Bestway Wholesale is the leader in convenience retail with a comprehensive Fascia offer to suit all levels of retailer entrepreneurialism including Franchise, Symbol Group and Retail Club, for retailers with just one store or Multiple Accounts with multiple stores.

Wholly committed to independent retail, Bestway has invested significantly in enhancing the offer for convenience stores including investing in the supply chain to improve the delivered service and chilled range availability, working with suppliers to improve the consistency of range and aligning expertise to enhance the offer. The completion of a UK-wide demographic mapping exercise will also allow retailers to leverage key insights into which ranges, promotions and operational models offering the best fit for specific postcode locations.

The best-one Symbol Group brand now sits within Bestway Retail and offers the leading rebate in independent retail of up to 10% on Core products; achieved through compliance with My Rewards and Core Rewards. Members can also access a number of additional benefits including access to over 140 suppliers who can deliver niche ranges direct to store through the Drop Shipment catalogue.

Meanwhile, retailers who want to remain wholly independent can choose to join Xtra Local to benefit from highly competitive collect-only deals and a committed wholesale team in the Bestway and Batleys depots.

Booker is delighted to be sponsoring the newly created Convenience Awards that brings together the very best retailers and operators in the convenience market.

As the UK’s leading food & drink wholesaler, operating branches nationwide and serving Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper retailers, we are delighted to be supporting the ‘Best Small Convenience Store’ category that celebrates those true independent retailers who are dedicated to serving their shoppers with the personal service only found in the local stores. Booker would like to reward those independent retailers who continue to prosper through their flair, ingenuity and independent spirit. We are pleased to be able to recognise the commitment of those professionals who are making sure independent stores are still at the heart of the community.

Since it launched in 2001, the Boost business has successfully and consistently grown and thrived with a strong challenger brand proposition in a sector of the soft drinks industry that continues to be dominated by global giants such as Red Bull and Coca Cola. Under the continued leadership and entrepreneurial spirit of Simon Gray, Boost has achieved a strong and sustainable position and commercial performance underpinned by a culture that is recognised and celebrated by its staff as much as its customers and consumers.

While Boost has never been in a position to out-spend its competitors when it comes to business strategy it does have the ability and attitude at the core of its culture to simplify what others make complex, to act quickly and decisively when validated opportunities arise and to build a close dialogue with all its customer audiences. Boost has now achieved the position of #3 energy SKU in the independent convenience market (source IRI 09/19) and a rapidly growing international brand footprint.

Through a focused commitment to building trade relationships in the wholesale/cash & carry channel and understanding and delivering upon the needs of both retailers and consumers in that channel, Boost has built up a strong reputation as a business to be reckoned with and under the leadership of Simon Gray, a long term strategy that couples a commitment to its existing markets with an ambition to diversify and grow into new areas of opportunity and possibility.

BAT UK is the largest manufacturer and distributor of vaping products in the UK and sees its future focused on providing smoke-free, alternative nicotine products for the UK’s 7 million smokers and almost 2 million vapers. Its flagship vaping brand is ‘Vype’ and flagship non-tobacco oral nicotine product is called ‘Velo’. BAT UK was the first tobacco manufacturer to launch a vaping product in the UK market in 2013.

BAT UK is part of the BAT Group, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, with nicotine and tobacco brands sold in more than 180 countries. The BAT Group employs over 55,000 people worldwide and has factories in 48 countries. Globally, BAT Group offers a portfolio of smoke-free, alternative nicotine products, including vapour, oral tobacco pouches, non-tobacco oral nicotine pouches, and tobacco heating products.

The BAT Group has invested over £3.2 billion in its portfolio of potentially reduced risk products. Its research into batteries, devices and e-liquids is carried out at its global research and development centre in Southampton – the only major tobacco and vaping company with such a significant dedicated facility in the UK.

In Great Britain Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) employs some 3,600 people across England, Scotland and Wales at manufacturing sites, offices and depots. In GB, CCEP makes, sells and delivers products including the following for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC): Coca-Cola Original Taste, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper, glacéau smartwater, Costa Coffee RTD, Schweppes and Oasis. CCEP in GB also makes, sells or delivers Monster, Relentless and Capri-Sun. Since 2012 we have launched 63 low or zero sugar soft drinks offering something for every consumer and every occasion presenting huge opportunities for our retail customers.

We are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our products and operations, with a particular focus on sustainable packaging, water stewardship and climate protection. In fact, glacéau smartwater bottles are now all made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET) and are 100% recyclable. We also turned Sprite bottles clear last year to make them easier to recycle and all the other plastic bottles we make will move to 50% rPET content in the coming months, whilst maintaining their 100% recyclability.

0808 1 000 000

At CPL Learning we are committed to unlocking the potential of your teams through our pioneering approach to learning and development.
As the learning and development partner of choice for the hospitality and retail sectors, we work closely with our clients to meet and exceed their learning and engagement needs and ultimately help our partners achieve their unique goals.
Each organisation is different, and therefore we provide a completely tailored approach to learning and development with the ability to cater to all sizes and budgets. Specialising in digital tools, learning content and delivery methods that engage, inspire, and deliver results.
Our expertise and ability to provide learning activities and courses in all forms are what sets us apart. From a comprehensive catalogue of digital online courses to market-leading tutor-led training and workshops, our learning resources are accessed by hundreds of thousands of users each year. We believe that blended is the key to L&D.
When combined with our intuitive and trailblazing learning management system, our clients benefit from a holistic learning and development experience tailored to them.
With almost 30 years of experience in delivering training to hospitality and retail, CPL Learning is always developing to meet the ever-changing needs of the sector landscape. Now more than ever before, we are leading with data-driven insight and are wholly committed to making learning accessible for all as we navigate the future.

Boasting some of the UK’s most loved beers and ciders, HEINEKEN UK offers convenience stores access to expert business building tools, category insights and top selling beers and ciders including Foster’s, Heineken®, Strongbow, Desperados, Kronenbourg 1664, John Smith’s, Bulmers, Old Mout Cider, Birra Moretti and Amstel, alongside outstanding customer service.

The UK’s only independent convenience show
From symbol groups and major wholesalers to forecourts and independent retailers, NCS is where the convenience sector comes to find out what’s new.

NCS has established itself as the focal point for the convenience retail industry, providing an unmissable opportunity for thousands of retailers to meet with new and unique suppliers as well as big brand names. It’s a sector hungry for new ideas, from food-to-go, to in-store tech, social media solutions and much more.

• Find out what matters in the food and drink industry right now
• Gain business inspiration through the live events programme
• Discover a raft of new product launches and innovative thinking
• Get face-to-face with new and existing suppliers
• Enjoy free access to the five co-located UK Food Shows including The Forecourt Show

Find out more and register: nationalconvenienceshow.co.uk

Nisa Retail has been working with independent retailers for more than 40 years, helping them to grow their businesses through a comprehensive support package.

Since becoming part of the Co-op in May 2018 we have been well placed to make greater investment in price and promotions and in doing so improving our offer to our retailers.

This brings increased buying power and a broader product range to Nisa’s offer, including more than 2,000 lines from Co-op’s award-winning high-quality own label range, while respecting Nisa’s culture of independence. We believe our tie-up with the Co-op will future-proof the business and provide retailers with a stronger platform to serve the needs of their communities and customers.
We engage in extensive research and insights into upcoming market trends, category management, designs and materials to ensure our modular, state-of-the-art Evolution store format will help retailers to develop their businesses, with those converting to Nisa’s Evolution format enjoying average sales uplifts of 12%.

Nisa also provides a complete retail support package comprising a strong retail focused team, a staff training facility and a comprehensive marketing package incorporating social media and PR support, bespoke leaflets, point of sale material, a personalised Nisa FM radio network and national advertising.
This is all delivered by Nisa’s industry leading supply chain which retailers can trust with an impressive 99.9% of deliveries made on the day and 95% successfully made on time. The average availability rate in 2019 was also market-leading in the sector at 98%, meaning retailers can rely on Nisa to get the goods they want for their customers, when they want them.

Contact details:
0800 542 7490
www.join-nisa.co.uk
@NisaRetail

PayPoint helps over 27,000 retailers across the UK – a network which is larger than all banks, supermarkets and Post Offices put together – to drive more footfall, save time, get valuable business insights and grow their profitability.

