Four top tips for early Christmas planning

It may feel like we still have a long way to go until Christmas comes knocking on our doors, but early planning is essential to indie success. In fact, while summer is in full swing in the UK, in the minds of fine food producers and retailers, Christmas bells are ringing. 

The festive season brings a significant opportunity for fine food retailers, as their ability to make every moment count through engaging storytelling, premium quality and community spirit sets them apart.

According to Chris Lidgitt, food hall manager at Crimple, there are four key ideas you need to keep in mind as you start decking the halls with boughs of holly. 

1 More is more
You don’t have to be a retail expert to foresee an uplift in turkeys, alcohol and mince pies through December, but in reality, almost all products see a dramatic increase leading up to Christmas – simply put, people buy more of (almost) everything. Our bestsellers last year were local free-range turkeys, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, mince pies and lots and lots of chocolate. 

2 Going premium
Data and sales show that consumers tend to go more premium in December, buying higher quality produce. Everyone wants to be the host with the most, and so for independent retailers like Crimple, this presents a huge opportunity. Our luxury and local products are the ultimate way to impress guests and the uniqueness of what we source and sell makes us stand out from similar stores. 

3 Retail planning
Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year – which is important for retail planning! With Christmas Eve being a Saturday, this will no doubt be a huge day for grocery buying but also the Thursday and Friday before. It’s important in the build-up to work closely with suppliers to make sure we have the freshest products through the busy period. 

4 Buying British
Factor in Brexit and the current supply chain issues. Everyone will be buying British this year and the logistics will be pushed to the limit. We need to factor this in early and secure delivery slots as early as august.

Let the Christmas planning begin, and here’s to a festive season full of luxurious gifts, tempting treats and classic comforts!

Christmas content supported by Woolcool – the pioneers of sustainable temperature-controlled packaging.