Asif Sardar of Best-one Coltness in Motherwell, and Barry & Alison Thomas of BJ Thomas Newsagents in Doncaster were among the winners at Bestway Wholesale’s annual Retail Development Awards 2019.
Exclusive to Bestway Wholesale customers and Best-one symbol group members, the annual retail development programme gives independent retailers the opportunity to attend a seminar offering advice and guidance on how to best meet their customers’ needs, and a trade show where they see new products from suppliers first hand.
Retailers are then given six months to implement the learnings in their store before they have the chance to enter the awards and potentially win a share of a total prize fund worth over £50,000.
The winners were revealed in London to an audience of independent retailers, members of the Best-one symbol group and Bestway Wholesale’s Xtra Local retail club, as well as industry suppliers.
Dawood Pervez, managing director at Bestway Wholesale, said: “Independent retailers are facing heavy competition from multiples and other high street rivals; by no means are the achievements we see at these awards easily done. They are the result of hard work, dedication and unwavering vision on each retailer’s business goals.
“For many, making bold decisions, investing in their stores and keeping their shoppers and local communities at the heart of what they do, has seen their businesses transform in just a year. Every year, I am inspired and in awe of what some of our retailers manage to achieve.”
Bestway makes structural improvements to wholesale operation
Analysing the recent restructuring at Bestway
The 2019 winners were:
National Winner
Asif Sardar, best-one Coltness, Wishaw, Motherwell
best-one National Winner
Barry and Alison Thomas, BJ Thomas Newsagents, Doncaster
Southern Winner
Gareth Jones, JJ’s Convenience Store, Gilfach, Bargoed
Northern Winner
Hardeep Singh Nahal, Pedmore Convenience Store, Pedmore, Stourbridge
Scottish Winner
Donna and Bruce Morgan, Brownlies, Biggar
Community
Shad Saleem, Plessy News and Poets Corner, Blyth
Soft Drinks
Hitesh Karsan, Hathershaw Mini Market, Oldham
Beer & Cider
Asif Sardar, best-one Coltness, Wishaw
Confectionary
Bobby Mann, best-one Stainbeck, Leeds
Crisps & Snacks
Ijaz Ahmed, Falcon Food Express, Bethnal Green, London
General Grocery
Sivananthan Kandasamy, best-one Ongar Supermarket, Ongar
Household, Health and Beauty
Alkesh Pankhania, best-one Sunbury, Sunbury-on-Thames
Pet Food
Sagir Hasham, Mr Booze Express, Derby
Baby Food
Tony Openshaw, Masefield News, Stanley, Durham
Wines & Spirits
Donna and Bruce Morgan, Brownlies, Biggar
Water
Mr Lewis Prager, Wakefield
Chilled Provisions & Dairy
Manish Patel, best-one, Leeds
Tobacco
N Soni, Thrifties, Broughton
