Ali Kurji, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Co-operative Society
Monday,June 28th, 2021
HEART OF ENGLAND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY FOOD STORE SHORTLISTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
The Heart of England Co-operative Society’s Food store in the Earlsdon area of Coventry has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
The store, which has served the Earlsdon community since 1896, is one of four finalists in the Large Convenience Store of the Year category in the Convenience Awards 2021.
Its success in this year’s awards follows a recent investment in which the Society spent more than £664,000 on the store, introducing more value-adds to provide customers with a one-stop ‘hub’.
New features include a number of customer suggestions including an extended in-store bakery, locally-sourced goods and a retro sweet range.
The Society also implemented a number of facilities as a result of customer suggestions – including self-scan tills, which resulted in 35 per cent sales increases, Amazon Locker, in-store seating, USB charging, photo booth and a range of drinks machines including iSqueeze, Costa, Tango Ice Blast and F’Real.
A redesigned store also allows for wide aisles to cater for wheelchairs, disabled buggies, prams and trollies, and an improved layout on the shelves – such as upright pizzas which give further appeal to shoppers.
Customers also benefit from the Society’s membership scheme, allowing members to earn points with every spend – leading to two per cent rewards on qualifying spends.
And they are able to take advantage of schemes such as Gander, which allows them to bag a bargain from the shelves, and Local @ Heart, which allows them to support local businesses who supply the Society’s stores.
Steve Browne, General Manager of the Society’s Food Division, which operates a network of 35 Food stores, said he was delighted the store had been named a finalist.
He said: “This is the second time in two years we have made it to the finals, with our Southam store making it on the shortlist last year.
“Our success today is testament to the work of everyone in the Earlsdon store – not least in the midst of a pandemic.
“Well done to everyone!”
The winners will be announced at The Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square on September 14th.