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Wednesday 16th September
Convenience Conference and Workstreams

Agenda for Convenience Conference and Workstreams (Word document)

Our main conference theme this year is about how convenience can outperform other retail channels in the future, how retailers are dealing with the new economic equilibrium and maximising their profitability.

Convenience Conference at the British Library, London
- (£495 / €587 / $814) + UK VAT (can be reclaimed)

Conference Chairman: Andrew Thornton, Owner, Thorntons Budgens

Insight's new workshop format, which proved a great success at Global Convenience Benchmarks in Dublin this March, provides a great deal of choice and allows delegates to work together in smaller groups on subjects which are of specific interest to them outside of the general session presentations.

The 16th September conference workshops and some main session presentations will focus on:

- Strategies to offer value to shoppers: Single price, frozen, own brand and promotions.
- Future technologies that increase C-retail productivity.
- "Local" and store format innovation.

Conference Programme

Edward Garner, Communications Director, TNS Worldpanel
Recession + Inflation - How are we coping?

Grocery shoppers are faced with a perfect storm of recession together with food price inflation. It comes as no surprise that a search for value has become a priority. Whilst some shoppers have traded down to more value-driven outlets, by far the biggest effect has been seen in brand switching and the dramatic rise of Value Own-Label. Is this switch really driven by the consumers’ coping strategies or are retailers forcing the pace?

Jerry Marwood, Managing Director, Spar UK Ltd
Delivering Localisation through an Effective Formats Strategy

SPAR UK have recorded a very strong performance in the recession across a 2,562 strong estate. Jerry Marwood will explain how the market has changed and look ahead to the challenges and future opportunities for the sector. In particular, his presentation will focus on the choice retailers make between a ‘one size fits all’ versus a multi-formats approach to store development and operations. He will explain why SPAR UK has chosen to take the formats route in order to provide their retailers with a platform to execute localisation effectively by tailoring their proposition to match the needs of local neighbourhoods. SPAR currently operate high and low demographic versions of 6 different formats all of which have developed unique space, range and price propositions to help optimise retailer sales and profit.

Helen Felde, Chief Concept Developer, Statoil Europe & James Simpson, Managing Director, The Food Service Centre.
Made To Go across Statoil Europe - how to build a food to go concept in seven different markets.

The content of the presentation will be around our new food concept that has been developed centrally for all our markets (excluding Russia), what is the concept and how is it being rolled out and finally learnings after 6 months of operation.

Neil Applebee, Head of Process Improvement - Non Trading, ASDA Stores Ltd.
Improving Customer Experience & Minimising Costs through Effective Self Service Retail Strategies

Neil Applebee will explore the self service revolution in retail and explain how self service links directly to Asda’s overall strategy . He will discuss Asda’s detailed customer research, explaining how customers have responded to the new self checkout technology and examining underlying motivations. He will also explain the growing importance of the host role in self service and why this aspect of self service operations will be key to providing competitive advantage in the future. He will also evaluate how retailers can merchandise and sell impulse lines at the new POP. Asda now has the fastest self service checkout rollout programme in the UK with self checkouts in 99% of stores, serving c4m customers a week (23%).

Debbie Robinson, Director, Food Retail Marketing, Co-operative Group.
The Origins of Future Ethical Trading

The newly integrated Co-operative Group and Somerfield business now has over 2,800 C-stores with an average store size of 4,200 sq ft and £7bn turnover. Two thirds of all stores have now been rebranded/refurbished - the business refitted 700 stores in 2008 and recorded a trading profit of £170m. Debbie Robinson’s presentation will cover the following areas:

• Customer focus - Good with Food journey.
• Co-operative over 165 years.
• Food Ethical Policy.
• Long term relationships.
• Growth - differentiation.

David Richardson, Global Project Networks Manager, Exxon Mobil.
How Exxon Mobil marries global scale with local marketing programmes & initiatives to drive C store innovation and growth.

David will focus specifically on the award winning UK OtR chain and the ongoing success of its Foodservice programme delivered in co-operation with Costa Coffee; He will explain how ExxonMobil combines rigorous data analysis, ongoing review of customer trends & behaviour with deployment of globally optimised and efficient processes to sustain its C store business through good times and bad.

Steven Fox, Head of Premier, Booker.
Shopping Locally with Booker Premier

Booker’s Premier format is now the most frequently shopped symbol c-store in the UK and, with an estate of 2,350 stores, the second largest UK symbol group. Booker have focused on developing solutions for stores of 800—2000 square feet and have recently developed a new Premier Express 500-800 sq ft footprint. The Booker model is built to deliver product availability, customer service and value for money, offering retailer members both choice, price and service. Product availability in particular is a key success factor for Premier and the Booker model derives competitive advantage from its mix of delivered wholesale and extensive cash and carry network. Premier has traded very well in the recession. Shoppers have increasingly shopped “locally” and more frequently with Premier as the economy has tightened and grew Premier sales at 11% in the last financial year. In his presentation Steve will explain where the growth has come from, how Premier uses demographic tools to help range stores locally and why Premier’s close partnership with retailers remains the key ingredient for success now and in the future.

