Newcastle store could be Shop of the Year this week!
Grainger Street-based mmm… and glug… is one of just ten grocery shops across the UK to make it to this week’s Guild of Fine Food’s 2018 Shop of the Year awards.
Judges from the guild, which recognises excellence in independent retail, recently visited the Newcastle store and carried out mystery shopping exercises, before announcing their overall winner in London this Thursday evening.
Owner Simone Clarkin, is delighted to be recognised for such a prestigious award, especially at a time when independent high street shops face pressure from supermarkets and out of town retailers.
She said: “When we originally opened our Grainger Market store back in 2008 we wanted to get people in the North East and beyond to think about what they eat and drink – and where it comes from.
“Over the past ten years, we have expanded twice within the Grainger Market and then in late 2017 into the city centre – all done during a climate of huge retail uncertainty.
It is great to know that our efforts to provide great food and drink, and hopefully even greater customer service and advice to shoppers, has helped us reach this stage.
We really hope that our ethos of being there to provide easy access to good food and drink to the region can help us to bring this prestigious award back the North East."
The Guild’s panel of judges, included Edward Berry of The Flying Fork, Stuart Gates, who has worked for both Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, award-winning retailer Tracey Colley and Georgina Mason from Gonalston Farm Shop, have rated and scored mmm… and glug… before agreeing to a winner.
This Thursday (20 September), the judging will reach an exciting finale when Simone Clarkin and others from the world of fine food gather at the Guild of Fine Food’s London base, to find out the winner of Shop of the Year 2018.
mmm… and glug… expanded its business with a move to larger headquarters in Newcastle city centre in late 2017 and plans to launch a ‘click and collect’ online shop, demo kitchen and event space in early 2019.
Earlier this year mmm… and glug… came out top in North East and Cumbria in the prestigious RateBeer.com awards.
The awards to breweries, pubs and retailers, sees beer lovers from dozens of countries rate their favourite tipples and where they buy or drink them.
