Mills Group says it expects to increase its turnover by 10% this year after the recent purchase of five stores from Sainsbury's.

The new additions - four of which are former Jacksons stores and one a former Bells in Teesside - take Mills'

c-store estate to over 50 and will give the group an extra £6m of sales a year, managing director Nigel Mills told Convenience Store.

Being independently owned would allow the stores to provide the community with high levels of customer service and a wider range of products, Mills said.

The ex-Jacksons stores, which had previously been trading as Sainsbury's Locals, are all located in Hull, a new area for Mills Group.

The stores all have licensed, food-to-go, chilled and frozen sections.