CJ Lang sees net turnover rise but profits squeezed

CJ Lang & Son, the family-owned Scottish SPAR wholesaler and convenience retailer boosted net turnover by £2 million to £255 million in the year ended 27 April 2025. EBITDA was £6.8 million and operating profit (pre-exceptional costs) was £2.35 million.

Colin McLean: ‘We continue to focus on what we can control.’

Despite poor summer weather in 2024, ongoing cost inflation and a toughening retail landscape, the business remained focused on growth, technology and supporting its retailers across Scotland.

The trading year was shaped by challenges including rising energy costs, wage and tax pressures from the UK budget, and recruitment difficulties linked to a declining jobs market. New regulations on High Fat Sugar and Salt (HFSS) products and the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) are also set to reshape the convenience landscape in 2026 and beyond.

Colin McLean, CEO at CJ Lang & Son, said: “The headwinds of a very poor summer in 2024, a toughening market and significant cost inflation made this a demanding year. In these conditions, sales remained strong, demonstrating the strength of the SPAR brand, but profits have inevitably been squeezed.

“We must continually adapt to changing consumer habits, new legislation,and supply chain unpredictability. What sets us apart is that we are genuinely Scottish with our own depot, network of vehicles, and a team of colleagues embedded in communities across the country. That gives us agility and control over our own destiny, and we will continue to invest in the areas that make a real difference for our customers and retailers.”

The company continued to evolve its business mix, expanding its food-to-go offer, strengthening its value-for-money proposition and introducing more local and hyper-local products to reflect Scotland’s regional tastes.

Following the successful acquisition of three former Eddy’s Food Station stores and nine Scotfresh convenience stores, all sites have now been fully refitted and converted to SPAR Scotland stores.

In addition, CJ Lang & Son completed the rollout of Electronic Shelf Edge Labels (ESELs) and digital screens across all company-owned stores. The exclusive Barista Bar coffee brand offer also continued its rapid rollout and is now available in over 100 company-owned stores plus a growing number of independent retailer stores.

To further strengthen the supply chain, investment was made in new vehicles, warehouse equipment and the Relex demand planning and forecasting platform, which went live during the year to improve product availability and stock accuracy.

CJ Lang & Son highlighted its achievements and future plans at the SPAR Scotland Tradeshow in Aviemore in September 2025, welcoming almost 900 suppliers, independent retailers, colleagues, and representatives from across the industry.

The event, themed ‘Inspiring Success,’ reinforced the company’s ambition to build a stronger, smarter, more connected business for the years ahead.

“Our tradeshow was a real celebration of what we can achieve together,” said McLean. “Our independent retailers are the heartbeat of SPAR Scotland. Their innovation, community spirit and commitment to customers continue to inspire us every day.”

In the financial year, the company donated more than £300,000 to local charities and groups, underlining its belief that customers are neighbours, not numbers.

The ‘Discover SPAR Scotland’ campaign continues to attract new independent retailers to the symbol group through trade press, depot open days and events, while the company’s digital and marketing capabilities continue to expand – from hyper-local Facebook activity and the launch of a SPAR Scotland TikTok channel to email marketing and the upcoming CJ’s loyalty app.

Looking ahead, the business will launch its ‘Spin into Spring’ gamification campaign in March 2026, offering shoppers the chance to win daily product and money-off vouchers, with one winner taking home a £10,000 prize.

“We can’t control everything coming at us, from regulation to taxation, but we continue to focus on what we can control,” said McLean.

“We will continue to invest in our people, our systems and our stores. We are proud to be local, agile and deeply rooted in Scottish communities, but we also have the strength and scale of SPAR UK and SPAR International behind us. That combination gives us confidence for the future.”

He concluded: “We would like to thank all our customers, suppliers and colleagues for their support over the past 12 months. We know how incredibly difficult things are, but by continuing to stay focused on our short and long-term plans we are confident we can deliver a compelling offer for all.”