Eddy’s Food Station opens in Alloa with target of 30 stores in five years

A new convenience store, Eddy’s Food Station, today (May 11) opened its doors in the Scottish town of Alloa, with store owner Stephen Thompson revealing plans for 30 stores in the next five years, creating 500 jobs.

The Alloa store is the first flagship of a new chain of Eddy’s Food Station stores, the newest venture from Thompson, former chief executive and co-founder of Morning, Noon & Night, the chain of 50 stores acquired by Scotmid in 2004 for £30 million, in one of the most significant retail deals in Scotland.

The launch of Eddy’s Food Station marks Thompson’s return to retail following his role as chairman of Dundee United Football Club from 2008 to 2018.

“The opportunity to operate a successful chain of convenience stores is very promising right now and this venture is an extremely exciting first leg of a long journey for the Eddy’s Food Station brand,” he said.

“The retail industry is an industry I know and love. It’s an avenue I’ve always wanted to return to and I couldn’t be happier that it’s finally happening. We’re investing heavily in resources and research into our offering and we’re passionate about giving our customers an unrivalled, superior experience.

“We’re taking this opportunity to shake up the market, creating a retail experience that combines convenience and quality and goes above and beyond customer expectations. Our employees are fully equipped to create an environment that will give customers the best possible experience and create a real sense of community.”

Thompson noted that the name Eddy’s Food Station is a nod to his father, Eddie Thompson, co-founder of Morning, Noon & Night, and his successes in the industry.

“I’m thrilled to be following in his footsteps with this new venture and look forward to embracing the journey ahead as the Eddy’s Food Station network grows.  Expansion is very much front and centre and so we are continuing to scope out further sites for future stores in more central and convenient locations,” he added.

The expansion of the Eddy’s Food Station network will see a combination of new sites and the conversion of existing convenience store locations.

The chain will have daily essentials and groceries with the added bonus of an extensive menu of fresh, local takeaway foods. Partnering with a number of Scottish food wholesalers, Eddy’s provide customers with products tailored to the Scottish market. As the chain expands, the team are eager to work with further local food and drinks producers to enhance their offering.

John Richardson, head of food service at Eddy’s Food Station, said: “Eddy’s Food Station stores aim is to surpass customers’ expectations from their local shop, as the offering goes far beyond basic, day-to-day supplies. In addition to a wide range of groceries our point of difference will be a high-quality, Scottish, daily takeaway menu of hot and cold fresh foods, from filled rolls, to hot pizza slices, there are options for every meal.”

Commenting, John Lee, head of public affairs at Scottish Grocers’ Federation, said: “We are delighted to support the launch of Eddy’s Food Station. The development of a new group of convenience stores is an indication of how strong the convenience sector is and how popular the convenience channel is with customers. This is a very impressive level of investment which will create significant new jobs and provide valuable services to our communities. We wish Eddy’s Food Station every success.”