Celebrating Excellence: British Corner Shop
Ahead of the 25th Supply Chain Excellence Awards, LogisticsManager.com caught up with British Corner Shop, nominee in four different categories at the 2021 Awards.
Taking place on 8th November at the Hilton on Park Lane in London, the Supply Chain Excellence Awards are set to be a night of celebration, as the best in the logistics industry gather together on this very special occasion.
How does it feel to have been shortlisted for a Supply Chain Excellence Award?
Delightful. Recognition of the achievements we’ve made in such challenging times are always pleasing, but especially so from such a prestigious organisation.
We’re delighted to be considered among such a fantastic group of businesses
What has changed in your project since you entered?
We continue to develop and grow as a business. We have ambitious plans for the remainder of 2021/22. We are in the process of developing a new B2B portal for our wholesale consolidation customers as well as growing our new DC in the Netherlands.
What are you most excited about on the night of the Awards?
Being in such good company. We’re delighted to be considered among such a fantastic group of businesses.
What do you think is the most important thing to focus on now in the industry? What should be the biggest priority when it comes to change for the better?
There has been huge turbulence in the press around HGV drivers and for us specifically new export legislation since Brexit. However top of the pile is how we can continue to supply worldwide in a more sustainable manner. I think this challenge faces all businesses, and we hope our current plans will make us a real market leader in this.
What are you looking forward to after the Awards?
Hopefully a glass of champagne if we win…
At British Corner Shop we see every challenge as an opportunity. Our team have had to adapt, develop new skills and new knowledge. This can only be a good thing for the future of BCS
What made you decide to compete for the Supply Chain Excellence Awards?
They are prestigious Awards, hosting some of the industry-leading businesses. We want to be considered among the best of these.
How will you celebrate if you win? Where will you keep the trophy?
With the wider team who have been responsible for British Corner Shops achievements. The trophy would go in our common areas so the staff who made our success a reality are able to enjoy it
What are your hopes for the project going forward? What are your next steps?
We intend to grow our EU operations further. We are back on track with like-for-like sales on last year, but our aspiration is to double this by 2023. I think this would be a huge achievement given the challenges Brexit has caused us as a business.
What difference did the project make for your company and for the sector?
When we started out with our EU project, we were told that it would not be possible to ship consolidated food orders into Europe for the foreseeable future. I think we have led the way in finding solutions, and proving to others that this can be done. We are proud to have an expert team, who have worked with the DIT to help not just ourselves but others to break down barriers, and rebuild the supply of British food back into Europe
What are your impressions of the Supply Chain Excellence Awards generally?
This will be our first time in attendance, but it looks like it will be a brilliant night full of fantastic people and businesses.
Can you sum up 2021 from a supply chain perspective?
It would be fair to say turbulent and challenging. However, at British Corner Shop we see every challenge as an opportunity. Our team have had to adapt, develop new skills and new knowledge. This can only be a good thing for the future of BCS.
Do you have any advice for future Supply Chain Excellence Awards competitors?
We all face the same challenges in supply. We’ve had great success in looking outwardly, working with other organisations to share information that, in turn, has helped improve the supply chain industry. However the biggest route to success is great people. Over the past year, we’ve brought in some fantastic new people and invested in the learning of our existing team. We would not be here today without our amazing team!