Q&A: Does Intermarché Franchise in the UK?

Hannah Burnett, writer

Published at 10/03/2022, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Intermarché Franchise in the UK? — Photo © QA-Does-Intermarch__-Franchise-in-the-UK.jpg

If you’re looking to make a career change and the idea of being your own boss appeals to you, franchising within the convenience store sector could be a great option. Does the idea of going into business backed by one of the biggest supermarket chains in France sound good too? Then you might want to consider franchising with Intermarché. But the big question is - do they franchise in the UK?

For weekly shops big or small - and whether online or in person - we all head to the supermarket on a regular basis. So it should come as no surprise that an investment with a convenience store retail franchise is always a smart move.

While many industries ground to a halt during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was not the case for supermarkets and convenience stores. These essential shops kept open and kept us fed - and the market value of this industry has never been better. In 2021, a Global Consumer Survey found that 87 percent of UK consumers regularly bought both food and everyday products from supermarkets [Statista].

If you’ve ever hopped across the channel, there’s every chance you’ve done some shopping at French supermarket giant Intermarché. But back here in the UK, are you able to invest in Intermarché as a franchise?

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Does Intermarché franchise in the UK?

Whilst investing with one of the largest supermarket chains in France is undoubtedly an appealing prospect, unfortunately Intermarché does not currently offer any opportunities to franchise in the UK.

However, this does not necessarily mean your ambitions of becoming an Intermarché franchisee are dead in the water - Intermarché does offer franchising opportunities internationally. Currently, Intermarché operates in France, Portugal, Poland and Belgium - with over 2,000 stores open across Europe.

While holding a massive share of the French market, the company wanted to pursue other European markets, first setting up a franchise in Spain in 1988. In the 90’s they went a step further, franchising in Portugal and Belgium in 1991, followed by Poland in 1997. Intermarché now have 2,369 grocery and gas stations across Europe, most of which are franchised to independent business owners. - franchising.eu

So, unfortunately, any ambitions to franchise with Intermarché here in the UK are currently not possible. But as a thriving supermarket chain with franchising opportunities in many countries, it’s worth keeping an eye out to see if the UK is ever added to that list.

The history of Intermarché

Intermarché is part of the privately owned French retailing group les Mousequietaires group, and is itself one of the biggest supermarket chains in France. Established back in 1969 by founders Edouard Leclerc and Jean Pierre Le Roch under the name ‘Ex Enterprises’, the name was quickly changed to Intermarché.

After years of successful operation, Intermarché swiftly dominated the French convenience store market. But this was merely the beginning of its journey as a business.

Is it just Intermarché’s price policy that contributes to their daily success? It seems that through their actions, Intermarché has defined itself as a store for tomorrow. The retail giant has certainly risen to the corporate social challenge, unveiling several leading initiatives. - franchising.eu

Intermarché has kept ahead of the pack by being hot on the tail of any corporate social issues and quickly enacting initiatives to tackle these issues. In 2006, Intermarché was the first to introduce nutritional labels to products. And in 2013, Intermarché signed the National Pact against food waste, committing to its aim to reduce all food waste by 50% by 2025.

Intermarché also uses energy efficient lighting, heating and temperature controlling systems in its stores - like all good businesses, Intermarché pays attention to the latest tech trends innovating the food sector in order to stay successful and relevant.

Start a franchise in the convenience store sector

If you’ve enjoyed learning about Intermarché and are filled with enthusiasm for becoming part of the convenience store industry, there’s no need to put a halt on your franchising journey just because Intermarché don’t currently franchise in the UK. A smart would be doing some research on the top convenience store franchises in the UK. To find out more, keep on reading.

1. How do you go about starting your own convenience store franchise?

The first thing you’ll want to establish before embarking on your journey as a convenience store franchisee is whether you meet the requirements of any businesses you are interested in franchising with.

For example, if you want to invest with One Stop - a subsidiary of Tesco which operates more than 770 company owned stores across the UK - you will need to be an established retailer who is seeking to convert their existing store into a One Stop franchise.

If you want to franchise with sector giant Costcutter, you’ll not necessarily need an established store or previous industry experience - but you will need to be driven, committed and ready to maintain a profitable subset of the Costcutter brand.

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2. How much do you need to invest?

The amount of money you’ll need to invest in your chosen franchise will vary depending on which route you decide to go down. And as you’ll soon learn - when making a career change with a convenience store franchise, there’s plenty of different avenues to go down:

To invest in One Stop - and turn an existing store into a One Stop franchise - you will need to pay up to £50,000 as an initial investment.
To invest in the supermarket business Budgens, you’ll need to achieve a minimum spending total of £10,000 per week.
To invest in the Londis branch, you’ll need to achieve a minimum spending total of £5,00 per week - and sign up for a three-year contract.

3. What do you get for your investment?

Investing with an established and successful convenience store brand will lend all sorts of different benefits depending on who you decide to franchise with. If you invest with One Stop, your franchisor will provide a full re-fit for your existing store and convert it into part of the One Stop brand.

If you invest with Budgens, you’ll be allocated a New Store Opening Manager to advise you every step of the way, on all things from stocking the shelves to recruiting staff.

Enjoy being your own boss with a franchise in the convenience store industry today

Though Intermarché may not be one of your UK franchise options at the moment, hopefully once you’ve done your research into the top supermarket franchises in the UK you’ll be excited at the prospect of franchising elsewhere.

Stick around on Point Franchise and explore the UK franchise directory for a full lowdown on every franchising opportunity available in the UK right now.