Jim McCarthy, CEO, Poundland.
Putting the Customer First

Jim McCarthy, Poundland's CEO, will be sharing a brief history of Poundland, giving delegates a guided tour of a store from their seats, sharing the secrets of Poundland's success and highlighting how they create amazing value everyday putting their customers first. Poundland are now Europe’s largest single price retailer serving well over 2 million customers a week. Poundland is set to treble the number of stores it owns over the next few years and could eventually have as many as 650 outlets in the UK. The single-price retailer currently has 218 stores and plans to open at least 40 more this financial year

Joe Barrett, Director, Petrogas
How the Applegreen brand has developed to meet changing consumer needs

Petrogas is Ireland's largest independent forecourt retailer with 55 sites in Ireland. In 2008 Petrogas entered the UK market under the Applegreen forecourt brand and has continued to expand its network in both Ireland and the UK across 2008/09. The business posted a trading profit of £5.36 million in financial year ending June '08. In the setting of the current economic environment, Joe Barrett's presentation will tackle the changes required to remain successful in this sector. In particular, the differences in petrol retailing consumer shopping habits in the UK Vs Ireland and how the development of the Applegreen model to win in the UK market place has been beneficial to the Irish business.

Kishor Patel, Managing Director, Houghton Trading Ltd (Nisa Local)
“Past Glories, Future Challenges” – Industry CEOs Find Out What Makes a Modern C-Store Tick

The days of simple, carefree retail operations have gone. The pressure of rising costs and managing ever increasing legislative bureaucracy are now part of day to day life for convenience retailers in the UK. Retail tools, skills and qualifications have become as vital for retailing success as trading abilities. This all adds up to a huge future challenge for the sector. In his presentation, Kishor Patel will be asking: “Who’s doing something about it?!”. What is the future role for symbol groups, suppliers, trade associations and government in helping with these challenges and how can retailers help themselves? Kishor’s presentation will be supported by exclusive video footage of some key industry CEOs spending a day ‘going back to the floor’, working in their local C-store prior to the Insight/NACS September event. He will document their experiences and the lessons they leant. We will be revealing the identity of both CEOs close to the event.

Siemon Scamell-katz, Founder, TNS Magasin.
Understanding the True Meaning of Value

The cognitive and emotional influences at work in shopper decision-making Habituation and what it means for shopper marketing Loyalty and commitment: why they are different and why this matters How to measure value and develop much-needed new models

Mike Greene, CEO, HIM!
Changing times, Changing shoppers, Changing needs – Same Old Offer!

We all know that the world has changed in the last 12 months, household names have gone into bankruptcy, people are living, eating and shopping differently. Supermarkets and discounters are trying new approaches, ranges and promotional mechanics – some work, some don’t but they are adapting and evolving nonetheless. Why then, are so many c-retailers running their businesses in just the same way as they did pre-recession?. Mike will share some of him!’s most recent insights to help c-retailers and suppliers understand what today’s c-shoppers really want.

Mark Bradley, Director of Operations
Hakim Mawhoub, Business Development Manager
A Brand Partnership
One plus one can equal more than two!

Subway®'s expansion in the UK and Ireland over the last few years has been nothing but phenomenal, and with over 1500 stores (and counting!) there is no sign of it stopping even during the current economic climate. Mark and Hakim will explain how Subway® has managed to expand its offerings through implant sites into non-high street applications and hence forge successful and profitable partnerships with major convenience retailers. Subway®'s flexible approach to store layout and its simple operations has allowed it to offer convenience stores a brand impact which has driven traffic and sales. Mark will also touch upon the new Subway® Platter program which he spearheaded in London and which has helped bring incremental business to Subway® stores.

Clemens van Hulten, Owner
Shell De Lucht
Maximizing margins in a Shell convenience store using Electronic Shelf Labels

Shell De Lucht petrol stations in the Netherlands are the Shell pilot store for electronic shelf labels. Store owner Clemens van Hulten will be presenting his experience with this new technology so far. Shell De Lucht have improved their business by changing prices for groceries four times over the course of the day in the Netherlands. Owner Clemens van Hulten has also increased margins by 2.6% with flexible prices. At night, he increases the prices by 10% without selling less products. Shell De Lucht deploys electronic shelf labels (ESL) from Pricer and rule engines from Impulse Logic and Capgemini. Main contractor Toshiba integrated the solutions with the existing POS software from Tokheim.

Stephanie Rice, Managing Director
Rice Retail Marketing
Local Marketing – How to Get Close to Your Customers

Community marketing is a key global trend. Marketing expert Stephanie Rice will explain why community marketing has become increasingly important to convenience retailers. She will case study how it can build loyalty and trust and create long term growth. How closely are retailers aligned to customers’ views in a changing world? What is “Local” food? How can word of mouth marketing be developed?

Global Convenience Store of the Year Award Presentation.
Profile of winning retailer.
Retailers from around the world are competing for the first International Convenience Retailer Award. Launched by Insight and NACS, the award has attracted eight stunning entries from around the globe and spanning the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.

They are: FairPrice Xpress, by NTUC FairPrice from Singapore, Mercator - Slovenia, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Centra Parnell Street, Dublin, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, Centra Raheen, Limerick, Pick n Pay - South Africa, Sainsbury's - UK, Spar International/Spar China, Topaz Ireland

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