Londis News Magazine Sept Oct 2020

NewsNEWS, AWARDS, INSIGHTS, INTERVIEWS, NEW PRODUCTS, PROMOTIONS AND MUCH MORE…

DMOISNS’…T

Monster sales
for Halloween

12 Deals of
Christmas

NEW

Own Brand wine

Vol 33 Issue 4
September – October 2020

GIVE YOUR

UNBORING

K ME!!DRIN

M068194 £5 million
M143162 brand
M210727
M210730 investment
NEW Campaign

including
OUTDOOR ADs &

SOCIAL MEDIA

no ADDED

Contents CONTENTS
In this issue...

23 5 Welcome from Martin NEW

The new Martin shares some exciting news as
we head into autumn

normal 7 Working together – 63 Viewpoint: ACS
our Londis Retail Forum
Steve Bassett Our regular article by James Lowman,
and the team Contact details for all our members ACS Chief Executive
embrace change
at their revamped 9 Get spooky on social 66 New stores
Stour Road store
in Christchurch, Halloween is a big sales opportunity – We extend a Londis welcome to our
Dorset be sure to get posting! new retailers

11 Your Londis 67 Londis birthdays

We bring you all the latest news Warm birthday wishes to all those
from across the business
aTGoeutcihncelebrating their time with us
17 Five steps to working safely 51

An update on new government guidelines The
delectable
19 Added Value Services dozen

Our regular updates covering all your service needs Another Booker
exclusive with
29 Monster sales twelve new
quality wines
Halloween is a big autumn opportunity for c-stores to cater for to delight your
adults and children alike

39 Watch and earn

The big night in means plenty of sofa snacks

customers Booker Retail Partners
Budgens Londis House,
Widewater Place, Moorhall Road,

44 It’s a wrap! Harefield, Middlesex, UB9 6NS
Tel: 0870 050 0158
Our 12 Deals of Christmas tick all the Opening hours:
festive boxes 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday

33 48 Meet the buyer IT and Customer Services

Never We catch up with Wine Buyer Steve Garwood Opening hours (Monday to Friday):
to hear all the latest category news For customer services: 6am–9pm
For IT: 7am–9pm
55 Mini marvels

stand still A new selection of sharing treats from Email: For customer services:
Discover the Choice [email protected] or
Londis Evelyn [email protected]
Street goes from 58 Top new products
strength to Helpdesk: 0800 298 0758
strength after its New products that will grab customer Londis News team:
2018 Store of the attention and boost your sales Email: [email protected]
Future refit
3

PLANT

POWER

YOUR

PROFITS

NEW
M260441

PLANT BASED INDULGENCE
THEY’LL GO NUTS FOR

Sales of plant-based products are
storming ahead at +35%, with plant-based
shoppers typically spending 40% more
in-store. To meet this exciting demand,
we have added yet another delicious
product to our on-the-go range. Perfect
for plant-powering your profits!

Nielsen w/e 18.04.20

Welcome to our September–October issue WELCOME
of Londis News!

Looking forward

to autumn

Moving into autumn, our thoughts turn to Halloween and
planning for another bumper Christmas sales period.

As the days get shorter, our attention turns to Halloween
and all the sales opportunities it brings. Now is the time to
make the most of themed Halloween products and seasonal
POS to create spooky displays in-store. And let’s not forget
how important social media is to let your customers know
you have everything they need for ‘Fright Night’ – whether
they are partying, preparing for trick-or-treaters or just
enjoying a big night in.

Martin Swadling To support the recent boom in products and improved POS
Londis Brand Director home entertainment, we are really support to help you benefit from
excited to share details of our those all-important Christmas sales
NP8 Mega Deals. These include right through to the big day. Read
Big Night In offers of Any 3 for £3 more about it on page 44.
on Pepsi Max 1.5L, Galaxy Block
Chocolate and Walkers Max sharing Of course I couldn’t sign off without
bags. We are also featuring Echo saying a big ‘thank you’ again for all
Falls Wine @ £4.99, Corona Extra you have done to support your local
12x330ml @ £10 and Quality Street communities throughout what has
Tubs @ £4 – plenty here to keep been a challenging summer. 2020
your customers happy and coming has been a year like no other and
back for more. has placed families and businesses
alike under immense pressure.
Following the success of last year’s But I’m proud to say that Londis
event, our 12 Deals of Christmas retailers have stepped up and are
are back this autumn – and they’re continuing to go that extra mile to
even bigger and better than before! support everyone who needs them.
Kicking off on 12 October, we’ve
got a stronger range of exclusive See you in-store!

