Already, the shop is off to a flying start, with weekly sales over three times the industry average and dinnertime queues reaching out of the door and far down the road. Local residents have been surprised and delighted by the modern, family friendly interior of the shop and the superior quality sustainable fish the store offers. Enthusiastic customer feedback and ringing tills have proven what the Churchill’s team knew all along – the fish and chips industry is crying out for a modern brand with a fresh new approach.
The streamlined, glossy, memorable stores mean that unlike traditional fish and chips shops, Churchill’s delivers a really pleasant, welcoming experience that is brimming with character – a breath of fresh, salty sea air compared to other takeaways. Not only this, but the care that Churchill’s puts into sourcing only the highest quality raw ingredients – from fresh barn reared Norfolk Chickens that comply with the red tractor farm assured scheme to sourcing all their fish from Icelandic sustainable sources – really seems to ring true with customers, who increasingly want to know where their food is coming from.
The store is of great strategic importance to the Churchill’s team as it will not only provide a training base for franchise owners, but a shop front for prospective international franchise owners flying in to the airport. James Lipscombe, Managing Director of Churchill’s, states: “Churchill’s Stansted Mountfitchet is in a fantastic location. Operating the largest chain of fish and chip shops in the country, we know and understand what makes a good location. We knew Stansted met all the criteria for success as soon as we saw it. In addition, the store is less than two miles away from both our Head Office and Stansted Airport. This means it is perfectly located to carry out franchisee training as well as giving international customers an opportunity to see a Churchill’s store running at first hand. We felt with the amount of international enquiries we have had, this was essential.”
Stansted Mountfitchet is a core component of Churchill’s second-to-none franchise owner training programme. The store, located in such close proximity to Churchill’s HQ, allows Churchill’s to offer a truly comprehensive programme of both in office and in store training. Alex McCrossen, Churchill’s Franchisee Trainer elaborates: “Our dual sited training programme ensures our franchisees are trained and ready to open their store within four weeks. In the first three weeks our franchisees undertake training in business management and administration in our head office ranging from accounting to HR, leadership, and marketing and practical hands-on training with me and the team here in a fully operational busy takeaway. The final week is spent working in the franchisee’s store, training up team members, getting the store ready for opening and spending the first couple of trading days with them to ensure they have the back up and support they need. The systems we have in place allow anyone to cook spectacular fish and chips, time and time again.”
Churchill’s recently received bfa accreditation and franchise owners can bank on a company ready to support rapid expansion across the country while still providing franchise owners with the individual support they require. Churchill’s provides a full turnkey solution for shop fit out across takeaway, QSR and full service restaurant formats, excellent training, a full marketing plan and a suite of tried and tested marketing materials, including radio advertising.
Published: 14 March 2014
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