 8x200g WSP: £20.49 RSP: £5.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 Lindor Cornet Asst 8x200g WSP: £20.49 RSP: £5.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 Lindor Cornet White 8x200g WSP: £20.49 RSP: £5.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 Lindor Cornet Orange 8x200g WSP: £20.49 RSP: £5.49 CONSUMER DEAL: £3.99 E Shaw Dark Mint Crisp 8x175g WSP: £12.50 RSP: £3.99 CONSUMER DEAL: £2.50 KP Original Salted Peanuts 18x170g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £2.19 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 KP Dry Roasted Peanuts 18x170g WSP: £12.00 RSP: £2.19 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 KP XL Crunchy Coated Peanuts Sweet Chilli/ Lemon 12x140g WSP: £8.00 RSP: £1.82 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00 KP XL Crunchy Coated Peanuts Flame Grilled Steak 12x140g WSP: £8.00 RSP: £1.82 CONSUMER DEAL: £1.00

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Central Billing:

Top 5 must-stock suppliers!

Booker’s Central Billing service enables retailers to have stock delivered directly from some of the UK’s leading suppliers but be billed via Booker, maximising choice and minimising cost, admin and profits.

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T

he ability to order directly from a vast array of over 200 suppliers but still be billed centrally has been a hugely important facility in the growth of many Premier retailers’ businesses over recent years. The service was relaunched earlier this year, adding more than 156 new suppliers, making it easier than ever before for Premier retailers to build a strong range tailored to

their own store’s specific requirements.

Core to Central Billing is a simplified and harmonised pricing structure based on the previous best price available, to ensure Premier retailers get the very best deal.

Booker’s buying team has negotiated the best possible pricing from suppliers on behalf of retailers.

Additionally, there are now over 150 local suppliers on the scheme (available at www.smallsupplier.com).

FOOD CATEGORIES COVERED

BY CENTRAL BILLING: l Bakery l Chilled l Dairy l Eggs l Produce l Food To Go l Confectionery l Fine Food l Health Foods l International Foods l Frozen l Local Breweries

NON-FOOD CATEGORIES: l Vaping l Home Essentials l Stationery l Greeting Cards l Toys l Mobile phone accessories l Pet Supplies l Flowers

RETAILER VIEW

RETAILER VIEW

POOLOGASINGOM SUTHERSON Premier Johns Convenience Stores, Maldon

SHEILA ANTHONY Premier Anthony’s Village Stores, Arnside

“Central Billing is a really important facility for us because, in a busy convenience store, anything that reduces admin and streamlines the management of the business has got to be a good thing.

“The fact that we are guaranteed the very best prices because of Booker’s brilliant Central Billing means we get the benefit of that but without the hassle of dealing with dozens of suppliers and invoices, which quickly gets complicated.”

“The facility to get access to so many suppliers but just get one invoice is a god-send for independent retailers. It can be so time consuming to do mountains of orders for individual suppliers then try to reconcile all the delivery notes and invoices, and Central Billing just gets rid of all that.

“Running a store these days requires all the time you have available so anything that saves time and energy gets the thumbs up in my book.”

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THE TOP 5 CENTRAL BILLING SUPPLIERS TO HAVE IN YOUR SITE ARE: COUNTRY CHOICE The UK’s leading supplier of in-store bakery and retail foodservice products. A low minimum drop of £60, free equipment on loan and 30-60% POR. They provide the guidance and products that you need to have a great Food to Go and in-store Bakery offer.

TREE OF LIFE

RETAILER VIEW

“Tree of Life is the UK’s leading wholesaler of natural, healthy, protein, organic & free-from products. They offer the best range of premium brands within this key growth category with nationwide next-day delivery, free for orders over £200.”

JOHN GREEN Premier Expres Green End Store, Huntingdon

CARD CONNECTION Free display equipment on loan, regularly serviced by the local franchisee with all stock supplied on consignment – only pay for what you sell. In excess of 50% POR for all lines.

OTL

“Even running a relatively small store at 540sq ft, I find that Central Billing is an invaluable service.

It can be so easy to lose track of deliveries and invoices and ordering in the hustle and bustle of the typical day, so getting rid of all of that is a massive benefit to retailers.

“The facility also means that I don’t need to negotiate individually with each supplier to get the best deal I can get.

Booker does that for me. All in all it’s just a really helpful, useful facility.”

Supplier of non-food products across 52 categories in the ever growing Discount arena. Bay planograms are provided with a range of display options – FSDUs, Clip Strips & Display boxes available.

