What C-Store Collective does

C-Store Collective is a UK-based professional services consultancy founded in 2020 and headquartered in Hull, operating as The C-Store Collective Ltd (a private limited company). The firm is composed of three founding partners — John Heagney, Mike Igoe, and Jonathan Rons — each bringing 25-50 years of convenience retail experience from prior senior roles at Nisa, Heron Foods, PayPoint, Musgrave, and William Jackson Food Group, supported by a panel of associate consultants and additional industry experts. C-Store Collective delivers tailored advisory services to UK convenience store operators, brands and suppliers, wholesalers and symbol groups, and forecourt operators through five core service modules: Business Coaching and Consulting (retained ongoing contracted support with a six-month minimum, ad hoc consultancy days, project assignments, and bespoke packages); Speak to An Expert (expert guidance across accounting, marketing, M&A strategy, merchandising, compliance, and turnaround planning); Study Tours (retailer site visits and international study programmes); Site Acquisitions and Development (viability assessment, financial modelling, acquisition negotiation, and store design); and Brand Ambassadors (retail introductions, distribution support, trade show presence, and social media support for brands entering the convenience channel).

The firm's go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging direct engagement via phone, email, and website contact, supplemented by referrals through an extensive partner network spanning technology (Henderson Technology EdgePOS, Volumatic, DNA Payments, S4labour, Gander, JISP), licensing (Licensing Solutions), legal (Clarion Solicitors, Clifford Lax), finance (Satellite Finance, FSS), design (Design Workshop, Impact Signs, Activ Projects), and signage/merchandising. Marketing reach is built through industry media appearances (BBC Look North, BBC Radio Tees), industry events (Retail Industry Awards where John Heagney serves as lead judging partner, National Convenience Show, C-Store Forum in Marbella, OpenRoom networking events), email newsletters, and published case studies. Revenue is generated through professional services engagements at individually tailored, competitively priced, quote-based rates, with no disclosed public pricing. Notable enterprise clients include Heron Foods, PayPoint, Nisa, Phillips 66, The Midcounties Co-operative, and Filco Supermarkets, with documented outcomes including a return on capital approaching 100% per annum for Heron Foods stores and card transaction share growth from 11% to over 30%. The firm holds 12 industry awards including three times Supreme Champion Best Convenience Store UK and Convenience Retailer of the Year, and operates exclusively in the UK with no evidence of international geographic expansion.

Name

C-Store Collective

Legal name

The C-Store Collective Ltd

Website

https://c-storecollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

C-Store Collective is a UK-based consultancy founded in 2020, providing tailored advisory services across business coaching, site acquisitions, study tours, and brand distribution to convenience store operators, wholesalers, forecourt operators, and consumer brands in the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Professional consulting services including business coaching, site acquisitions, brand ambassador programs, and expert advisory services tailored to convenience store operators. Revenue generated through retained ongoing contracted support (minimum six months), ad hoc consultancy days, specific project assignments, and bespoke service packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

C-Store Collective is a UK consultancy that delivers advisory and coaching services to the convenience retail sector. Its offering spans five core modules: Business Coaching and Consulting, Speak to An Expert, Study Tours, Site Acquisitions and Development, and Brand Ambassadors. Services are delivered by three founding consultants (John Heagney, Mike Igoe, Jonathan Rons) plus a panel of associate consultants, with engagements structured as retained contracts, ad hoc days, specific projects, or bespoke packages.

