Kay Patel always takes adversity as a challenge, and her determination to prioritise and succeed won her the Businesswoman of the Year award
“Remaining in your comfort zone is a barrier,” according to Kay Patel, who has made a career of attaining success by being uncomfortable and testing herself to the limits.
Over three decades, Kay has transformed her business from a small independent store to a multi-million-pound enterprise, navigating personal and professional challenges with grace and determination. And, the dynamic entrepreneur behind six thriving convenience stores in Surrey has been recognised as the Businesswoman of the Year at the 2023 Asian Trader Awards.
“I did step out of my comfort zone, and I did do things. I used to do banking as well, and I obviously have to accommodate other aspects of my life. It's all about prioritising what is first,” she says. “And sometimes you've got to put yourself in there as well.”
Kay's foray into the retail industry began in 1997 when she and her then-husband acquired their first store in Box Hill, Surrey. At just 20 years old and two weeks postpartum, Kay faced the dual challenge of motherhood and entrepreneurship. But her passion for retail shone through.
“I always want to do my own business. I became a very young mother, and it was a challenge. But if you're ambitious enough and you have a motive to work towards it, I think you can balance anything in life. I just took that as strength and then carried on,” she recollects.
Growing up in a business environment, Kay was inspired by her father Jagdish Patel, who came here from Africa in 1972 and worked in a plastic-making factory, before opening his own a store in Croydon. They later moved to Surrey and from a young age Kay accompanied her father to the cash and carry, and helped with the accounts, which sparked her interest in retail.
In 1998, the Box Hill store became a Costcutter, marking the beginning of Kay's association with the symbol group. Over the next decade she expanded her portfolio, acquiring and running several stores. This period also saw Kay balancing her growing family and a part-time job as a banking advisor.
“I think organisation is a secret to balance, giving the correct job the right priority,” she says. “You've just got to make sure you're ready for every situation and be a little bit more organised – although with children, young children, you cannot always be organised. But I always prioritised what was first.”
Resilience in adversity
Kay's resilience was profoundly tested in 2020, a year marked by personal and professional upheaval. Following her divorce in February and her mother's passing in September, disaster struck in December when a fire destroyed her prized Witley Village Stores. The fire, occurring during the festive season and amid the global pandemic, left Kay without her primary source of income.
“It was such a tough, challenging time. The fire destroyed the only source of income I had at that time, so financially it was a struggle and mentally I was exhausted,” she reflects.
Despite these challenges, Kay's determination never wavered. With the moral support from her three children, she rebuilt the store, transforming it into a larger, more modern establishment. The reopened site saw a 50 per cent growth in weekly sales, a testament to Kay's ability to turn adversity into opportunity.
“It wasn't easy,” she says. “My kids were there for me, and they were my strength and the ambition to carry on. I don't know how to describe it, to be honest. It was the phase that if I collapsed, then my whole world will collapse, including my kids. But if I kept fighting and going on, it meant I would build a better future for the children. So for me, as for all mothers, their kids are priority, and I think that's what I took down as the strength and carried on thinking I need to do this, not only for myself, but for my children as well.”
Her oldest daughter is a pharmacist, and the elder of the two sons has joined her in the business after graduation, while the younger is “setting out to do his own thing”.
Prior to the fire she had made commitments to buy other stores, so it was tougher getting the finance in place with a closed store. But she secured funding to grow the business, which saw the addition of four more Surrey stores during 2021. She bought her latest store in December last year.
Each new acquisition showcased her strategic vision and innovative approach. For instance, Kay's Costcutter Cranfield, which had been closed for 11 months due to Covid-19, saw a remarkable turnaround, with takings growing from £9,000 to £22,000 and still increasing.
Creativity and attention to detail are hallmarks of Kay's business philosophy. Her stores feature unique elements such as the “Play as you Go” area at the Cranfield store, where children can play with new and exciting toys while their parents shop. This innovation not only enhances the shopping experience but also boosts sales of these toys.
“We interact with our customers, and ask them questions as to, ‘What would you like in your local store?’. We have a lot of ideas, and it's not always possible to do everything, because we have to be very cost effective, but we try and incorporate what they suggest and their opinions,” she says.
“And we also ask the team, because I've got a lot of local staff that work for me, and they know the community very well.”
Empowering her team
Kay's success is not hers alone; she attributes much of it to her dedicated team. She believes in leading by example and creating an environment where her employees feel valued and empowered.
“I think initiative is a big thing. You should always praise them for what they do. Although I own the business, they are facing the customer. So I think they need to feel valued at all times and make sure they have the right training in order for them to carry on the right duties, to expand the business, and to build that relationship with the customers as well,” she says.
Kay's approach to management includes comprehensive training programmes, regular one-on-one meetings, and team-building activities. She fosters a culture of open communication and continuous learning, encouraging her staff to take initiative and learn from their mistakes.
“Training is a key thing. I have a portfolio of my own, basically shop training, alcohol training, the compliances, health and safety, all that. We try and do all that once every three months, and keep on top of it. And then, obviously, just making sure that the team actually practice that on an everyday basis,” she explains.
