Co-op has just signed its next university franchise store, with a shop set to open at Keele University, Staffordshire, in September.
The new store, which will be managed and run by Keele University Students’ Union, will transform into a brand-new state-of-the-art shop to serve its students, staff and local community.
Stocking a tailored range of great value and quality Co-op own brand products, as well as a wide range of Fairtrade, free-from and vegan options, it will bring both value to the campus experience and students’ pockets, with the Co-op being the only grocer to offer an exclusive 10% student discount to TOTUM card holders.
Sarah Ellis, CEO at Keele University Students’ Union, said, “This is fantastic news for the students and greater community at Keele. It will offer a diverse range of products with students benefiting from student discount and anyone else able to use the Co-op membership discount.
'It has been a pleasure to work with Co-op on the venture thus far and I look forward to the store developing and opening over the coming months.”
With university stores already operating at Leeds, Kent, Newcastle, Oxford Brookes and Stirling, Keele is the seventh Co-op franchise store to open across six universities, supporting the Co-op’s strategy to get closer to communities and to where what its customers want, need and, care about.
Martin Rogers, head of new channels at Co-op, said, “Our university franchise stores are a great opportunity for us to grow our brand, share our values, and get our products into the hands of the next generation of customers and members.
'As the exclusive retail grocery store franchise partner for The National Union of Students (NUS) and we’re already serving c.150k students up and down the country.
“We’re delighted to add Keele to our ever-growing portfolio and are looking forward to welcoming those students and community in September.”
Phil Butters, Director of Estates and Development at Keele University, said, “As a residential campus, our retail offer is an important part of us being able to provide a quality experience for our students and wider campus community.
'We continually review the services that we offer and are delighted to be forming this new partnership with the Students’ Union and the Co-op.
'As well as providing a new and refreshed retail offer on campus, we are excited to form a new relationship with a globally recognised organisation which shares many of our aspirations about Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality.”
Through its full-service franchise model, Co-op offers a unique proposition for independent retailers who share the Co-op values and principles to become part of the Co-op community, giving more customers than ever access to great stores, in great locations providing award winning food and drink, conveniently. The retailer has recently been upgraded to an Associated Member of the regulatory body, British Franchise Association (bfa), reinforcing the retailer as a credible franchise partner.