Bargain Booze, Select Convenience & Wine Rack
Owner: Bestway
Store numbers December 2024: 530
Store number December 2023: 530
Type: Franchise
Membership costs:£1,650 per year
Delivery costs: Free
Minimum contract: N/A
Minimum order levels: £2,500 (excluding tobacco)
Minimum order:£2,500 per week
Rebate: Up to 4%
Online delivery partners: Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Jisp, Just Eat.
Other benefits: National advertising via our dedicated social media pages, a new POS kit is delivered every four weeks, three events per year with access to industry experts
Services: Fascia, EPoS system, support with shopfitting design and implementation if required
In its own words:
- USP: We offer the multiple award-winning hybrid stores concept as being part of the Bestway family, giving retailers access to more than one supply chain
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Expansion of dual branded stores, rolling out the award winning Costcutter and Bargain Booze hybrids which are leading the market in retailer sales and margin
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Continued pressure on costs has been challenging and required an investment of over £2.5m into cost price reductions and increased promotional frequency and depth for retailers
- Plans for 2025: We will continue the development of our innovative, market leading, dual-branded stores. Our focus is on creating a dynamic, modern, and customer-centric spaces that cater to evolving shopper missions
Best-one
Owner: Bestway
Store numbers December 2024: 1,656
Store number December 2023: 1,559
Type: Symbol
Membership Costs: None
Delivery costs: Ambient £30 if order value between £1,000 and £1,250 (exc. tobacco)
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: Ambient £1,250 (excl. tobacco), chilled £100 if placed alongside ambient order
Minimum order spend: £5,000 per week
Rebate: Up to 5%
Online delivery partners: Jisp, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat.
Other benefits: Access to the new Best-one Vault – our portal that services retailers to order all of the key essentials they need to operate their store, including uniform, additional POS, seasonal sales aides
Services: An industry leading B2B website for ordering and both a collect and delivered service through one network
In its own words:
- USP: “Free and unrivalled access” to industry experts’ advice and insight
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Refreshed the Best-one brand, look, feel and proposition. Rolled out at pace H2 2024
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Continued pressure on costs has been challenging and required an investment of over £2.5m into cost price reductions and increased promotional frequency and depth for retailers
- Plans for 2025: We will bring innovation and continue to evolve our hybrid stores and sharpen our shopper propositions
Budgens
Owner: Booker
Store numbers December 2024: 446
Store numbers December 2023: 423
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: 125 cases
Minimum order spend: N/A
Rebate: Up to 6%
Online delivery partners: Just Eat, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, SnappyShopper and Zeuz Labs.
Other benefits: A comprehensive chilled and fresh range with over 2,000 SKUs, Nationwide delivery service, 6 days a week, and a free cardboard recycling service
Services: A comprehensive range of added value service and central billing suppliers for retailers, offering an extra 20,000 SKUs
In its own words:
- USP: Budgens offers a wider range of fresh SKUs (30% fresh mix) which allows shoppers to have a wide variety in choice
- Biggest achievement of 2024: The Budgens brand continues to grow, and we’re delighted to now have over 400 stores across the group
- Biggest challenge of 2024: 2024 had its challenges across the industry for both consumers and retailers. However, independent retailers continue to work incredibly hard, staying committed and showing unrivalled dedication in driving the convenience sector forward
- Plans for 2025: We’ll continue to drive recruitment across the Budgens group in local communities. Our recycling service has been really well received, so we’ll look for ways to support retailers and improve sustainability even further
Costcutter
Owner: Bestway Retail
Store numbers December 2024: 1,464
Store number December 2023: 1,298
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: N/A
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: 150 cases ambient / BWS / Tobacco / 40 cases chilled / frozen
Minimum weekly spend: £7,500
Rebate: Up to 6%
Online delivery partners: Uber Eats, Jisp and Just Eat.
Other benefits: Access to over 2,000 Co-op own-brand products, loyalty scheme rewards, a business development manager and marketing support
Services: Strong field support team, store design team, in-house EPoS system and marketing specialists
In its own words:
- USP: Access to Bestway’s cash & carry network, the newly launched Bargain Booze/Wine Rack in a Costcutter concept, simple contracts, tailored investment packages, easy rebate access, and our Co-op relationship
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Expansion of dual branded stores, rolling out the award winning Costcutter and Bargain Booze hybrids which are leading the market in retailer sales and margin
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Continued pressure on costs has been challenging and required an investment of over £2.5m into cost price reductions and increased promotional frequency and depth for retailers
- Plans for 2025: We will tailor solutions to the unique needs of our retailers and optimise our Shopper First programme to target key audience demographics to help pinpoint the right offers
Family Shopper
Owner: Booker
Store numbers December 2024: 298
Store number December 2023: 227
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: £29.95 per drop
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: N/A
Minimum order spend: £1,000 (exc. tobacco)
Rebate: Up to 5%
Online delivery partners: Group Exclusive deals available, however retailers have freedom to choose their own partner
Other benefits: Group Exclusives, First to Market launches, NPD, Exclusive Added Value Service Deals, Jacks & Euro Shopper own brands, Free Marketing support, Seasonal footfall driving events & promotions
Services: All
In its own words:
- USP: Free EPOS
- Biggest achievement of 2024: N/A
- Biggest challenge of 2024: N/A
- Plans for 2025: N/A
Go Local
Owner: Employee-owned
Store numbers December 2024: 1,400
Store numbers December 2023: 1,300
Type: Symbol
Membership Costs: None
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Five years
Minimum order levels:£1,500
Minimum order spend: Subject to turnover
Rebate: 2% (promotional compliance reward)
Online delivery partners: Snappy Shopper and Just Eat.
Other benefits: Free delivery, free store development advice, free marketing and digital support, store performance reviews, and access to the best prices and promotions
Services: National network of retail development advisers to help store owners maximise margin and growth
In its own words:
- USP: As an employee-owned company, we can invest more in price and margin
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Launching Shop & Go, the new symbol format for forecourts and transient sites
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Everyone at Parfetts has worked very hard to help retailers increase margin and profits in challenging times
- Plans for 2025: Accelerate the national expansion programme by recruiting 200 more stores to the symbol group
KeyStore
Owner: JW Filshill
Store numbers December 2024: 225
Store numbers December 2023: 211
Type: Symbol
Membership Costs: None
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Five years
Minimum order levels: 50 cases (excluding tobacco & vape)
Minimum order spend: N/A
Rebate: Negotiable on spend & scale
Online delivery partners: Snappy Shopper
Other benefits: Flexible promotional structure, three fascia choices, access to multiple third-party suppliers, extensive local & premium ranges as well as big brands
Services: Fully digital end-to-end ordering platforms and unique category management and planograms based on shopper data, EPOS solution, support from a dedicated development team with retail experience
In its own words:
- USP: Supplier relationships, tailored delivery service, sector innovators
- Biggest achievement of 2024: The successful rollout of our first ESEL (Electronic Shelf Edge Label) stores though our till system & Imbedding process into our new state of the art distribution centre in Westway – Renfrewshire delivering increase productivity and industry leading service levels for on time deliveries and availability
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Market forces, increased costs for small business owners and the declining convenience market across the UK
- Plans for 2025: To ramp up our data usage, creating the most tailored category plans for our symbol operators to increase their turnover and profit to offset rising business costs
Londis
Owner: Booker
Store numbers December 2024: 2465
Store numbers December 2023: 2314
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: 125 cases
Minimum order spend: N/A
Rebate: Up to 5%
Online delivery partners: All major suppliers
Other benefits: A comprehensive chilled and fresh range offer, with over 2,000 SKUs, a tri-temperature delivery service, and access to Jack’s and Euro Shopper brands
Services: A comprehensive range of added value service offers and central billing suppliers for retailers, offering an extra 20,000 SKUs.
