Crawshaw confident after positive Christmas
FRESH meat supplier Crawshaw Group has said an improvement in performance continuing through the festive trading period leaves it confident in achieving full year market expectations.
Updating the markets on trading for the five-week period to January 1, group sales were up 13% versus the prior year, with total customer numbers also up 13% for the same period.
Like-for-like sales were -3.8% in the period, having improved from -8.1% for the four weeks ended November 27. Like-for-like customer numbers were -4.2% having improved from -9.7% for the same periods.
Noel Collett, CEO, said: “We continue to be encouraged by the customer response to the recent changes we’ve made which have translated into further progress over the festive trading period.
“Our new hamper range was particularly well received with almost 3,000 hampers sold in the Christmas week. Our focus will continue to be centred on anchoring our value credentials and we will step up our marketing activity to maintain our current momentum in building customer frequency and loyalty.”
The company also announced that Kevin Patrick Boyd will leave the business by mutual consent with immediate effect.
All meat trading and buying responsibility has been transferred to Mick Charles, who has been promoted to the position of head of buying and supply chain.
Chairman Richard Rose said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Kevin for his loyalty and commitment in his 25 years of service and wish him well for the future. We would also like to congratulate Mick on his promotion, his wealth of meat buying experience has already played a significant role in the recent improvements in sales performance.”
