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The stores range in size from around 1,500 square feet (140 m2) to around 10,000 square feet (900 m2), and therefore fall into the convenience store size range and the bottom end of the supermarket size range, as these two terms are used in the United Kingdom. According to retail analysts TNS Worldpanel, Budgen's ranked 13th in the United Kingdom grocery sector in December 2004, with a market share of 0.4%. In 2002 the company was purchased by the Irish Musgrave Group. In 2004 the Musgrave Group started selling their Budgen's stores to independent retailers such as Tout, and franchised the Budgen's brand, leading to more store openings. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 Budgen's was voted number one fresh foods convenience retailer of the year. In 2007 the divestment of the original Budgen's stores to independent retailers was completed, but a few Budgen's stores whose franchise-holders had failed to perform had been returned to Musgrave's. A further eight stores were bought in 2009 from the Co-op (who had acquired them on taking over the Somerfield group but were instructed to dispose of them by the Office of Fair Trading). Once these new stores have been re-fitted and stocked as Budgens Stores they will be divested. The larger Budgens supermarkets used to be called B1 and the convenience stores were called B2. This was scrapped, and they were all called Budgens, in 2003. The town of Fakenham in north Norfolk includes the Budgens store that received the Warburtons award for local produce in 2009. |
