Budgens

Budgen Stores Ltd

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail
Founded	1872
Headquarters	Harefield, Greater London, England
Area served	England and Wales
Parent	Musgrave Group (2002–present)
Website	www.budgens.co.uk

Budgens Stores Ltd (branded as Budgens) is a chain of foodstores in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1872 by John Budgen, who opened the first store at Maidenhead, Berkshire. Budgens supermarket chain operates over 227 stores and employs over 6,000 staff^{[citation needed]}. Budgens is a subsidiary of Musgrave Retail Partners GB.

History

The first Budgens store was founded in 1872, by John Budgen. The first stores were small local grocers, which expanded across the South of England.

In October 1997, Budgens acquired the 55 store UK network of 7-11 stores, re-branding them with the concept name 'B2'. Very soon afterwards it was clear that the name was not popular with customers and the 30 stores that were outside London began trading under 'Budgens' fascia. The 'B2' branded stores in London were then changed to 'Budgens Express' before finally reverting to the 'Budgens' brand^{[citation needed]}.

In 2002, the company was purchased by the Irish Musgrave Group. Two years afterwards, the Musgrave Group started selling their Budgens stores, the largest stores were disposed of on the open market with stores in places such as Tadley and Mildenhall to larger store chains. Other stores were divested to independent retailers such as Jempsons and Tout who continue to trade from them under the 'Budgens' name. Musgraves also franchised the Budgens brand, leading to more store openings in the independent sector and expanding the brand to many forecourt stores^{[citation needed]}.

In 2007, the divestment of the original Budgens stores to independent retailers was completed, but as of March 2009 a few Budgens stores whose franchise-holders had failed to perform had been returned to Musgrave.^{[citation needed]} A further eight stores were bought in 2009 from the Co-op (who had acquired them on taking over the Somerfield group but were instructed to dispose of them by the Office of Fair Trading). Once these new stores have been re-fitted and stocked as Budgens stores they will be divested.^{[citation needed]}

Stores

The stores range in size from around 140m² to around 900m²^{[citation needed]}, and therefore fall into the convenience store size range and the bottom end of the supermarket size range, as these two terms are used in the United Kingdom. According to retail analysts TNS Worldpanel, Budgens ranked 13th in the United Kingdom grocery sector in December 2004, with a market share of 0.4%^{[citation needed]}.

The town of Fakenham in north Norfolk includes the Budgens store that received the Warburtons award for local produce in 2009^{[citation needed]}.

In 2006, 2007 and 2008 Budgens was voted number one fresh foods convenience retailer of the year.

Popular culture

Budgens is featured in the 2002 film 28 Days Later, when the lead characters raided the store for food during their escape from London^{[citation needed]}.

External links

• Budgens - A brief history
• Budgens official UK site
• Gravelle's Budgens independent stores part of the Musgrave brand