RETAILER VIEW

B&J TOYS

KAMYAB SAHRAEE Premier Wish Field, Bognor Regis

B&J Toys supply ready-made and stocked display units of pocket money toys to over 10,000 outlets. Regular monthly visits, a merchandising service and guaranteed sale or return helps retailers mine a new income stream with no risk and very limited involvement. No minimum order or contract period.

CONTACT THE CENTRAL BILLING TEAM ON 0845 850 5051 OR EMAIL CENTRALBILLING@BOOKER.CO.UK TO ORDER NOW.

“Central Billing is a bit of a no brainer. Why would you want the hassle of working with dozens of suppliers and trying to do deals with them, then coping with all the admin when you can just let Premier do that for you?

“The fact that you can get everything from the biggest suppliers down to the smallest local suppliers on Central Billing means that every Premier store can build the right range for their shoppers and all with the minimum of fuss – and the maximum profit, so it’s a fantastic facility.”

CENTRAL BILLING IN NUMBERS...

200+ 156 150+ suppliers available

new suppliers added this year

small local suppliers available

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THE BENEFITS OF CENTRAL BILLING

CENTRAL BILLING COULDN’T BE SIMPLER:

• Centrally negotiated pricing and low minimum order quantities.

• The supplier begins delivery an on agreed date.

• Exclusive discounts and high PORs from suppliers.

• Orders are delivered directly by the supplier with a detailed delivery note.

• Reduced admin.

• Savings on bank charges with only one direct debit.

• Bespoke Booker promotions.

• Booker sends a weekly statement, including invoices and credits.

• Payment is collected via a variable Direct Debit.

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BetterService IDEAS TO GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Grab your share of the vape market £2.50 Great value RSP on Edge e-liquids

10 flavours in Edge e-liquid range

The e-cigarettes and vaping market continues to grow – and Premier retailers can grab their share of this potentially enormous market with the high quality, British-made Edge range of e-liquids.

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T

he vaping category is one that offers Premier retailers enormous opportunities to drive sales and margins. The category is already worth over £500m a year and it’s one that Premier retailers can’t afford to

miss out on.

Booker’s deal earlier this year with major British pharmaceutical firm Thornton and Ross has given Premier retailers the range they need to capitalise on that growth with the introduction of its Edge range of high quality, British-made e-liquids.

The price-marked Edge range, available in all Booker branches, comprises 10 flavours available in two strengths, each produced to the highest standard in a pharmaceutical grade manufacturing facility – and all carrying a great value £2.50 RSP. That’s half of the price of the major branded equivalents on the market. The POR for retailers is also amazing at 61.7% Based on a typical store selling around 100 bottles a week, Premier retailers can expect to make an extra £8,000 profit a year!

According to a recent YouGov survey there are currently an estimated 2.9 million adults in Great Britain who use

vaping products, a huge number considering the first products were only sold 10 years ago.

With the UK market expected to grow to £1bn there is plenty of opportunity for the convenience channel as it only represented 25% of sales in 2016.

The development of the category is welcome news for retailers who have seen sales of traditional tobacco products fall in recent years which has had a negative impact on footfall, sales and profits.

Premier stores are ideally placed to take advantage of vapers unable to source their liquid needs from vape stores which close at the end of normal business hours, or who rely on online delivery and to those entering the sector for the first time.

This is great news for both shoppers and retailers alike: shoppers get a premium product at a great value price, while retailers can increase overall store margin with great PORs on e-liquids being significantly higher than those on conventional tobacco products.

For further information on the Edge range or for the wider vaping category, please contact your RDM.

£8,000

EDGE: THE FLAVOUR RANGE The following flavours are available from Edge in two nicotine strengths: l British Tobacco l Very Menthol l Strawberry & Lime l Blackcurrant l Heizen l Cherry Menthol l Virginia Tobacco l Strawberry Milkshake l Blueberry l Forest Fruits

Extra annual profits to retailers selling 100 bottles of Edge per week

EDGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW l First brand launched by a healthcare company in the convenience sector. l First price marked product pack. l Price Point at £2.50 – half the price of other e-cigarette competitors in the convenience sector.

61.7%

l Edge pricing offers better value than the vape store’s average of price of £3.33. l Flavour range based on the 10 top flavour sellers in vape store environment. l The Edge brand proposition will convert shoppers to buy in convenience.

POR on Edge e-liquids

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25% POR*

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LaunchReview FEEDBACK ON THE LATEST BOOKER PRODUCTS

Own label pizzas take off in style

Grab a bigger slice of the profit action

The range Discover the Choice Three Cheese pizza Discover the Choice Pepperoni pizza Discover the Choice Meat Feast pizza Case size: 5 x 330g / 331g / 350g WSP: £9.99 RSP: £2.99 / 2-for-£5 POR: 33.44%

Booker’s new Discover the Choice pizza range has gone down a storm with shoppers and Premier retailers alike thanks to a great combination of fantastic quality and amazing value.