5



tWRhorkeiengttaLogeiothlenr.F.. doirsum NATALIE LIGHTFOOT LONDIS RETAIL FORUM

JAMIE WOOD Londis, Lanarkshire, Glasgow
Tel: 0141 7710490
St. Michael’s Services, Dumfries Mobile: 07915 059101
Tel: 01387 254304 Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07759 260621
Email: [email protected] TERRY CATON

BEN SIMONS Londis, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Tel: 01246 208565
Londis, Lechlade, Gloucestershire Mobile: 07769 644853
Tel: 01367 252202 Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07901 711659
Email: [email protected] ROGER PERRY

ASHTON GARDNER Londis, East Riding, Yorkshire
Tel: 01964 544200
Gardner Garages, Cheltenham, Mobile: 07786 330164
Gloucestershire Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07826 857797
Email: [email protected]

SARAH COPE ALPESH PATEL

Londis, Lynton, Devon Londis, London N4

Tel: 01598 753326 Tel: 020 8340 1919
Mobile: 07808 831379 Mobile: 07939 944557
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

ARJAN MEHR

Londis, Bracknell, Berkshire

Tel: 01344 425565
Mobile: 07710 567008
Email: [email protected]

STEVE BASSETT RAMESH SHINGADIA

Londis, Weymouth, Dorset Londis, Caterways, West Sussex

Mobile: 07875 286657 Tel: 01403 265949
Email: [email protected] Mobile: 07885 625376
Email: [email protected]

Supporting the We are always happy to hear from you, so 7
Londis retail family! please give us a call or send us a message

on our contact details above…



Get spooky Tpohsetsbefsrtomof2y0o1u9r... SOCIAL MEDIA
on social

Halloween is just around the corner – use Facebook and Instagram
to get customers heading to your store for all their spooky treats.

You can ramp up your social media Halloween ideas
engagement and footfall with
competitions both online and in-store. • Share pictures of Halloween-themed
Why not share some pictures of carved products like wines, beers, sweets
pumpkins and issue a challenge to the and more
community to share their own creations?
• Run competitions, games and quizzes
Don’t forget! to win spooky treats. How about
guess the number of sweets in the
• National Curry Week – 7-13 October jar? Or hiding games? Or you could
• Clocks go back – 25 October be creative by hiding pumpkins or
• October half-term (dates may vary, witch cut-outs around your store

but mainly around 26-30 October) • Share pictures of your themed
• Bonfire Night – 5 November displays and of staff all dressed up in
their scary costumes!

• Tap into your artistic side with
pumpkin carving

HAVE YOUR SAY…

During lockdown, we used social media to explain the
queueing system. We’ve got a Post Office and an ATM, so we
needed three different queues. Social media was perfect to let
people know how we were able to keep them safe. They shopped
with us rather than with others who didn’t show they took safety
seriously – we would have been lost without our online presence.

We use Facebook and Instagram and are looking to branch out into
TikTok. Social media isn’t new – it’s part of the fabric of the store.
If you want to stay relevant, you shouldn’t just use Facebook as
something like TikTok has the ʻwow’ factor. You have a store refit to
keep things fresh for your customers and social media is the same
– use it to stay onside with your audience. I have customers who
say they only shop in the store because they’ve seen the pranks
we’ve played on staff on social media.

Raaj Chandarana Tara’s Londis, High Wycombe

facebook.com/taraslondis instagram.com/taraslondis 9

65% OF GB CHOSE THE

TASTE OF PEPSI MAX*

M737999 M233608 M145918
Pepsi Max 2L: Pepsi Max 330ml: Pepsi Max 600ml:

PEPSI MAX IS PROVEN TO BE PEPSI MAX IS THE NO.1 SUGAR PEPSI MAX CHERRY IS
BETTER TASTING THAN ITS FREE COLA IN THE CONVENIENCE THE NO.1 FLAVOURED COLA
CLOSEST COMPETITIOR* IN THE CONVENIENCE AND
AND IMPULSE MARKET**
IMPULSE MARKET**

STOCK UP NOW

*Pepsi MAX Taste Challenge, Blind Sampling in GB 17.07.2019 to 08.09.2019 where 26,384 of 40,839 people surveyed preferred the taste of Pepsi MAX to the biggest selling cola in GB. Conducted by ID
limited on behalf of Britvic Soft Drinks Limited. The Taste Challenge was against Coca Cola Regular, which is the UK’s biggest selling cola based on Nielsen value sales data WE 03.08.2019 MAT TY. **IRI,
Litres, 52WE to 28/06/2020, Total Convenience.

Lockdown heroes
YOUR LONDISStories
YOUR LONDISfromHOFFNANT STORES, WEST WALES
around
the Londis The business changed overnight. Just
Family... before lockdown, we announced on Facebook
and Instagram that we were setting up a ʻcall and
Find us on collect’ service for shopping. It has been fantastic
@myLondis for people in self-isolation and those shielding.
@myLondis We put photos on social media of the shop so
@LondisRetail friends and family can use the pictures to make
@myLondis selection easier. They phone through their order
and we call them back to take payment. The order
is ready within an hour. Customers pull up outside
in the car and we put it in the boot for them. The service is still going
strong and we are averaging 50 orders a day.

Before lockdown, we introduced hand sanitiser at the door and wipes
for trolleys and baskets. We’ve got over 30 staff and have provided
them with gloves, masks and visors. We’ve spent £2,000 on PPE so far
this year. It’s a cost we wouldn’t usually incur, but we’ve got to do it
to protect both staff and customers. The area has got one of the lowest
infection rates in the UK and people are worried about visitors coming
in from the cities, so we have to keep being vigilant.

Sarah Jones Bryn Hoffnant Stores

GLANUSK SERVICES, SENNYBRIDGE, BRECON

We offered a delivery service for groceries
and a takeaway service for the café. Customers pay
on the phone and say when they want the delivery.
We can either leave it in a box on the doorstep or
at the bottom of the drive, if they are shielding or in
self-isolation. We also offer collections, where we
take payment over the phone and they drive up
and put their order in the boot.

