A Wiltshire supermarket specialising in sustainable products has opened two new stores in the county.
Christine's Sustainable Supermarket is expanding by taking over zero-waste shop Undressed in Trowbridge as well as opening a store in popup space Granny Mo’s Deli/Popology in Bradford on Avon.
The owner revealed to Wiltshire Times her plans to open a fourth location at Westdale Park Home and Garden Centre in March next year.
It comes as Undressed co-owner shared it was time to end their business: “It’s always been Undressed’s dream [to offer a broader range of products] but we’ve not been able to fulfil it,” she said.
Leyla Bakali-Spence had relaunched her shop with her husband at the end of last year following difficulties due to Covid-19 restrictions.
In October she had shared with her customers that she was “struggling to keep her business afloat” due to lack of footfall.
Christine Giles, the new owner, said: “Taking over Undressed in Trowbridge was only decided on Sunday but we’re moving fast.
"Leyla will keep the spaces she rents out to other businesses upstairs but I am taking over the shop.
“We are overflowing, I can’t keep up with the demand in my current shop.”
Giles told the Wiltshire Times she's not worried about expanding in the current economic climate: “I wanted to expand for a while, but I hadn’t found the right opportunity."
“What Leyla has done is so great, she created a community from scratch like me over 20 years ago.
“Although I bought Leyla’s sustainable shop business, we’re going to see how we do at Granny Mo’s.
“It’s only on a month-by-month basis.”
Christine's sustainable supermarket shared on social media they are recruiting for a part-time employee for their new Trowbridge shop, to work alongside the previous owner.
She currently employs eight part-time employees in her Bradford on Avon shop.
The ex-servicewoman used her 15 years of experience in the Royal Signals and profits from property development to start her business in Bradford on Avon.
“People didn’t understand what I was trying to do back then, and look at me now!”
Giles explained the popup shop in Bradford on Avon is dedicated to baked good, helping her serve the clientele better.
“We’re taking out all our best-selling cakes and pastries and our new Granny Mo’s shop.
“There’s too much volume for our supermarket: We sell over 200 croissants a week!”
Her unit at Westdale Park Home and Garden Centre, set to open in March next year, will serve another purpose entirely: “Because we’ll have free parking there and cars will be able to reverse to the unit, we’ll be able to offer refills and wholesale with 15 per cent off the normal retail price.
“My customers have been asking to buy larger quantities for a while, this will be it!”
By expanding, Giles hopes misconceptions about the cost of buying better will "go away".
In a time of cost-of-living crisis, the shop-owner said she is “working hard to only provide the best products at the best price.”
“My customers are anything from people who live on £20 per week or £200 per week so there’s no class issue here.
“It’s not more expensive to buy sustainably at my shop, it’s cheaper than at the big supermarkets.
“My work is to help people by doing the research for them, and tell them what I’ve learnt.
“After that, it’s up to them to change their habits.”
When asked about her ambitions for the future, Giles cheerfully said: “Somebody is going to start a chain of sustainable supermarkets, why shouldn’t it be me.”
The entrepreneur hopes her experience can support others who might be in difficult situations: “I want to tell all sustainable shop owners in the area who are struggling that they can come to me.
“I don’t have to worry about the bills too much, and I want to help.”
Christine’s sustainable supermarket was rated second most sustainable supermarket by Ethical Consumer magazine in December 2021 just after the produce delivery company Riverford out of 19 food retailers in the UK.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel