Nisa Retail Limited Reports Rise in Recruitment
Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire – 10TH April 2018: Nisa Retail, the specialist wholesaler and independent retail expert, today announced strong retailer recruitment growth for 2017/18.
• Total of 1,836 new stores recruited in 2017/18
• Recruitment jumps 256% year-on-year
• NET increase of 1,247 stores
• 1,115 new stores recruited in Q4 vs 225 last year. Net of losses this is up 386% to 778 vs 160
A turbulent retail sector has led to record numbers of independent shop owners turning to Nisa for support.
Nisa works with independent retailers through wholesale supply deals under the shop’s own name or the Nisa brand. The company has recruited more than 1,800 stores over the last 12 months with a value of over £220m, a year-on-year increase of 256 percent.
The growth sees a NET store increase of 1,247 for the year and reflects the confidence new members have in Nisa’s overall offer and the progress made in building on the previous year’s success to drive growth and profitability.
Nisa’s strong recruitment in the final quarter of 2017/18, bringing in 1,115 new stores in that period up from 225 in the previous year, signals a strong end to the financial year and positive momentum heading into the new financial year.
The last year has seen the collapse of wholesale supplier Palmer and Harvey along with the acquisition of Booker by Tesco and planned buyout of Nisa by the Co-op, which is currently under review by the Competition Market Authority. The recruitment numbers from Nisa reflect strong growth from across the industry, still seeing 22.3 percent organic growth without stores previously associated with Palmer and Harvey.
“Nisa has proved a safe harbour for existing and new members in a highly competitive and consolidating sector. Our continued investment in our logistics and systems mean that retailers can rely on getting the stock they need, even when faced with the extreme weather of earlier this year,” said Nisa sales director, Steve Leach.
“Nisa has continued to roll-out new store formats, invest in an award-winning own brand range, and provide the business support that our members value. It’s clear that our focus on getting the fundamentals of retail right continue to make us the partner of choice of independent retailers of all sizes.”
The convenience sector is undergoing rapid expansion as the nation’s shopping habits change. Analysts at the IGD report the convenience sector is set to grow by 17.7% by 2022 to £47.1bn.
Nisa represents over 1,300 registered shareholders operating over 3,500 stores. It provides flexible support by enabling them to trade under their own fascia or to join the Nisa symbol group.