Business Process Re-engineering – Retail Carve-Out

Wyevale Garden Centres, formerly The Garden Centre Group, is a chain of 145 garden centres in England and Wales owned by Terra Firma Capital Partners. It is the largest garden centre group in the UK, with each centre separately branded.

The Situation

• The group saw a big opportunity to create exciting new restaurants for customers and look to double its £65m per annum revenues. It was seeking to create a concept that could be rolled out to the other 2,000 + independent garden centres.

• Wyevale needed a food expert to advise them on various strategic options and implement the plan.

The Solution

• Through its international network, the WIL Group, Russam proposed an Interim Manager who had been working as VP Food Retail for M.H.Alshaya Co Group in Kuwait and as MD of Jumeirah Restaurant Group in Dubai; an international expert on franchise operations.
• The Interim Manager was responsible for analysing the situation, filling a leadership void and giving direction to the restaurant division.

Results

• Immediate impact through getting out to the stores, showing leadership, analysing the business operations and preparing business cases.
• Signed up Costa Coffee under a franchise agreement.
• Joined the Group Board.
• Put together new menu for the restaurants.
• New customer attraction levels at + 20%.
• Vastly improved stakeholder relationship between PE firm and investment company.