Farris Sultan has been a retailer for more than 20 years, helping his family run five petrol stations before venturing out on his own. By the end of 2025, he’ll have a total of eight stores across various stations around the country, including his own fascia: ‘Buzz in Buzz out’.
“We have stores in London, Lincoln is in the pipeline, and soon this will expand to Eastbourne in East Sussex. Our sites vary from 200sq ft to 2,500sq ft, and this is only the beginning,” he says. “We also have sites in Brentford and Ealing.”
His strategy for each store is to offer healthier alternatives alongside his core range. In fact, you won’t be able to visit one of his stores without finding something healthy, and it all started with a customer questionnaire.
“We asked shoppers in store to fill it out, and the majority asked for us to stock healthier lines,” he says.
Sultan started off small, introducing one or two lines in each category – until he heard about Epicurium Wholesale.
Taking the right risks
Sultan first made an order of £500 after his main wholesaler stopped stocking a bestseller. To avoid disappointing his customers, he knew he had to act fast, and the products sold out in two days.
“Half my store now includes products I bought from Epicurium,” he says. “This includes gluten-free products, dairy-free, protein, and nuts. We’re now selling around £3,000-worth every week, and that’s just for one store,” he says.
While his London stores played a major role in determining his strategy, as customers are less price-conscious, the risk has paid off in other areas across the UK, too.
“All our new sites start with a healthier product focus because we took that risk to trial it in earlier stores, so we know it works. It’s a no-brainer,” he says.
“With Epicurium, we’re able to stock everything we need, and we now have a good range of drinks, snacks and other varieties. We actually had to empty a chiller to expand our range from Epicurium!” he says.
Any new products are subject to a month’s trial, so Sultan can really understand if it’s the right product for the demographic or store. If the product doesn’t work in one store, he simply moves it to another, meaning his waste is almost zero.
However, he won’t move the full range straight away, in case it’s just taking a while to find demand, and he delivers it himself to save on delivery costs.
“If other retailers with multiple stores aren’t doing this, they’re missing out on a trick,” he says.
Working with wholesalers to build your range
“I’m in conversations every week with Epicurium about new products to trial,” he says. “That’s the best thing about Epicurium, they’re always there for you.”
Recognising the importance of working with wholesalers and the crucial role this relationship plays in operating a convenience store, Sultan emphasises that this support is vital.
“I’ve worked with a lot of wholesalers and Epicurium helps us by sending samples, offering advice, and working with us closely. It’s no wonder we have around seven aisles dedicated to their range.
“They also offer competitive pricing, and they deliver, too, which is very convenient and vital when you run multiple sites across the UK,” he says.
Sultan’s top tips for growing your business
- Take risks: Take a risk, trial new products and build your range steadily
- Understand the world has changed: Customers are more health-conscious than ever, and it’s the future, too, so get ahead and review your range
- Know your customers: If you don’t know your customers, make it a priority to change this. You can’t run a business if you don’t know your customers.
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