The Blakemore Trade Partner’s (BTP) SPAR Retail Show (SRS) recently focused on the theme of sustainability, with 1,300 retailers, suppliers and industry guests coming together and one retailer receiving a £100,000 investment fund to develop their business.
Held at Telford International Centre on 15 June, the SRS conference provided a platform for the Blakemore Trade Partners team to outline their plans for the upcoming year, with a key emphasis on supporting retailers to grow profitable and sustainable businesses.
Louis Drake, Commercial Director, opened the conference, remarking: “Convenience continues to experience formidable growth, offering opportunities for all our partners. Our focus is on providing the right proposition for our customers, differentiating ourselves from the competition and delivering outstanding results.”
Read more: Spar wholesaler invests in three green vehicles
Newly appointed chief executive Carol Welch took the stage to highlight BTP’s unique approach to partnering with retailers. In her inaugural speech, she centred on the Blakemore Way, which connects People and Partnerships to “create unique, trusted relationships where real people take an interest in all aspects of retailers’ businesses,” she said.
Members of the BTP team highlighted how their approach to combining real people with data analytics had driven value and scale for retailers this year. Despite the challenging environment, there is huge optimism about the future, with convenience projected to outperform the market over the next five years. David Cooke, group commercial director at A.F. Blakemore, focused on category growth and the significance of investing in fresh produce. He highlighted Spar’s performance in the total convenience market, particularly in fresh, chilled, and teatime categories.
