Adam Hogwood, manager of Budgens Broadstairs, Kent, is seeing great sales across his premium alcohol and his fresh and chilled products.
“The new Absolut in the fancy crystal-effect bottle is going really surprisingly well. I haven’t even been doing anything to promote it, people just like the way it looks and it has that collectable factor.
“We’re also seeing great sales of premium craft ales. I just put up the price of the 330ml cans, from £2.19 to £2.59 and they actually seem to be selling better!
“We’ve been selling Bud Light for a couple of months now and it’s still going strong but I did check out prices at the local Tesco and saw they are selling four-packs for £3 so that’ll be the end of us I think. We have the four-pack for £4.
“We’ve gone back to using a really local farmer for our cauliflowers, cabbages and potatoes which have been doing really exceptionally well.
“The farm is Philpotts farm and the farmer has been in the national press quite a lot lately as he’s been advocating using local suppliers. I’m very happy to support his business and my customers are clearly happy to.
“I was always encouraged against using local suppliers for these products as I was told I would be charges more but he charges me half the amount that I was paying with my previous supplier.
“Our premium ready meals are selling well. They are wrapped with cellophane so you can see what’s inside which I think people are attracted to. We sell those at about £4 each.”
What’s hot: ”Alcohol and tobacco are by far the best categories.”
What’s not: ”Health and beauty is really not doing much at the moment.”
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