We do this by offering market-leading retail technology. From EPoS to card payments and parcels to ATMs, we provide everything a modern convenience store needs with full support, training, free point-of-sale, great retailer deals and a freephone contact centre open 365 days a year.

In particular, our retail services platform, PayPoint One, helps retailers to serve their customers quickly, improve business efficiency and stay connected to their stores from anywhere, at any time.

This year, more than ever, the valuable work of convenience retailers has been recognised by consumers and PayPoint has taken steps to support stores across the country. Our measures have included a £25,000 contribution to the NFRN COVID-19 Hardship Fund, fee increase waivers, service fee changes, a new partnership with Deliveroo to help meet customer needs, and a campaign to celebrate Retail Heroes.

To find out more about PayPoint and its products and services, visit www.paypoint.com

Pladis is one of the world’s leading snacking companies and home to some of the most loved brands in the UK including McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s, go ahead! and Flipz. Formed in 2016, pladis is the proud steward of over 300 years of family baking and confectionery experience. Our snacks are distributed to nearly 4 billion people across the world.

Post Office plays a vital role in communities up and down the country. Central to this are postmasters – whether small, independent businesses or our larger commercial partners; they are our public face, serving our customers every day. Post Office services are an essential element of the local economy, providing access to vital services like mails, banking and bill payments.

There are some 11,500 Post Offices in the UK and 98% are run by retailers: the modern Post Office franchise is designed for CTNs, convenience stores large and small, and forecourts. Having a Post Office in a shop is an important driver of customer footfall for a retailer and ensures their store is a destination of choice.

The Post Office offer is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ and we’re giving retailers greater flexibility to offer services their customers want. We’re looking for opportunities to attract customers, and increase our network with more new outlets which offer quick and easy access to services, including self-service options.

Post Office will continue to evolve and grow in order to be even more relevant to our customers – and our retail partners – in the future than we are today.

For more information visit www.postoffice.co.uk and to find out about Post Office business opportunities visit www.runapostoffice.co.uk

At Premier Foods, we love how food brings people together to create moments of pleasure in a busy world.

We create some of the UK’s most loved brands across five key categories:
– Flavourings and Seasonings – Bisto, Paxo, Oxo
– Cooking Sauces & Accompaniments – Sharwoods, Loyd Grossman, Homepride
– Quick Meals, Snacks and Soups – Batchelors, Soba
– Ambient Desserts – Ambrosia, Angel delight.
– Ambient cakes – Mr Kipling & Cadburys

Many of our brands have been part of UK life for more than a century, and we continue to innovate to keep them part of modern life. Our business’s purpose is to create the food our nation loves most for modern life. Our products are as popular as ever – so much so, that you’ll find our brands in 94% of British households.

SPAR is the UK’s leading convenience symbol group and SPAR stores play a central role in the life of local communities around the UK. Being a member of SPAR means a lot more than having a well-known name above the door; it is about being part of a sophisticated network of independent entrepreneurs sharing each other’s success.

The structure and range of support services available to retailers who become members is a huge strength of SPAR. But with the strength of the SPAR organisation behind them, independent retailers have every opportunity to not just survive but thrive. Being a member of SPAR is really about getting the best of both worlds, combining the professionalism of a large group with the energy and individuality of independent entrepreneurs.

With SPAR taking care of the buying, branding, marketing and store development, and with a wealth of assistance available from business advisors and fellow store owners, each retail member is free to concentrate on providing the best possible service to the local community and delivering that service each and every day in the way that only independent, truly local convenience retailers can do.

Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain and Ireland (SBF GB&I) is one the leading soft drinks businesses in the UK and Ireland. SBF GB&I was formed in 2014 as Lucozade Ribena Suntory and is part of Suntory Beverage & Food Europe. Our much-loved soft drinks brands include Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport, Lucozade Revive,
Ribena, Orangina and MayTea.

Our business is driven by our “Yatte Minahare” spirit and our role is to have a positive impact on the lives of our consumers by providing them with a responsible choice of great-tasting drinks that people can feel good about while enabling them to lead active lifestyles.