One Stop celebrates at Retail Industry Awards with Multiple Wins

One Stop has cemented its place as a leader in the convenience retail sector, securing multiple prestigious accolades at last night’s Retail Industry Awards, held at The Brewery, London. 

Both their Core and Franchise stores scooped top awards, with Store Manager of the Year Multiples awarded to joint winners Kerie Jay, who runs the One Stop Hednesford, Staffordshire and Muhammed Ghani, One Stop Burnley, Lancashire. Carlton Convenience, Salford made it a hat trick for One Stop, taking the top spot with Community Retailer of the Year Independent.  

As a subsidiary of retail giant Tesco, One Stop continues to raise the bar in the sector, demonstrating why it remains a dominant force in a competitive landscape. 

Standards were at an all-time high, reflecting the growth and increasing significance of the convenience sector within the wider retail environment. The One Stop team were presented with these top awards in front of the industry’s most influential figures who packed out the venue to celebrate with the chosen winners.  

One Stop once again showcased its consistent delivery of quality, service and community focused drive. 

One Stop Franchisee Priyesh Vekaria who runs One Stop Carlton Convenience in Manchester was jubilant to pick up the top award for Community Retailer of the Year Independent. Priyesh came into retail through a less than conventional path – 10 years in the police force and a degree in law – which has allowed him to bring a wealth of additional skills into the industry. Convenience retailing took Priyesh back to the heart of the community which is where he wanted to be and where he felt he could implement the most positive change. 

Priyesh, together with his store team and young family have helped a huge number of charities and his dedication to the homeless providing empowerment to those on the streets has been changing lives.  

In the past year Priyesh has funded a lifesaving defibrillator which is now positioned at the front of his store. Alongside a 24/7 accessible defibrillator machine, they also installed a major bleed trauma kit. From his police background, Priyesh knows these machines can make all the difference and keep someone alive while waiting for emergency services.  

Priyesh commented: “It’s an honour and a privilege that our hard work and efforts have been recognised amongst such a hugely competitive industry and for us to have been awarded this prestigious award means the world. A huge heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us to get here and to become an award-winning store.”  

Kerie Jay who won joint Store Manager of the Year was equally as thrilled to win such a top accolade. Kerie has served her community with an unstoppable drive and over the past year, Kerie and her team at the Hednesford One Stop have introduced a vital community-focused innovation that has significantly enhanced both public safety and the store’s relationship with the local community.  

Kerie learnt about life-saving blood bags designed to stem blood loss in emergencies, providing immediate first aid and often saving lives before emergency help arrives. Kerie and her team had raised the funds in store to provide blood bags in the new defibrillators close to the store. However, under Kerie’s perseverance and guidance, One Stop head office extended its support by incorporating blood bags into the entire network of 27 defibrillators managed by the First Responders.  

One Stop Managing Director, Stephanie Wood comments: “Kerie has created an engaging, motivated and happy team environment at our Hednesford store, all while delivering brilliant customer service and building strong community relationships. Well done, Kerie, we are delighted you have won this award!” 

 Muhammad Ghani, joint winner of the Store Manager of the Year award, has come a long way since arriving in the UK from Pakistan in May 2005, barely speaking any English. With a background in teaching and retail, he joined One Stop a year later, rising to the position of Store Manager by 2012. During his tenure, Muhammad has served his community tirelessly and despite operating in one of the lowest areas of affluence in the UK, with prolific shoplifting, he has created a welcoming store environment. Diverse cultural backgrounds are respected and empathy and support are central to its operations. By fostering a supportive environment, Muhammad has created a team that takes pride in their work and consistently strive for excellence.  

He has seen extraordinary success with the store’s online sales, which reached £250,000 in just one year. This was a notable feat given there was no history of online sales prior to this period, setting standards across the whole of the One Stop portfolio. Muhammad’s store also achieved an outstanding online rejection rate of only 0.16%, the best in the company.  

One Stop Managing Director, Stephanie Wood comments: “This fantastic win for Muhammad demonstrates how he has created an engaged and driven team in Colne Road, Burnley, that embodies the values of One Stop. Muhammad cares for his team and the community they serve, which has led to a variety of impressive achievements. Congratulations, Muhammad!”