Andrew Thornton sells Belsize Park Budgens store to The Kavanagh Group | News

Plastic-free comfort pioneer Andrew Thornton has bought his Belsize Park Budgens store to the Kavanagh Group.

The sale is ready to full on 9 June.

In the brief time period, the London-based store will proceed to commerce as Thornton’s Budgens earlier than being rebranded as Kavanagh’s Budgens later this yr.

Thornton stated he was “concurrently delighted and unhappy to announce the sale” after 14 years on the helm. “This is a really difficult time to be a enterprise chief,” stated Thornton. “We are nonetheless managing the impression of Covid, whereas on the similar time all needing to do our half in decreasing our environmental impression. In these areas, I imagine the Kavanagh Group have the capabilities to rise to problem.”

Thornton’s Budgens led the best way on eco-convenience, being one of many first retailers to create plastic-free zones, in November 2018. The challenge earned Thornton a status inside the sector as an professional on this subject. He has since given business talks and suggested friends on greatest observe. 

Thornton stated Kavanagh was “absolutely dedicated” to persevering with the store’s plastic-free journey and confirmed he can be an advisor to the retail group, specializing in environmental points and meals tendencies.

In addition, Thornton might be launching two UK ‘higher for the surroundings’ startups and writing a e book titled ‘Putting the Heart again into Business’.

“In promoting the store, I additionally had to make sure that the brand new proprietor can be a very good match for the workforce on the following stage of the journey,” stated Thornton. “The hurdle charge I set for each the inner and exterior communities was excessive, and I’m assured that the Kavanagh Group move each these exams with flying colors.”

The Kavanagh Group owns 11 SuperValu shops within the UK and Ireland and is operated by father-and-son workforce Noel Kavanagh Sr as chairman and Noel Kavanagh Jr as MD.

Kavanagh Jr added: “This is a really thrilling acquisition for the Kavanagh Group. An excellent location in North London and a very distinctive store. Under Andrew’s steerage, Budgens Belsize Park has been a market chief in sustainability and meals innovation, introducing many new ideas such because the massively profitable sushi bar. To additional improve the providing and buyer expertise, we’re planning to put money into extra of £1m in early 2022. In the meantime, I look ahead to welcoming all present workforce members into the Kavanagh Group”.

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