Nisa adds almost 700 stores worth £140m
NISA has recruited 692 stores with sales of more than £140m in the last 12 months.
The Scunthorpe-based member-owned buying organisation for convenience stores now represents 1,134 who operate 4,000 local grocery shops across the UK.
Nisa puts the rapid growth down to a focused investment plan that will see new own-brand ranges and store formats rolled out in 2014.
Commenting on the growth Amanda Jones, chief operating officer for Nisa said: “Our growth is really a success story for our members who see Nisa’s profits reinvested back into price and promotions or shared through a member dividend. We have also seen that retailers who join us see a sales uplift of around 10 per cent within the first year. This is a great platform on which to build our continued growth.”
Recent recruits include Edinburgh retailer, Margiotta Food & Wine and stores in the University of York.
The convenience sector is undergoing rapid expansion as the nation’s shopping habits change. Analysts predict the sector will grow by £10bn in the next five years.
Nisa allows retailers to trade under their own name or alternatively used the Nisa fascia or a new brand called Loco.
Jon Greenwood, University Of York commercial director, said: “We have joined Nisa to maximise profitability and in my opinion I felt Nisa has that extra “edge” because of the strong team behind it.”
Nisa can trace its history back to 1977 when Peter Garvin, a Yorkshire-based retailer, met Dudley Ramsden, a wholesaler whose family owned a supermarket in Grimsby.
The company was called the Northern Independent Supermarkets Association and comprised 30 retailers, with a turnover of £20m. Today the company operates across the UK and has a turnover £1.5bn.
