Howie is Independent Retailer of The Year

- Published: 03 November, 2008

Simon Howie Butchers has won the Independent Retailer of the Year title at a prestigious event in Glasgow, held by the Scottish Retail Excellence Awards and sponsored by the Daily Record.

The award recognises the retailer that can demonstrate individuality, innovative merchandising and quality of service, based on a keen understanding of the customer base. The company fought off some stiff competition to take the title.

Simon Howie Butchers, which has previously been named overall national winner of MTJ's Butcher's Shop of the Year Awards, has two retail outlets in Perth and Auchterarder. Both shops have undergone extensive refurbishment as part of a company-wide brand development programme.

A new Ready to Eat, Cook and Heat concept has been introduced, which splits the product offering into specific categories, aiming to clearly communicate key product attributes and allow customers to easily choose products to suit specific meal occasions.

The company was described by the judges as an "inspiration to other independents competing against national chains".