Designed to deliver a winning combination of quality and value, the new and exclusive ‘Discover The Choice’ range of chilled pizzas has been going down a storm in Premier stores.

The core pizza lines are available in three popular flavours – Pepperoni, Three Cheese and Meat Feast – and are supplied in high quality packaging to ensure standout in the chiller and encourage shoppers to trial the new lines. The great news is that this is exactly what they have been doing since they first hit the shelves of chillers across the country.

The new range was boosted by an amazing launch deal PORs of 50% for retailers and with a long shelf life of 13 days, the pizzas

have helped Premier retailers improve their range and deliver the quality and value their shoppers have come to expect.

Priced at just £2.99 or ‘any 2 for £5’, the lines deliver 33.44% when sold singly or 20% as part of the mix and match multibuy deal.

With chilled, quality food driving the market these days, the new range of pizzas has been a hit with a broad range of shoppers with the flavours available catering for most tastes.

Premier retailers using the available free POS kits have seen great success in-store and the lines are also helping drive up incremental sales in other categories as shoppers create a full ‘meal for tonight’.

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shopper’s view…

Sam Hands, Dundee “Everybody loves pizza, don’t they, so it’s great news that this new range is now available at my local Premier store. I buy pizza quite regularly but I’m often put off by the price – they can be very expensive sometimes – so it’s brilliant to see a quality product like this available for just £2.99. Even better the multibuy deal means I’m only paying £2.50 for one when I buy two, and I often do! I’ve tried all three flavours now and I have to say they all taste fantastic. I took some home for the kids recently and, even though they can be quite fussy, they loved the look of the Discover The Choice pizzas as soon as I took them out of my bag. The packaging is quite classy and they taste brilliant. My own favourite so far is the Pepperoni!”

RETAILER VIEW JAY JAVID Premier Paisley Convenience Store, Glasgow “My four stores are pretty big, up to 4,000sq ft, so I need a strong chilled range because my shoppers are looking for choice, value and quality.

“Having only recently joined Premier, I have to say that I reckon the Discover The Choice range is probably the best chilled own label range on the market now.

Everything about it is just custom-made for our shopper-base.

“For a start, the packaging looks great quality and gives shoppers the trust they need that they’re getting a great product.

The prices are outstanding with the strong price-mark clearly comunicating the value. At 2-for-£2.50 on the pizzas, my shoppers are getting a superb deal and, most importantly of all, when they’ve actually taken them home and cooked them, they’ll realise that they’re getting great quality for their money too.

“That’s what’s most important because it’s repeat sales we all want and I firmly believe that the growing Discover The Choice range will form a core part of my chilled business going forward.

We’re certainly going to go big on the range in our stores and, even though the range is quite new, we’re already seeing some amazing trial levels and repeat purchase levels are already remarkable.

“The good thing is that the range has built a strong ‘brand’ image and there’s plenty of scope to add more lines under the brand umbrella. I can see my shoppers really buying into Discover The Choice and it’s great to be part of a forward-thinking business like Premier that its delivering exactly what shoppers and retailers want.”

RETAILER VIEW LINDA WILLIAMS Premier Broadway Convenience Store, Edinburgh

IN SUMMARY

1

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY CHILLED PIZZA AVAILABLE IN THE MOST POPULAR FLAVOURS ON THE MARKET.

2

OUTSTANDING VALUE FOR SHOPPERS AT JUST £2.99 FOR ONE, OR 2-FOR-£5 ON A MIX AND MATCH MULTIBUY.

3

HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AND PROMINENT PRICE MARK DRAWS SHOPPER IN AND DRIVES IMPULSE SALES.

4

GREAT PORS OF OVER 33% ON INDIVIDUAL SALES AND 20% WHEN SOLD AS PART OF A MULTIBUY DEAL.

“The Discover The Choice range is absolutely brilliant news for Premier retailers. As we all know, chilled is a critical category in-store and to maximise sales and profits we need great quality products at great value prices.

“The Discover The Choice range ticks every box and the range of pizzas is just what we needed to freshen up our chilled offering.

The variants available mean there’s something for everyone and the price is exceptional for shoppers. As always, the PORs are great for retailers too.”

