Blakemore Trade Partners has presented SPAR Gabalfa, Cardiff, with a transformational £100,000 investment award to further develop the successful family-run business.
The announcement was made at Blakemore Trade Partners’ annual SRS event on 6th September, where an awards ceremony recognised the outstanding performance of suppliers and retailers alike.
The King family, who own the store, were chosen for the Big Investment award based on their detailed business plan, which clearly demonstrated how the investment would be used to drive sales and enhance the consumer offer.
Blakemore Trade Partners Business Development Manager Stuart Humphries said: “I have worked closely with the King family for the past four years as their BDM and was overjoyed to see them win the award. This investment will truly be transformational for SPAR Gabalfa and will help deliver a new flagship store in South Wales.”
Blakemore Trade Partners Sales Director Neil Mercer explained: “It’s important that stores evolve and invest continuously to stay ahead of the competition. Blakemore Trade Partners continues to provide support in the way of co-investment to enable our retailers to do this.
“In addition, because we work with our retailers on long term plans that are built on customer insight, we can ensure that the investments that our retailers are making are delivering what consumers require.”
SPAR Gabalfa has been a family-run retail business for 25 years, with Dennis King originally purchasing the store from Capper & Co in 1993.
The store today is still very much family-orientated, with Dennis’s sons, Tim and Stuart, now taking the helm and Tim’s wife Dee and daughter Rosie often helping out.
Tim King commented: “When we heard we’d won the Big Investment award I honestly couldn’t believe it – things like this just don’t happen to us!
“As a family we were never going to be in a position to invest this incredible amount of money into our business. Like many retailers we have had to make do with what we have for many years.
“The store will now undergo a massive transformation to update store fixtures and chillers with the aim of offering up–and-coming ranges to our customers, such as the new Tonight’s Tea range.”
Tim expressed his delight at beginning the process of developing his store, which has experienced an influx of local competition in recent years.
Tim added: “I’m now excited to get started. Our Business Development Manager Stuart Humphries has been a huge help to us already and we are looking forward to meeting the planners and seeing all the changes they are sending our way.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all at A.F. Blakemore from the bottom of my heart, you are making dreams come true! Seeing how A.F. Blakemore invests back into its stores and retailers is an inspiration and the industry should take note. I would also like to say a special thank you to Stuart for all his hard work.
“My family has been running the store for 25 years and I now believe that will continue for many years to come. The store will be a legacy for my family to enjoy and will once more be at the heart of the community it serves – something for my family and staff to be proud of. We can’t thank A.F. Blakemore enough.”
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