We have been offering NHS staff discount on fuel.
All they need is their NHS details and car registration. We have been
collecting bread from our local bakery twice a week. Where customers
normally go into town for the bakery, they can order from us for
collection or delivery.

We’ve developed good relationships with customers during this time.
I’ve given my email address to vulnerable customers, so they can
easily get in touch with me if they want anything. I have been offering
cashback for the elderly as they are unable to go to the bank or post
office for their pension. They pay over the phone and I take them the

cash in an envelope with receipts.

Chloe Dobbs Glanusk Services 11

START WITH
PLANTS.
FINISH WITH
A LOWER
CARBON
FOOTPRINT.

The carbon footprint
of JUST cartons is
lower than that of
plastic bottles or
aluminum cans.

PLANT-BASED SUSTAINABLY FULLY
CARTON & CAP SOURCED RECYCLABLE

Supporting a local school Road safety in the community YOUR LONDIS

Latchford Londis in Warrington supported a regular Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow worked with local school
customer to reach her fundraising target of £500 to Caledonia Primary and Glasgow City Council to provide
support a local special needs school. road safety training for the youngest pupils. They discussed
seatbelts, cycle helmets, holding hands when walking, how to
Six-year-old Amelie, who had brain surgery when she was stay safe and be seen on pavements, crossing the road at traffic
just two, has been getting sponsorship to learn a new word lights and safe places to play. All children were given stickers
or sign each week. and reflectors, sponsored by the city council, and a hi-vis vest,
sponsored by the store.
Latchford Londis donated £80 to help fund new outdoor play
equipment for Fox Wood School. The store has also pledged
to donate a hamper to a raffle to raise further funds.

My heart was full afterwards from being a
part of something so important, especially as
there had been a fatality in the area in recent years.
I would urge other retailers to look at local issues
which they can engage with to make a difference.
We can’t just expect the support of our community to
ʻshop local’ without giving something in return.

Natalie Lightfoot Londis Solo Convenience

Embracing TikTok Instagram makes big
difference for small store
TikTok is the video sharing social media site which has been
keeping young people busy all through lockdown. Not to be Instagram has been key to helping
left behind, Londis Denby Dale in Huddersfield has jumped a small store stay successful. Harry
on the trend with two staff members sharing the joy of the Singh of Londis Carstairs Junction
weekend in a video filmed in-store. in Lanark had already been using
Facebook for years, but started
Not only is TikTok a lot of fun, it’s also a great way of reaching using the social media site to attract
a younger audience of potential customers. younger shoppers to his store.

Harry takes product pictures daily
and has used Instagram particularly
to promote his American confectionery and huge range of gins,
as well as more general posts, such as the restock of products
like the Asia Tandoori range.

Social media has helped attract new customers – with some
travelling up to 20 miles for the premium spirits he stocks.

Harry also posts weekly giveaways on Instagram and uses
Instagram Stories to announce deliveries (they stay live for 24
hours before disappearing), so that customers know exactly
what is coming in and when.

instagram.com/londisjunction tiktok.com/@londisjunction 13

SIMPLICITY TASTES BETTER

Best tasting greek style yogurt.
Ideal for breakfast, high in protein and free of fat.

M-CODE SKU DESCRIPTION CASE SIZE PACK SIZE

M243968 Liberte Fat Free Blueberry Yogurt 6 450g
M256639 Liberte Fat Free Mango & Passionfruit Yogurt 6 450g

Environmental improvements drive sales Home delivery YOUR LONDIS

Graham and Johanna Brown of Blagdon They also have dispensers for Ecover partners
Post Office & Stores in Somerset have products, have started dispensing
seen how improvements to help the Fairy Liquid and Flash and are now Lockdown saw a huge rise in retailers
environment are also driving footfall investigating the feasibility of selling doing home deliveries in their
and sales. loose dry goods such as pasta. communities. If you don’t want to
continue doing all of the work yourselves,
The couple sell 350 litres per week from Through their innovations, Graham and both Uber Eats and Snappy Shopper
their organic milk dispenser. Customers Johanna are growing their business and provide you with alternative options.
pay £1 for the bottle initially and then use have tapped into a different type of
it for refills. Overall the couple’s sales are customer, without affecting their core If you are interested in finding out more,
up 23% on milk, including plastic bottles. Londis sales. speak to your RDM.

Grown-up slushie is a sales
and social media success

Londis Westham Road in Weymouth
certainly knows how to increase footfall.
Cider slushies on sale at the store
proved to be a huge sales success.
Such was the excitement in the area
about the new grown-up treat that a
Facebook post about it reached over
1,000,000 people and achieved nearly
6,000 comments and 5,000 shares!

15

SPARKLING FLAVOURS,
SPARKLING PRICE

Price mark packs accounts for over 60% of soft drink sales
in Independents and Symbols1

Sprite is the #1 in GB Fanta is the biggest Dr Pepper is the #1
lemon & lime flavoured flavoured carbonate 2ltr flavoured
carbonate brand2 brand in GB3 carbonate3

2L 2L 2L

£1.69 £1.89 £1.89
PRMRPP* PRMRPP* PRMRPP*

Scan here to place your order Scan here to place your order Scan here to place your order

M255776 M255678 M255772
Scan here to
receive your 1. AC Nielsen MAT Total Soft drinks independents © 2020 All brands are
PMP POS kit and symbols w.e. 21.03.20. registered trade marks of
2. AC Nielsen, Indies & Symbols, Value, MAT w.e. 21.03.20. their respective owners.
3. AC Nielsen, Total GB, Value, MAT w.e. 21.03.20. All rights reserved.
*Recommended resale price is a recommendation only and
you are free to set the price at whatever level you determine.

