Glory for Independents at the Retail Oscars! The Retail Industry Awards, widely regarded as “The Oscars” of the grocery retail sector is the annual get-together of the whole industry to celebrate and reward the best of the best, from the smallest independents, to the largest supermarket groups. Having hot-footed it from the Quality Foodservice awards  the Jellybean Convenience Retail Marketing team were joined at the prestigious ceremony by many of our key retail clients to toast the great and good.

With so many worthy winners (see full list below) it’s difficult to call out particular stores and groups for special mention here. But in the face of increasing competition from the major supermarket groups, credit must go to the independents who continue to innovate and lead by example.

Simply Fresh in Inkberrow, Worcestershire scooped best store in the up to 1,200sq ft category.

In the 1,200sq ft to 3,000sq ft category, Ayrshire based store, Day-Today Irvine, won best store.

Nash & Gardner’s Budgens, in Islington, London, won the accolade in the 3,000sq ft to 6,000sq ft category. Judges were impressed with its combination of brand heritage and modern design. The same store won the Frozen Food Retailer of the Year.

Dike & Son, Nisa Extra, in Salbridge, Dorset won the over 6,000sq ft category, as well as being awarded the Digital Engagement Award.

Further independents picking up trophies in the individual store categories included Smeaton Stores, Premier, Fife, which was named Independent Community Retailer of the Year.

UOE Store & Post Office, East Finchley in London, was named Post Office Retailer of the Year, while McCullagh’s Spar Classic Service Station, Omagh, County Tyrone won both Food-to-go Retailer of the Year and Mulkerns Eurospar, Newry, County Down secured Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year.

O’Hares Supermarket, Eurospar in Mayobridge, County Down (Chilled Retailer of the Year), Lusty’s Centra Larne, County Antrim (Drinks Retailer) and Tweney’s Budgens, Gloucestershire (Most Improved Store) were winners too.

We partied late into the night and we look forward to doing it all again next year. Thank you to all the team at Metropolis for such a fantastic evening.

If you’re a brand looking to break into the retail market or if you want to collaborate with award winning independent retailers like those picking up awards this year, then talk to us today.

Most Improved Store

WINNER
Tweney’s Budgens, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Nisa Local, Marsh Farm, Luton, Bedfordshire

Independent Community Retailer of the Year

WINNER
Smeaton Stores, Premier, Kirkcaldy, Fife
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Nash & Gardner’s Budgens, Islington, London
Warner’s Budgens, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire

Multiple Community Retailer of the Year

WINNER
Henderson Retail
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Blakemore Retail
Co-op

Digital Engagement Award
sponsored by Utilita

WINNER
Dike & Son, Nisa Extra, Stalbridge, Dorset
HIGHLY COMMENDED
One Stop, Mount Nod, Coventry, West Midlands

Store Team of the Year

WINNER
Spar London Road Bakery, Boston, Lincolnshire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Londis Caterways, Horsham, West Sussex

Store Manager of the Year

Independent
WINNER
Jack Cross, Warner’s Budgens, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Janette Tucker, Lifestyle Express, Winscombe, Somerset

Multiple

WINNER
Stephen McMahon, Co-op, Old Park Road, Belfast
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Joanne Walker, Eurospar Carrowdore, County Down
COMMENDED
Gregory Cochrane, Eurospar Knockchree, Kilkeel, County Down

Post Office Retailer of the Year

Independent

WINNER
UOE Store & Post Office, East Finchley, London
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Blaenavon Post Office, Blaenavon Torfaen
Envelope & Bacon, Edinburgh

Managed Store

WINNER
McColl’s Queensway Worle, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Stonydelph Post Office, Tamworth, Staffordshire

Symbol

WINNER
Best-One Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Warner’s Budgens Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire

Food-to-Go Retailer of the Year

Independent

WINNER
McCullagh’s Spar Classic Service Station, Omagh, County Tyrone
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Nash & Gardner’s Budgens of Islington, London

Multiple 

WINNER
Henderson Retail
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Blakemore Retail
Co-op

Chilled Retailer of the Year

Independent

WINNER
O’Hares Supermarket, Eurospar, Mayobridge, County Down
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mullan’s Spar, Armagh

Multiple

WINNER – MULTIPLE
Aldi
WINNER – MULTIPLE Convienience
Henderson Retail

Drinks Retailer of the Year

Independent
WINNER
Lusty Centra Larne, County Antrim
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mulkerns Eurospar, Newry, County Down
Warner’s Budgens, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire

Multiple

WINNER
Aldi

Seafood Retailer of the Year

WINNER
Asda

Fresh Flower Supermarket of the Year

WINNER
Lidl
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Aldi

Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year

Independent

WINNER
Mulkerns Eurospar, Newry, County Down

Multiple

WINNER
Lidl

Frozen Food Retailer of the Year

Independent

WINNER
Nash & Gardner’s Budgens, Islington, London
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Londis Ferme Park Road, Finsbury Park, London

Multiple

WINNER
Iceland

National Lottery Retailer of the Year
sponsored by The National Lottery

Independent

WINNER
Nisa Local, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge

Company-Owned

WINNER
One Stop, Rectory Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Forecourt Retailer of the Year
sponsored by Retail’s Best

Independent

WINNER
JET Abbeyside Filling Station, Selby, North Yorkshire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Budgens Three Mile Cross, Berkshire
McCullagh’s Spar Classic Service Station, Omagh, County Tyrone

Company-owned

WINNER
Eurospar Carrowdore, County Down
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Eurospar Hardford Link, Newtownards, County Down
Spar Laceby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Multiple

WINNER
Henderson Retail

Franchise Group of the Year

WINNER
One Stop Franchise

Convenience Retailer of the Year

WINNER
Co-op

Online Supermarket of the Year

WINNER
Iceland

Independent Retailer of the Year

Up to 1,200sq ft

WINNER
Simply Fresh, Inkberrow, Worcestershire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Spar London Road, Boston, Lincolnshire

1,201 – 2,999sq ft

WINNER
Day-Today Irvine, Ayrshire
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Londis Woodhouse Street, Leeds

3,000 – 6,000sq ft

WINNER
Nash & Gardner’s Budgens, Islington, London

Over 6,000sq ft

WINNER
Dike & Son, Nisa Extra, Stalbridge, Dorset
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mulkerns Eurospar, Newry, County Down

Symbol/Fascia Group of the Year

WINNER
SPAR
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Londis

Symbol/Fascia Initiative of the Year

WINNER
Making a Difference Locally – Nisa

Supermarket of the Year
supported by JTI

WINNER
Morrisons
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Tesco

Outstanding Achievement Award

WINNER
John Agnew CBE – Henderson Group

Keep reading! Why not read our blog on The Future of Convenience 2019 – 5 key take-outs

Jellybean Creative is a leading convenience retail marketing and communications agency. We help top brands with foodservice pr, foodservice marketing, digital and design. If you feel we could help you with your marcomms, strategy, public relations, creative or digital then drop us a line today.