In its own words:
- USP: Access to exclusive products not available to other independent retailers, through Booker’s link to the wider Tesco Group.
- Biggest achievement of 2024: 2024 saw us launch a refreshed new look and feel for the Londis brand, and introduce our Londis Store of the Future with a focus on new areas including our Treat Stop and Beer Cave offer
- Biggest challenge of 2024: 2024 had its challenges across the industry for both consumers and retailers. However, independent retailers continue to work incredibly hard, staying committed and showing unrivalled dedication in driving the convenience sector forward
- Plans for 2025: We’ll continue to drive our own label brands to deliver even more savings and sales opportunities for Londis retailers and shoppers, and look at how we can strengthen our promotional programmes even further
Morrisons Daily
Owner: Morrisons Daily
Store numbers December 2024: 1,600
Store numbers December 2023: 1000
Type: Franchise
Membership costs: £0
Delivery costs: £0
Minimum contract: Five years
Minimum order levels: No minimum
Minimum order spend: £0
Rebate: Competitive quarterly volume based rebates, which include tobacco, alcohol and promotions
Online delivery partners: Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats
Other benefits: Store design support, volume-based rebates and a “market-leading” food-to-go offer
Services: Field-based store transformation team, dedicated account manager, full training suite
In its own words:
- USP: Access to Morrisons own-brand ranges, including ‘Savers’ and ‘The Best’, combined with the Morrisons brand above the door makes a unique proposition for retailers
- Biggest achievement of 2024: In January 2024, Morrisons announced that it had entered into an agreement with Motor Fuel Group relating to the acquisition by MFG of Morrisons petrol forecourts
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Value continues to play a key role, to both shoppers and retailers. Own brand has a key role to play, together with meaningful promotions and product innovation. Delivering the right range at the right price has been a key focus for Morrisons, and will continue to be so in 2025
- Plans for 2025: A key part of driving value in 2025 will be the introduction of the More Card into Morrisons franchise stores. This is a key, market-leading initiative which will help our retailers compete better on price, stay relevant to their customers, and reward loyalty
Nisa
Owner: Co-op Group
Store numbers December 2024: 2,432
Store numbers December 2023: 2,400
Type: Symbol and wholesaler
Membership costs: £860 + VAT
Delivery costs: Varies depending upon volume ordered. Chill: No charge
Minimum contract: Five-year contract for fascia stores
Minimum order levels: Ambient: 200 cases per week. Chill & Freeze: 120 cases per week
Minimum order spend: £6,000
Rebate: Earn up to 5.5% rebate with Nisa Fresh Rewards which is calculated solely on weekly order value with additional rebates to be earned for having a Nisa fascia
Online delivery partners: Just Eat, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Snappy Shopper
Other benefits: By partnering with the wholesale arm of Co-op, retailers get access to the strength and expertise of the leading convenience retailer in the UK, with an unrivalled own brand product portfolio which is famous for its quality, ethics and sourcing credentials
Services: Access to a competitive price and promotional package, state of the art EPOS system and a comprehensive marketing package, designed to create efficiencies and support key footfall driving activity
In its own words:
- USP: Powered by the trusted Co-op Group, Nisa supports retailers with tailored solutions to help them thrive in today’s market, including access to Co-op’s own brand range and ability to donate to local causes through the Making a Difference Locally charity
- Biggest achievement of 2024: The Making a Difference Locally charity reaching an incredible milestone of £18 million raised
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Loyalty programmes have continued to draw shoppers into the supermarkets, so we’ve supported our retailers by offering a comprehensive and commercially strong promotional package to compete with these loyalty schemes on the high street
- Plans for 2025: With a bolstered senior leadership team, Nisa plans to continue offering strong pricing promotions, building value with trusted partners, and expanding its proposition throughout 2025
One Stop
Owner: One Stop Franchise
Store numbers December 2024: 358
Store number December 2023: 300
Type: Retail franchise
Membership Costs:£115 per week
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Five years
Minimum order levels: None
Minimum order spend: None
Rebate: 1% excluding tobacco and news
Online delivery partners: Snappy Shopper, Deliveroo, UberEats
Other benefits: N/A
Services: Store refit investment, free and flexible deliveries including single pick on a range of items, training on legislation changes, ACS Membership
In its own words:
- USP: One Stop is a subsidiary of Tesco. We are retail experts and have used our extensive knowledge and insights to build a successful franchise business model
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Online has been a major growth factor for One Stop in 2024, with even more of our retailers expanding into the digital world, via a range of grocery delivery platforms. We’re also proud to have supported the communities we serve through great price promotions.
