Alice Leader
Alice is the senior wholesale & convenience reporter. She covers major convenience operators and symbol groups including Premier, Costcutter and Nisa, alongside Co-op Group and independent co-operative societies such as OurCoop and Heart of England Co-op.
Her remit also encompasses the services and issues shaping the sector, such as the Post Office, National Lottery, home delivery and retail crime.
Beyond convenience, Alice covers the wider wholesale market, including Booker, Bestway, and AF Blakemore, as well as other cash & carry operators, foodservice wholesalers and buying groups.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 01293 846503
- Email:
- alice.leader@thegrocer.co.uk
NewsGo Local retailer Bay Bashir opens sixth store
The 1,500 sq ft store, which had been a Best-One convenience store for 20 years, features an expanded range of services, including National Lottery, PayPoint, a slush machine, and self-serve Costa Coffee station.
NewsCJ Lang hosts depot open day to tempt independents into Spar fold
It said the event would provide non-Spar retailers the chance to explore its depot operations, learn about its wholesale offer, and meet the team
NewsCo-op launches Business Partners banner for B2B propositions, led by Katie Secretan
The new division will house its wholesale, franchise, vending and independent Q-commerce propositions under “one clear umbrella”, creating a “stronger and more consistent identity for how we support business customers and retail partners”
Comment & OpinionShoplifting is down. So why is retail crime getting more violent?
Co-op’s expectation that retail crime will fall to a post-pandemic low in 2026 represents a genuine milestone
NewsBestway-owned Adams Foodservice converts Bradford dark depot into cash & carry
The 110,000 sq ft depot had previously only offered delivery and click & collect services but has now been extended to a cash & carry for walk-in customers
NewsRD Johns switches buying groups from Unitas to TWG
The business said the decision followed a review of its buying group arrangements, describing it as the “best fit for the future direction of our business”
NewsOurCoop tops £1bn sales as enlarged society delivers first results
The society, which comprises Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-op and Chelmsford Star Co-op, also reported revenue growing by 94.3% to £888.8m, for the six months to 8 August, while food sales jumped 84.4% to £748.7m
NewsCo-op extends Circana deal to drive growth through data
The renewed agreement marks the next phase of Hive’s development, enabling Circana and Co-op to expand its capabilities through new data assets and measurement solutions
NewsBestway hires 23 territory sales managers to boost retailer support
The new managers will work with retailers to understand their business’s individual needs, identify opportunities for growth, and provide practical recommendations that can make a ‘measurable difference to store performance’
NewsOurCoop marks two-year Samaritans partnership with £650k raised
OurCoop colleagues have raised funds via customer donations and community events
NewsBidfood launches space-saving overhead EV charging system at Slough depot
The foodservice wholesaler has partnered with infrastructure provider Erinion on the venture, in what it has described as an “important milestone in Bidfood’s journey towards alternative fuels”
NewsShop theft falls but retailer robberies surge, ONS data shows
ACS has warned that part of this drop – alongside a 10% spike in robberies to 88,282 offences – has been driven by police now logging thefts involving or threatening violence as a robbery of business property
NewsBooker locks 600-plus prices for autumn foodservice season
Booker’s latest price lock marks the third phase of the wholesaler’s Value Locked campaign, with prices across Booker’s own-label and branded goods secured until 5 January
NewsNew retail media network combines social media, till screens and sales data
Smart Store Network connects brands with shoppers through retailers’ social media and till screens while measuring sales data
NewsCo-op doubles crime cases solved in Devon and Cornwall stores with new reporting tool
SentrySIS enables stronger intelligence sharing, tracking repeat offenders by connecting offences committed by the same individual and build stronger cases against them
NewsFormer Spar retailer boosts weekly sales 22% after Select & Save switch
Since joining the symbol group almost a year ago, chilled and frozen margins have also risen, by 12% and 20% respectively
NewsOne Stop slashes prices on 37 everyday lines in new value push
Dubbed ‘Prices Kept Low’, the campaign is cutting the price of 37 everyday lines by up to 17%
NewsBooker launches Fihka bakery range for foodservice operators
Booker’s existing sweet bakery products have also been reformulated and transitioned to the Fihka brand
NewsOne Stop backs franchisee delivery sales with order aggregation platform
The technology, provided by Deliverect, enables franchisees to manage and fulfil orders from Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and Snappy Shopper through a single device
NewsFairfax Meadow launches into Brakes with 30-product range
The range covers beef, lamb, pork, chicken and veal, and is led by Fairfax Meadow’s Casterbridge beef, which is produced from PGI West Country cattle and aged for a minimum of 21 days