More savvy shoppers turning to discount store for bargains
FAMILY-RUN WAREHOUSE SEES DEMAND SOAR AS COST CRISIS TIGHTENS ITS GRIP
A DISCOUNT food warehouse has seen an increase in trade as shoppers struggle with the cost of living.
Jambons, a small-scale lockdown venture which has expanded to meet demand, is proving a magnet for customers looking for a bargain.
Manager Claire Joynt said they had seen a growing number of visitors to the site at Ryan Business Park, off Radford Road, in New Basford, as food prices rocket, the cost of petrol continues to rise and energy bills have rocketed. The warehouse sells a mix of clearance items and short-dated products with big name brands including Heinz, Cadbury, Nescafe, Kellogg’s, Mccain, Ariel, Fairy and Bold.
She said: “We’ve had a busy couple of weeks. I’ve had to do extra freezer orders.
We have our regular shoppers who come to do monthly shops to feed the children and they stock their freezers up.
“Our freezer stuff is high branded names but it’s repackaged. We do chicken nuggets, ready meals, pizzas and there’s always something different every week. It’s cheaper than the high street stores.
“Sometimes we do freezer deals. Recently we did two pizzas, garlic bread, smiley faces and ice cream for a fiver which would feed a family of four. People also want pop and snacks for kids and cleaning products.
To help people who are really struggling Jambons is currently giving away a £25 shopping voucher for food and essentials to one person a day. They are asking for nominations on their Facebook page but people can send a private message as well.
“To get a essential shop all we are asking for is for people to nominate a family or person that needs help with living. This is done daily and a member of our staff will then pick a name for the donation. If we get help from the general public to spread the word we shall carry this on for a month. Some people inbox and tell us the stories but we don’t disclose those,” said Claire.
“Myself and the staff here are finding it tough at the minute, with gas bills coming in and fuel prices going up. Obviously we’ve got each other to fall back on as we’re a family-run business, so because we’re feeling the struggle we thought of other people with young families, or single people. You hear stories that people can’t afford to eat at the minute.”
“So far we’ve had a lady and a gentlemen who were absolutely over the moon. Obviously we don’t post on Facebook when they’re coming to collect it and we don’t put any pictures up as it’s personal. They just pop into store and we say off you go and do your shopping. The only thing is we don’t do it with is alcohol which we’re just started selling - just the essentials.”
Since starting out during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 in a barn at home in Rainworth, owners Annalisa Fisher and her husband Gary Martin have expanded the business to 9,000sq ft of warehouse space at the industrial estate.
Claire added: “We’re always doing something to help someone. We’ve done care packages for the homeless and sent lorry loads of sanitary products, tinned goods, toilet rolls and clothes to people in Ukraine.”
You hear stories that people can’t afford to eat at the minute.
Jambons manager Claire Joynt