CTN chain Rippleglen will take over the first batch of Supercigs and Supernews stores on February 21 and then begin three years of integration to re-badge more than 100 Supercigs outlets to the Supernews fascia.
Rippleglen bought the Supercigs and Supernews business from Tesco in November last year (The Grocer, November 22, p4). Tesco inherited the CTN stores as part
of the purchase of T& S Stores in October 2002 and immediately announced it would sell the chains, along with Dillons.
The sale will be completed on February 16 and Rippleglen will take over running the first four stores - two in the Black Country and two in the Manchester-area - a few days later. Rippleglen will take on 12 new stores a week until May 1.
The new outlets, bought for an undisclosed sum, will add 121 sites and about £90m to Rippleglen’s portfolio of 70 stores and annual turnover of £44.8m.
That would propel it from number 23 in The Grocer Top 50 independent retailers into the top five, above Jacksons Stores and Stars News Shops.
MD Mike Colley said 106 Supercigs outlets carrying news would be re-branded to the Supernews fascia. Supernews would then be positioned as a “full range/value offer” and carry a broader range of news plus tobacco, impulse purchases and sandwiches.
Rippleglen’s handful of current Candies stores and York Smokers’ Kiosks would switch to the Supercigs fascia, which will be positioned with a cut-price tobacco and confectionery offering but carry no news. Rippleglen’s Arden News fascia will keep a full range/full price offering.
Colley said the long-term plan was to reduce the business’ dependency on tobacco and develop robust high street CTN brands. However, he said there were no plans to “go down the convenience store route”.
Meanwhile, Rippleglen will relocate its HQ and distribution centre from Smallheath to Birmingham’s Saltley business park on February 21.
The warehouse capacity will be trebled to 27,000 sq ft and Colley said the fleet would double in size. Rippleglen has also started a recruitment drive.
Sean McAllister
Rippleglen bought the Supercigs and Supernews business from Tesco in November last year (The Grocer, November 22, p4). Tesco inherited the CTN stores as part
of the purchase of T& S Stores in October 2002 and immediately announced it would sell the chains, along with Dillons.
The sale will be completed on February 16 and Rippleglen will take over running the first four stores - two in the Black Country and two in the Manchester-area - a few days later. Rippleglen will take on 12 new stores a week until May 1.
The new outlets, bought for an undisclosed sum, will add 121 sites and about £90m to Rippleglen’s portfolio of 70 stores and annual turnover of £44.8m.
That would propel it from number 23 in The Grocer Top 50 independent retailers into the top five, above Jacksons Stores and Stars News Shops.
MD Mike Colley said 106 Supercigs outlets carrying news would be re-branded to the Supernews fascia. Supernews would then be positioned as a “full range/value offer” and carry a broader range of news plus tobacco, impulse purchases and sandwiches.
Rippleglen’s handful of current Candies stores and York Smokers’ Kiosks would switch to the Supercigs fascia, which will be positioned with a cut-price tobacco and confectionery offering but carry no news. Rippleglen’s Arden News fascia will keep a full range/full price offering.
Colley said the long-term plan was to reduce the business’ dependency on tobacco and develop robust high street CTN brands. However, he said there were no plans to “go down the convenience store route”.
Meanwhile, Rippleglen will relocate its HQ and distribution centre from Smallheath to Birmingham’s Saltley business park on February 21.
The warehouse capacity will be trebled to 27,000 sq ft and Colley said the fleet would double in size. Rippleglen has also started a recruitment drive.
Sean McAllister
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