RETAILER VIEW AMITA SUTHERSON Premier Johns Convenience Stores, Maldon “I think it’s important to offer a coherent chilled range, one that shoppers can latch onto and understand, rather than just a vast array of different brands and lines. The Discover the Choice range fits perfectly and it’s really welcome news.

“The pizza lines look like high quality products from the packaging to the pizza itself and I can see our shoppers taking advatange of the range on a regular basis. The value is great, the products are great and the PORs are great.”

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Chilled Trial | GUEST COLUMN

Samantha Coldbeck of Premier Wharfedale Convenience Store in Hull has seen great success in the last year since taking a BRP chilled delivery.

Chilling out with Booker Retail Partners Hull retailer Samantha Coldbeck has seen a massive reduction in administration and increases in both sales and profit margins since shifting her chilled deliveries to Booker Retail Partners.

A

round a year ago we were using no fewer than four suppliers for our chilled, frozen, milk and bread orders which clearly wasn’t an ideal situation as it involved a lot of deliveries and a lot of administrative work. We made the best of it and I would have to say that our team in the store did a great job and our offer to our shoppers was excellent.

But when we learned that Booker had taken over Londis and Budgens and we would then have access to a whole new chilled and frozen range, all from a single supplier, it was hugely attractive to us.

We quickly contacted Premier and got ourselves set up on a trial which meant that we overnight got all of our bread, milk, chilled and frozen delivered on the same multitemperature Booker Retail Partners truck, three times a week.

The difference was nothing short of remarkable for us and it made life so much easier for us and our staff on a whole range of fronts. We’ve now being getting the deliveries for almost a year and it has been one of the

most positive moves we’ve ever made since taking this store on.

As a result of having a far more reliable and organised supply, we took our chilled space up from 7 metres to 11 metres which let us incorporate a number of new bays, as well as adding in five dedicated promotional bays within the chiller. That meant we were able to run all of the great chill and frozen offers through Premier every promotional period without having to rearrange each main fixture and create new planogrammes each time.

The quality of the promotional offers is also better than what we had access to before, so that has been another step in the right direction and I just feel our offer is going from strength to strength.

The reworked chill section and new range has allowed us to take more of a mission shopping approach to merchandising where we can offer our shoppers everything they need for, say, tonight’s dinner. Now they can quickly and easily pick up a Discover The Choice Pizza, some garlic bread, a bottle of wine and a chilled dessert, pushing up basket spend.

Retailers often worry about waste when they have a sizeable chilled offering but it’s just something that you have to factor in and plan for. Our practice is to check the entire cabinet every morning and anything going out of date at the end of that day gets immediately discounted by 50%. We also put a lot of stock that is nearing its sell-by date through the food to go counter we have which again helps to minimise waste. It’s better to think of waste as an investment in the category, rather than as a cost.

We also treat chill differently when it comes to ordering. It’s literally the only category in-store where we do the ordering manually, ‘by eye’ if you like, rather than relying on the Epos system. That way we ensure optimum ordering levels and minimum waste.

It takes time and effort and a lot of training for staff, but it’s worth it. Our chilled fixture was pretty good before, even if I do say so myself, so I was delighted with a 3% increase in sales in the category, as well as a 2% increase in profit margins across the store which the improved chilled and frozen section contributed to.

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ACS Viewpoint | Assured Advice

James Lowman Primary Authority partnerships give retailers peace of mind in a complex legislative environment.

The ‘Assured Advice’ scheme offers Premier retailers the chance to ensure that they and their Local Authority agree up front on the interpretation of the many rules and regulations they must follow.

F

or almost every law, regulation and item of best practice that a retailer follows in every aspect of their business, there is the potential for an enforcement officer to have a differing opinion. This could mean that they could force you to change your in-store procedures, change the equipment in your store, retrain your staff or even to start the process of taking more serious action against your business, which could include hefty fines.

For example, many retailers in the sector follow the standard of Challenge 25 in their business when dealing with underage sales. If you get a visit from an enforcement officer and they want you to change that standard to challenge everyone, or challenge those under 30, you may be forced to do so unless you’re covered under something called a Primary Authority partnership. These partnerships are set up between either

businesses or trade associations and have ended up falling foul of the local councils to provide one set of law. However, through Assured rules that all stores in the business Advice, we confirmed with IF YOU (or members of an association) Government that the Arial font WOULD LIKE TO can follow, regardless of was also acceptable, which is FIND OUT MORE ABOUT where they are in England universally available.

‘ASSURED ADVICE’ and Wales. This ‘Assured There are big changes ....................... CALL ......................