Covid-19: five steps to working safely COVID-19 UPDATE

The government has issued new guidance called 5 steps to working safely. This helps employers
create a safe working environment for customers and staff alike during the ongoing coronavirus
pandemic and includes new guidance on social distancing.

Previous detailed government guidance remains unchanged.
These are the four steps which are relevant to convenience
stores (NB: the fifth one relates to working from home).

1 Carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment

You should ensure the safety of the workplace by:

• Carrying out a risk assessment in line with HSE guidance
• Consulting with staff or trade unions
• Sharing the results of your risk assessment with staff and

on your website

2 Cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures A word on masks
and face coverings…
You should increase the frequency of handwashing and
surface cleaning by: • Masks or face coverings are mandatory for customers in
shops. Children under 11, people with certain disabilities
• Encouraging people to follow the guidance on and those with breathing difficulties are exempt.
handwashing and hygiene
• Shop staff don’t have to wear masks, but employers should
• Providing hand sanitiser around the workplace support any staff members that choose to wear them.
• Frequently cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces
• Staff should encourage customers to follow the rules, but
that are touched regularly don’t have to enforce the rules themselves.
• Enhancing cleaning for busy areas
• Providing hand drying facilities – disposable paper towels Useful links

or electric hand dryers

3 Maintain 2 metre distancing where possible

Where possible, you should maintain 2m between people by:

• Putting up signs to remind workers and visitors of social
distancing guidance

• Avoiding sharing workstations
• Using tape or paint on the floor to help people keep to a

2m distance
• Arranging one-way traffic through the store if possible

4 Manage risk where people can’t be 2m apart 5 steps to working safely

Where it isn’t possible for people to be 2m apart, you should wcowrown.gaovivr.uusk-/cgouviidda-1n9c/e5/-wstoerpkisn-gto-s-wafoerlky-indgu-rsinagfe-ly
do everything you can to manage the risk of transmission of
the virus by: The original social distancing guidelines

• Considering whether an activity needs to continue for the wanwdw-s.gafoev-.suokc/igaol-dveisrtnamnceinntg//psutabyliicnagt-iaolnesr/ts-atanydi-nsga-fael-ert-
business to operate social-distancing-after-4-july

• Keeping activity times as short as possible Carrying out a risk assessment
• Using screens or barriers to separate people from each other
• Using back-to-back or side-to-side working wherever possible www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm
• Staggering arrival and departure times
• Reducing the number of people each person has contact Guidance on hand washing

with by using fixed teams www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-
your-hands/
17

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The Retail Mutual offers an alternative to insurance behalf of our members and we
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The Retail Mutual is offering Londis retailers a £20 gift card
when they ask for a Business Cover quote. As one of Booker Kirsty Hampton Mutual Manager
Group’s Added Value Service providers, this offer is available
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19



Food at Uber Eats ADDED VALUE SERVICES
service is easy to
Uber speed operate and the * data from Apps Annie
delivery is carried
Looking for a way to deliver food to customers out extremely efficiently by the Uber
quickly? Uber Eats is an app that connects your drivers. Some of my shops have
store with thousands of customers and delivers added around 5 to 10% in sales.
at uber speed.
Raman Sood Director, Sood Enterprises Ltd
Uber Eats is one of the UK’s most downloaded and fastest- (operates eight Londis stores using Uber Eats)
growing food delivery apps, with over 6,000,000 downloads*.
It is available in over 120 towns and cities across the UK. Not only does Uber Eats offer a quick and easy local delivery
solution, it also gives customers the option to click and collect
Uber’s convenience and grocery segment saw orders increase from your store.
by 166% through lockdown – and you can be a part of that
growth. It is easy and quick to sign up and get your store If you sign up through Booker, Uber Eats is offering free
online, with flexibility to customise the app for your own store. activation (reduced from £500) and reduced commission fees.

You can easily track and manage your sales performance with You will get a great starter range, including high-quality
your online dashboard. images, and will have access to Uber Eats’ custom promotions
to help build your customer base and grow sales.

A world of
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CONTACT YOU R REG IONAL MANAG ER
FOR INFO ON HOW TO SIGN UP

21

THE UK’S N0.1 WHISKY

The Famous Grouse 35cl is the

fastest growing and highest value

blended whisky fractional brand
in Convenience.

Stock the whole family

The Famous Grouse 6x70cl PMP £16.99 M258289
The Famous Grouse 6x70cl M197801
The Famous Grouse 4x35cl PMP £9.99 M258284
The Famous Grouse 4x20cl M192079
The Famous Grouse 10x5cl M392530

Source: Nielsen, Total Coverage, Spirits, Scantrack, Data to 13.06.20





















RETAILER PROFILEAdapting
to change

Store Manager Raj Babu and his team

Never stand still

It is two years since Ashwin Patel gave his Londis Evelyn Street
store in Deptford a major revamp.

