JS JOURNAL September 1980 Contents General News pages 2/3 A What's new pages 4/6 More news page 7 JS drives a hard bargain pages 8/10 Own-label success story page 11 How not to drop a brick pages 12/13 Retirements pages 14, 15, 22 and 23 People page 16 Dance, dance little lady! page 17 5ft/3«S37&l-/^ Alternative Aveley closes prices is published every four weeks for employees of J Sainsbury Limited to make YELLOW PRICE PACKS are the latest Stamford House symbol of increased competitiveness in Stamford Street the High Street, coming this time from London SE1 9LL way for Fine fare. Telephone: 01-921 6660 The concept is described as a range of 'no frills' products, a 'third alternative' Editor Dagenham for shoppers to the usual branded or Diane Hill own-label products. Assistant editors The range of 51 popular grocery John Fielder goods are estimated to be ten to 20 per Ruth Guy cent cheaper even than own-label TO COINCIDE with the opening of the brands, the economies being made in the Printed in England by new Dagenham branch on October 14, areas of packaging, quality and Alabaster Passmore & Sons Ltd the much smaller Aveley branch in marginal costing on extended London & Maidstone Derwent Parade, South Ockendon, is to production runs. close. Said John Allen, Fine Fare's market­ Local residents feel that their best ing director: 'We believe this concept is store is being snatched from them but as a genuine third alternative. We are September trio departmental director of branch giving a high priority to the controlling operations, Dennis Males, explained to and cutting of the high rate of increases them: 'We have striven to offer our in our customers' shopping bills.' THREE BRANCHES are due to open customers the best possible service at this month. They are at Mitcham, Dover Aveley under extremely difficult and New Barnet on September 16, 23 conditions. Regretfully we have been and 30 respectively. driven to the decision that if we are to Spar-ring partner North Cheam's deputy manager, Ray continue maintaining this standard, we Hayne, opens Mitcham branch with a have no alternative but to close a store sales area of 1,440 square metres (15,500 which is no longer suitable for modern OPERATION 80—that's the name the square feet). Steve Woodrow moves trading conditions.' Spar supermarket chain has given to a from Golders Green to New Barnet, Since JS first began trading in South advertising and promotion campaign sales area 2,045 square metres (22,012 Ockendon in 1956 the company has that it is reported will run up a bill of square feet) and Michael Evans transfers expanded rapidly and the new and larger £3.5 million. as manager from Folkestone to Dover stores have been able to offer a greater It is said to be Spar's 'biggest ever which has a sales area of 1,534 square range of products than South Ockendon attack' and the first since the company metres (16,512 square feet). possibly could. However, the new changed advertising agencies. The new Dagenham supermarket will meet all the agency handled Tesco's Checkout requirements necessary for shopping in campaign. During the Tesco campaign the 80s, within its sales area of 1,558 Spar's market share fell from 4 to 3.2 IGD supporters square metres (16,770 square feet). per cent. A NEW COMMITTEE member has A FORTNIGHT'S HOLIDAY for two strengthened JS's support for the in Switzerland, valued at £800, has been Institute of Grocery Distribution. won by housewife Sylvia Aylward as Swiss cheeses please Dino Adriano, manager of branch first prize in a competition exclusive to operations, and Bob Cooper, senior JS customers. manager, bread buying, were secretary The contest, organised by 'Cheeses and treasurer of the IGD's 13-strong from Switzerland', was run in South Eastern branch committee last Sainsbury's freezer magazine, and year. Sylvia, who lives in Ruislip, is a regular Now, Dino and Bob are chairman JS customer. and secretary respectively, and have To win she had to choose the most been joined by Mike Powell, distribution appropriate recipes using the five main planning manager, who becomes cheeses from Switzerland—emmental. treasurer. gruyere, royalp, appenzell and sbrinz— for a number of different occasions. She then had to explain in 15 words why she liked Swiss cheese and she composed the An admirer winning slogan: '1 like cheeses from Switzerland because they are the perfect ingredient for many delicious recipes.' THE MINISTER OF HOUSING, John Receiving her prize in JS's Uxbridge Stanley, openly admired Sainsbury's at store on August 7 Sylvia said 'I don't go Telford on the occasion of his visit with in for competitions very often—in fact the Telford Development Corporation. I'd almost forgotten about it, after all Members of the Corporation accom­ you don't expect to win! panied the minister on a tour of the area 'It's funny really because when I was to observe its development—its doing the competition my son came in industry, housing and its major shops. upset about something and I said I'd Manager of Telford branch, Richard take him with me if I won—to cheer him Archer, noticed that all the special up. So when the letter came he, of visitors were most impressed by the pro­ course, remembered straight away. My motions of so many British goods, the husband is a bit put out!' bakery and of course by the opinions voiced by the happy customers! 