19 October 2023

‘Welcome' shortlisted for 2023 Best Franchise Awards

Southern Co-op's Welcome franchise team has been announced as a finalist of the 2023 Best Franchise Awards.

The awards are based on feedback from thousands of franchisees rather than judges and the winners will be announced at the British Franchise Association's annual conference on 9th November.

Southern Co-op currently has more than 70 franchise stores under the ‘Welcome' branding which are a mix of neighbourhood, forecourts and village locations.

It has been selected as a finalist for the Best New Entrant Award which is open to franchisors who have participated for the first time and received outstanding feedback from their franchisees.

Steven Frost, CEO and founder of WorkBuzz which coordinates the Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark, said: "As we reflect on the year, it's fantastic to see that average franchise satisfaction scores have surged from 74% in 2022 to an impressive 78% in our recent surveys, resulting in a record number of winners of our 5 star and continuous improvement awards. As satisfaction levels improve, it becomes more and more challenging to be recognised as a finalist, making this a truly outstanding accomplishment for all."

To be considered for the award, franchisors must have taken part in the Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark programme. Franchisees are asked to complete a confidential online survey, rating their franchisor on qualities such as initial training, ongoing support, their relationship with the franchisor, and whether they would recommend the franchise to a prospective franchisee. The top-performing franchisors are then put forward as finalists in the Best Franchise Awards.

Southern Co-op's Franchise Business Manager, Mike Fitton, said: "We have always said that proof of our successful franchise model can be found through the testimonials of our franchisees - and this is the proof.

"We have some incredible franchisees who are part of the Welcome team and we have such a strong support team who work incredibly hard to make sure our stores are delivering what is needed to keep the franchisee and the customer happy.

"We will continue to grow the number of our Welcome stores at a controlled pace - making sure all our franchisees have access to strong support and our experienced guidance wherever they are located."

The Welcome format gives retailers access to big brands, an operation with ethical values combined with expert guidance to drive sales and margin.

Franchisees can choose to implement recommended store formats based on consumer insights or adapt plans using their own entrepreneurial flair. Franchisees are also encouraged to source products from local suppliers.

Other support available includes marketing, planograms, store development, space and sales analysis, a full EPOS and back office system, electronic shelf edge labels, dedicated support from an operations manager, and access to a support desk from 6am-8pm, seven days a week.

To find out more about Welcome franchise opportunities for single or groups of stores, visit https://southern.coop/what-we-do/welcome/franchisee-form.