If you think hot food in convenience stores is just an after-thought, think again. Because in a convenience store in Cornwall, fresh food isn’t just a sideshow, rather it is the main act, the crowd-puller and, the delicious heartbeat of the business.
Tucked just minutes from Truro city centre, The Old Dairy – Pydar Stores has mastered something that many in the convenience sector still struggle to get right.
This 1,800 sq ft store has turned food to go into food to stay for, all due to gutsy decisions, clever innovation, and good old-fashioned home cooking.
Behind the till and at the centre of the action is a dynamic duo of retailer Judith Smitham and her husband Roger Smitham who have mastered the art of turning their strengths into the store’s signature.
Speaking exclusively to Asian Trader, Judith walked us through how once a derelict old site evolved into one of the most talked-about food-to-go destinations in Cornwall.
“The Old Dairy was a renovation project completed in 2013. Having run our first store- Trelander Stores & Post Office from 2001, we were looking for a site that would tick all the boxes,” she said.
Situated on a main road just minutes from the city centre and boasting a spacious parking lot, the site had instant appeal for Judith despite being untouched and unloved for nearly five decades.
“It was quite derelict, having been used as a tool hire business and later as a flower shop. No work had been done on it since it was a dairy built in the 70s,” she revealed.
For Smitham, who first stepped into retail ownership in 2001 by acquiring Trelander Stores, this second act was never about copying a template. It was about creating a business with differentiation and long-term vision.
Soon after launching the store and getting it stocked with the usual grocery and household items, the couple decided to introduce a hot food section.
Little had they known that this decision would ultimately shape the store’s story.
“When we opened The old Dairy- Pydar Stores, we decided to include an ample kitchen and originally did the usual bake offs.
“Our real breakthrough came in 2017 when we decided to offer a takeaway roast. This became so popular that people began to ask if we could provide good home cooked food during the week,” she said.
What began with a modest bake-off oven soon grew into a thriving food-to-go offer. It now contributes the lion’s share of the store’s turnover.
Today, their menu is a local favourite, ranging from takeaway breakfasts and meal deals to a rotating line-up of freshly made salads, including their homemade coleslaw and potato salad.
“The food to go now is now 20 per cent of the business,” she said.
Considering that the average margin of the store’s food-to-go range falls between about 38-40 per cent, it seems like a success story indeed.
Additionally, Cornwall has a thriving food and drink scene and Judith’s store reflects exactly that.
“Rodda’s Clotted Cream, Rattler Cider, Prima Bakery’s saffron buns”, potatoes from a nearby farm, and free-range eggs from just a few miles down the road, make the store a perfect showcase for local produce.
So popular is their food, in fact, that they have ventured into catering as well. The year is already blocked with four weddings in 2025, she added.
Beyond hot and fresh food, The old Dairy- Pydar Stores is packed with a range of services as well. PayPoint, lottery and InPost parcel lockers in the car park to name a few along with a Costa Coffee machine.
Suppliers are carefully selected to support this unique store’s core requirements.
Appleby Westward is the primary delivered wholesaler while Booker supports the catering account. Country Choice delivers the pasties and COOK frozen meals fill the two freezers in the store, offering premium takeaway options to the shoppers.
Having operated under two banners, Smitham feels that SPAR is the perfect fit for The Old Dairy as it best meets the needs in terms of the store, its range, and its “10 metres of chilled space”.
Last year, The Old Dairy underwent a £150,000 refit to further enhance the in-store experience. The result is a fresh, modern store that balances convenience with quality and excitement.
“We aim to offer something a bit different and prefer a lower-level open plan store with wide aisles, benefiting from high ceilings.
“We prefer the look of an uncluttered store and modeled ourselves on a small Waitrose,” shared Judith.
Though located on the city’s edge, The Old Dairy “is not as community orientated as the couple’s other estate store, though they do give back when there is an opportunity.
“We have signed up to the Lucozade Suntory Charity Drives and are currently in our second drive reaching out to local not for profit groups.
“We collect food items in store for Truro food bank and accept their own energy voucher which is reimbursed at a later date,” she said.
Looking ahead to 2025, Judith is cautiously optimistic but realistic about the challenges ahead, particularly the upcoming disposable vape ban effective from June 1.
“Vapes have been an integral part of the business, especially the last few years when they have given the department enhanced margins,” she told Asian Trader.
Braving the headwinds, both Judith and Old Dairy store are gearing up to take 2025 head-on.
Right across the road, a major development is taking shape with a university and 300 new homes, promising fresh footfall and new revenue streams.
Digital upgrades are on the horizon along with more focus on the present offering.
“This year we hope to consolidate our food to go offer, looking to grow the evening offering,” she shared.
Judith also plans to boost their social media presence and dive deeper into in-store activations.
With a watchful eye on policy, a new catering website in the works and a menu that locals clearly adore, Judith and Roger are proving that even in retail, you can have your roast and eat it too.