2 Re-vamp programme to cost £6^m MAJOR BRANCH IMPROVEMENTS are being carried out companywide. Alterations and full modernisations of fittings have revamped and updated the image of such stores as Sutton, Kilburn, Hitchin and Watford—all between December 1979 and the beginning of this financial year! By the end of 1980 the branches like Warehousing and shopjioors alike are rehabilitated through sheer hard work Horsham, Norbury, Churchill Square, during refits. Poole, Camberley, Wembley, Harpen- den, Barkingside, Stratford, Telford, Burton-on-Trent and Kettering, that have already been spring-cleaned or had their sales areas extended, are expected to be joined by five more in the Bromley area, four in Woking, six in Uxbridge, five in Romford and eight in Coventry. Several other stores will have some old gondolas replaced. This programme of improvements is even more ambitious than 1979 which was itself a record year. During the financial year 1979/80 JS spent over £2 million on modernisations and new fittings but this year's expenditure is likely to be over £6J million which (even allowing for inflation) is an impressive increase. TS customer S -^ ^tm'- Wembley's manager Richard Davies looks over the new fittings with district manager Anthony Trevethan. Above left: Wembley before it sported free flow produce. Right: Manager of Camberley, Donald Hawkins and his staff looked happy with the installation of a new slim kiosk. 3 4 A rich harvest for QUALITY CONTROL SKILLS, and The method of rejecting and returning even stronger communication with batches of produce when it was suppliers in the produce area has been delivered to JS depots, if it was below strengthened this year by the intro­ our quality standards, was un­ duction of a new technical and develop­ satisfactory. It resulted in a loss to us ment department. and a loss to our suppliers. JS is the country's largest produce retailer and it was decided that it was a Area inspectors vital move to develop the buying strength and quality control by playing 'We will still need our depot quality a far bigger role in helping producers to controllers, especially for the many grow what we need, planning direct delivery lines coming from production programmes and playing a abroad. Their function is unchanged. larger part in finding new production But now, in addition, there will be four methods and varieties. The solution has area produce inspectors." been to establish the new produce Ray Morton is based at Hoddesdon technical department which basically, depot and has been appointed inspector covers two areas, the quality control of Eastern Area (South); Simon area and the technical and advisory Whitehead based at Elmdon has charge area. of Eastern Area (North); Dennis John Love, produce technical and Randall based at Charlton has the development manager, explains: Southeast Area and Harry Moss based 'Previously, quality control was at Basingstoke controls the Southwest essentially a policing method. There are Area. great variations in natural foods like The function of the API is to visit News from the world of produce and a supplier can un­ suppliers within his area on a regular produce includes a growing consciously fall below standards even basis to inspect raw materials, packing popularity for exotic fruits though it is the best quality he has got. lines, premises and so on. He will be able and vegetables. Tools for the job NOT CONTENT TO REST on their laurels JS has now launched a range of additions to their successful own-label kitchen tool range. Appearing in 54 branches on August 18 the new items comprise: household (£3.95) and kitchen (£3.75) scissors—both of which will cut a ip in two; a set of three pastry cutters (32p); two spatulas (79p); a set of three aluminium scoops (£1.95); a cheese grater and a grater/slicer (both 95p); a gingerbread cutter (59p). 4 fruit & veg fans to advise suppliers on the suitability of packaging and transport of produce and their production for JS—and have the carry out trials of new varieties both at " * right to reject produce which he does not home and abroad.