Fine food and drink distributor to farm shops, delicatessens, cafes and any independent retailer or caterer who likes to stock something a bit different.

Responsible for all aspects of commercial & operational management & development of delicatessen.

Responsible for the operational management of 20 retail stores in the Durham area.Developed and motivated management / store teams across area leading to sales increase of £990k, waste reduced by £45k, achieved11% personal budget of £2.5m.Managed staff recruitment, appraisals, coaching and mentoring across the area.Exceeded mystery shopper targets for service and stock availability with 93% average.Completed staff development, growth, achievements and team motivation.Maintained positive image throughout all team members; projected to customers.Trained personnel to achieve excellent store standards & quality customer service. Handled day-to-day store management; financial control and business planning.Co-ordinated and monitored stock audits to meet budgets and reduce shrinkage.Successfully identified areas for service improvement and delivered strong results.

Responsible for managing fresh food sales across 150 N.East / Cumbria stores.Liaised with relevant store management at all levels coordinating £70m annual turnover.Increased sales in fresh foods by £1.4m through improved merchandising strategies.Ensured monthly, quarterly and annual sales goals were achieved across stores.Implemented ‘craft bakery’ concept further improving range of product offering.Advised on inventory planning, plannograms and merchandising promotional displays.Monitored store stock availability and productivity ensuring KPIs were successfully met.