The Co-op news and analysis – Page 102
-
News
OS&G first for self-checkout
Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op will open the UK’s first supermarket to be serviced purely by self-checkout tills at Montpellier in Cheltenham next week.The store will also be fitted out with electronic shelf edge labels if a trial at the...
-
News
Midlands Co-op buys Metro Stores
One of The Grocer’s Top 50 independent retailers, Metro Stores, has been bought by Midlands Co-opMetro Stores, operating in the Burton upon Trent area, comprise of eight convenience stores providing over 5000 sq ft of retail selling...
-
News
Heart of England Co-op gets new chief executive
The Heart of England Co-op has chosen Ali Kurji as chief executive, succeeding Richard Samson who left to take up the same role at Ipswich and Norwich Co-op.Kurji will be responsible for overseeing the society’s food retail stores, totalling 12...
-
News
Co-op enters Sedgley fray
The West Midlands Co-op has opened in Sedgley after spending £600,000 on refurbishing a former Safeway store bought from Morrisons for £7m. This new store, in the centre of Sedgley, faces fierce competition and it needs to attract previous...
-
News
A bit weighed down?
They’ve made huge strides but can the co-operative societies continue to flourish? Elaine Watson and Rod Addy reportModernise or die was the stark message of the Co-operative Commission report into the co-op movement in 2001. Three...
-
News
The key initiatives that have been driving the top societies forwards
AcquisitiveThe last two years have seen accelerated consolidation in the c-store market and co-ops have led the way.Most aggressive is the Co-operative Group, which kicked off its shopping spree in April 2002 with the acquisition...
-
News
Somerfield adds clout to senior buying team
Somerfield has announced a series of senior buying appointments, which it said added experience and further strengthened the team.Andrew Grant became the head of category buying, BWS and cigarettes, this month, replacing Marcel Hayden who has...
-
News
Co-op half-year profits down by 40%
The Co-operative Group has suffered a severe setback after several years of steep growth in sales and profits.Profits are down more than 40% to £35.8m for the six months to July 24 compared with £61.6m last time, and sales are almost flat at...
-
News
A supergroup: why it will not happen
Creating one trading group for independents is a great idea. But nobody is buying it, reports John WoodThat point is clearly not lost on Martin Beaumont, chief executive of the Co-operative Group, which runs CRTG. He told this...
-
News
Lloyd Maunder signs deal
Meat supplier Lloyd Maunder has won a contract to supply 227 Budgens stores around London and the south east with Devonshire-branded free range and organic chicken.The deal follows a similar one to supply Somerfield, which was signed this...
-
News
Hepworth bows out of the Co-op
Malcolm Hepworth is leaving the Co-operative Group after seven years at the helm of its retail division.Hepworth has been widely credited with transforming the society’s food retail business from a declining supermarket player into a major...
-
News
‘Small stores are our future’
Somerfield’s business strategy will move it firmly into convenience and small store formats when Somerfield stores are downsized and Kwik Save re-branded in the south-east to strengthen the portfolio.Speaking at the company’s AGM in Bristol on...
-
News
Somerfield set for Scottish c-store format trials
Somerfield’s new c-store format for independent retailers in Scotland will be trialled in Aberdeen early next month.One independent and one company-owned store will take on the Somerfield at Mace format, which is aimed at independent retailers...
-
News
Co-op to overhaul distribution
The Co-operative Group has struck a multi-million pound deal with Manhattan Associates to undertake a radical overhaul of its supply chain systems.The move is part of a group-wide systems revamp (The Grocer, December 13, p8), and covers...
-
News
West Midlands Co-op opens superstore in Sedgley
West Midlands Co-op opened the doors to its new Sedgley superstore last week after purchasing the former Safeway site for £7m.More than 6,000 people passed through the doors in the first two days following a 10-day, £600,000 refurbishment and...
-
News
Blakemore ops director
Darren Pugh has been promoted to operations director at Blakemore Wholesale, a Landmark member, following its recent HQ relocation from Willenhall to Wolverhampton.Pugh started his career at the Co-operative Group where he worked for four years...
-
News
Somerfield joins Tchibo to expand non-food
Somerfield is significantly expanding the space it devotes to non-food following a deal with German coffee maker and non-food supplier Tchibo to roll out dedicated displays in 100 stores.The Tchibo concept, piloted at selected stores for six...
-
News
Somerfield cry Freedom
Somerfield is launching a new range of chicken under the RSPCA’s Freedom Food label.‘So Good’ West Country corn-fed chicken is produced from Devonshire Bronze birds reared by farmer Lloyd Maunder.The chicken is available as a whole bird,...
-
News
Leeds Co-op looks for more stores
Leeds Co-op is on the hunt for new food stores.The society, which operates 18 food stores in and around Leeds, posted a 5.2% rise in food sales to £17m in the half year to June 26.Like-for-like sales growth was also 5.2% as the society...