From a drink that got the attention of one of the dragons from Dragons’ Den, to a date-based refreshment from Saudi Arabia, we ask soft drinks aficionado Ziheed Mohammed what products he thinks will do well this summer.
Woodman Service Station has become something of a hub for soft drinks, with Mohammed, who joined Woodman Fourecourts in 2005 and became manager of the Leeds site in 2015, key to this success.
Mohammed says that “Korean and Japanese soft drinks are really big, especially with teenagers” at the moment, while he predicts that Fanta’s new range could do well over summer, with the launch of Fanta Zero Apple, Zero Raspberry, and a limited-edition Tutti Fruti Zero being perfectly timed for the warmer weather.
“Chaibibi is also doing well”, he says, with this London-based firm, which received a boost after catching the eye of Deborah Meaden on BBC1’s The One Show, standing out from the crowd thanks to its clear cans, and a commitment to give 20% of its profits to charity.
And there’s another drink that, while not yet in stock, has really got Mohammed’s attention.
“There’s one drink I’m particularly looking for and will hopefully get. It’s a Saudi date-based drink called Milaf Cola. It’s not a typical soft or fizzy drink: it’s made from dates and it’s very natural - there’s no corn syrup or anything like that in it. I’ve tried it myself and it’s really good.”
Mohammed has become something of a soft drink specialist since he took over the forecourt, seeking out the latest trends, and stocking drinks from all over the world.
“Soft drink wise, between health, energy, protein and fizzy drinks, I’ve got about 1,200 lines,” he explains, adding that he sells roughly this number of cans, bottles and cartons every day.
The forecourt’s vast drinks range is partly down to the fact that it is relatively close to two busy gyms, which sit to the north and south of the site. While some retailers might have been content to offer a few popular lines of energy drinks and call it a day, Mohammed saw the opportunity presented by this location, and ran with it.
“We have gyms both sides of us left and right – not next door, but we have a lot of passing trade”, he says. “Protein drinks are big at the moment. Anything new I’ll give it a try, see how well it goes, monitor it and go from there.”
Mohammed takes inspiration from a wide range of sources when deciding what drinks to stock, keeping a close eye on trade publications, as well as mainstream news and social media. But knowing his customers plays a big role, too.
“I’ve said to my customers that if there’s anything new that’s unique, Woodman will have it. And if they’ve been abroad and seen something new, if they give me the names of the drinks, I’ll go to my suppliers to sort out.”
The forecourt’s drinks shelves are supplied by wholesaler Booker “and a couple of specialised independents” who Mohammed says are based in the UK, but can source drinks from all over the world.
Given drinks are such an integral part of his business, it’s hardly surprising he takes particular care of his range.
“Our drinks are stocked to ensure maximum freshness and consistent availability. Inventory checks and chiller maintenance are conducted frequently, popular lines are fully stocked. And our stock profile responds to the customer preference as well, ensuring our customers never have to settle for second best.”
This attitude helped Mohammed’s site win Best Drinks and Coffee Outlet award at the Forecourt Trader Awards 2024, and with so many different lines and such high sales, it’s perhaps no wonder that he employs dedicated staff to keep everything ticking over nicely.
“I’ve got three staff who have been specially trained, fully focussed on drinks. I’m not here 24/7, so they give me feedback once every two days. They see the trends, telling me this product moved well from here.”
Mohammed is cautious about making too many changes too quickly to his displays: “Because we’ve got a lot of passing trade, I have the mentality that people tend to be in a rush, so I don’t like to make massive changes” – though he adds that new lines are put close to the front of the store to help gauge interest.
With so much choice on offer, what does the man himself reach for from the chillers, though?
“Personally? It’s Red Bull for me. Not going to lie, I wouldn’t choose anything else – it really gives me wings all day!”
