THE CO-OP has appointed Peter Soproniuk to the newly-created post of business acquisitions manager for south west and South Wales.

His appointment follows last month's acquisition of 64 Conveco convenience stores in prime locations in the south west, confirming the Co-op's position as the UK's number one convenience store business and bringing the group's tally of stores to 1,820.

It is the second appointment to be made by David Turner, who took up the new role of head of acquisitions in January.

Turner is looking to make similar appointments to cover the rest of the country, signalling determination to pursue growth through acquisitions, a cornerstone of its successful food retailing strategy.

He commented: "Peter Soproniuk has more than 20 years' experience in the food retail sector, most recently with Capper and he will be an asset to our expanding acquisitions team."