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Press Releases : 16 January 2007

European Grocery Franchise Reports Sales Hit All Time High

With more and more Brits setting up home in Europe, business opportunities to cater for this growing market have led to some surprising success stories.

Thomas Green’s ‘Best of British’ franchise grocery business has been successfully supplying a growing number of expats with the food they miss from home, and sales of haggis have helped them hit the €3M mark in just two years, and €2M within the last year.

Around 2.2 million Brits own property abroad but over 1 million have permanently settled overseas in the past six years alone, with the latest figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research quoting a massive 5.5 million British–born people living abroad. Thomas Green’s unique operation franchises 10 small grocery businesses in Europe and plans to grow another 10 during 2007. This operation is also the only one to sell on-line with van delivery as well as through the shops themselves.

The idea is the brainchild of Philip Evans whose first franchise was launched with great success in The Hague and run by an English woman and her Dutch husband. There are now 3 shops in the Netherlands, 6 in Spain including 1 in Ibiza, and 1 in France. He realised that no-one was supplying a significant choice of fresh, ambient and frozen British food to European shops, most of which are run by British expats.

Many expats will bring their British food tastes with them and those lucky enough to have a source nearby take full advantage.

The “Best of British” business was set up to cater for this ever expanding British ex-pat community, particularly as both Philip and his team have considerable experience in FMCG and franchising, and identified this as a real business opportunity.

Philip Evans, Managing Director of Thomas Green’s says: “Through our thorough research we have found out what British people like to buy when abroad, either living or on holiday. But we are finding that a growing percentage of customers at the shops are “natives”, having had their taste buds Anglicised over recent visits or from some of the larger operations like M & S, before they pulled out. The popular Haggis which we supply is made by the Award winning MacSween family in Edinburgh, has proved a real success, and is very well-liked with our British customers, but there is real popularity with Europeans. Last year we sold over 10,000 portions”.

Over 1,500 leading food brands are typically sold in the shops, with some carrying non-food brands such as books, cards, magazines and some seasonal goods. Other favourites beside the iconic Haggis on the shopping list are Walker’s crisps, Mother’s Pride crumpets, bacon and Weight Watchers products! Most of the food is efficiently delivered by Nisa International. Franchisees can also use Thomas Green’s consolidation points to add additional product from the UK as well as stocking some local fresh produce, maximising the efficiencies of the supply chain. Recently there has been a premium food range launched which is also proving successful.

This sophisticated operation provides leading edge retail management systems to support, advise and guide the Franchisee through their start up, and which continually sources new ideas and brands. The dedicated team also provides a bespoke website for information, online sales with a tried and tested van sales operation, and which can earn advertising income.

“We know we are the only operation to supply quality British brands across several western European countries, under a franchise, and that provides online sales as an added benefit. We have a very exciting year ahead of us, opening supermarkets in new European countries and major cities, and are delighted that we can spread the Haggis penchant along with other tastes of Britain to an ever growing European customer base” says Philip.

- Ends -

About Thomas Green's:

Founded in 2004, Thomas Green Limited works in partnership with Nisa-Today's and its export partner Nisa International.

Nisa-Today's is the UK's largest distribution and services organization for independent retail and wholesale companies. The buying group comprises 600 Nisa retail members operating over 5,000 stores and 350 Today's wholesale companies with 400 depots, making it possibly Europe's biggest independent buying group. Nisa-Today's is a £1bn distribution company with a £5.1bn wholesale buying group.

Nisa International is the UK's premier wholesale exporter of grocery products to over 90 countries worldwide and a 2004 winner of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise in International Trade.

With access to Nisa-Today's product range and Nisa International's global distribution network, Thomas Green's is able to supply its overseas shops with over 12,000 ambient, chilled and frozen food products; the lines typically sold in all major UK supermarkets, as well as premium food lines. In addition, Thomas Green's supplies many non food items including magazines, books, stationery and seasonal products to its franchisees.

Thomas Green's helps franchisees develop their stores, with full retail branding, product selection, bespoke epos systems, optimal store layout plans and marketing advice. A fully transactional website is available to franchise stores and can be used to develop a local delivery service.

 

Contact information:

Philip Evans, Managing Director +44 (0)1765 609337

enquiries@thomasgreen.com or www.thomasgreen.com