Running a successful convenience store today involves far more than keeping shelves stocked and promotions updated. It demands constant reinvention and the confidence to back new ideas.
That is the approach retailer Sandeep Bains has adopted at his Welcome Co-op Faversham store in Kent. From transforming a derelict site into a thriving neighbourhood business, to evolving with changing shopper habits, Bains built his business on a simple principle: never stop learning.
Speaking to Asian Trader, he reflected on the lessons that drive his business onward.
“My family has been in the convenience sector for many years, so I have been in and out of convenience stores since I was a small child," Bains said.
“Around the time I finished my master's degree, my brother and father came across a site in Faversham which they believed could be converted into a convenience store.
“They asked if I would like to run it. I thought working for myself was something I would enjoy, and I already had a little knowledge of retail. So, I decided to go for it.”
The site was of a derelict pub. It was brought down and the whole structure was built again.
“During the time the store was built, I went to lots of shows, spoke to lots of people in retail and tried to learn as much as I could before finally launching the store in 2013.
“Once I started handling my own store, I realised how multi-layered this business is. As a kid in my father’s store, I obviously never paid attention to margins and what overheads are and what it takes to be a profitable store,” he recalled.
Welcome Co-op FavershamSandeep Bains
Bains took his time to find the right symbol group that would give him the support he needed. He zeroed down on Simply Fresh.
“We built a good relationship with Kash Khera and his team, who all really helped me with the store and to get my foot through the door in convenience retailing,” he said.
After about eight years, as the store evolved, Bains changed gears again and decided to join Southern Co-op's Welcome franchise for to its “good insight on customer demand” which helped him stock the right core range.
Today at Welcome Co-op Faversham, customer data sits complements entrepreneurial instinct; viral products share shelf space with everyday essentials; home delivery has become as important as weekly top-ups.
“We are always on top of trending products,” said Bains. “We move very quickly to source these things in the right quantity – to strike while the iron is hot!
“Whether that's consistently updating our planograms or working with suppliers to see which new trends are peaking, we make sure that we stay on top, and we also use social media very actively to gauge what our shoppers want. Across our platforms, we have more than 6,000 followers.”
Another factor that makes Welcome Co-op Faversham distinctive is its food to go and proprietary food range. The store boasts of all types of bread, pastries, cookies, donuts, sausage rolls, bacon- and cheeseburgers, and all of the Rollover range, including hot dogs and pizzas.
The store has two ovens, a speed oven, a walk-in freezer and walk-in chillers for the stock to support the category.
What makes the store truly stand out is the speed, which is a common thread in Bains’ store, and in his way of working.
“Our speed oven has a preparation time of 90 seconds. So, when an order comes in, the food is ready in three minutes,” he said.
“Additionally, in home delivery, we are quick and able to deliver even hot food within 60 minutes. We do about 2,300 to 2,600 orders a month using Snappy Shopper.”
For Bains, home delivery is not only a way of increasing sales but also to serve the local community, which has a good share elderly consumers.
“In some households, my staff even take the shopping into their kitchen. For some people, we are only contact with the outside world, so I do stress to make sure to give customers a pleasant experience,” Bains said.
The store also sponsors local football teams and donates leftover food to local charities.
Welcome Co-op FavershamSandeep Bains
In terms of tech, Welcome Co-op Faversham uses Retail AI which helps to deter shoplifters. Volumatic stores the cash safely and even spots fake banknotes. The remote temperature monitoring system by Kelsius helps Bains regulate temperatures in different areas of the store.
Battling the current environment in terms of rising operating costs, Bains is now focused on generating additional profits through fresh ideas.
If there's one lesson he has learnt since transforming a derelict site into a thriving convenience business, it's that no retailer succeeds in isolation.
"We should keep sharing with each other on what's working and what's not. We don't have massive research and development budgets like the multiples, but we can learn from each other,” said the retailer, who is also one of the leading members of The Convenience Hub, a growing network of leading convenience retailers backed by Asian Trader.
“If we keep connecting and helping each other grow, the sector will continue to thrive."
Due to perfect alignment of Southern Co-op's insight with Bains’ “entrepreneurial spirit” and “thinking outside of the box”, Welcome Co-op Faversham is a destination store in the truest sense.
Welcome Co-op Faversham factsheet
- Store size: 1740 sq ft
- Location: Whitstable Road, Faversham, Kent
- Location type: Between high street and residential estate
- Demographic: Mixed population of all ages and financial status; passing traffic
- Staff strength: 17 including drivers
- Range: Fresh produce, daily groceries, in-store bakery, and rotating exclusive viral products
- Wholesaler: Southern Co-op, local suppliers for trending products
- USP: Freshly made food, TikTok viral range, rapid 30–60 minute home delivery