With 40 years’ retail experience under “We’ve got everything here and are well
his belt, Ashwin Patel understands stocked – customers recognised the
that timing is critical when it comes to changes which we made as we continued
change. That’s why in 2018 the store to increase supplies of fresh meat and
in south-east London was treated to a vegetables to take into account the shift in
complete refurb, transforming it into a shopping habits,” said Ashwin.
Londis Store of the Future.
“We’ve seen more working people coming
The investment has ensured that Londis in on their way to or from work than
Evelyn Street has been well-placed before the investment. They are assured
to meet the challenges posed by the that they can find all they need here and
changing marketplace and, more recently, appreciate the ongoing improvements.
by the coronavirus crisis. Since relaunching, They tell us: ‘I’m not going to Waitrose,
the store has continually tried and tested I’m coming here – you’ve got everything
new ideas and innovations – such as beer I need.’ When coronavirus hit, we saw a
trials, adjustments to fresh and now home higher footfall than ever before, with many
delivery – resulting in increased consumer customers coming in following positive
confidence and higher footfall. word of mouth from other shoppers.”

Ashwin and his team continue to adapt Good customer service has become more
swiftly, like everyone working in convenience important than ever. “People want to feel
retail, but the rejuvenated look and feel of comfortable shopping. They want to feel
the store has given them a better chance of that ‘this is our shop’ and good service is
embracing the current situation. essential,” Ashwin added.

33

RETAILER PROFILE

The improved alcohol
range, focusing on stacks and
chilled bulk BWS, is paying Staff loyalty – some members of the team The BWS category has been revised since
dividends. The new fresh have worked with Ashwin for more than the refit – the simple change to move
range, displayed to greater a quarter of a century – has continued to bulk beers into the chiller led to a much
effect using colourful POS on be a cornerstone of the store’s success. higher uptake.

the chillers, is also having a Ashwin himself has a long history in retail. “Our chilled beers are proving a real
big impact on sales. Overall, He began his retail career over 40 years hit! We’re also seeing a lot more sales
Ashwin and his team do an ago, working in his uncle’s London store. of bottles of wine at around £15.99 or
amazing job at keeping one people coming in and buying four bottles
step ahead – they are always for £10.99 each as they don’t mind paying
ready to try new things to keep In 2018 Ashwin decided it was time that bit more for quality. Customers have
the store up to date with new to give Londis Evelyn Street another seen our offer and they are confident
trends in the market. major facelift. knowing that we carry a range to suit all
pockets,” explained Ashwin.
Brian Neve It’s in a prime position – on a busy road
Retail Development Manager in Deptford in the heart of a vibrant Ashwin is seeing a similar trend across
and mixed community. There are other ranges; organic eggs, fresh fruit
large housing estates, but also new and veg and flowers are all selling well.
flats being built and over the years it’s He explained: “I think people are in
become a more ‘up and coming’ area. the mood to brighten up their homes.
There has been such a positive response
As a result, Ashwin needs to make to our improved flower displays since
sure that he continues to cater for we introduced the Londis offer. This is
all budgets – but he says changes another small change we have made
in shopping habits and an evolving since the refit. We also embraced the
shopper audience have boosted Londis Frozen Meal Deal from the start –
demand for premium products.

34

RETAILER PROFILE

Sales uplift since the 2018 refit Ashwin and the Evelyn
Street team delivered a
BWS: +48% remarkable transformation
Frozen food: +68% two years ago. They have
Chilled, including fruit and veg: +145% worked really well with Brian to
Bakery: +42% continue delivering the basics
alongside an enhanced offering.
our customers really love the variety with they shop as we introduced the Food-to-go now pulls in as
a new deal every four weeks.” latest products whilst retaining the much evening as morning trade
favourites of the pizza and ready through a revised bake-off plan.
Frozen food overall has also enjoyed a meal offers,” explained Ashwin. What marked a first-class refit
boost following the refit – it’s up by 68% in 2018 was just the beginning –
– but, as Ashwin says, “we have to keep Everything was brand new. The there are plans to redesign the
revising the range, maintaining the Meal investment is paying dividends as FTG area to incorporate f’real,
Deal and keeping it all well stocked”. the store now enjoys a reputation Squishee and a new chiller to
as a ‘go-to’ destination, having promote lunchtime Meal Deals.
“We are continually reviewing the range previously been used more for We are all confident that we can
and trying the latest products and offers top-up shopping missions. always do more and do better.
and, due to the increase we have seen,
we now receive more Londis deliveries Following the relaunch, Ashwin Mark Biscoe
than ever before to support our drive estimated that 60% of his customers Regional Development Director
for consistency, quality and offer,” were new to the store. What’s
said Ashwin. more, by continuing to innovate 35
and to maintain new ranges
Ashwin was one step ahead of the trend alongside those all-important
with his 2018 refit, which included an promotional offers, the store has
investment in upright chillers – making his seen more new customers on a
full range of Frozen food and Chilled easy regular basis.
to see and display prominently.
Ashwin and his team have
“Our chilled continues to evolve, and streamlined their food-to-go
that makes a real difference to sales. range, focusing on the products
Customers are stocking up more when which show strong demand.