Kay also emphasises cleanliness and presentation, believing that a clean and hygienic environment attracts customers.
“We have a checklist for morning, afternoon, evening. For example, we make sure our coffee machine gets cleaned at least three times a day, because that's something customers are looking at. They want to see that hygiene. Dusty shelves are not always appreciated. I think a clean and hygienic environment also brings the customers in, and that's what we work towards every day,” she says.
Community engagement
For Kay, who has been a parish councilor for six years, business is not just about profits; it is about giving back to the community. She views her stores as community hubs and actively engages with local schools and sports clubs.
Local sourcing is another cornerstone of Kay's business.
“We specialise in fine wines and spirits in one of the stores. We have our local breweries. We have our local bread supply, local eggs. And we don't really source them. They actually come to us because we're all about helping small businesses. It's very important that these small businesses survive as well. So any little help that we can give by purchasing from them, I think it's a great idea, because it puts revenue back into the community,” she notes.
She highlights how the local businesses stepped up during the pandemic, when stores faced availability issues.
“It was the small businesses that actually delivered the bread, the eggs, and the flour. We used to buy a 10 kilo bag of flour to bag up on the premises and do one kilo each and sell it, because we couldn't get any flour, any pasta,” she says. “It was the small businesses that actually kept us going as well. So, it goes around in a circle, doesn't it?”
It’s the journey
Kay is a strong advocate for women in retail and she says winning the Businesswoman of the Year award from Asian Trader was a proud moment for her.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked when I was nominated, and I felt very proud,” she says. “Think about it, after 30 years, I was recognised. I've been doing this for 30 years. It's a very long time, and to achieve an award after all this, because you don't expect anything. You just keep going. You do what you're good at, you do what you're good at, you do what you're good at. Very rarely, someone comes up to you and says, ‘You know what? someone else is actually proud of you’.”
While she thinks that women are now getting more recognised than they were before, she would like to see even more of it.
“There are a lot of women out there that do a lot of things, but not their skills and their knowledge and their efforts, they're not appreciated,” she says.
“When Asian Trader brought out the Businesswoman of the Year award, I think it was a fantastic thing. They actually recognised that women are in business, and they do have a business head. They can also run a business successfully, as successfully as running their home and looking after the kids,” she says.
She encourages young women to pursue their dreams, emphasising the importance of the journey rather than the destination.
“I think they should go ahead and listen to what they want to do. It can be a challenge, but I think every challenge is a learning curve, and I think they should go out there in the world and show their talent and show that they've actually got something to give back to the community,” she says.
“It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Destination could be anywhere, you can reach your destination as in little time as you want to, but it’s the journey that you actually live towards it, the learning curves you learn, the people you meet, the friends you make – the enemies you make!”
In fact, you’ll see a canvas with this quote – “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” – In each of her stores.
“Although everybody reaches their destination, everything they learn through reaching that destination is important. That's my motive. It will always be so,” Kay concludes.
SPAR UK has announced the appointment of Michael Fletcher as its new managing director.
Fletcher spent 22 years at Tesco plc, where he held numerous senior commercial roles in the UK, Ireland and Asia. He joined Co-op Retail in 2013 where he held the position of chief commercial officer before moving on to become CEO of Nisa Wholesale, a role he held until 2022.
Since leaving Nisa, Fletcher has taken on several non-executive director and board advisory roles. He is also the founder and chief executive of Sleet Brush Limited, where he focuses on designing and implementing innovative solutions to complex retail and wholesale challenges.
“Michael has outstanding credentials in commercial, retail and FMCG sectors, with experience across various trading environments,” Nick Bunker, non-executive chair, SPAR Food Distributors Ltd, said.
“His professional capabilities and high standards consistently drive excellent business performance and operational resilience. We are delighted with his appointment and look forward his lasting and positive contribution to the SPAR business.”
Fletcher added: “SPAR is a globally recognised and respected brand, and I am thrilled to join the team. I look forward to supporting the ongoing strengthening and development of the SPAR proposition in the UK.”
October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month with food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea along with chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals, shows industry data released today (29).
According to British Retail Consortium (BRC), shop price deflation was at 0.8 per cent in October, down from deflation of 0.6 per cent in the previous month. This is below the 3-month average rate of -0.6 per cent. Shop price annual growth was at its lowest rate since August 2021.
Food inflation slowed to 1.9 per cent in October, down from 2.3% in September. This is above the 3-month average rate of 2.1 per cent . The annual rate continues to ease in this category and inflation remained at its lowest rate since November 2021.
Fresh Food inflation decelerated in October, to 1.0 per cent , down from 1.5 per cent in September. This is below the 3-month average rate of 1.2 per cent . Inflation was its lowest since October 2021.
Ambient Food inflation decelerated to 3.1 per cent in October, down from 3.3 per cent in September. This is below the 3-month average rate of 3.3 per cent and remained at its lowest since March 2022.
