Ambitious & approachable: Shaun Parker captains the ‘beast’ of Asda Boldon

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Store Manager OTY

Winner: Shaun Parker, Asda, Boldon Colliery

Shaun Parker loves a challenge. Whether it’s a 70-mile ultramarathon along Hadrian’s Wall or managing Asda’s biggest store in the north of England, he approaches them with the same dedication and enthusiasm.

At 100,000 sq ft, Asda Boldon is a complex “beast”, he says, and the most challenging store he’s managed during his 26-year career.

Last year brought added complexity in the form of a total refit, as well as playing host to Asda’s senior director forum. On top of that, Boldon was one of 10 Asda stores to trial a new management structure, resulting in the team losing a number of section leaders heading into Christmas.

Nevertheless, Parker and his store soared, with sales topping £2.4m on each of the two key Christmas weeks, and the highest customer satisfaction and availability scores in the whole business. Boldon also raised £83k for charity last year and was the top-performing store in all of Asda for the retailer’s Cashpot for Schools scheme.

Parker “loves” being a store manager. While he admits his drive to “be the best in town, every minute of every day” might drive his team mad, his energy, ambition and “approachable”, shop-floor-first leadership style impressed our judges.

However, it was his passion for developing his colleagues which resonated most. After all, eight of his previous deputies have gone on to become store managers in their own right.

How the store manager of the year winner was decided

The five store managers were nominated by their respective supermarkets from their pool of winners of the annual Grocer 33 store of the week competition. They each made a 10-minute presentation on why they should win, before being grilled for a further 10 minutes by a distinguished panel of judges comprising: Roisin Currie, CEO of Greggs; Ronny Gottschlich, CEO & founder of Heunadel Retail Advisory; Lorraine Hendle, William Reed UK Brands managing director; Adam Leyland, editor-in-chief, The Grocer; and Debbie Robinson, CEO of Central England Co-op