Dike’s is ‘as good as food retail can get'

We have picked up two prestigious national awards at the 2018 Retail Industry Awards in London – Independent Retailer of the Year (6,000 sq ft and over) and Digital Engagement Retailer of Year.

Retail Industry Award organisers said that Dike & Son had edged ahead of a particularly impressive field this year.

The supermarket and cafe had demonstrated “tremendous standards throughout”, according to the judges, with “enthusiastic and engaging staff operating the business with passion”.

They added: “It’s a store you would happily use as your store of choice. Their fresh foods are extensive and stunning – they shout, ‘Buy me’.

“The store is in a fairly remote rural location but excels at everything it does. This is as good as food retail can get.”

We have worked hard to develop a strong online presence in three distinct areas, which helped us to win Digital Engagement Retailer of Year.

We are the first independent supermarket in the UK to launch a complete online shopping service with local delivery, in 2015, and over the past year we have started selling products through online marketplace Amazon – everything from local craft gins to artisan pork scratchings.

Judges said that these moves, combined with a well-tailored social media strategy – including activity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – had earned the store a strong following online, and it was felt that its digital strategy was integrated well with the overall business.

“They are clearly putting the resources behind it – they can see the opportunity,” said one judge. “The numbers are good and I like the shopping website. It shows what an independent can do if it has the resources to back it up.”

Managing Director Andy Dike said: “These awards are the result of a huge team effort – everyone works very hard to raise Dike & Son above the normal expectations of a supermarket visit. We are so delighted to win these awards. In today’s challenging retail environment it has given us a fantastic lift.”