Booths has expanded its concessions partnership with ‘scoop-your-own’ frozen food company Fieldfare.
Freezers stocking 39 Fieldfare lines – including loose croissants, frozen berries and potato gratins – launched in an initial three Booths stores earlier this year as part of trial. They will now be added to all 26 Booths supermarkets over the coming months.
Kent-based Fieldfare supplies a network of premium farm stores, garden centres and convenience players, including Central England Co-op stores. Regional Booths marks its first foray into supermarkets.
“Partnering with Booths is very exciting for us. Our core principle of supplying shoppers with only the best-quality frozen foods aligns well with Booths’ age-old dedication to quality and service,” said Fieldfare MD Matt Whelan.
Fieldfare stocks all of its lines loose, with customers able to fill branded bags or their own containers with their desired quantity. Preparation instructions are included in product displays, with QR codes giving customers more information.
The business develops all its products in-house, then works with a series of manufacturers and suppliers to bring to them to market. Fieldfare handles distribution for fellow frozen player ByRuby products in some farm stores.
Booths has been steadily increasing its frozen offer over the past couple of years, including expanding its tie-up with ready meal players Cook and ByRuby. Last year, it also began selling the majority of its fresh fruit & veg lines loose, as a way of minimising packaging, but also cutting price point for customers.
“The listing provides us with the opportunity to offer premium loose, frozen food to Booths customers, including those keen to reduce excess packaging or avoid food waste at home,” said Booths senior buyer Rachael Machin.
“By offering loose frozen foods, the partnership brings us closer to our ESG goals by increasing our packaging-free offer, and a step closer to addressing Wrap’s supermarket refill challenge.”
It comes as Booths continues with its store redevelopment plan, with its refurbished store in Scotforth set to reopen this autumn. Chairman Edwin Booth partly credited its investment into stores and customer service as one of the reasons behind its “solid” 2023 results.
Sales grew 6.7% to £318.7m in the year to 30 March 2024, as customers increased their average basket spend throughout the year, and splurged during a “record” Christmas 2023.
No comments yet