Blakemore Foodservice is to help independent Spar retailers improve their food-to-go business by offering them catering advice, equipment and products for the first time.

Richard Harman, head of Blakemore Foodservice, told RN the business has a list of 100 independent retailers with which it aims to partner.

“It’s about sharing resources, such as our shopfitting service and the IT system, which can ease stock management. However, we don’t want to take away from what they’re getting from the group.

“For example, we want to make their business more efficient by enabling them to get products they would otherwise purchase from a third party. We want to give them a more direct supply, and give them quicker and easier access to products.”

Harman added there will also be potential franchise opportunities available to the symbol group’s retailers. 

“A lot of suppliers are talking to us and they are interested in opening more franchises within the Spar chain,” he said.

Find out how Blakemore Foodservice is to offer direct catering support to Spar retailers for the first time