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the BRC, said, “October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month. Food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea as well as chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals. In non-food, discounting meant prices fell for electricals such as mobile phones, and DIY as retailers capitalised on the recent pick-up in the housing market.
“With fashion sales finally turning a corner this Autumn, prices edged up slightly for the first time since January as retailers started to unwind the heavy discounting seen over the past year.”
“Households will welcome the continued easing of price inflation, but this downward trajectory is vulnerable to ongoing geopolitical tensions, the impact of climate change on food supplies, and costs from planned and trailed Government regulation. Retail is already paying more than its fair share of taxes compared to other industries.
“The Chancellor using tomorrow’s Budget to introduce a Retail Rates Corrector, a 20 per cent downwards adjustment, to the business rates bills of all retail properties will allow retailers to continue to offer the best possible prices to customers while also opening shops, protecting jobs and unlocking investment.”
Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, NielsenIQ, said, “Inflation in the food supply chain continues to ease and this helped slow the upward pressure of shop price inflation in October, however other cost pressures remain.
“Consumers remain uncertain about when and where to spend and with Christmas promotions now kicking in, competition for discretionary spend will intensify in both food and non-food retailing.”
PayPoint has announced a new partnership with Leeds Credit Union (‘LCU’), a financial cooperative with 37,000 members, enabling them access to its CashOut service, effective immediately.
The partnership will mean that LCU customers can access their cash and savings across any of PayPoint’s UK network of 29,000 retailer partners. This represents an unprecedented growth in accessibility and the first partnership of its kind for LCU. Historically customers have needed to visit one of LCU’s four branches to withdraw money.
Leeds Credit Union provides straightforward, affordable financial services. As a mutual there are no shareholders, so it is owned by its members and always has the interests of the members at the heart of everything it does. The credit union prides itself on providing members with the most appropriate services based on their circumstances.
“Our partnership with Leeds Credit Union will enable its customers to access their funds more easily than ever before," said Jo Toolan, Managing Director of Payments at PayPoint. "We’re committed to pursuing these kinds of partnerships, which enable credit unions to offer a more competitive and technologically advanced service, while simultaneously making the lives of customers that little bit easier through enhanced access.”
Greg Potter, Head of Marketing & Member Experience at Leeds Credit Union, said: “Increasingly, we’re looking at ways that we can apply technological solutions and partnerships to add value to the experience of our members using Leeds Credit Union. This partnership is demonstrative of our determination to grow in their best interests and will make access to funds something that can be done at any of a number of PayPoint locations in the UK.”
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A Philip Morris logo is pictured on a factory in Serrieres near Neuchatel, Switzerland December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Marlboro-maker Philip Morris said Tuesday it planned to close down its two production sites in Germany, citing falling demand for cigarettes among Europeans.
"In recent years, demand for cigarettes in Europe has fallen significantly," the company said in a statement, adding that it saw the same trend for roll-your-own tobacco.
"This trend is expected to continue in the coming years," the company said.
Many smokers have been shifting to e-cigarettes, or vapes, and heated-tobacco devices.
Philip Morris employs 372 workers at its factories in Berlin and Dresden. Both sites are scheduled for closure next year.
The tobacco giant said it would begin discussions with labour representatives to find "fair and socially responsible solutions" for staff.
Nisa retailer Prem Uthayakumaran has made significant donations totalling £3,500 to two local community organisations through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally (MADL) charity.
The funds will provide essential support to groups within the communities that his stores serve, helping them continue their invaluable work.
The first of these generous donations was a £1,000 contribution from Broxbourne Service Station in Hertfordshire, directed to the Lea Valley Karate Academy. The funds will enable the academy to purchase much-needed equipment, ensuring that young people and adults in the local area have access to high-quality resources as they develop their skills in martial arts.
Additionally, a £2,500 donation was made by Eastfield and Cross Road Service Stations to the Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club. The club, which provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in football, will use the funds to support their programs, enhancing the experience for current players and making it possible for even more participants to join.
In July 2024, Prem donated £1,000 to Voice of the Vale – a group of young performers at Nottingham Trent University. This followed further self-donations from Prem to Broxbourne Organisation for Disabled and to Mansfield Under 12s Football Club in 2023.
Prem Uthayakumaran said: “Supporting the communities around my stores has always been important to me, and through Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity, we’re able to make a real, tangible difference. The Lea Valley Karate Academy and Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club both play vital roles in their respective communities, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to their success.”
Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity enables retailers to donate to local good causes through the sale of Co-op own brand products in their stores. A percentage of sales from these products goes into a MADL fund, which retailers can then use to make donations to charities, schools, sports clubs, and other community groups.Kate Carroll, Head of Charity at Nisa, said, “We are delighted to see retailers like Prem using their MADL funds to support such worthwhile local causes. Both the Lea Valley Karate Academy and Mansfield Town Ability Counts Football Club provide vital services to their communities, and donations like these enable them to continue their important work. At Nisa, we are incredibly proud of our retailers’ commitment to making a difference locally.”
Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has been helping retailers like Prem Uthayakumaran give back to their communities for over 15 years, and with each donation, they help foster stronger, more Connected local areas.