Sainsbury’s, in partnership with Food from Britain, is launching an innovative new scheme to make it easier for small and medium sized suppliers to gain business access to the retailer.
The scheme named ‘Supply Something New…’, will be piloted later this month and will see top representatives from the supermarket take to the road every two months thereafter in a search for new, innovative, large and small UK suppliers.
The supermarket already uses a network of small, local producers to supply 3,500 products and is looking to increase this number over the coming year. In fact 25% of current Sainsbury’s suppliers employ ten people or less.
This initiative recognises that many customers want to buy food grown or reared locally which reflects regional tastes and traditions. Furthermore, buying from smaller suppliers can also help to stimulate the rural economy.
Over the course of the day the team will meet eight new suppliers, who will each have a 40-minute window to convince the panel that their goods should be sold on the shelves at Sainsbury’s. After presenting their case, suppliers will be given an almost immediate answer and if successful could see their products on the shelf in just two months.
Many of the suppliers attending the workshops will have little or no experience in dealing with a supermarket so ‘Supply Something New…’ has been built around the supplier’s needs for long term and positive contact. This follows on from Sainsbury’s Supplier Development Programme, which was used to help small suppliers meet quality standards and learn how to manage supplying a supermarket.
As with the Supplier Development Programme successful producers will begin by supplying just a few stores in their region. If their products have a wider appeal, Sainsbury’s will help to build their businesses by expanding distribution. Many of the companies involved in the old scheme now supply Sainsbury's nationally. This includes Kelly’s ice creams who started by supplying to Cornish stores in 2002 and expect to see a turnover of £1.2 million with Sainsbury’s this year after securing nationwide distribution.
The first ‘Supply something New…’ session will take place at the Ridgeview Winery in Ditchling Common, East Sussex on the 26th May when the panel will be meeting eight cakes and dessert suppliers.
The panel will be looking for products that have a point of difference, an interesting heritage and most importantly, taste great.
Mike Coupe, Sainsbury’s Trading Director comments: “Supply Something New….’ is the first time we have conducted a supplier scout of this scale and is part of our investment in innovation and quality. We’re really excited about some of the products and suppliers that will come through this scheme and if the product is good enough we will be taking them to the shelves regardless of the supplier’s size. Sainsbury’s has a commitment to buying British whenever possible and ‘Supply Something New…’ will give us an opportunity to meet even more British suppliers.”
The panel will include Mike Coupe - Trading Director, Judith Batchelar – Director of Own Brand, Simon Twigger – Director of Fresh, Susi Richards – Innovations Manager, and Nick Townend - Category Manager for Bakery.
