SPAR Scotland embarks on a major retailer recruitment drive

Jane McCulloch (fifth on left) joins CJ Lang’s sales team, headed up by wholesale sales director Steve Irons (third on right).

SPAR Scotland has embarked on a retailer recruitment drive as part of plans to grow the business.

The new initiative has been driven by the transformation of the business led by CEO Colin McLean. Key areas of investment have included the transformation of logistics, the warehouse, technology, trading, marketing and sales support. Recent investment has gone into a new fleet and stores, with the roll-out of new refrigeration and refurbishment works about to commence in key company-owned stores.

Supporting the retailer recruitment drive is another addition to the sales team. Jane McCulloch joins as a business development manager. She has worked in retail for 22 years, having started with Asda whilst studying Retail Management at Glasgow Caledonian University. She previously spent seven years at CJ Lang, and she has also worked at United Wholesale Scotland and, most recently, Costcutter Supermarket Group.

McCulloch commented: “I am delighted to have returned to CJ Lang where my independent retail career started as I firmly believe that SPAR are the strongest brand within the convenience sector in Scotland.”

McCulloch joins a growing retailer recruitment team. Craig Lynn recently re-joined the business in the newly-created post of head of recruitment, and he will work with wholesale sales director Steve Irons who leads the sales team and spearheads the new retailer recruitment drive.

There is also a dedicated development team who focus on supporting the onboarding of all new retailers as well as taking responsibility for refurbishment projects for well-established SPAR retailers.

Irons said: “The transformation of our sales team is very exciting. We are always searching for great people who are sales-driven and passionate about independent convenience retailing. We want to give our retailer customers the best support, so they have the confidence to invest and grow their business with us. We are eager to hear from retailers across Scotland as we embark on this new recruitment campaign.”