Nisa set to break through £1.5bn turnover barrier

Over the half year to the end of September, Scunthorpe-based Nisa’s sales increased by 6.1 per cent year on year, to £770m while half year EBITDA (earnings before interest taxation and amortisation) rose by 24 per cent to £7.3m.

For the full year, Nisa is forecasting EBITDA of £13.2m, up from £12.2m last year.

Full year turnover is expected to be £1.51bn, compared with £1.43bn the year before.

Half year volumes increased by 10 per cent on the same period last year, to stand at 61m cases.

Martin McColl, the convenience store and newsagent operator, recently announced that it had reached an agreement with Nisa to supply its larger convenience stores.

Under the new arrangements, around 330 out of the 670 McColls convenience stores will see their supplies switch from Palmer & Harvey to Nisa by the end of next month.

Simon Webster, Nisa finance director, said: “The McColls business has been a positive step for us this year.

“We are very pleased to announce such positive half-year trading results as this continues to re-enforce the extremely strong position that Nisa is in, as it goes through a significant period of change.”

Yesterday, Nisa Retail revealed that it had appointed Steve Leach to the newly created position of business unit director for independents and specialists.

Mr Leach will report directly to Amanda Jones, chief operating officer, and his role will focus on supporting Nisa’s independent and specialist members, such as the McColl’s Retail Group, with the aim of developing and growing this side of the business.

Mr Leach has a wide variety of experience within the retail sector.

He recently held the position of head of retail at Vodafone. He has also held senior roles at Alliance Boots, where he was head of retail transformation, as well as management roles at Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer.

Ms Jones said: “We are delighted to welcome Steve on board as the new business unit director for independents and specialists, which will take effect from Jan- uary.

“His appointment demonstrates the positive strategic direction Nisa is taking to become a more retail focused business, that is more equipped to deliver retail solutions and benefits to our wide range of differing members in an increasingly competitive market place. ”

Mr Leach added: “I am delighted to join Nisa at this very exciting time for the business.

“I look forward to working collaboratively with all the independent and specialist members, to build on their current success and to support them in their future growth.”

In January, Nisa said it had delivered “encouraging” Christmas trading figures, after a high profile advertising campaign helped to improve its perform- ance.

In February, Nisa Retail secured a refinancing from Barclays to help it grow.

Nisa has opened a depot in Livingston, to provide an improved service to its Scottish and Irish members.

Nisa was formed in 1977 to protect the interests of independent retailers against the growth of their bigger rivals.

Today, Nisa members can benefit from a package provided by the member support centre in Scunthorpe, which includes a trading team.

Nisa is a member-owned organisation, which aims to help independents remain competitive in the food and drink markets.

Nisa has around 1,100 members, who operate more than 3,750 stores across the UK, and it also employs around 300 staff in Scunthorpe.

Protecting the ‘crown jewels’

NISA is a confident place to be, according to Neil Turton, Nisa’s chief executive.

Writing in Nisa Consortium, Nisa’s magazine for its members, he said: “We have recently experienced record sales and volumes and we are equally focused on ensuring that the ‘crown jewels’ of our delivery service to members also run smoothly, after some problems in the summer.

“We have confidence, but there is no room for complacency and we have an intense desire to be very demanding on our ourselves.”