Get ready for the most anticipated night in convenience retail – the Asian Trader Awards 2024, where the brightest stars and industry icons shine.
The countdown is on for the grandest night in the convenience retail calendar the Asian Trader Awards, set for Nov 5 at a glamorous central London location.
As one of the most prestigious celebrations in the convenience sector, the Asian Trader Awards honor the brightest talent and outstanding achievements in the UK’s independent grocery channel. Every year, new stars emerge, raising the bar for excellence across the industry.
Excitement is building as preparations kick into high gear, and today (28), we’re thrilled to reveal this year’s finalists—an elite group representing the very best in independent grocery retail across the UK. With entries far exceeding expectations, this year’s competition is fiercer than ever, showcasing extraordinary talent and resilience.
KP Snacks is expanding its Hula Hoops range, with the introduction of a bold new Smoky Bacon flavour.
The new product will be available in the same reduced plastic outer sleeve that is being rolled out across existing Hula Hoops core six-pack multipacks, removing 24 tonnes of packaging annually.
Inspired by the unbeatable taste of grilled bacon, the launch balances a perfect smoky flavour with the brand’s famous crunchy texture. The new product expands one of the nation's favourite crisp brands, purchased by 28m UK households each year.
Launching in a multipack, the new Smoky Bacon variant capitalises on the strength of this format, with multipacks driving over a third of CSN sales. Hula Hoops BBQ Beef is the best-selling multipack within the “meaty & BBQ” flavour segment and the new addition complements the range with a strong, meaty flavour that appeals to consumers. The new product capitalises on the strength of the “bacon” flavour partition in CSN, worth £74m and growing +10 per cent YOY.
The Hula Hoops Smoky Bacon multipack is well-positioned to add fun and excitement to both at-home and packed lunches, with 62 per cent of buyers opting for Crisps, Snacks and Nuts as part of their meal.
“We’re excited to launch a brand new flavour for the Hula Hoops core range, building on the brand’s momentum after reaching the impressive £200 million RSV milestone last year,” said Sasha Finan, Brand Manager at Hula Hoops. “The release of the new Smoky Bacon variant is a key step in driving incremental shoppers to the brand by tempting consumers with new and irresistible flavours.”
The new product will join Hula Hoops’ core range, featuring well-loved flavours Original, Salt & Vinegar, BBQ Beef and Cheese & Onion. It will be available in 6 x 24g multipack format. The multipack segment is the second largest in the category, valued at £1.8 million.
One in four companies have no plan to deal with these rising costs while many business owners are unsure how to drive continued growth, shows a recent survey as rising wages, increased statutory payments and soaring Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) threaten to create a financial storm.
With NICs climbing from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent and a sharp drop in the secondary threshold, the pressure on employers is mounting fast.
A recent survey of 2,000 UK businesses conducted by online printing company instantprint reveals that one in four companies have no plan to deal with these rising costs and even more worrying, 43 per cent of business owners admit they’re unsure how to drive continued growth in this new landscape.
Rising payroll costs due to National Living Wage rises to £11.44 per hour is expected to create an annual increase of £1,872 per employee.
Another concern is around reduced profitability as the combination of higher wages, increased NICs, and rising statutory payments is eating into margins.
Some businesses fear redundancies as a way to manage the spiralling wage bill while financial uncertainty is causing many business owners to put expansion plans on ice.
Many (27 per cent) businesses are being forced to raise prices but at the risk of alienating their customers.
For a small business with 10 employees on the National Minimum Wage, the additional cost looks like this:
Wage increases: £18,720 more per year.
Employer NICs: £7,903.60 more per year.
Statutory payments: Increased sick pay, maternity, and other statutory payments add even more pressure.
Despite the dire situation, businesses are adapting fast, shows the survey. While 28 per cent are adjusting operations by streamlining processes and outsourcing non-core activities, 22 per cent are passing costs to customers while 29 per cent are planning to cut expenses or improving efficiency.
While many are renegotiating B2B supplier contracts and eliminating waste, some are also reucing staff hours or adjusting compensation structures.
Almost 20 per cent of business owners are investing in automation with AI and technology being used to reduce payroll costs.
“As businesses navigate ongoing challenges, the focus is shifting towards smarter, more agile ways of working,” says Laura Mucklow, head of instantprint.
“Whether expanding your services, exploring new revenue streams or investing in smarter ways of working, taking the time to have a critical review of business operations ahead of the changes is going to be key to survival.”
National Lottery operator Allwyn is urging retailers to make the most of two mammoth footfall and sales-driving opportunities today and tomorrow.
Tonight (21 March) EuroMillions players have the chance to win an extraordinary estimated £166m jackpot. This life-changing sum could propel one lucky winner straight onto the list of The National Lottery’s biggest wins.
The gigantic draw is being supported with 'Over £160m' posters that have been rushed out to tens of thousands of stores, with the huge jackpot also being supported on in-store media screens and in above-the-line advertising – including in newspapers and on radio.
It provides a fantastic talking point for retailers, especially as a lucky winner of this amount would immediately land themselves in the realm of the rich and famous. They would be almost 18 times richer than ‘Espresso’ singer, Sabrina Carpenter, who is worth an estimated £9.25m (Celebrity Net Worth) and would also be significantly richer than England captain, Harry Kane, worth an estimated £91m (TalkSport).