GROWYOUR RUM SALES
WITHTHE MARKET

LEADING WHITE RUM

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Top tips! RETAILER PROFILE

1 Nfinoenllvooevwrastittioawnnhsdialssnttidlal lt–wrahacaykvsientgrayinvneigswioonturteannndedws
2 AafunlwldlyaeyunsssemusraetihnaetapLirnoonafdewsisseiPollO-nsaStol sdcukispeppdllaiseytdowrheich

The store is so much 3 Csoulsidtotmeaemr soefrvsitcaeffis–ktehye,ys’orebyuoiludr a
more spacious now, making most
it easier for customers to
find what they need. I am important asset
enjoying working closely
with Brian to identify what is and isn’t working 4 Take time to see what is and isn’t working
while embracing any changes which we and don’t be afraid to make changes!
need to make. I never thought we would do
deliveries but we now use Uber Eats – this aSTORE INFO
service has boosted basket spend from £6.50
in-store to around £26 per order. People Size: 2,500 sq ft
are more willing to spend more and pay for
high-quality items and treats. I think there
are many customers who are not going out
to socialise so are willing to spend more to
spoil themselves at home.

Ashwin Patel

“Hot food-to-go works for us serving team behind him. v lye
and takeaway coffee is doing His manager Raj Babu and S
well,” said Ashwin. two members of staff have
been with him since the store Services: Lottery, London Transport Travel Passes,
“We are in the process of opened 26 years ago. Ashwin is AT M, Food-to-go, including Seattle’s Best coffee,
adding milkshakes and also happy to rely on his RDM Hot Bake-off, Bakery, Rollover, and Slush, with
smoothies, plus a dedicated Brian Neve for the latest advice f’real coming soon
chiller for the lunchtime and and guidance and is happy to
evening meal deals positioned test out any new innovation. Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 8am to 11pm
close to the FTG area and tills.
This will create more space for Supported by a solid team, Staff: Three full-time, two part-time
additional chilled products in Ashwin has proved how he
our main chillers.” can continually adapt to the
changing face of convenience
Times may change and retail while meeting any
retail may have faced many challenges head on. The
challenges, but Ashwin also customers of Londis Evelyn
knows he can rely on the long- Street are in good hands.

37

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WATCH AND EARNSofa
snacking
heaven!

The big night in occasion can be a big sales winner

The UK has become a nation of binge- If consumers prefer alternatives, then the
watchers. Family and friends discuss which SFC Take Home Boneless Bucket is a sales
boxset they are currently watching while winner with its bargain price (RRP £3.49).
the list of TV and film streaming services
just keeps on growing, with Disney+ and Meanwhile, as TV and ice cream go
Britbox recently joining the likes of Netflix, together, Ben & Jerry’s has launched a
Amazon Prime and Now TV. Netflix & Chilll’d flavour. Two of Ben &
Jerry’s best sellers are the Chocolate
As we head towards winter the nights Fudge Brownies and Cookie Dough
draw in, meaning more evenings in front variety, which are both now available in
of the telly. Of course, these would not be dairy-free versions specifically for vegans
complete without some snacks, whether and flexitarians.
that’s a pizza, popcorn, crisps or chocolate.

According to IRI data, frozen pizza sales According to Nielsen data, the
through symbols and independent stores sharing segment of the crisps,
are worth £28.2m – and are growing. snacks and nuts category is worth
Dr. Oetker – a big seller in Londis stores £1.2bn. And Mintel
– is the major contributor to this growth, data reveals that
with both its Chicago Town and Ristorante 45% of people
say snacks are a
brands enjoying 5.7% growth in ‘must have’ for an
the 52 weeks to 1 February evening in.
2020. That growth has
largely been driven by more Crisps and savoury snacks are another
mainstay. Big sellers include Doritos (don’t
shoppers buying frozen pizza for forget to upsell their branded salsa dips),
dinner missions. Chicago Town Pringles and Hula Hoops.
Takeaway is particularly good for a
big night in as it is said to replicate 39
the taste of a takeaway pizza.

HELP MAKE THE INDOORS GREAT

WITH THE NATIONS NO.1
FROZEN PIZZA BRAND

Y

25% POR

CHICAGO TOWN THE THIN ONE IS OUTPERFORMING
THE CATEGORY WITH GROWTH OF +14.5%

M Code Product Description Case Size Pack Size

M234669 CT Thin Pepperoni Pizza PMP 6 325g

M260262 CT Thin Meat Feast PMP 6 325g

M260264 CT Thin Cheese PMP 6 325g

IRI 52w/e period up to 20th Jun 2020

For shoppers on a budget, Happy Shopper snacks include Top tips! CATEGORY FOCUS
Onion Rings and Cheese Puffs, which retail at a very
affordable 65p per pack and are available on a ‘2 for £1’ offer. 1 csgiInfrnoiayssnpcoedksucoitnahliaognandvepenisrnodws-d.spetIuaeoncctcrteselsu,,dscpureeecrtahhhtaaeespatscobhopoingecaovneliagnthient,g

When it comes to chocolate, Nielsen data shows that sharing 2 Highlight sharing packs and any of
bags are the fastest-growing format. To help drive sales, the big brands that are on offer
Mondelez offers a range of £1 price-marked packs including
Cadbury Dairy Milk Giant Buttons, Cadbury Twirl Bites and 3 To sinhcoruetaaseboimutpbuilgsenpiguhrcthinasper,oudsuecPtsOS
Cadbury Bitsa Wispa. to

Chocolate lovers can be very loyal but new lines that might 4 Place clip strips of snacks in the sales
tempt them include Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Buttons off-licence section to encourage
(following the success of the Orange Twirl), Aero Caramel
Block and M&M’s Crunchy Caramel Block.

