Retail Intelligence
Retail stories, retail people, retail companies, innovations, arguments and ideas. This section will cover areas of retail and hospitality that are changing, that are different, that are new, innovative or worth celebration or even investigation.
Latest articles
A very British revolution
Since it came back from the brink of collapse in 2006 Little Chef has been quietly reinventing itself from the ground up. Now it is back in the black, investing, expanding and exploring new commercial horizons. Calum MacLeod talks to managing director Tracey Mulligan about the sweeping changes that have breathed new life and a whole lot of ambition into this once rather sleepy hospitality brand.
02 November 2011Working Knowledge
The first national scheme to rationalise retail qualifications will soon enter its third year, but how familiar are retailers with exactly what it is, or what it offers? We take an in-depth look at the National Skills Academy for Retail and some of its success stories.
02 November 2011Putting the 'M' in Local?
The launch of the new 'M-local' format last month marks the latest big change at Morrisons since chief executive Dalton Philips took charge last year. More than just a new concept, it is indicative of a fundamental transformation within the busines as it looks to new strategies, such as online and convenience stores,in order to close the gap on its Big Four rivals. ELIZABETH TROAKE investigates.
29 July 2011A very British revolution
Since it came back from the brink of collapse in 2006 Little Chef has been quietly reinventing itself from the ground up. Now it is back in the black, investing, expanding and exploring new commercial horizons. Calum MacLeod talks to managing director Tracey Mulligan about the sweeping changes that have breathed new life and a whole lot of ambition into this once rather sleepy hospitality brand.
02 November 2011Working Knowledge
The first national scheme to rationalise retail qualifications will soon enter its third year, but how familiar are retailers with exactly what it is, or what it offers? We take an in-depth look at the National Skills Academy for Retail and some of its success stories.
02 November 2011Putting the 'M' in Local?
The launch of the new 'M-local' format last month marks the latest big change at Morrisons since chief executive Dalton Philips took charge last year. More than just a new concept, it is indicative of a fundamental transformation within the busines as it looks to new strategies, such as online and convenience stores,in order to close the gap on its Big Four rivals. ELIZABETH TROAKE investigates.
29 July 2011InCatering: right time, right place, right people
The hospitality industry employs 8% of all workers in the UK, making it the UK's fifth-biggest industry, ahead of the financial, transport and communications and construction sectors. Now a major new website is seeking to change the way people think about careers in hospitality for good.
29 July 2011Tesco - A New Food Vision
Tesco is in the process of fundamentally changing the manner in which it sources and buys its produce - and when you spend more than £30 billion on food, that's a pretty big undertaking. Calum MacLeod talks to the man in charge Matt Simister , Tesco's group food sourcing director about the why's, how's and the opportunities it is creating for head office professionals
11 May 2011Iceland – Forty Rocks
It's a billion-pound business celebrating its 40th birthday this year. It has proven itself largely impervious to the economic meltdown of recent years, expanding while others have shut up shop permanently. It has a boss who has committed the majority of his working life to ensure its success. It also does a mean line in party platters. This much we know about Iceland. Robert Collins dug a little deeper to find out more about the company and its culture as an employer.
01 February 2011Mystery Diners – Provenance, Price of Personality
With money-off meals promotions flooding the internet and stiff competition between rival companies, it would be easy to think that the focus of the high street restaurant sector has shifted to cut-prices at the expense of good quality customer service. Elizabeth Troake returns to the world of the mystery shopper to find out where priorities in the sector really lie.
01 November 2010The year of living dangerously
2008 has been a tough year and 2009 may prove even tougher. But for those with nerve and the right stock, opportunity may be just around the corner. John Ryan reports.
13 December 2008From the bean to the bar and beyond…
As a professional expert, Chloe Doutre-Roussel doesn't just know about chocolate. She sleeps, breathes and possibly even bleeds it. From her former position as buyer and manager of Fortnum & Mason's chocolate department, she has now poured all of her world-renowned knowledge into her own company. Suzanne Tosh finds out what it's like to be The Queen of Confectionery...
01 October 2008Getting on with the job…
The credit crunch has brought cries of woe from the retail sector but, as the economy tightens, there are those that continue to see sales grow. John Ryan reports.
13 September 2008
