Supply chain disruption cut operating profit at McColl’s from £31.4 million in 2017 to £18.3 million last year.
Chief executive Jonathan Miller said: “2018 was undoubtedly a challenging year, marked by supply chain disruption following Palmer & Harvey’s entry into administration and the accelerated transition to our new supply partner Morrisons.
“Despite this disruption, we continued to make progress against a number of our key strategic plans. We completed the rollout of 1,300 stores to Morrisons supply in less than nine months, which represents a considerable achievement and provides us with a more secure supply chain and a higher quality chilled and fresh offer. We also continued to invest in our estate, with 59 convenience store refreshes completed in the year and 11 new stores acquired.
Total revenue in 2018 was up 8.1 per cent to £1.24bn.
Looking ahead, Miller said: “We are a profitable and cash generative business, and our priority for the year ahead is to rebuild operational momentum and we remain confident in delivering our strategic plans.”
