March 16, 2010 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced today it has been selected by BP as the organisation's sole greeting card supplier for its company owned forecourts. Card Connection's network of franchisees will now supply and merchandise greetings cards to more than 370 BP stores across the UK.
"As part of UK Greetings, the largest publicly owned greeting card publisher in the world, Card Connection is in the perfect position to supply and merchandise BP's company owned network," explains Andrew Cutler, Sales Director Card Connection. "Our team of 85 franchisees will hand pick and deliver greeting cards from our range of 1,200 quality product designs and supply them to BP outlets throughout the UK. Our franchisees then regularly visit stores to supply new product and merchandise displays ensuring they always look fresh and appealing to consumers."
As well as independent stores, Card Connection franchisees supply other key national accounts in this way, including the likes of: Costcutter, Londis, Netto, Budgens, Spar and Haldanes.
David Pitron - BP's UK Trading Manager states: "I am delighted that we are working with Card Connection, our greeting card offer is critical to us getting the gifting offer right for the customer and sends a signal about the quality of our overall offer. We look forward to our partnership with Card Connection and growing our shared business and adding value for our customers."
"Our greeting cards continue to be some of the most popular products on the market," confirms Cutler. "We believe the fact that BP has chosen to appoint Card Connection as its sole greeting card supplier underlines our position as one of the leading greeting card publishers and franchisors in the UK."
Card Connection has limited vacancies for franchisees who are keen to run an expanding business. Successful candidates would ideally have some management experience as, once established, they would be expected to employ a small team, operate a warehouse and have several liveried vans on the road.
Because the franchise networks in the UK and Ireland are complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at £20,000 (+ stock) with earnings potential in excess of £50,000 per annum.
Card Connection is one of the UK's most successful card publishers and is the market leader in the franchised distribution of greeting cards.
The company was established in 1992 and became a Full Member of the British Franchise Association in 1995. It now distributes greeting cards to around 15,000 outlets through its network of 85 franchisees.
BP is one of the world's largest energy companies with operations in more than 100 countries across six continents. The company's main businesses are exploration and production of oil and gas; refining, manufacturing and marketing of oil products and petrochemicals; transportation and marketing of natural gas; and a growing business in renewable and low-carbon power and next generation energy technologies.
BP is the official oil and gas partner for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a supporter of the British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association (BPA).
Card Connection is one of the UK's most successful card publishers and is the market leader in the franchised distribution of greeting cards.