Social enterprise initiative the People‘s Supermarket has announced its partnership with convenience chain Spar.
Under the partnership, A F Blakemore Spar will become the supermarket‘s primary supplier and will also implement a development plan including a new store layout and upgraded IT and till systems.
Redesign of the store will begin within days as the retailer aims to complete work in time for the London Olympics. The store is working with Co-operatives UK to promote the cooperative economy across the country.
The partnership with Spar will see the store end its agreement with current supplier Nisa and Andrew J Mouse, Sales Director at Nisa Group, expressed regret that the partnership had come to an end.
“It is a business with noble goals which shares much common ground with a community-focused business such as ours,” he added.
“We wish its management team and the company‘s volunteers the very best of luck in their future endeavours.”
As a member-owned and member-run co-operative, the Bloomsbury-based grocer will continue operating in the same fashion and will maintain its relationship with small, local suppliers, many of which operate independently.
Recently the store, which recruits volunteers, announced revenues of nearly £1.2 million for the year ending March 2012 following a decision by Camden Council to reject its plea for not-for-profit rate relief.
However, the grocer is in the process of finalising its status as an IPS Community Benefit Society and People‘s Supermarket CEO Kate Bull believes that its upcoming work with Spar will help it to achieve its goals.
Bull commented: “Working with A F Blakemore gives us the opportunity to not only secure our future in Holborn but also develop a new form of social franchising, which should enable us to work with other communities and create new People‘s Supermarkets across the country.“
