AF Blakemore celebrates partnership success at SPAR Retail Show

More than 1,300 people attended AF Blakemore’s 2024 SPAR Retail Show (SRS24) at Telford International Centre last month.

Matt Teague: Our partnership model and family heritage is at the heart of thriving local neighbourhoods.’

The retailer and wholesaler for SPAR stores in Wales, Central and South East England told delegates how the company’s partnership model is supporting independent SPAR retailers to develop their business in ways that are profitable and sustainable.

This year’s event heard from senior members of AF Blakemore’s leadership team led by CEO Carol Welch and retail managing director Matt Teague. “Our goal is to empower our independent retailers with the resources available to them and inspire them with sharing the best of SPAR within the UK and from across the world,” said Teague.

“The enthusiasm and engagement from our SPAR retailers and suppliers showed how committed everyone is to grow and adapt in today’s exciting convenience sector. These factors are a great opportunity for the SPAR brand as we continue to keep ahead of the game by constantly adapting and reviewing our offer. Our partnership model and family heritage is at the heart of thriving local neighbourhoods. This approach brings convenience businesses together and strengthens community bonds, ensuring everyone benefits from the shared success.”

In addition to the networking components of the trade show, the conference featured presentations from independent SPAR retailers Satminder Deo, who last year secured the top investment fund of £100,000 to develop his three-store business, and Mandeep Khela of SPAR Sheffield. Both retailers spoke about working in close partnership with AF Blakemore and the extensive level of support that is driving real difference in their businesses.

Also discussed at the event were what AF Blakemore calls ‘Brilliant Basics’ – added-value solutions that are driving costs down and sales up. These solutions include the new eLAB electronic learning capability ensuring that retailers are optimising and developing their store teams; a Stock and Sell (SAS) initiative that is worth over £10,000 to independent retailers; a digital communication package; energy saving partnerships that are saving retailers up to £700 per month on their electricity bills; and investment in labour-saving efficiencies and the de-tasking of store operations.

‘Moments of Wow’ were also highlighted. Delegates were told that the important link between sharing best practice across the Blakemore Retail estate with independent SPAR retailers is having a detailed knowledge of the customer, store level customer segmentation and insight, which helps to identify where growth opportunities lie.

In addition, the expansion of the Philpotts coffee and food-to-go solution, new product development partnerships, investment into sports sponsorship, the new ‘Make me a Champion’ customer campaign including the SPAR food truck on tour, and the instore SPARaoke are all activities designed to excite and entertain SPAR shoppers customers across England and Wales this summer.