A.F. Blakemore celebrates partnership success at SPAR Retail show

Leading wholesaler for SPAR stores in Wales, Central and South East England, A.F. Blakemore saw a warm response at its annual 2024 SPAR Retail Show.

The show was held at Telford International Centre on June 13 with over 1,300 guests attending the conference, tradeshow, gala dinner and awards evening.

This year’s event heard from senior members of A.F. Blakemore’s leadership team lead by CEO Carol Welch and Retail Managing Director Matt Teague. Attendees heard how A.F. Blakemore’s partnership model is supporting independent SPAR retailers develop their business in ways that are profitable and sustainable.

Blakemore Conference 2024 - Telford International Centre, Telford

Matt Teague, A.F. Blakemore Managing Director- Retail said, “This event is a unique opportunity for us to bring all our SPAR company owned and independent retailers, and prospective retailers together with our supplier network to share plans for the year ahead, highlight the added value support that is available from the A.F. Blakemore team and gain new perspectives that can help drive businesses forward in a competitive market.

"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.

“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 busy tradeshow, the conference also 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.

SRS24 - SPAR Retail Show 2024 - Telford International Centre, Telford

Both retailers spoke about working in close partnership with A.F. Blakemore and the extensive level of support that is driving real difference in their businesses.

SPAR retailers are benefiting from a host of 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, and energy saving partnerships that are saving retailers up to £700 per month on their electricity bills, as well as investment in labour saving efficiencies and the de-tasking of store operations.

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 helps to identify where growth opportunities lie, the expansion of the Philpotts coffee and food-to-go solution, great 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.

Plans are already underway for next year’s SPAR Retail Show, which promises to build on the success of this year’s event with even more opportunities to drive real difference for SPAR retailers.