HAVE YOUR SAY…

The big night in is a
considerable sales driver for
us. We sell a lot of Haagen-
Dazs, Frijj milkshakes,
chocolate sharing bags such
as M&M’s and Haribo.
We also do well with
crisps and snacks, Doritos in particular,
and the big bottles of take-home
drinks. We recently signed up with
Uber Eats and most of the orders for
that have been for big night in products.
Some people have been ordering four
tubs of ice cream at a time!

Nishi Patel Londis Dartford

Product code Product description WSP RRP POR
£2.99 10.7%
199303 Chicago Town Tomato Stuffed Crust Takeaway Loaded Pepperoni Pizza 480g | 10 £22.25 £3.29 19.1%
£3.49 24.1%
287451 Dr. Oetker Ristorante Mozzarella Pizza 335g | 7 £15.52 £4.25 20.6%
£5.99 20.1%
226383 SFC Take Home Boneless Bucket 650g | 4 £10.60 £1.99 31%
£2.49 21.4%
254197 Ben & Jerry’s Netflix & Chilll’d Ice Cream 465ml | 8 £22.50 £0.65 46.4%
£1.00 19.7%
254949 Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Non-Dairy Ice Cream 465ml | 8 £31.90 £2.79 25%

230238 Doritos Tangy Cheese Tortilla Chips 150g | 12 £16.49 41

224625 Pringles Original Crisps 200g PM £2.49 | 6 £9.79

247926 Happy Shopper Onion Rings 70g PM £0.65 2 / PM £1 | 16 £4.65

234913 Cadbury Dairy Milk £1 Giant Buttons Chocolate Bag 95g PM £1 | 10 £6.69

260376 M&M’s Crunchy Caramel Block £27.89



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IT'S A WRAP!Dealing
out festive
cheer

Driving sales with the 12 Deals of Christmas

It’s time to get ready and make Christmas “The deal on Pepsi Max just flew off the
sparkle in your store! As getting ahead shelves for us last year,” said Roger Perry,
is key to making the most of festive who runs Londis’ Prospect Service Station in
sales, Londis is launching its 12 Deals of West Yorkshire and Leven in East Yorkshire.
Christmas in October.
BWS deals include:
Following the success of the 12 Deals of
Christmas last year, Londis will be running • 12 x 300ml Budweisers at £7.99
12 fantastic consumer offers to help drive (RRP £10.25, MUP £8.10)
footfall and sales in your store over the
seasonal period and will include stronger • Oyster Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and
and a greater number of exclusive deals. Chardonnay for £7.49 (RRP £11.09)

The campaign will run in-store from • Smirnoff Vodka at £12.49 (RRP £14.79,
12 October until 3 January 2021, with a MUP £14.06)
new market-beating deal each week.
• A New Year’s Eve sparkler in week 12
There’s a full range of offers designed with Soffio Prosecco at £6.99 (RRP £9.59)
to drive new and existing shoppers into
your store so they can make the most of Customers can also indulge in sweet and
festive shopper missions – and of course savoury festive treats with Swizzels Treat
they can return each week for a new, Time Tub, Doritos Stax, and limited-edition
exciting deal. Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Mint Crisp all
on the list.
Last year’s popular deal of Pepsi Max
24 cans is set to return, on offer at £6, There are some festive
reduced from the usual RRP of £10.65. deals on quick gifts and
stocking fillers too, such
as Terry’s Chocolate
Orange Segsations box
and Celebrations Pouch.

44

HAVE YOUR SAY… Ashton Gardner runs Londis stores CATEGORY FOCUS
in Cheltenham, Gloucester, Huntley,
Roger Perry runs Londis stores in Hereford and Salisbury
Leven, East Yorkshire, and in Prospect,
West Yorkshire Christmas isn’t just
about a few weeks in
The 12 Deals of Christmas December. It’s about trying
worked really well for us to make the most of the deals
last year. Our customers could so shoppers get into the ʻChristmas mood’
take advantage of an attractive and are willing to shop earlier in the season.
deal at an attractive price every week. The
price point was very strong and they were all We move stock to make space for creative
good products which encouraged multiple Christmas displays, such as Christmas tins
shopping missions. of biscuits. As soon as people see something
displayed well they tend to buy it earlier. It’s
Our customers are very price-conscious and important to rethink space so you can make the
I think they will be even more so this year. most of Christmas deals.
They’ll be looking for little treats to take away,
or gifts for a colleague, a teacher or a friend The Londis 12 Deals of Christmas are always
– the ʻ12 Deals’ have it covered with a really good offers and have a broad range of products
good mix of treats and staples. We’re looking which work well.
forward to Christmas, although it may be a little
different. Our stores are well organised and Make sure you post the latest offers
people tell us they feel safer in a smaller store. regularly on social media and remind
We know many of our customers well – we customers to look out for the weekly deals!
always focus on service to make sure that they
leave with a smile on their face.

But let’s not forget the essentials. Christmas shoppers gearing
up for a houseful of guests are catered for with Finish Powerball
All in 1 at £2 – our best-ever price – down from £2.99, and nine-
roll packs of Andrex Gentle Clean £3.50, down from £5.99.

The 12 Deals of Christmas campaign is supported with a full,
free marketing package including leaflet feature, posters,
on-shelf POS, digital media screens and social media promotion.

