Nisa sales rise as it attracts more stores

Convenience retailer Nisa has recorded a 12.4pc rise in half-year sales to £728m as it continues its takeover talks with the Co-operative Group.

The company also named non-executive director Arnu Misra as its interim chief executive, following the abrupt departure of boss Nick Read last week. Nisa said it attracted 409 new stores to its membership in the 26 weeks to Oct 1, compared with 188 last year.

In late August it emerged that the Co-op had entered talks to buy Nisa, just two weeks after Sainsbury’s dropped out of the running.