Fine Fare

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Fine Fare was the name of a chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom until the late 1980s. It was famous for its Yellow Pack budget own-label range, probably one of the first store sub brands or tertiary brand names in the UK.

The Melias chain of convenience stores was also part of the Fine Fare group.

The company was acquired by Associated British Foods in 1963. [1] Fine Fare's corporate headquarters were in Welwyn Garden City.

Its market share was generally reported as being third behind Sainsurys and Tesco, who were No1 and No2 respectively.

In the mid-1980s, ABF sold the company to The Dee Corporation (then trading as Gateway, nowadays known as Somerfield) as one of a series of acquisitions Dee made around that time [2] including the Woolco and Carrefour hypermarket chains. Following this, all Dee's newly-acquired stores were rebranded as Gateway or closed, and the Fine Fare name disappeared.[3] Later some larger Gateway stores were bought by ASDA and were rebranded.

[edit] Trivia

During the 1980s Fine Fare was the sponsor of the Scottish Football League.
Fine Fare's motto/tagline on its adverts was "Fine Fare that's Fine by Me!".
Fine Fare is name-checked (among others) on the track Aisle of Plenty, from Genesis' 1973 album Selling England by the Pound.
The low cost, no frills Shoppers Paradise stores were part of the Fine Fare group.
A short series of adverts featuring actor Gordon Jackson (best known as Mr Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs) was filmed at the Aylesford depot.
Other depots were at East Kilbride (Glasgow), Washington (Tyne & Wear), Cheadle Hulme (Manchester), Hucknall (Nottingham), Tuffley (Gloucester). Shoppers Paradise only depots were at Weedon (Northampton), Stevenage (Hertforshire) and Alton (Hampshire). Washington also held stocks of non-food items for national distribution.
Fine Fare's distinctive double-f logo represented two shopping baskets.^{[citation needed]}
Fine Fare also marketed wines and spirits under the name Wine Fare, and household goods under the name Fine Ware.^{[citation needed]}
Punk band The Toy Dolls, produced a song in appreciation of their local Fine Fare store titled "Nowt can compare to Sunderland Fine Fare", to be found on their Bare Faced Cheek album.
A chain of independent food stores in New York City carry the name Fine Fare.
The building in Blackpool, opposite the train station that used to contain Fine Fare is now a branch of Wilkinsons. However, the building is still clad in the 'Double F' logo all the way around.