- Biggest challenge of 2024: With a strong, realistic, and adaptable strategy we’ve managed additional business costs and continue to be a strong competitor, delivering positive results.
- Plans for 2025: We’re focused on growing our online proposition in 2025 alongside significant growth in our Franchise estate. We want to continue to exceed customer expectations, work closer with retail partners and focus on driving value and price.
Premier
Owner: Booker
Store numbers December 2024: 4760
Store numbers December 2023: 4349
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: Delivery at cash & carry prices
Minimum contract: Three years
Minimum order levels: N/A
Minimum order spend:£1,000 (across non-tobacco)
Rebate: Up to 5%
Online delivery partners: All major suppliers
Other benefits: A central billing offer, offering an extra 20,000 SKUs for retailers, access to Jack’s and Euro Shopper brands, and “fantastic” ongoing support from the convenience sector’s largest sales force
Services: Free merchandising and store development support from Booker’s field team.
In its own words:
- USP: Access to exclusive products not available to other independent retailers, through links to the wider Tesco group
- Biggest achievement of 2024: We’re incredibly proud of Premier being named Symbol Retailer of the Year at the 2024 Grocer Gold Awards. This recognition marks Premier’s third consecutive win, the first for any symbol brand in the awards, and is a real testament to the hard work of both our colleagues and retailers
- Biggest challenge of 2024: 2024 had its challenges across the industry for both consumers and retailers. However, independent retailers continue to work incredibly hard, staying committed and showing unrivalled dedication in driving the convenience sector forward
- Plans for 2025: We are proud to serve retailers across the UK, and we will continue to listen and learn from them to further improve our Choice, Price and Service. We remain fully committed to ensuring our retailers can build successful businesses within the sector
Select & Save
Owner: Select & Save
Store numbers December 2024: 100
Store numbers December 2023: 85
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: None
Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: Three or five years
Minimum order levels: 125 cases, including chill & freeze
Minimum order spend: 125 cases, including chill & freeze
Rebate: Up to 5.5%
Online delivery partners: Just Eat and Snappy Shopper
Other benefits: Free manager relief, latest POS design and colour store layout for categories, BDM support as we are a smaller team, we are able to spend a lot more time with our retailers
Services: Store design, category ranging suited to the local community, new branding
In its own words:
- USP: Initiating a commercial share scheme with our retailers, a new concept trial with internal & external digital marketing, and monthly regional food banks
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Redesigning the brand
- Biggest challenge of 2024: The competitive pricing in supermarkets, and loss of convenience market share to multiples
- Plans for 2025: Recruit independent retailers who understand the market changes and competition in the current marketplace. grow the estate of stores and roll out the new branding
SimplyFresh
Owner: SimplyFresh and SimplyLocal
Store Numbers December 2024: 97
Store Numbers December 2023: 85
Type: Symbol
Membership Costs: None
Delivery Costs: TBC
Minimum Contract: Five years for SimplyFresh and LittleFresh. Three for SimplyLocal
Minimum Order Levels: 150 cases ambient of BWS and tobacco products, and 40 cases chilled and frozen products
Minimum Order Spend: SimplyFresh: £8,000 per week. SimplyLocal and LittleFresh: £5,000 per week
Rebate: Up to 6%
Online Delivery Partners: SimplyFresh collaborates with Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Snappy Shopper, offering tailored SF-branded solutions
Other Benefits: Access to over 2,000 Co-op own-brand products, partnerships with Bestway for supply chain flexibility, dual-branded fascia options
Services: Comprehensive in-house store design and development, in-house EPOS systems, and field team support. Additional assistance with site finding and tender applications.
