Bestway celebrated a hugely successful trade show as over 800 retailers and all key suppliers attended the Bestway Retail Showcase held at Coventry Building Society Arena.
Bestway Retail Showcase 2024 saw the gathering of Bestway’s retail customers from Costcutter, best-one, Bargain Booze and Extra Local symbols and fascias, alongside the Bestway Retail specialist Retail team and supply partners, as well as interested parties and prospective retailers who are considering joining the Bestway Retail family.
The Showcase, which is in its second year, saw retailers coming together with the Bestway Retail team and supply partners to showcase how the team can collectively collaborate to drive further growth and margin.
Bestway also welcomed the industry media for a press briefing and exclusive interviews to share its latest news on new store formats and the latest launch of its innovative own label range Best-in.
This year, the showcase hosted a brand-new Innovation Zone to help retailers improve sales and margin, increase profit and reduce costs plus see the latest innovations. Here, retailers were able to experience a virtual reality walk-round its ‘best-in-class’, including its new Costcutter and Wine Rack store, its latest Best One and Bargain Booze stores as well as blueprints for the next generation of Best One and Bargain Booze stores.
The Pop-Up Shop designed to minimize closure periods during refits (which is available for hire for public/corporate events) was on display for retailers to view.
Managing Director of Bestway Wholesale, Dawood Pervez said, “This year’s Showcase has exceeded our expectations. To have our retailers engaged alongside our supplier partners and industry colleagues, was hugely extremely valuable for all parties.
"It’s often hard for independent retailers to find time to discover the latest trends and insights to support their business but the Showcase enables them to do this and make the time really count.
“The vision behind this year’s Showcase was all about innovation and progression. We wanted to help our retailers look ahead and identify great new products and services from suppliers, whilst sharing ideas with like-minded independent business owners, who inevitably face the same challenges.
“It’s not just about new products, it also about creating leading edge for our retailers. As digital platforms grow in importance, we were keen to highlight and showcase the latest equipment and technology to help them reduce costs (e.g. labour, energy and environmental), as well as the latest security technology”.
Apart from engaging in networking events, retailers also enjoyed interactive events, live demos, experiential zones and food tastings, incorporating ‘perfect serve’ masterclasses, cocktail-making and pairing sessions.
The Showcase also gave retailers a chance to win £1,000 credit with two runner- up prizes of £500, while offering exclusive show deals to be taken advantage of, leading to record numbers of orders taken.
Pervez concluded, “It was an immensely exciting and stimulating day, and I would like to extend a sincere thank you to our retailers and supply partners who helped make the day such a huge success.”
The Retail Showcase was followed by a festival themed after-party where retailers enjoyed food, drinks, and entertainment as well as a retailer raffle and further networking opportunities.
Alex Rimmer