Product code Product description WSP Promo WSP RRP Promo RRP POR

240823 Pepsi Max 24 x 330ml £7.02 £4.60 £10.56 £6.50 15.1%

233157 Budweiser 12 x 300ml £7.15 £5.99 £10.25 £7.99 13.5%

74942 Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 75cl | 6 £41.79 £33.69 £11.09 £7.49 20%

246752 Andrex Gentle Clean 9 rolls | 5 £19.60 £12.39 £5.99 £3.50 21.5%

466615 Smirnoff Vodka 70cl | 6 £62.85 £57.45 £14.79 £12.49 20.1%

191059 Finish Powerball All in 1 13 pk | 7 £13.96 £10.50 £2.99 £2 20%

236308 Kellogg’s Variety Pack 8 pk | 6 £11.85 £5.10 £2.29 £1 29.7%

190312 Cadbury Dairy Milk 360g | 14 £40.99 £25.49 £4.49 £2.49 12.3%

238005 Soffio Prosecco 75cl | 6 £34.59 £31.45 £9.59 £6.99 27.9%

45

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MEET THE BUYER Say NEW

‘tho..e. llo’ peelable price marks -
perfect for gifts!
Steve Garwood
BRP Buyer How is the wine category performing?
Category:
Wine The wine category performed very strongly in Londis stores over
the summer. This was due to the very hot weather and the impact
I’ve been of greater footfall locally as a result of more people socialising and
with BRP for enjoying wine in their homes and gardens.
five years
Are there any wine countries or the wine category is in the £6-£10 price
entionseniae regions that are doing well? bracket. People are generally drinking
prepelita quam less wine but drinking better quality
Australia and Chile are two of our best- wine. Brands at the higher end which are
qlitatur maio performing countries and we focused on performing well are Oyster Bay and Villa
comniene audisit these over the summer. Our £4.99 deal on Maria from New Zealand, and Trivento
Isla Negra was a particular hit! from Argentina. These are top-quality
48 wines from recognised brands, and they
What about new products? are all in double-digit growth year-on-year.

We have an exciting new range of 12 own Is there a trade-up for Christmas?
brand wines under three different labels:
Distant Vines, Seven Tenths Bin 201 and Absolutely. Christmas has the highest
Quirky Bird. These MHV wines, which are average wine spend of the year and is
exclusive to the Booker Group, offer amazing a key time to encourage consumers to
EDLP value at £4.99, £5.49 and £6.49 per spend a little more and treat their friends
bottle respectively. Not only are they good and family. It’s important to stock the key
value for consumers, but they also offer seasonal lines – port, Buck’s Fizz, mulled
retailers strong PORs of 25% minimum too. wine and champagne. However, Old
World wines see a big uplift at Christmas
Is pricing important? too, so regions such as Bordeaux, Rhône,
Burgundy and Rioja should all sit centre
Pricing is important and consumers are
keen to get a deal. Most of the growth in

stage. We had some fine wines in this year’s Christmas pre-sell Steve’s Top tips! MEET THE BUYER
brochure as well as a range of magnums, which are the perfect
centrepiece for the Christmas table. 1 Always ensure the chiller is well
stocked, especially during busy periods
Is there a trend for matching wine with food? and when hot weather is forecast

There are a multitude of wine-matching tips, but generally we 2 Where possible, try and position
recommend red wine with red meat and white wine with white wine near your fresh food offering. If
meats and fish. Typically, wines from France and Italy are more someone is popping in for an evening
structured and well-suited for accompanying a meal, whereas meal, it can double the basket spend
wines from Australia, Chile and California are more fruit-driven if they grab a bottle of wine to have
and best enjoyed by themselves. with dinner

How much of a Londis retailer’s wine range 3 Ensure wines in the £6-£10 price
should be kept chilled? point are well stocked. Give clear
fixture space to highlight value
Most wine purchased signposting on the new, bold yellow
in convenience is for price marks
immediate consumption,
so we recommend keeping 4 Encourage customers to trade up
white wine, sparkling and and try something new. There is a big
rosé wine in the chiller. leap in quality between a £5 bottle of
wine and a £7 bottle, so try and get
Any general advice customers to trade up so they can
on managing the taste the difference for themselves
category?
What type of promotions work
Focus on the areas that best across wine?
are growing. A £5 bottle
of wine will always sell, but Wine is still very promotionally driven, but we have reduced
by trading up to £7-£8, the some of our standard RRPs, so our wines are competitive all
customer will get a much year round, and not just when we have offers. This encourages
better-quality wine without consumers to shop the range more and try something different,
having to spend too much rather than just pick up whatever wine is on the gondola end.
more. As always, we want
people to drink responsibly
and enjoy the best wine
they can afford to drink.

Top category products

Product code Product description WSP RRP POR
99144 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 75cl | 6 £47.89 £12.59 23.9%
74944 Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot 75cl | 6 £41.79 £11.09 24.6%
74942 Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 75cl | 6 £41.79 £11.09 24.6%
205091 Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 75cl | 6 £40.99 £11.19 26.7%
151293 Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio 75cl | 6 £39.99 £11.19 28.5%
250823 Trivento Reserve Pinot Grigio 75cl | 6 £32.29 £8.79 26.5%
188787 Trivento Malbec Reserve 75cl | 6 £32.29 £8.79 26.5%
248008 Trivento Private Reserve Malbec 75cl | 6 £34.49 £9.99 31%

49

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