Symbol Group Special: Costcutter
Costcutter, part of the Barry Group, prides itself on its team approach, whether that's with people or organisations, says CEO Jim Barry
Print10 August 2017
FACT FILE:
Symbol Group: Barry Group
HQ: Upper Quartertown, Mallow, Co Cork
Distribution network: Wholesale distribution, chilled, ambient and alcohol distribution
Number of stores: 120+ Costcutter 100+ Carry Out Off Licence
Colours: Green, red and white (Costcutter); Red, yellow and white (Carry Out)
Tagline: Costcutter: Proud to be Local; Carry Out: Simply Better
Wines, Beers and Spirits
Web: www.barrygroup.ie
Twitter: @costcutterIRL @CarryOutIre
The first advantage the Barry Group works with is its team approach. As a company, the focus is on the combined efforts of all departments and team members. Internally, this approach is referred to through the motto ‘One Team – One Plan’.
The One Team One Plan approach ensures consistency, and that all individuals and departments are working in the same direction towards shared goals, designed to build the company’s retail brands and continually enhance the service Barry Group provides to its retailers, and the profitability of the business model.
Another advantage is the fact that the Barry Group is a family business. This provides a unique insight into the needs of other family-run businesses across the country, which many retailers are. This encompasses the challenges that impact on a family business quite separate to normal day-to day trade. Barry Group supports its retailers in issues such as planning for the next generation and succession management, financial management, resourcing professional expertise and services, and other family concerns that can impact the business.
Size matters
Next, the company’s sheer size is a major advantage. Barry Group is big enough to buy in large quantities to maintain a competitive offering, and small enough to keep in close contact with its retail customers and understand their needs. This kind of scale also ensures customers have access to the professional and logistical supports needed, quickly and efficiently, and can compete effectively and meet the consumers’ needs.
Basically, the Barry Group team Is readily available to deal with issues, whether that is on the end of the phone or in person.
Specific advantages of working with the Barry Group include:
- An experienced account manager facilitating high call frequency and practical support
- Cutting-edge retail technology, integrated from point of sale to centralised ordering and distribution
- A dedicated customer service team proactively seeking out opportunities to enhance the service to retailers and in turn to their customer base
- Most competitive franchise in the market when it comes to costs and marketing overheads
- In-house HACCP expertise and dedicated retail excellence programmes
- Dedicated fresh-food sales expertise
- Training centre for retailers on all aspects of food/beverage retailing, back office, business management, marketing and staff training
- Regional workshops: ‘What perfect looks like’ to help upskill retail partners and their team on all aspects of running the store
- Supporting Irish: As a company, the Barry Group is proud to be Irish. Many of its suppliers are local, Irish producers.
Values central to brand ethos
The Barry Group Places high value in business and trade partnership, and celebrates those values. They are integrity, customer focus (trade customer as well as the consumer), teamwork and achievement.
Achievements
First and foremost, the Barry Group has kept its focus on its own high-performance positive team environment, as this is what drives the quality of service to customers. Barry Group is the only wholesaler in Ireland to be named as both a Great Place to Work and as one of Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies. These awards are a great vindication of the strategies and processes that have been put in place. Barry Group is very excited by the positive start it got to 2017, already beating ambitious targets for the opening half of the year.
There are a number of exciting projects that will come to fruition in the second half of 2017, and the company is confident that it will continue the momentum into 2018 and beyond.
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