31 (31) Spring Petroleum
Sales:£35.6m (+3%)
Pre-tax profits:£372k (+54%)
Stores:30 (0%)
Unlike a lot of its fast-growth forecourt rivals, Spring didn’t expand its estate last year. But that’s about to change. After getting its act in order with a double-digit increase in profits for the second year running, the Sheth family is preparing to spend £50m on between 80 and 100 forecourts.
32 (32) CK’s Supermarket
Sales:£33.4m (+10%)
Pre-tax profits:£1.4m (-38%)
Stores:20 (0%)
Nisa supermarket operator CK’s is looking to diversify into forecourts this year. MD Christopher Kiley, who started CK’s in 1988, says petrol stations represent the best opportunity to find new sites. He previously bought two forecourts but turned them into car parks. He is also eyeing further post office openings.
33 (34) Jempson’s
Sales:£25.3m (+5%)
Pre-tax profits:N/A (N/A)
Stores:5 (+25%)
Opening two stores last year under its new Jempson’s Local store format, 2014 was an eventful year all told.
The Sussex-based supermarket chain, which was formed in 1935 and also operates six bakeries and cafés, parted company with Musgrave in March, allowing it to rebrand all of its stores under its own fascia and have one main supplier in Nisa.
Joint MD Stephen Jempson, who runs the company with his brother Andrew, says this has allowed Jempson’s to offer “standard pricing and ranges across all our stores”, as well as build its own brand. He expects the synergies of operating under one fascia to “reap benefits in 2015”.
There are big plans afoot for its stores, too. Having opened in Northiam and Wadhurst last year, it plans to refit its Battle and Rye supermarkets this year. In 2016, its flagship Peasmarsh supermarket will get a revamp, where it also wants to build a new Home and Garden Centre.
34 (36) Kavanagh Retailing UK
Sales:£25m (0%)
Pre-tax profits:£275k (+144%)
Stores:5 (0%)
Owned by the Kavanagh family since 1979, Ireland’s largest independent supermarket group has been growing steadily in the south of England under the Budgens fascia and now has five stores. It plans to open 10 more UK stores, including two in the next three to six months.
35 (41) WineFlair
Sales:£24.9m (+20%)
Pre-tax profits:£683k (+313%)
Stores:34 (0%)
A bumper last set of results for Northern Irish off-licence and convenience grocery chain WineFlair has seen the retailer climb six places in the Top 50. Bought by MD Alan McGuinness and business partner Chris McKay in 2000, WineFlair increased profits by a whopping 313%.
36 (NEW) Asiana
Sales:£24.8m (+46%)
Pre-tax profits:£67k (+9.1%)
Stores:5 (0%)
Asiana, formed by Asian entrepreneur Sam Sangha in 2003, returns to our list after a year of impressive growth in its supermarket and wholesale delivery business, after investing in its range, expanding its offer and continuing to develop its brands. It’s looking to expand overseas into Scandinavia.
37 (38) Tout’s Budgens
Sales:£24.5m (+3%)
Pre-tax profits:£238k (N/A)
Stores:4 (0%)
Run by husband and wife team Philip and Lesley Tout, this Budgens retailer, which has four stores in the south of England, is back in the black after a tough couple of years. The company continues to win awards for its modern stores. It has embraced LED lighting and works closely with local suppliers.
38 (37) Warner’s Budgens
Sales:£24.4m (+2%)
Pre-tax profits:N/A (N/A)
Stores:5 (0%)
Founded by Guy Warner in 2007, Warner’s has five stores across the Cotswolds and is one of the most high-profile Budgens retailers. Sales and staff levels have edged up this year, as it focused on consolidation, while launching a Taste Club loyalty card to drive up loyalty, footfall and sales.
39 (40) North East Convenience Stores
Sales:£24.2m (+13%)
Pre-tax profits:£850k (+31%)
Stores:26 (+18%)
Now operating under Nisa, Loco and Bargain Booze, North East Convenience Stores has enjoyed double-digit sales growth for a number of years now. Run by brothers Naveem and Sanjeev Vadhera (who took it over from their father), new store openings were partially responsible for the strong growth in sales. But the chain has been busy revamping its estate too. NECS has added four stores to its existing 22 Nisa c-stores, a move that required 29% more staff. New stores included two new Bargain Booze stores in North Tyneside and South Shields, both acting as trial stage stores for testing out a new model. This is a result of NECS working closely with Bargain Booze owner Conviviality Retail to “create concept stores that will portray convenience in the right light”, Naveen says. If these new units prove successful, NECS will aim to have opened 10 further Bargain Booze stores by early 2016.
40 (39) Filco Supermarkets
Sales:£21.8m (-0.6%)
Pre-tax profits:£195k (-35%)
Stores:11 (0.9%)
Welsh supermarket chain Filco has been family-owned since starting out in 1946. But last year was a tough one for the Nisa member, with sales and profits both falling. As a result, staff numbers fell by 7%. It also axed its standalone off-licence RB’s. But the chain is expanding its Cafe Caffi concept.
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