londis friend

Londis is trying to drive up retailer numbers with a recruitment campaign aimed at getting existing members to ‘Bring a Friend’.

Retailers whose ‘friends’ become Londis store operators have the chance to win a £10,000 ‘luxury holiday of a lifetime’ or the option to take it as a cash prize.

The prize winner will be the retailer who has recommended the ‘best’ new recruit. This will be judged in accordance with Londis’ criteria and will be chosen from a shortlist of four winners from different regions.

This best new recruit will receive £50,000 to develop their store.

Londis, which has 1,630 outlets, is also offering runners up prizes worth £5,000 each for recommending the best newcomers from the remaining regions.

This is the second competition Londis has run this year, which it said was part of its ongoing commitment to support its existing retailers and encourage them to recruit the best independents.

John Pattison, Londis brand director, said there was “a real focus on the store investment fund this year. This is reflected in the fund significantly increasing in 2015 - close to 100% year on year.”

The ‘friends’ must spend at least £7,500 a week on wholesale, a maximum 40% on tobacco and a minimum 10% on fresh.

Retailers must have the permission of the ‘friends’ to be recommended to Londis and all recommendations must be made by 17 July.

Pattison said the Bring a Friend campaign was the second recruitment competition this year and more were planned in the second half of the year.

Londis has been part of the Musgrave Group since July 2004, but Booker agreed a £40m deal - subject to CMA approval - to buy Musgrave’s British operations, including Londis and Budgens, in April to add 1,800 stores to the Booker symbol network.