Glasgow’s multi-award-winning retailer Girish Jeeva is making one of the boldest fascia moves, switching his high-performing Barmulloch store from Booker’s Premier to Costcutter backed by a £100,000 refit and a clear £100k weekly sales ambition.
Jeeva, who acquired the store in 2021, has operated under Booker’s Premier fascia and built a strong trading performance, consistently delivering standout sales. The store made headlines last year after becoming the first independent retailer locally to introduce a 24-hour delivery service, further strengthening its competitive edge.
Speaking exclusively with Asian Trader, Jeeva admitted that the move feels like a "new chapter for him, his store and his customers" and shared in detail how the move unfolded.
"I was satisfied with Premier. We've grown the brand to where it's at right now and I felt I have hit the ceiling. I have nothing against Booker; in fact, they have made the store what it is today. They have helped, supported and guided us throughout.
"However, from sometime, I was itching to increase my chilled sales and was seeking a breakthrough to do that."
The conversation with Bestway started when he acquired a 1000 sqft space next door to open a warehouse and decided to open a Bestway account for bulk buying, he revealed.
"As the meeting unfolded, Bestway representatives began sharing their vision for the relaunched Costcutter brand. I made an offhand remark, jokingly that if Costcutter still had the deal with Co-op, I started contemplating the switch seriously,” he recalled.
"When they contacted me again confirming the renegotiated Costcutter Co-op contract, I actually felt to think of considering the move seriously."
The deal with Costcutter has been signed and the refit is set to begin on March 2, with a budget of £100,000, equipment upgrades and a layout change on the fresh side. The new fascia goes up mid-to-late March, with a grand launch planned for April during the school holiday period.
Discussions are also in place to add a second phase which may include a Costcutter hybrid dual model, which operates a specialist beers, wines and spirits store within a store concept. But that is still under discussion.
He explained, "Getting access to the dual brand, if that goes through, is going to be another real benefit for the store. Then we can also offer a better variety of wines for customers looking for something a bit higher end.”
The store will also have a new fresh ice cream offer and an expanded area to accommodate more fresh cake. Ambient Co-op own-brand products will round out a range designed to give the store what he describes as a “supermarket feel.”
“With a combination of all this, we definitely believe we can achieve the 100k target,” he says. “My targeted time frame is end of this year, but with all the targets we’ve set over four years, it’s always taken us half the time."
The move to round-the-clock in-store trading is the other major revelation. Girish was already running a 24-hour home delivery operation — a UK first when he launched it.
Before signing on the dotted lines with Costcutter, Jeeva did an extensive research to find the right symbol group that will fit his requirements, scrutinising their ranges, layouts and quality.
He also visited Paul Chema’s Costcutter store to see the format in action at a store of similar size to his own. “I could really vision his store like mine,” he said.
"After a lot of studying, discussions and research, I decided that Bestway would probably be the right choice. Glad I took the right decision as I am also having a very productive relationship with Bestway’s New Business & Acquisitions Manager Kevin McLelland.
"About 15-20 years ago in Scotland, there used to be a lot of Costcutter stores which over the years, kind of just faded away. Bestway entrusts in us to be a right partner for them to bring that brand back to life in this region. I think it's going to be a really strong partnership for both of us," Jeeva said.