What's keeping my till ringing?

Simon Biddle, owner of Biddle’s Spar, in Redditch, Worcestershire, says he is keeping busy after enjoying bumper sales from Pancake Day.

He says: “We’ve had a really good start to March and did really well from the buzz around Pancake Day. All the usual toppings of lemon, honey and Nutella have been selling well. However, the real hit this year was Antonelli’s pancake shaker mix.

“It is the kind of product that catches on because it is convenient and cheap for people to buy. It is something we haven’t stocked in the past but it seems to appeal to consumers of all ages.

“We’ve got Mother’s Day coming up this month too so hopefully we’ll do well out of that as well. It is the time of year when there are lots of seasonal events going on, so we want to get this month sorted out before we make space for our Easter range.”

Star performers: “We make our own fresh food-to-go products and sandwiches, which are always popular with customers because they know they are all good quality and local.”

Successful NPD

“I was really surprised how many of the Antonelli pancake shaker mixes we sold. I ordered about five or six cases, which I imagined would be too much, but we sold the lot!

“It helps that we still have the products on promotion at £1 but, even at that price, they still offer good margins and bring people into the store.”

The Antonelli pancake shaker mix is designed to make it easier for customers to make and fry their own pancakes. Once water has been added to the mix, it can be shaken and used to create a batter for up to six pancakes.

The product is sold in 155g bottles and has an rrp of £1.80, with a promotional price of £1 during seasonal events.