In its own words:
- USP: A unique multi-supply chain solution combining Bestway, Nisa, and over 450 direct-to-store suppliers into one invoice, and pioneering innovation in branding, store concepts, and technology-driven retailing.
- Biggest achievement of 2024: The successful launch of LittleFresh at Gatwick with Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Managing rising operational costs, including energy, labour, and supply chain pressures, while safeguarding profitability for our retailers.
- Plans for 2025: Scaling JWO stores, strengthening food-to-go offerings, investing in AI solutions to streamline retailer operations and reduce overheads
Spar
Owner: Spar UK
Store numbers December 2024: 2,300
Store numbers December 2023: 2,500
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: Membership is provided at no cost to retailers during their first year Delivery costs: None
Minimum contract: This is fully dependent on the needs of each independent retailer and the agreement with their supplying SPAR wholesaler
Minimum order levels: This is fully dependent on the needs of each independent retailer and the agreement with their supplying SPAR wholesaler
Minimum order spend: This is fully dependent on the needs of each independent retailer and the agreement with their supplying SPAR wholesaler
Rebate: N/A
Online delivery partners: Snappy Shopper, Deliveroo, Just Eats, Appetite, Jisp, Appy Shop
Other benefits: Spar and the five shareholder regional distribution centres invest in the brand, independent retailers, stores, product, range, own label, marketing & digital, stores, IT, retail technology and infrastructure
Services: Spar operates a profitable, multi-format retail and marketing strategy designed to meet specific customer needs and tailored to each store, local community, and its shoppers.
In its own words:
- USP: Spar is founded on the principle that retailers in its network remain proudly independent. Each store is uniquely tailored to its community, combining local expertise with the collective buying power and marketing strength of the brand.
- Biggest achievement of 2024: A major achievement was the continued development of our store portfolio through mission-based layouts, represented by the ‘food for now’ and ‘food for later’ concepts
- Biggest challenge of 2024: The challenging budget of 2024 which introduced significant cost increases for independent retailers, as well as the two impending parliamentary bills on Employment Rights and Tobacco and Vapes, adding another layer of complexity to their operations
- Plans for 2025: We will also strongly encourage our retailers to engage with their local MPs by inviting them to visit stores to provide firsthand insight into the challenges facing independent retailers
Today’s, Day-Today & Lifestyle Express
Owner: Unitas Wholesale
Store numbers December 2024: 1,503
Store numbers December 2023: 1,486
Type: Symbol
Membership costs: Set on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Delivery costs: Set on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Minimum contracts: Generally between three and five years, but managed on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Minimum order levels: Set on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Minimum order spend: Set on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Rebates: Set on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
Online delivery partners: Most members have a suite of direct-to-store suppliers that cover uniform to chilled and frozen
Services: Offered on a wholesaler-by-wholesaler basis
In its own words:
- USP: N/A
- Biggest achievement of 2024: Unitas Wholesale has enjoyed a continued collaborative approach with supplier partners, strengthening the partnership through initiatives such as Plan for Profit which provides essential data-driven advice to retailers
- Biggest challenge of 2024: Multiples have been aggressively competitive on price points, rising cost to do business, supply chain challenges, and legislation changes and political uncertainty
- Plans for 2025: We will be expanding our own brand, building on the success of the Local Living launch with range growth to deliver both quality and value
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