Budgens trading director Cliff Goodman is planning to retire after 34 years at the company.
Former development director Mike Taylor, who assumed the new role of commercial director earlier this year, has been gradually taking over Goodman’s responsibilities in addition to his own marketing, merchandising and store development briefs.
Trading controllers Barry Williams and Steve Carter have also assumed some of Goodman’s responsibilities and have been promoted to trading managers on ambient and fresh respectively, reporting to Taylor.
Goodman, who has held a variety of jobs at Budgens from meat supervisor to buying
controller before becoming trading director eight years ago, has been gradually relinquishing his day-to-day responsibilities to focus on developing an e-auction platform for Budgen’s parent Musgrave. He said: “It was all very amicable. I’ve been at Budgens for a long time and it was time to move on. I have lots of ideas about what to do next.”
His departure date has been left open to allow a smooth transition, he added.
Goodman provoked a storm of controversy at the Nisa conference in Marbella in 2001 by exposing the 11% differential between the price Tesco and Budgens paid for their goods and accusing suppliers of putting smaller retailers “in the pit lane with a flat tyre”.
Budgens chief executive Martin Hyson praised Goodman for his “ability and longstanding commitment to the company.
“His contribution to Budgens’ success has been tremendous,” said Hyson.
Elaine Watson