Friday 27th October 2017
Putting the best into Bestway
Bestway Wholesale saluted eighteen of the country's most progressive independent retailers at the Bestway Wholesale Retail Development Awards on Thursday 26th October at London's prestigious Grosvenor House hotel in London’s Park Lane.
The awards, which saw the company present awards to its club and symbol customers, multiple account customers and unaffiliated retailers, are the culmination of a series of development seminars which were held earlier in the year across the UK. The seminars saw forty supplier partners share insight and advice across their relevant categories with the retailers who implemented major changes, based on their learnings, receiving prizes totalling £28,000 on the awards night.
The top award - National Retailer of the Year - was won by Best-one forecourt operator QP Petroleum in Runcorn with owner Kuperan Murugesu collecting the trophy and a cheque for £10,000.
Regional winners who, each collected £2,000, were announced as Amjad Mahmood, Madina Foods in London (Southern Winner), Kalpesh Raja, Parker Drive Service Station in Leicester (Northern Winner) and Umar Sher, Best-one 1st Stop to Shop in Forfar (Scotland Winner).
Addressing the 400-strong audience which included retailers, suppliers and Bestway Wholesale personnel, Bestway Group chief executive Zameer Choudrey CBE said "Bestway is extremely proud of our RDA programme which over the years has helped thousands of retailers develop their stores to match the changing needs of shoppers. The scheme is unique in the industry and demonstrates our commitment to help retailers compete against increasing competition on the high street. For our winners, their stores are so much more than being places to buy groceries. They are place to build communities.”
Given the current uncertainty in the sector, Choudrey also reiterated the strength and vibrancy of the independent sector and called on called on suppliers to support independents invest what’s right - rather than what’s left.
The Bestway Retail Development programme is now in its 17th year and has helped over 6,000 independent retailers build a more profitable business.
For all Bestway media enquiries please contact:
Paul Gray
Group PR and Communications Manager
T: 020 8453 8337 / M: 07810 714 766
E: paul.gray@bestway.co.uk
Major Awards:
OVERALL WINNER
Kuperan Murugesu, QP Petroleum, Halton Brow Service Station, Runcorn
Contact details: 01928590145 / 07904390305; kupekmns@gmail.com
SOUTHERN WINNER
Amjad Mahmood, Madina Foods, 793 Romford Road, Manor Park
Contact details: 02085148999 / 07930545897; amahmood11@yahoo.co.uk
NORTHERN WINNER
Kalpesh Raja, Parker Drive Service Station, Leicester
Contact details: 0116 2340940 / 07930 404492; kaplesh@kalronltd.com
SCOTTISH NATIONAL WINNER
Umar Sher, 1st Stop To Shop, Forfar
Contact details: 07938494197
COMMUNITY AWARD
Bruce & Donna Morgan, Best-one @ Brownlies, Biggar
Contact details: 07739322816; brownlies@btinternet.com
BEST-ONE WINNER
Gareth & Natalie Hooton, Best-one Hootons, Golborne
Contact details: 01942711137 / 07881562488; garethhooton@aol.com
Category Awards
SOFT DRINKS
Manish Hira, Best-one, Sheffield
WATER
Tharmalingam Gnanachandran, Fairways, Kirkby
BEER AND CIDER
Tanveer Aslam, Best-One Stechford Supermarket, Stechford
WINES AND SPIRITS
Santhosh Sundaresan, BMP Star Supermarket. Mottingham
TOBACCO
Kanagasuntharam Parthipan, Four Seasons, Liverpool
CONFECTIONERY
Saghir Hasham & Saqib Mahfooz, Mr Booze Express, Derby
CRISPS AND SNACKS
Hitesh Karsan, Hathershaw Mini Market, Oldham
GROCERY
Kiran Narula, JK Supermarket, Hayling Island
HOUSEHOLD HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Mr Sinnathurai Baskaran, Four Seasons, Liverpool
CHILLED PROVISIONS AND DAIRY
Syed Monawer Hassan, Samz Trading, Canning Town
PET FOOD
Gareth Jones, JJ's Convenience Store, Bargoed
BABY FOOD
Daljit Athwal, Shop Around The Clock, Tenterden