Booths targets more stores in Yorkshire in expansion policy

New retail director Paul Minett said there were two more stores in the pipeline outside the region but Yorkshire was a key target area for the company.

“We are always looking for the right sites for Booths,” he said. “We are very keen to get more sites in Yorkshire.”

The Lancashire-based company has 29 stores across the north of England, including three in Yorkshire at Ilkley, Settle and Ripon.

Mr Minett, who was appointed last month following the retirement of David Benson, is responsible for the day-to-day running of all of Booths’ stores across Yorkshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire & Cumbria.

He said: “We want to build on what we have already got whilst keeping our point of difference and staying special. That is a challenge in an increasingly competitive market.”

Last year, this challenge was magnified when Booths reported a fall in pre-tax profits after depressed consumer spending and intense competition took a toll.

Pre-tax profits fell to £5.9m in the year to March 31, 2012 from £8.2m the previous year because of pressure on trading margins and a one-off refinancing cost of £1m.

Sales grew 1.2 per cent to £273.6m in the year.

However, Mr Minett told the Yorkshire Post the company was doing “very well” in the current market.

“Current trading, given the market, is very strong and the recent good weather has been brilliant for us,” he said.

Since the last accounts were published, Booths has opted out of the price war which has engulfed the grocery sector and is concentrating on other ventures instead.

It recently launched an interactive loyalty card which offers discounts and allows shoppers to track their spending by keeping their receipts in an electronic account.

The card coincides with the launch of a new mobile app for iPhones and iPads, which allows customers to access their account on the move, and a new website to support the system.

Mr Minett revealed he has spent the last four weeks working across different departments within the supermarket, including clearing tables in restaurants and working on the tills to gain a better understanding of the company and its employees.

“There is tremendous passion and pride in the workforce which is great,” he said.

“Customers come to Booths for great quality fresh food and special products they can’t buy at the mainstream supermarkets. We work very hard to continue that point of difference.”

He added: “People know Booths because we source locally and deal with ethical suppliers. We have a real relationship with people who grow our fruit and veg.”

While the horsemeat scandal has adversely affected sales at some of the big supermarkets, Mr Minett said Booths had actually benefitted from the scare.

“After everything that has happened, people are starting to think about where they are going to buy their food,” he said.

“Following the horsemeat scandal we saw an increase in interest from customers in the meat they were buying and sales actually went up.”

He added: “Customers are becoming more particular about the meat they buy and shop in a different way than before. Meat is becoming more of a treat.

“People might have a really nice roast dinner but it might be the only meat they eat all week so they are going to make sure they buy a nice product.”

Mr Minett joined Booths following an 18-month stint in Saudi Arabia working as director of hypermarkets for supermarket chain Panda.

He previously worked his way through the ranks at Asda and was regional operations manager at Sainsbury’s as well as head of retail at Best Buy UK.

Chief operating officer Chris Dee said: “We’re pleased to welcome Paul to Booths and we are confident that he has the skills, experience, dedication and drive to take, improve and refine our store offering and take the business to another level.”

Booths was founded in 1847 and remains a family owned and run business, with fifth generation Edwin Booth, the current chair- man.

Edwin is supported by his brother Graham who is the director of store development, and his cousin Simon, director of fresh food and distribution.

Booths’ stores are medium-sized supermarkets between 18,000 and 25,000 sq ft.

It was founded in June 1847 when 19-year-old tea dealer Edwin Henry Booth opened a shop called The China House in Blackpool.

The company is headquartered in Preston, Lancashire.

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