Asif Ashraf, Smartways and MHouse Solutions
Asif Ashraf founded the symbol store chain Smartways in 2013. It has since grown to include 11 stores. He also owns and runs EPoS...
Wait for the facts on sugar
THE launch of the new health non-governmental organisation Action on Sugar in January sparked a media furore around sugars which continues to dominate headlines...
Awards Profile – Innovation in Impulse
OPENING a new store at any time can be a challenge but this must go doubly so during a pandemic. It was no small feat then, when Barry Oujla, owner of Barry’s Convenience Stores, and his son Steven, opened a new store in 2020.
Low energy, high impact
Scotmid Moredun, Moredun Park Road, Edinburgh
Scottish Grocer’s Sustainable Retailer of the Year award is about retailers who take practical steps to minimise the effect...
A worrying ‘wish list’
By Audrey Ferrie
LAST month, Alcohol Focus Scotland, in collaboration with the BMA Scotland and two alcohol related charities published their report ‘Changing Scotland’s relationship...
Awards profile – Champion of beer 2013
Our winner: life and times
Terry Feeney, owner, Nisa Extra, 57 Clippens Road, Linwood, Renfrewshire
Scottish Grocer Champion of Beer 2013 – in association with Molson...
Meet the Maker: Hovis
Tom Pook, national account manager for wholesale & impulse accounts at Hovis, talks driving bakery sales in convenience retail.
New to the village
Spar Woodilee is the first convenience store to open its doors in the development of Woodilee Village in Lenzie. For owner Zahid Farooq, it...
Jagtar Lalli, Premier and Day-Today
Jagtar Lalli is the owner of two convenience stores – the Premier in Kilmaurs and the Scottish Grocer award-winning Day-Today in Hamilton Street, Saltcoats.
How...
New generation profile: Umar Sher, 1st Stop 2 Shop
We ask some of Scotland’s young c-store retailers about their businesses and the key issues of the day.
Growing frozen
INDEPENDENT wholesaler Bestway has appointed a new category manager for its frozen business. Rachel Hartwell joins from the Musgrave group. She is now responsible...
First class package
Winner: Whitburn Post Office and Costcutter
Post Office Retailer of the Year - sponsored by The Post Office
Interview with Teresa Hill, owner.
Winner details
Store trading area: 1,700...
Uncharted territory
In its first Convenience Conversation, Scottish Grocer invited a select group of retailers and representatives from the UK’s leading tobacco and tobacco accessories firms...
‘Focus on the day job’
Bestway’s managing director on wholesale, alcohol, tobacco, Tesco, Booker and Brexit.
MARTIN Race was named as Bestway’s new managing director in August last year. With...
New directions
We ask some of Scotland’s young c-store retailers about their businesses and the key issues of the day.
We’re looking for new generation retailers and...
Keeping abreast of redundancy rules
At the end of March, P&O Ferries hit the headlines attracting substantial outrage from politicians, trade unions and the public alike when it dismissed around 800 employees without notice, subsequently replacing them with agency workers.























