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SPAR stores taking part in a new merchandising programme instigated by Appleby Westward have already seen a positive impact on sales. One store in the Cornwall area run by Gordon and Karen Green has enjoyed an uplift in weekly sales. Before the project took place weekly sales in store were £8,677 and an uplift of 29% now see's last week's sales at £11,236 respectively, while Howard Toms' store in Southsea, Portsmouth has seen a sales boost of 11% and 6.6% year on year. Head of Sales Vince Brown said the merchandising programme was taking part in 32 nominated stores throughout the region until the end of this year. "Appleby Westward is more than simply a delivered wholesaler - we are partners in growth with our retailers," he said. "Our added services like merchandising are designed to help grow their businesses." Appleby Westward has been focussing considerable effort on space planning, regularly updating its suite of planograms to make sure its stores have the best range and opportunity in the convenience marketplace. Regional sales managers discussed the project and the benefits of implementing planograms with their stores. As a result, they nominated 32 shops where they believed significant benefits could be achieved by reviewing the amount of space allocated to products and their location on the fixtures. "As well as creating extra sales, it was felt the stores would also achieve improvements to range and choice, availability, shop standards and overall customer perception," said Vince. "At the same time, it would allow them the opportunity for better stock management." Nominated retailers are being visited by merchandising team Helen Holmes, Becky Tremain and Christina Smith, who identify the opportunity to de-list slow sellers in preparation to review the space and implement the planograms.

Appleby Westward Group Limited│Forecourt Site in Dorset Is Now Firmly On the Map A major redevelopment project at a Dorset forecourt store - the third in the last 10 years - has put food-to-go firmly at the centre of the business. The scheme, a co-investment project between Loders Garage of Dorchester and SPAR's regional distribution company Appleby Westward, has transformed the 1,250 sq. ft. store in a bid to expand its takeaway food business. "We are a food-to-go store and very much a breakfast and lunchtime destination stop for many of our customers," said the company's managing director, Lee Loder. "As a result, we decided to re-design the layout to make food-to-go the heartbeat of the store. "We have brought the kitchen area into the store itself to create a bit of theatre, and have appointed Steve Jarvis, who has considerable experience in catering, as the dedicated manager to run the operation." Loders Garage moved its forecourt store under the SPAR umbrella ten years ago, and saw an immediate uplift in sales of 30% in the store and 20% on fuel. The company carried out its last shop refit in 2007. "We moved to SPAR because of the strength of the brand," said Lee. "Historically, we had been motor traders, not shopkeepers, and needed to get on board with the experts. Appleby Westward co-invested in the development of the shop from the outset, and we introduced an off licence, food-to-go and fresh and chilled produce.