Archive of all The Co-op articles – Page 98

  • News

    Somerfield taps expertise

    2004-03-20T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield revealed the extent of its convenience retailing ambitions when it swallowed Scottish Mace chain Aberness this week.Aberness’s new md, David Cheyne, said Somerfield saw huge potential in the convenience sector as did Tesco and...

  • News

    There’s rapid change ahead

    2004-03-20T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield will move ahead quickly to introduce changes following its acquisition of Aberness, with plans to convert two trial stores (the Countesswells Road and Kintore stores – both about 2,000sq ft) to the Somerfield ‘Essentials’ brand within six...

  • News

    Sainsbury to takeover a Somerfield store

    2004-03-10T00:00:00Z

    Sainsbury has won a bid to takeover the Somerfield supermarket in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. The store will cease trading as Somerfield on April 25. It is believed that contracts for the 165 staff will not change as part of the handover....

  • News

    Somerfield m-way store debut

    2004-03-06T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield has opened its first store at a motorway service station at the Extra services on the M65 in Blackburn.Somerfield said it was the first supermarket convenience store on a motorway in the UK. The 2,700 sq ft pilot store was...

  • News

    Six of the best ice cream buyers

    2004-03-06T00:00:00Z

    >>nominated this monthMIKE LEWISsenior buyer for frozen foods, MORRISONSMike has worked in retail for more than 10 years, starting off at the Co-operative Group before moving to Booker in a group buying role....

  • News

    Count on Somerfield for cereals

    2004-02-28T00:00:00Z

    Breakfast cereal suppliers’ margins will have been hurt by an intensification of price and promotional-based activity that took place last year.Cereals is one of the biggest categories in store, reflecting a high market penetration and diverse...

  • News

    Londis bidding war opens

    2004-02-28T00:00:00Z

    The bidding war for Londis has begun in earnest after the symbol group’s board unanimously decided that selling out to a bigger player was the best way to safeguard the future of its retailers.Big Food Group, Musgrave, Somerfield, the ...

  • News

    Press round-up…ex-Somerfield chief on the move

    2004-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Former Somerfield chief executive Alan Smith could be in line to head up high street hardware chain Robert Dyas.The Financial Times reported that Change Capital, a private equity firm set up last year by Marks and Spencer chairman Luc...

  • News

    OS&G divi goes super

    2004-02-14T00:00:00Z

    Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op is relaunching its dividend with the introduction of a superdividend card.Customers will no longer receive dividends as point of sale discounts but as points earned on the card. Shoppers earn points on the...

  • News

    Somerfield’s HR director will head up business unit

    2004-02-14T00:00:00Z

    Katie Peters, Somerfield Group’s human resources director, is to replace Bill Williams as head of the Somerfield business unit.Peters, who is already a member of the group executive committee, will take up her new post on February 16, reporting...

  • News

    Six of the best household goods buyers

    2004-02-07T00:00:00Z

    >>nominated this month: Tesco, somerfield, Morrisons, ASDA, sainsbury, makroMike ArnottSenior buying manager, household, tescoArnott joined Tesco in 1995 to work in product marketing for two years. He then moved into...

  • News

    Scotmid hits 76

    2004-02-07T00:00:00Z

    Scotmid Co-op has boosted its presence in the Edinburgh area with the acquisition of eight former Alldays stores from the Co-operative Group.The deal takes its food retail estate to 76 stores, although overlap with its existing estate meant...

  • News

    Somerfield’s franchise deal

    2004-01-31T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield is to unveil full details of its franchise package at the Convenience Retailing Show at the NEC, Birmingham, from March 14 to 17.Somerfield’s business director for franchise, Norman Kears, has been developing the package since he...

  • News

    Somerfield in franchisee talks

    2004-01-24T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield is in talks with a number of independents about the roll-out of its new franchise package after a successful joint venture with TM Retail. Group finance director Steve Back said: “We’re not looking for franchisees with 300 stores but...

  • News

    Marston holding the fort for Lewis

    2004-01-17T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield has appointed regional director Roger Marston as temporary retail director, with responsibility for all Somerfield store formats.He will replace Tina Lewis who begins a period of six months’ maternity leave on February 1.He...

  • News

    Co-op wins right to pursue ICL

    2004-01-17T00:00:00Z

    The Co-operative Group has won the right to a re-trial to pursue a multi-million pound claim against IT provider ICL.The society took ICL (now part of Fujitsu) to the Technology and Construction court in November 2001 claiming it had breached a...

  • News

    Fairtrade grape first

    2004-01-10T00:00:00Z

    The Co-operative Group is claiming to be the first to offer Fairtrade organic grapes to UK consumers.The fruit went on sale this week and to encourage consumers the retailer slashed the price in half, from £2.99 to £1.49.The fruit is from...

  • News

    Morrisons to divest 140 smaller Safeway stores

    2003-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Morrisons is set to bring in £250m by selling 140 of Safeway’s smaller convenience stores after acquiring the supermarket group last week.Weekend press reports suggest that the Big Food Group, Somerfield and German discounters Netto and Aldi...

  • News

    Co-op Group puts service first

    2003-12-13T00:00:00Z

    The Co-operative Group is about to embark on a massive investment programme intended to introduce a step change in customer service across its estate of 1,800 stores.Keith Brydon, general manager retail programme management, would not give a...

  • News

    Spottiswoode thinks local for Somerfield

    2003-12-06T00:00:00Z

    Somerfield has promoted Kieran Spottiswoode to local marketing controller to help support its £70m store refit programme and new formats roll-out.He replaces Rachel Warren, who left in August to become head of retail marketing at Oxford,...