£10m in Booths’ Christmas stocking
BOOTHS, the family-owned Northern food and drink retailer, has celebrated its best ever Christmas, with sales topping £10m.
The Christmas week sales mark a record in Booths’ 169 year history, while during the festive three week trading period to January 7, total sales were up 1.8% and like-for-like sales were up 2.6%.
Sales were particularly strong for Champagne (up 28% on last year), port (+12%), craft ales (+29%), artisan gin (+30%), and (salmon +126%).
Chief executive Chris Dee said: “Customers have always sought out the finest quality food and drink at Christmas and this year is no exception. Booths’ reputation for finding specialist products made by local and artisan suppliers means we come into our own in the festive period.”
A new line, ‘The Great Christmas Dinner’ which featured everything you need to get lunch for eight on the table for £100, was a sell out, while sales of ready-made luxury gravy and sauces were up 73%, and sales of prepared vegetables were up 26%.
Meanwhile, the company’s Great Northern Christmas Book proved a great success, leading to home delivery and click and collect sales increasing by 6.9%.
Dee said: “We have been delivering Christmas to our customers for over a century – whether by grocer’s bicycle in 1847 or by courier today, our customers have always valued the extra special service Booths provides at this time of year. It is heart-warming to see customers up and down the country discovering that they too can experience a Great Northern Christmas wherever they live.”
