Waitrose Hove (3)

Nick Mort was talking to Stephen Jones

What’s it like being a retailer in Hove? Tell us more about the store. It’s a real privilege. We have all of the major competitors within striking distance, which to me is a positive indicator of just how thriving Hove is. I opened this store in 2014 (it’s my 35th year with Waitrose). We’re a destination shop. Trade is mixed, but with a bias towards larger trolley shops. Our e-com offer has one of the highest weekly volume orders in the estate – 13 vans delivering to rural areas around Brighton, Lewes and across Sussex. We bypass the population-dense areas, which are covered by our sister store in Brighton.

This week is our Veganuary special. Tell us more about your plant-based offer. Waitrose has a large collection, including our own Plant Living range. We’ve seen significant growth in plant-based products, particularly here in the Brighton area where people are typically quite conscious about their impact on the planet and green credentials. Our customer population has diverse dietary requirements, replicated in our partner population, so we use Veganuary to demonstrate our passion for food. I’m not a vegan myself, but The Squeaky Bean Tuna Style Flakes come highly recommended by one of our partners who is.

 

Read more:

 

How has Veganuary changed during your time? Is it losing its relevance as more shoppers embrace more flexible diets? Based on feedback from partners and customers, that feels right. There’s more nutritional information available than ever before, and shoppers have a much better understanding of what they are eating. They are focusing on longevity. Whereas in the past they might have approached Veganuary looking specifically for lines like Plant Living, which replicate other foods, there is a shift now towards general good quality, unprocessed ingredients to cook their own meals at home. Vegan is part of the range that we offer, but we are lucky to have the space to offer something for everyone, whatever their requirements are.

Availability was poor across the board this week. Were you hit by Storm Goretti? The most immediate impact of cold weather is how people shop with us – we had an increase in online and on demand orders. Road conditions did impact some delivery times, not just on the store but on supply chain as well. But the distribution network did a fantastic job to maintain as they did. The business has worked really hard to provide best availability, through initiatives like high level shelving, which have made it easier for partners to keep lines on sale.

Waitrose Hove (2)

Store service was a highlight. What makes the team so special? In a partner co-owned business it’s critically important that we empower and facilitate partners to be themselves. Our branch statement since we opened has been ‘Freedom to do the right thing’. That means they have permission to make decisions without needing to ask a manager. An example could be giving a regular shopper flowers on her birthday. The 200 or so partners here are the key reason that I have stayed so long at this store, it’s a real privilege to work with them and watch them grow. It’s my job to provide the environment in which they can achieve that.

Waitrose has a new boss. What’s Tom Denyard’s message been to store managers? He’s started and is out in branches talking to partners now. He wants to understand how he can facilitate growing the business and support us all to be more successful. We’re very grateful for the role that James (Bailey) and Tina (Mitchell, retailer director and interim MD) have played since Covid to get us into such a strong place. Now it’s a great opportunity to bring some fresh perspective and build on those strong foundations.

Topics