Advice’, if followed, means coming into force around 01252 515 001 that all enforcement officers Assured Advice. Whether have to respect the decisions it’s through ours or a scheme ............. OR LOG ON TO ........... that you make in store, and with someone else, being part www.acs.org.uk cannot force you to change of a Primary Authority scheme your in-store procedures. which allows you to follow one One of the major benefits of Assured consistent set of rules will provide Advice is that you can get clarification important peace of mind in your on what’s acceptable in store very business, and from October the quickly, especially when regulations laborious form filling process to sign are new and untested. For example, up to a scheme will be gone, so it’s when the tobacco display ban came easier than ever to be covered. We’re into force, government guidance stated signing up thousands of retailers that all price lists and labels had to be to Assured Advice in advance of in Helvetica font, which is something 1st October, and you can find out that most computers don’t come premore about being part of an Assured loaded with and could have caused Advice scheme at www.acs.org.uk/ problems for many retailers that would advice October 2017 TalkingShop

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YOURSHOUT GOT A QUESTION? Want to post a question or raise an issue with the Premier Team?

Get in touch by email at talking shop@55north.com or call 0141 222 5380.

YourShout WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND? RETAILERS PUT THEIR QUESTIONS TO PREMIER

What is the best plan for Christmas?

How big can Discover The Choice get?

Being relatively new to Premier, I’ve only recently come across the Discover The Choice chilled range, although I understand it’s relatively new. For my money it’s the best own label chilled range on the market and I’m wondering if Booker has plans to keep growing the range because it’s a sure fire

winner in my book and I’m sure other Premier retailers will agree.

JAY JAVID, PREMIER PAISLEY CONVENIENCE STORE, GLASGOW MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER, SAID: Discover The Choice has been an overwhelming success with

both shoppers and retailers since we first unveiled it earlier this year. We have now added a range of ready meals and hams to the original pizza range and I’m sure the success it is enjoying will lead to further expansion of the range. Chilled is such an important category for Premier retailers these days so to have a range this strong is great news for everyone.

How best to merchandise protein?

Like a lot of Premier retailers, I’m seeing more and more shoppers buying into the protein category. It’s one of those high POR categories that is really attractive for retailers. Do you have any advice on the best way of merchandising high protein products in-store?

DENNIS WILLIAMS, PREMIER BROADWAY CONVENIENCE STORE, EDINBURGH

MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER, SAID: Protein is an increasingly important category and our advice would be that it’s best to block these products together to create a dedicated protein section. Use the Core In Every Store range as your base (see p33) and there are also suggested planograms in this issue (p35). Additionally, Premier will be running a series of protein promotions in November (p37).

Christmas is just around the corner and I’d like to make sure I get the very most out of the festive period this year. I have my own ideas on how to do that but I’m wondering if you can offer some advice on how I go about it?

FARAZ IQBAL, PREMIER LINKTOWN LOCAL, KIRKCALDY MARTYN PARKINSON, BRAND DIRECTOR – PREMIER, SAID: Christmas remains an absolutely vital sales period for Premier retailers and it requires planning and creativity to make the most of it. You will find some great advice in this issue on how to prepare properly, but the keys are pretty simple. One, stock up early to ensure you get as many Christmas sales as possible. Two, make Christmas a big deal in your store and use social media to communicate that excitement to shoppers.

Use POS, have your staff dress up, create dedicated seasonal fixtures and use floor stacks of key Christmas lines to create atmosphere and encourage shoppers to get into the spirit.

Lastly, don’t forget the small grocery and non-food essentials like batteries, tin foil and gravy.

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BOOST YOUR

SALES

WITH THE UK’S NO.1

*

GOOD FOOD DESERVES LURPAK®

*Lurpak® is the UK’s no.1 Butter and Spreadable brand, and now is worth over £300m in value. Nielsen 52 w/e to 15th July 2017.

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STOCK UP ON THE

NATION’S FAVOURITE MILK BRAND TODAY!†

BRAND NEW £5.5m CAMPAIGN * Stays fresh for 7 days opened, and 21 days unopened. † Based upon Nielsen Scantrack data to WE 17.06.17 Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones.

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Get to grips with your shoppers’ missions.

Watch your sales soar with practical tips and tasks.

Be prepared for anything with our events planner.

Get a fresh ÂŁ5,500 worth of category growth per year.

+12%

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96% of our retailers say that their range has improved.

96%

83% have seen sales increase.

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April 2017 +12%

Mar 2017 +8%

All stats sourced by Kantar/Heineken 2016

HEINEKEN UK Limited is a member of The Portman Group - promoting responsible drinking TalkingShop.indd 68

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Talking Shop

Issue 91 OCTOBER 2017