Nisa is to invest £5m into improving the pricing of its own-label range, as new boss Peter Batt pledged not to abandon promises of “championing independent retailers.”

The investment will see more than 1,000 price reductions for Nisa retailers on Co-op own label from 3 October, including bananas, eggs, carrots, bacon, past and more. The wholesaler is also introducing 330 Co-op lines under a ‘core essentials’ umbrella. Based on analysis of sales, the newly announced core range is designed to offer “value for shoppers as well as good margins for independent retailers.”

Batt announced the investment at the wholesaler’s annual retailer conference in Stoneleigh on 27 September, which was held in-person for the first time since the pandemic. Speaking to Better Retailing, Batt said: “We’re putting £5m into the Co-op own brand because we’ve been really listening to the feedback of customers, particularly around the cost-of-living crisis.

“We really want to champion independent retailers and that’s that message I want to really get across. We’re going to have continuity with the same plan and approach that’s been agreed. Strategy is 90% execution, so we need to make sure we execute that strategy. It’s evolution, not revolution, but we are continuing with that plan.”

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Batt replaces previous chief executive Michael Fletcher, who leaves the business on 7 October. During his nine months in the role, Fletcher promised to address concerns around discrepancies on wholesale and retail pricing for Nisa retailers.

Before becoming Nisa managing director, Batt held several senior roles across the industry. He was Co-op divisional managing director between 2015 and 2022. Prior to joining the Co-op he held a similar regional director role at Sainsbury’s, alongside positions overseeing the supermarket’s frozen and produce categories.

Posting on social media about his departure, Fletcher thanked Nisa retailers. He said: “The feedback you gave me, sometimes very very directly, helped build a strategy that Colin Graves (Nisa Advisory Board chair) has commented on as ‘Just the thinking that Nisa has been needing, getting us back to what Nisa was originally formed for’.

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“I know how tough it is for independent retailers, let’s hope that the government truly recognises this and provides a broader package that can support you through the re-introduction of business rates, unprecedented increases in energy costs, labour and the cost of food.

“Over the next couple of weeks I will be doing everything I can to support Peter and the team to deliver Nisa’s contribution to tackling these challenges. The UK has the best food retailers in the world, many of them are customers of Nisa, I wish you all the very best of luck during this turbulent period.”

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