Budgens rebrands b2 stores

Budgens is rebranding 30 stores, which it had renamed b2 after acquiring them as 7-eleven stores, as Budgens stores.

In October last year, the convenience chain acquired 50 7-eleven stores spread across the South-east, from Neighbourhood Stores, and branded them as new concept b2 stores. The rebranding process has to be completed by April this year to fulfil the legal requirements of the sale.

But the 30 larger stores outside London will now change over to the Budgens brand name and convenience store format with a greater emphasis on fresh foods, salads and ready meals.

The b2 stores will only exist in central London and will return to a product range much more akin to the 7-11 shops they originally were.

The first to be rebranded is the Ballards Lane outlet in North Finchley which will close as b2 on June 24 and reopen as Budgens on July 9.

The 20 stores which remain branded as b2 will undergo yet another transition to a concept closely resembling a 7-eleven store, with a reduced ambient product offer.

Budgens marketing controller Robin McArthur says: “It has given us the opportunity to retailor b2 and opened Metropolitan areas, a new market for the group as a whole.”

The new b2 urban concept is to be launched at the Pimlico store in September.

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