The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Chamber’s virtual trade mission to Dubai
Semichem will not to make any rash decisions about store closures and redundancies despite a drop in sales.
The health and beauty retailer, which is owned by Scotmid Co-operative, said trading had been in line with expectations since stores reopened between June and August, but well below pre-Covid levels.
Scotmid chief executive John Brodie said they would wait to see how the stores performed before making any tough decisions.
He said: “We closed for lockdown with 87 Semichems and we’ve opened with 87 Semichems.
“We are encouraged by recent trade but it has some way to go to pre-Covid levels.
“Some may benefit from the trend of local shopping and so we want to give them every opportunity trade back up.
“We are not immune from the general challenges facing retail at this time and we won’t shy away from making decisions, but we want to give every store every opportunity.”
Scotmid’s half-year report for the 26 weeks ending July 25 showed the group made an increase in sales and profits driven by the food side of the business.
Turnover rose by £6.7 million to £197m, while trading profit was recorded at £3.1m compared to £2.5m for the same period last year.
Mr Brodie said the company adapted quickly to the new ways of trading and working during the pandemic, with more customers shopping local.
“Despite record sicknesses levels and social distancing requirements, our frontline colleagues, support teams and supply chain responded to the unprecedented demand levels and continued to serve our communities through the peak of the crisis,” the chief executive said.
The funeral side of Scotmid’s business saw more volumes as a result of Covid-19 deaths while its property division saw reduced income.
Mr Brodie said the second half of the year remained uncertain with the possibility of lengthy recession. to build the
“As government support is withdrawn, the recession is likely to be prolonged, not helped by the uncertainty caused by the Brexit transition,” he added.
“So, looking ahead to an uncertain second half of the year, it is more important than ever for Scotmid to focus on matters under our control and deliver our core purpose of serving our communities and improving people’s everyday lives.”
Q. What are your hopes for the future? A. My ambition is to grow the business and have my products stocked by salons all over the world.
Q. Are you hoping to recruit in future? A. I’m not currently recruiting but it’s definitely something I would like to be able to do eventually.
Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce (DACC) will host a virtual trade mission with Dubai next week.
A delegation of nine organisations across Scotland will spend three days exploring opportunities within the UAE city.
The programme will cover how to set up in the UAE, projects in the wider Gulf Co-operation Council and opportunities at Expo 2020, which is now delayed to next year.
The mission will also include time for the delegation to have businessto-business meetings to engage with potential clients and make vital connections.
The chamber visited Dubai last November to explore business and trade connections along with a delegation led by the Al Maktoum College, who have been a critical partner in helping further deepen the connections between the sister cities.
DACC chief executive Alison Henderson said “We’re proud to be delivering this trade mission on behalf of the Scottish Chamber Network.
“Ensuring that the rest of the world is aware of the innovative, high-quality and globally competitive products and services Scotland has to offer has never been more critical.” business support organisations like Business Gateway.
Q. How do you relax?
A. At the end of a busy day, I sit back, take a deep breath and thank my lucky stars that people continue to support the business. I also like to relax by getting a massage or going out for a walk.