Find your local David Sands store above, which are set to be converted to Co-operative outlets.
The Co-operative Group has acquired Scottish convenience retailer David Sands Ltd, which has 28 food stores, for an undisclosed sum.
The Group’s purchase of the outlets in Fife, Kinross and Perthshire, is the latest step in the society’s plans to expand its 2,800-strong UK food store network by more than 300 stores over the next three years, employing up to 7,000 staff.
The two businesses have exchanged contracts and the sale is expected to be completed in the next couple of months, subject to a review by the Office of Fair Trading.
Almost 700 David Sands’ staff will join the Co-operative Group as part of the acquisition of the family-run business, which was founded in 1812.
In the last two months, the Group has opened 16 new food stores, including eight in Scotland, and later this month it will launch a new food store in Battersea, London, as part of the Royal College of Arts’ major campus expansion, following a £770,000 investment.
Chief Executive Peter Marks said: “The Sands stores will be a valuable addition to our food portfolio as we forge ahead with our programme to grow the business by seeking new opportunities across the UK.
“This deal will significantly strengthen our position in Scotland and complement our existing store estate, which operates from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders.”
The society currently has 370 food stores in Scotland and is the fourth largest food retailer north of the border, with an annual turnover of more than £1 billion.
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