Southern Co-op franchise extends its appeal to new partners

With more than 50 franchise stores now operating across the south of England, Southern Co-op’s partners are proving that community is just as important as product offering.

Operating under the ‘Welcome’ fascia, the co-operative’s franchisees currently serve communities from Kent to Somerset and London to the Isle of Wight.

Offering their customers well known trusted brands as well as a range of locally sourced products, Southern Co-op’s partners have gone from strength to strength whilst remaining agile enough to develop their offering quickly based on changing customer demands.

Independence and support

Welcome franchisee Dilan Patel has just opened his fourth store with Southern Co-op after having previously opened two stores in London and a refurbishment of his father’s store in the Taunton village of Staplegrove.

Proving himself a successful entrepreneur, Dilan enjoys the independence offered by his partnership with Southern Co-op whilst also benefitting from the team’s experience and expertise.

Speaking at the opening of Welcome – Belvedere Gardens, in Taunton, Dilan said: “Our focus has been to ensuring we service the needs of our customers. The support we’ve already had from local people has been amazing. We couldn’t be more pleased with the finished store. It’s a fantastic working environment for staff and it’s great for customers. It’s been worth the investment and the hard work that’s gone into it and now hopefully we will see the rewards.”

Ethics and partnerships

Southern Co-op recently became one of the first convenience store chains to be accredited as a full member of the British Franchise Association – a body which strives to promote ethical franchising practice across the UK.

As well as being an ethical retailer with community values, Southern Co-op also offers its franchisees personalised support which has led to positive like for like increases across all departments.

Mike Fitton, Southern Co-op’s Franchise Business Manager, said: “We welcomed both new and experienced retailers to our co-operative family last year and, by developing strong partnerships, we were able to open a number of new stores during the height of the pandemic.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen a huge shift in consumer focus as more people have started to pay attention to a company’s beliefs and ethos. Our franchisees benefit from Southern Co-op’s underlying values which have been embedded into our organisation since 1873. Their customers also appreciate the Co-op branded products which are known for their ethical values and sustainable focus.

“Sustainability is a key part of our overall offer with more packaging moving towards being recyclable, including compostable carrier bags and return scheme for cardboard and plastic to our depots at no extra cost.”

Development and support

With more than 200 company owned stores, franchisees can access a range of support which Southern Co-op uses for its own stores including marketing, planograms, store development, space and sales analysis as well as a full EPOS and back office system.

As well as access to the whole of the extensive Co-op own brand lines retailers are also encouraged to explore opportunities to offer locally sourced products.

The co-operative’s franchise division, which has been steadily growing over the last few years, celebrated a successful 2020 with 15 new stores – up from 12 new stores the previous year.

Of the existing franchise stores, a total of 11 are petrol forecourts ranging in size from 1600sqft up to 3,000sqft. With great contacts at BP and Texaco, Southern Co-op works very closely with both brands to ensure a joined up approach.

Deliveries are available up to six days a week across seven days with no minimum drops. Plastic, cardboard and waste collections are also available.

To find out how Southern Co-op can work with you to develop your convenience store offering, contact [email protected] or 02392 222677. Alternatively, visit www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/food/franchise.