Budgens has added weight to its ambitious plans to become a national franchise operation by vowing to open 25 new stores a year indefinitely.
Musgrave Budgens Londis MD Mike Taylor kicked off
a final push last week to sell the remaining 128 corporate-owned stores, setting a deadline of December 2007 to become a pure franchise operator. Budgens also opened its first store outside of England last week in Tonteg, Wales.
“The opportunities are clear. London is the only city in the UK that has more than one Budgens store,” said Taylor.
The announcement came as he set out his plans for both the Budgens and Londis businesses in an interview with The Grocer. He said that Londis had successfully moved “slightly more upmarket” as a result of Budgens’ influence, with a number of own label Budgens ranges transferring to Londis.
About 300 Londis stores will undergo a Genesis refit programme this year, in a bid to raise standards.
Taylor said Londis numbers were down by about 150 from the start of
Rachel Barnes