A single winner would also be the third UK EuroMillions jackpot winner this year and the sixth biggest National Lottery winner of all time – not too far behind the biggest-ever UK winner, which was a £195m win from July 2022.
And if that wasn’t enough, tomorrow night (22 March) will see an £11.6m “Must Be Won” Lotto jackpot up for grabs. In a Lotto ‘Must Be Won’ draw, if the jackpot isn’t won outright by someone matching all six main numbers, then the whole amount rolls down and is shared among all the other prize tiers. This is a particularly beneficial footfall driver for retailers, as players come back into store to collect their boosted prize amounts.
“If the recent bout of spring weather hasn’t given retailers enough to smile about, this weekend’s set of bumper draws will!” said Allwyn’s Head of Retail Channels, James Dunbar. “We know when EuroMillions reaches this level, it creates lots of chatter – so presents the perfect opportunity for retailers to ask their customers if they’d like a Lucky Dip for the mega jackpot draw and to get them talking about what they’d do if they were suddenly £166m richer!
“And with a Lotto ‘Must Be Won’ draw following hot on the heels, there are plenty of reasons for players to come back in store over the coming days. It’s also worth remembering that playing any National Lottery game is more than just a chance to win; it's a way to contribute to something much bigger. Each week, players – and retailers selling tickets – help generate around £30m for National Lottery-funded Good Causes, giving everyone yet another reason to smile.”
Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is ramping up its charity drive initiative in 2025 and has partnered with leading independent convenience retailers, wholesalers and foodservice teams to support with stock donations of its popular Lucozade Energy Blue Burst.
Following the success of last year’s Blucozade launch, SBF GB&I is offering retailers and operators the opportunity to share one of the most popular new drinks of 2024 with causes close to their hearts.
This charity drive sees over 60 retailers and 10 OOH operators sharing 112 pallets – equivalent to 177,000 drinks – with those directly in touch with their local communities to support great causes. It also ensures stock reaches these community groups in time for any upcoming spring or summer events.
These charity partnerships form part of SBF GB&I’s key company value of Giving Back to Society which is deep-rooted within Suntory’s global purpose. Since this initiative began in 2020, SBF GB&I has donated more than 260,000 drinks to worthy causes across the UK.
“I regularly work with my local community to help support ongoing initiatives,” said Julie Kaur, who owns Jules Convenience Store in Telford. “Partnering with SBF GB&I for stock donations is a fantastic way for us to further assist our charity partners.”
Louisa Newlove, Head of Sales at SBF GB&I, adds:“We always strive to support our retailers in the best way we can, recognising the value they bring to the heart of their communities. We are proud to partner with them to provide stock donations for many worthy causes, which align with our company value of giving back to society. We hope this initiative will be beneficial and timely ahead of any spring or summer events they have planned!”
Participating retailers and operators will be donating to local charities in their communities over the next few weeks.
This spring, one of the UK’s premier retail industry events, the Retail Technology Show, returns - this time at ExCeL London. Volumatic is preparing to meet with retailers and industry professionals to showcase its market-leading cash handling solutions, demonstrating how its technology can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve security in cash operations.
The Retail Technology Show is a key event for the retail and hospitality sectors, taking place from 2nd-3rd April 2025. Visitors can find Volumatic at stand J28, where the team will demonstrate its intelligent cash handling solutions designed to streamline cash processes, eliminate errors, securely store cash, detect counterfeit banknotes, and enhance overall efficiency—freeing up valuable time for customer service.
Volumatic will offer visitors a hands-on experience with its cutting-edge solutions, with live demonstrations and expert guidance tailored to retailers' specific needs.
“We are thrilled to be part of the Retail Technology Show again in 2025, following our successful U.S. events earlier this year," said Mike Severs, Sales & Marketing Director. "This show is a highlight of our calendar, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with retailers and demonstrate how our award-winning cash handling solutions - like the CounterCache intelligent (CCi) and our latest software innovations - can transform cash management, making it more secure, cost-effective, and efficient.”
Cash handling solutions from Volumatic on display:
CounterCache intelligent (CCi) – An award-winning ‘closed-loop’ cash handling solution that ensures secure and accurate cash processing. Once cash is accepted by the cashier, it remains untouched until it reaches the bank.
CashView Enterprise – Demonstrating seamless communication between CCi devices and Volumatic’s latest cash management software. With intelligent dashboards and live notifications, retailers can track cash flow in real time across multiple locations.
CashView Balance App – An extension of CashView Enterprise, this app streamlines reconciliation for tills and integrates seamlessly with back-office software for automated reporting.
CountEasy & CountEasy TS Money Counting Scales – Speed up cash counting and end-of-day reconciliation in under 60 seconds. The CountEasy TS features advanced touchscreen technology for enhanced efficiency.
FC300 Friction Banknote Checker & Counter – A high-performance 1.5-pocket note counter capable of validating and counting up to 1,500 banknotes per minute, helping retailers detect forgeries and boost efficiency.
Retailers attending the Retail Technology Show are encouraged to visit stand J28 to explore Volumatic’s solutions and discover how intelligent cash handling technology can drive cost savings and operational improvements in their businesses.