Asco embarks on ambitious 30-store growth plan
A NEW player in the grocery market place will be born in the North West this week with the launch of the first Asco supermarket.
The opening of the 11,000 sq ft store in Warrington on Saturday will be the first of 11 in the region by next summer. Asco hopes to have opened 30 shops across the North within the next three years and created 3,000 jobs.
The Warrington store on Great Sankey Street is on the site of the town’s former Woolworth’s and has created 65 jobs.
Asco, whose strapline is “The Real Alternative” will offer value for money and use local suppliers where possible in its 20,000-strong product range.
It is headed by Dave Laney, who has 30 years’ experience in retail, having worked with Mothercare and WH Smith and most recently with North West bakery group Sayers.
He has raised finance from private investors to back the roll-out of the concept, and has worked with NatWest on the launch of the business.
Mr Laney said: “Before opening in Warrington we carried out a substantial amount of research which indicated people in the town wanted something different from their grocery and food shopping.
“Our customers will come from every walk of life but those people who work in or visit town centres and like to shop little and often are likely to form the core of our business.
“We plan to offer customers an alternative when shopping for their daily essentials which will give them a refreshing and pleasant change.”
He said the first store would be a “blueprint” for the roll-out, and said he sees 30 stores within three years as achieveable.
“As a result of the recession there are many retail properties in prime town centre locations that are being made available on good terms.
“It gives a start up business like Asco the chance to establish a foothold in this market place and come out the other side of this recession in a very strong position.”
Although the name suggests a hybrid of Asda and Tesco, Mr Laney said Asco was not looking to challenge the might of the major chains.
“We not taking the major groccers on – how could we as a start up? I can only admire their success.”