Product overview

C-Store Collective is a consultancy firm composed of three founding consultants and a panel of associate consultants providing advisory services to the convenience store sector. The company offers five core service modules: Business Coaching and Consulting (provides retained, ad hoc, and project-based consultancy support), Speak to An Expert (expert guidance across multiple business disciplines), Study Tours (retailer site visits), Site Acquisitions and Development (M&A and store development advisory), and Brand Ambassadors (channel distribution and brand support services). All services are individually tailored and competitively priced reflecting the collective approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Return on capital approaching 100% per annum achieved for Heron Foods stores following consultancy engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal MailcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2020Partnership focused on expanding Royal Mail's parcel locker network into convenience retail locations. C-Store Collective works with Royal Mail to identify suitable retail locations and support stores through the setup process. Benefits for retailers include increased footfall, extra income from rental fees, and no hassle as Royal Mail handles installation and management.
• Licensing SolutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLicensing Solutions provides support for new premises licence applications, premises licence variations, minor variations, alcohol operation audits, NCPLH training for personal licence, personal licence applications, staff training guidance, and on-site staff training for C-Store Collective clients.
• ACS (Association of Convenience Stores)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-Store Collective is a key affiliate of the ACS. The Association of Convenience Stores is the voice of local shops and represents the industry at the heart of government. C-Store Collective consultants hold positions with ACS events committee.
• Design WorkshopcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFull-service creative design and marketing agency with years of experience in shop design, store layout, retail interiors, brand identity, promotional materials, merchandising, press and PR, and digital promotion. Worked alongside Mike Igoe on Filco Supermarkets project.
• Southern StocktakersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional stocktakers and valuers providing accurate information to maximise profits, minimise loss, and protect stock and revenues with nationwide 7-day service.
• Impact SignsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSignage company founded in 2008 specialising in all aspects of convenience store signage.
• Navarra Retail SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgent and Primary Distributor in UK for GM Global Solutions, supplying dispensing and vending systems including smart gantry solutions.
• Activ Projects LimitedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional approach and dedicated service for draw plans and shop fitting for convenience store projects.
• Clarion SolicitorsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services focused on building strong partnerships with clients to deliver better results through relationship-based approach.
• Clifford LaxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness Transfer Agents successfully selling businesses since 1919, covering Retail, Catering, Licensed, Engineering and Motor Trade sectors.
• OpenRoomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreates industry-specific events around the world, connecting high-powered end-users with innovative suppliers through one-to-one meetings and social functions.
• Convenience PulseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-Store Collective is a UK partner of Convenience Pulse, an industry intelligence and benchmarking platform.
• IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC-Store Collective team members are members of IGD's professional network, providing access to grocery distribution research and insights.
• CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJohn Heagney is a qualified CEDR Accredited Mediator offering dispute resolution services as an alternative to litigation for convenience sector disputes.
• Retail Industry AwardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Heagney serves as Head of Judging and Judging Panel Member for the Retail Industry Awards, the premier recognition event for the convenience retail sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Quorso: Retail performance management software and advisory firm using AI-driven insights to help multi-site retailers (including convenience) identify profit opportunities at store level. Partial overlap with C-Store Collective's coaching and operational improvement services, but differentiated by a proprietary software platform rather than pure consultancy.

Direct peers

• CACI: UK-headquartered consumer and location analytics consultancy serving retail, leisure and property clients with site selection, catchment modelling and customer segmentation. Comparable to C-Store Collective's Site Acquisitions & Development module, which provides viability assessment and location planning for convenience store operators.
• HIM Marketing & Consulting: Specialist shopper marketing and channel consultancy serving FMCG brands and retailers globally, with a strong UK and Ireland presence. Founding Partner Jonathan Rons was previously Client Director at HIM, making the firms directly comparable niche retail marketing consultancies targeting FMCG distribution in convenience and grocery channels.
• Conlumino: UK-based retail insights and strategy consultancy producing research and advisory on grocery, convenience and foodservice. Comparable as a specialist retail intelligence firm advising brands and retailers on channel strategy, category management and store-format development across UK and European markets.
• IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution): UK-based grocery and convenience industry research, insights and events organisation serving retailers, suppliers and symbol groups. C-Store Collective team members participate in IGD's professional network, and IGD's retail insights, training and advisory offerings overlap with C-Store Collective's coaching and benchmarking services for the convenience channel.
• Retail Economics: Independent UK retail research and economics consultancy providing strategic advice, market sizing and forecasting to retailers, suppliers and investors. Overlaps with C-Store Collective on UK retail advisory and economic insights, with comparable niche positioning serving mid-market and enterprise retail clients.
• CGA by NielsenIQ: Out-of-home and convenience retail research and insights consultancy, now part of NielsenIQ, providing benchmarking, consumer research and strategy across UK pubs, restaurants and convenience. Directly comparable as a data-led specialist consultancy targeting the UK convenience and on-the-go consumer.

Broad incumbents

• NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence and retail measurement firm serving manufacturers and retailers with scan data, analytics and advisory. Direct overlap with C-Store Collective's advisory services through CGA Strategy and NielsenIQ's broader UK retail consulting practice, though at substantially larger scale.
• IRI Worldwide: Global retail market research and consumer insights firm serving CPG manufacturers and retailers with point-of-sale analytics, category management and strategic advisory. Comparable to C-Store Collective's brand and category advisory services but operating at global scale with proprietary data assets.
• Kantar: Global data, insights and consulting firm with a major UK retail practice covering grocery, convenience and FMCG. Operates at significantly greater scale than C-Store Collective across consumer panels, retail measurement and category advisory, making it a broad incumbent competitor for enterprise retail and supplier clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-storecollective

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about C-Store Collective