Reinventing old traditions at Today’s Express

Reinventing old traditions at Today’s Express

Retailer Mark Malone tells Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer why he made the switch to the Today’s Express brand after so many years in the business.

Having worked in the retail trade from the age of 15, retailer Mark Malone is no stranger to the convenience model and has experience working under a number of symbol groups in Ireland.

Mark was already buying from Savage & Whitten when he decided to take the plunge and switch to the Today’s brand in May 2017. Speaking to Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer, Mark said: “The level of service I was receiving from Savage & Whitten was a big part of my decision to move over, as well as their competitive pricing. With my previous symbol operator I was having supply issues, but it is extremely rare that Savage & Whitten would have products out of stock.”

Today's express, Lambs Cross 4
Photo by Kevin Mcfeely

Having recently revamped their website, Savage & Whitten’s customers can order online and track their invoices and account details easily; a process that Mark describes as simple and effective.

Not charging a franchise fee was also a major deciding factor for Mark, who said: “Operating under the Today’s Express brand saved me the guts of €10,000 over the course of a year, which for a small business is a huge amount of money!

“With the Today’s brand there is no fee’s or contracts – the quality of service encourages retailers to stay, not a contract that says you must. With Savage & Whitten you are getting a better service without paying out large amounts every month.”

Today's express, Lambs Cross 3
Photo by Kevin Mcfeely

A landmark shop in the Lambs Cross area, Mark remarks that at the beginning it was a challenge to get customers to associate with the change in name, but Savage & Whitten has been working tirelessly to promote the new image with leaflet drops around the local area and merchandising within the store.

It is working, Mark reports, as the store is seeing on average 15-20 per cent higher growth than in previous years. A fact, which he attributes to being able to offer customers exceptional deals thanks to Savage & Whitten’s competitive pricing.

Today's express, Lambs Cross
Photo by Kevin Mcfeely

Also drawing customers into Today’s Express Lambs Cross is the in store home bakery that produces fresh bread, and baked goods each day. The home bakery is complemented by a Costa Coffee station and Mark is hoping to expand into ice cream in time for summer too. He said: “In 2018 we want to continue growing the business which will be challenging considering the rate of growth the store experienced last year. However, I have confidence in Savage & Whitten, and by working together to add new lines, I’m certain we can achieve great things.”