Turning a Great Business into an Award Winner

How Growth Quarters helped Jack & Co Northwood take out Convenience Store of the Year

At the 2026 AACS Awards, Jack & Co Northwood didn’t just win—they dominated.

Taking home both 2025 Independent Convenience Store of the Year and the overall Convenience Store of the Year, their success wasn’t accidental. It was the result of a truly exceptional business… and a submission that told that story in a powerful, strategic way.

At Growth Quarters, we had the privilege of not only crafting the winning submission—but working alongside Jack & Co as an ongoing extension of their team.

Through a long-term partnership, we support their business across marketing, training, and strategic projects, helping bring many of these award-winning initiatives to life and ensuring they are executed consistently at a high level.

This wasn’t just storytelling.It was a story we’ve helped build.

The Truth About Award-Winning Submissions

Most businesses think awards are about what you do.

They’re not.

They’re about how clearly, convincingly, and commercially you communicate it.

Jack & Co Northwood already had an incredible operation—but what elevated them was how their story was structured, evidenced, and brought to life.

And importantly, it reflected a business where strategy and execution are aligned day-to-day—not just written for awards.

What Made the Jack & Co Submission a Winner

1. A Clear, Differentiated Position

From the very first line, the submission reframed the category:

“It’s not a service station with food. It’s a neighbourhood coffee stop, fresh-food market and modern convenience hub.”

This wasn’t just descriptive—it was strategic positioning.

It told judges:

• This business is redefining the category

• It understands its customer deeply

• It’s future-focused, not traditional

👉 Lesson: Award-winning submissions don’t describe—they differentiate.

2. Customer-Led Innovation (Not Just Features)

Every innovation tied back to real customer behaviour:

• Coffee-first store layout for morning traffic

• Fresh food at the entrance for quick decisions

• Open prep areas to build trust

• Clearly defined zones for intuitive shopping.
  

Many of these initiatives were not one-off ideas—they’ve been refined, implemented and embedded over time.

👉 Lesson: Judges reward relevance, not just innovation.

3. Strong Commercial Proof

Great storytelling was backed by even stronger numbers:

• Double-digit growth across key categories

• Over 40% of sales driven by food service

• ~400 coffees sold daily

• Significant growth in basket size and profitability.
  

These results are the outcome of consistent execution across marketing, in-store experience, and team capability—areas we actively support.

👉 Lesson: If it’s not measurable, it’s not memorable.

4. A Complete Ecosystem (Not Just a Store)

What set Jack & Co apart was how everything connected:

• Fresh food made in-house

• Local suppliers and community engagement

• Digital loyalty with 17,000+ Cracker Jack Club members

• EV charging and sustainability initiatives

• Seamless online and in-store experiences

This level of integration doesn’t happen by chance. It comes from ongoing strategic alignment and project execution across the business.

👉 Lesson: Winning entries show systems, not silos.

5. Culture as a Competitive Advantage

One of the most powerful elements wasn’t operational—it was cultural:

• Staff who know customers by name

• A “1%ers” mindset of constant improvement

• Genuine care and personalisation

• Going beyond expectations every day.
  

Through structured training, clear standards, and consistent reinforcement, this culture becomes repeatable and scalable—not just aspirational.

👉 Lesson: Culture isn’t fluff—it’s proof of sustainability.

6. Community Connection That’s Real

The submission highlighted genuine, local impact:

• Sponsorships and school support

• Fundraising initiatives

• Local product sourcing

• Events and activations.
  

These aren’t ad hoc efforts—they’re part of a deliberate community strategy, supported through ongoing planning and execution.

👉 Lesson: Authenticity stands out. Judges can tell the difference.

7. A Compelling Narrative Arc

Perhaps most importantly, the submission flowed:

• Clear vision

• Strategic execution

• Tangible results

• Future-focused outlook.
  

It told a story of:Transformation → Innovation → Performance → Leadership

Because the business itself is run with that same clarity, the story was easy to tell—and even easier to believe.

👉 Lesson: Structure is everything. Great content needs great storytelling.

How Growth Quarters Helps Businesses Win

At Growth Quarters, we don’t just step in at submission time.

We work with businesses like Jack & Co on an ongoing basis, acting as an extension of their team to:

🔍 Build the Strategy

Clarifying positioning, customer experience, and growth opportunities

⚙️ Execute Consistently

Supporting marketing, training, and in-store initiatives that drive real results

📊 Turn Actions into Outcomes

Ensuring everything implemented delivers measurable commercial impact

✍️ Tell the Story Powerfully

Crafting submissions that reflect the true strength of the business

The result? When it’s time to enter awards, you’re not scrambling to create a story—you already have one worth telling.

The Bottom Line

Jack & Co Northwood didn’t win because of one big idea.

They won because of hundreds of small, well-executed decisions—supported by a business that invests in both strategy and execution.

As their founder says:

“There is no one thing… it’s the 1 percenters.”

And the same applies to award-winning submissions.

Ready to Tell Your Story?

If your business is doing great things but not getting recognised for it, the opportunity isn’t in doing more.

It’s in building, executing, and telling your story better—consistently.

Growth Quarters can help you do all three.

Let’s make your business impossible to ignore.