APPLEBY WESTWARD APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF RETAIL STORES
 SPAR regional distribution company Appleby Westward Group Ltd. has appointed Paul Asensio as its new Head of Retail Stores following the company’s acquisition of three former Somerfield supermarkets from the Co-op.
Paul, aged 42, joins Appleby Westward from Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd. where he was responsible for the pharmacy business in the south west.
His previous experience includes roles as general manager for Kodak Express, responsible for businesses in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and for Supasnaps in the UK where he was Brand Director. He also has previous experience in supermarket retailing prior to those appointments, having been a Divisional Director for Somerfield, where he managed a group of 75 stores.
His appointment follows the establishment of a new retail division by Appleby Westward, the division has been established initially to manage the three former Somerfield stores in Keynsham, Liskeard and Minehead, which will be developed as EUROSPAR stores this autumn with plans to be operating 20 EUROSPAR stores in its territory over the next ten years.
Appleby Westward’s managing director John Pattison said: “We have been reviewing the business needs and requirements for the future, and believe that now is the right time, with the right type of opportunities available to us, to move into operating our own retail division. Paul has many years of experience in retail at a senior level and I know he will bring drive, enthusiasm, integrity and courage to our business.”
SPAR is the leading convenience retail brand in the south west and Appleby Westward regularly co-invests with its retailers. In the last five years, it has ploughed over £10 million into store development to help grow independent retailers' businesses.
“While developing our new retail division, we will continue to support our independent customers and their stores strongly. They are, and will always remain our number one priority, and operating our own stores will not change our focus in our support of the independent retailer,” said Pattison.
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