Spar’s wholesaler for the north of England has teamed up with two bakery suppliers to deliver fresh bread to stores every day.

James Hall & Co Ltd has joined forces with Hovis and Frank Roberts & Sons to supply fresh bread daily to Spar stores following a successful trial.

It reported a 4% increase in bread sales during the trial in its G&E Murgatroyd company-owned stores.

The wholesaler already offers daily delivery on fresh foods and sandwiches, which it claims has helped boost retailer margins and improved in-store availability.

The wholesaler has also invested £1m in a new fleet of lorries to keep bread at the right temperature.

James Hall & Co retail director Peter Dodding hopes the partnership will help independents capitalise on a missed opportunity. “Our partnership with these leading bakeries to deliver fresh bread every day marks a fantastic opportunity for us to increase the presence of the profitable and important bread category in convenience stores.

“Bread is a massive footfall driver in convenience stores,” added Dodding. “The pre-packed bread market is worth £1.8bn but independents and symbol group stores account for just 3% of this. We want to help change that.”

The new offering will be supported by a range of promotions, including Hovis Best of Both and Roberts Rolls available at a £1 pricepoint.