Poundland, Europe’s biggest single price discount retailer sells high quality products, including top brands and daily essentials all for £1, providing customers with amazing value.In early 2009 Poundland expanded its range of ambient food products to include milk. This chilled offering quickly increased to incorporate soft drinks and other dairy produce; and within 12 months the company realised that the chiller cabinets originally specified didn’t have the capacity required for Poundland’s busy retail environment and high-volume turnover.
The company’s Head of Store Development Mark Roberts therefore began reviewing refrigerated cabinet manufacturers to find a case that offered the best combination of product space and visual merchandising.
Verco’s Cambridge was eventually selected as the cabinet of choice because, unlike other cases, its condenser and associated equipment is accommodated to allow a low-front design that ensures maximum merchandising space. This is turn reduces the amount of time staff spend re-stocking the cabinets during the day.
Commenting, Mark says: “The refrigerated cabinets are vital to the success of this growing sector of our business so we wanted the best combination of space, product presentation and merchandising. We felt the Cambridge offered us that, whilst also looking good in store and providing ease of access for our customers.”
With the range and turnover of its chilled produce continuing to expand, Poundland also decided to increase the number of cabinets per site, based on store size and turnover. The retailer is currently installing either a 1.3m or 2.5m Cambridge per site or, if floor space and projected turnover dictates, both cabinets stand together in a continuous run.
Mark goes on to say that where the company is selling chilled products, sales have significantly increased since installing the larger Cambridge cabinets.
Commenting on running costs, which were also an important issue in the cabinet choice, Mark says: “We are an environmentally conscious business so are constantly trying to improve energy efficiency in order to reduce energy costs and our impact on the environment. Verco’s Cambridge impressed us because it was one of the most energy efficient cabinets available.
Poundland has recently opened its 300th store and, with plans to increase its portfolio by a further 60 sites per year, Mark confirms that new sites will be equipped with Cambridge cabinets.
Verco’s Cambridge range features a low-front design of just 410mm and, in its standard height (2035mm) format, includes widths from 964mm to 2492mm. It also has a very small ‘footprint’ of just 677mm, which makes it a favourite for convenience stores and retail environments where space is at a premium.
For further information contact Colin Jones, Verco Limited
Tel: +44 (0)1491 839966
Email: sales@ver.co.uk
Web: www.ver.co.uk
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