Top 50 Indie MPK Garages says it is saving over £150,000 a year in avoiding dumping out-of-date food at its 28 forecourts.
The Leicester-based group is one of 10 forecourt operators to have signed up with the Gander app, which is designed to combat food waste by connecting consumers with marked-down items at local stores that are approaching their sell-by dates. Others include Sewell on the go, Pricewatch Group, and Guy Warner. And Penny Petroleum too is considering getting on board.
MPK Garages’ retail director Wayne Harrand says that joining the app two years ago has led to margins on fresh food increasing by 1.5% because there is less waste.
He says that Gander has also given MPK Garages the confidence to extend its locally-supplied range of cream, soft fruits, and yogurts, and other lines with a less than 14-day shelf-life, in the knowledge that it is less likely to be left with unsold stock.
The product, which integrates with commonly used point of sale systems such as Madic, CBE and EdgePoS, has also allowed the business to choose the optimal time to mark down lines, avoiding reducing prices too early. “The system helps identify when we need to make reductions with the data provided through Gander linked to the till system giving us greater insight,” said Wayne.
“By carefully monitoring our waste, we have enhanced our availability and improved sales by offering more products at the right time and place within the business. The key factors here are that the first reduction is now going out at the best possible price, which has allowed us to maximise our margin potential daily,” he said.
The app has also attracted new customers to MPK sites, says Wayne. Gander’s recent partnership with community-sharing app Olio has also showcased its discounted food offer to the latter’s four million users, he notes.
“Gander and its Olio relationship have both have helped to promote footfall, as well as reducing our carbon footprint by creating less food waste,” said Wayne.
Tom Buckley, general manager at the Pricewatch Group, which owns 10 forecourts in Sussex, says that Gander enables the business to continue to offer a strong range of chilled food, with its two Morrisons Daily sites – one a forecourt and one a convenience store – benefiting the most.
“Morrisons Daily is very fresh heavy, and I wouldn’t want to operate those shops without it,” he said.
More customers are becoming aware of the Gander service, according to Tom, who promotes the app on digital advertising boards and till screens. “We tell all of our regular customers about it,” said Tom.
Gander, which charges retailers a subscription to use its service, says that it offers forecourt operators a “seamless, cost-effective solution” for managing perishable inventory, increasing store traffic, and enhancing customer engagement, “while supporting sustainability goals”.
It added: “This combination of benefits makes Gander an ideal partner for forecourt operators looking to optimise their markdown operation and improve their overall business performance.”
