Rootes staff member wins ‘Manager of the Year’ award

The Manager of Rootes Grocery Store has won ‘Store Manager of the Year – Independent’ at the 2023 Retail Industry Awards.

Fabio Finocchiaro, who is originally from Italy, has been the store’s Manager for seven years.

Fabio is clearly an incredible motivator and manager. He has a passion for the business and has helped to drive the necessary investment to increase store efficiency.

Retail Industry Awards Judges

Judges for the Retail Industry Awards said: “Fabio is clearly an incredible motivator and manager. He has a passion for the business and has helped to drive the necessary investment to increase store efficiency.”

Fabio started to work at the Rootes Grocery Store as a shop floor manager 25 years ago when he visited his wife’s family in the UK with her.

He is now leading a team of 43 at the university.

Commenting on his award, Fabio said: “Although it has been given to me personally, this is for my team in RGS University of Warwick.”

I do pride myself in being able to find different products to put on the shelf and something that I think would suit the different university students that are from all over the world and that’s the beauty.

Fabio Finocchiaro, Rootes Manager

“The last few years have been incredible. Everything that could have happened actually happened. It started with Brexit, through the pandemic and of course the war in Ukraine topped everything up.”

He told CoventryLive: “I do pride myself in being able to find different products to put on the shelf and something that I think would suit the different university students that are from all over the world and that’s the beauty.”

He also said that the store “blends with the community” by procuring produce from businesses owners in Coventry and Birmingham for their produce, and that it prioritises sustainability, making it stand out from other grocery stores on the high street.

“It is difficult to find a job you enjoy, I am blessed and we all support each other as a team here.”

Alongside Fabio’s award, Rootes Grocery Store was also highly commended in the ‘Food-To-Go’ category for independent stores.

Rootes has achieved success at the Retail Industry Awards before, having been nominated as the ‘World Foods Retailer of the Year’ in 2017.

The shop sells and provides a wide range of products and services, including baked goods, international food, household products, Warwick-related branded merchandise, and post office services.