Throughout the last 6 years I had the pleasure of working with Charles on a number of significant projects. From discussions on key developments through to retailer trading issues.  During that time Charles was able to meet with retailers, build relationships that were built on trust and strategically assisting them on implementing key strategies into their model to grow/turnaround their business.   Charles is by far the most knowledgeable food consultant in the industry with knowledge of both big business working with brands like David Jones and small retailers who need to really leverage his expertise to grow their sales.  His ability to understand a retail precinct or problem, devise a plan and see it through whilst educating those around him on the art and success of food retail is second to none.  Charles has a unique approach to retail consulting and is known for his strong passion for building sustainability into their business, charismatic nature and ability to see the opportunity.   With 20+ years experience in the retail game - Charles is the man you need to fix your problem

I worked with Charles Bowie for a period of around three years from 2011-2014. I was employed as a Retail Manager for Westfield and Charles was contracted in a Retail Consultant role visiting the centre round 4 times annually. Charles specialised in consulting with food catering and food retail specialty tenants.   Charles remit was to engage (after introduction) with the retailers, review business performance and presentation, share examples of best practice and take the retailer on a journey to a sustainable growth business.   I found Charles to be a very effective consultant on all levels. His manner is approachable and friendly and he built rapport with retailers from the offset. He used real life, practically implementable examples from retailers around the country and set our tenants realistic goals that could be achieved in bite sized chunks. His follow up with retailers outside of the prescribed visits was excellent and he shared with them some really valuable collateral for use in their business.  I readily recommend Charles Bowie as a professional, dedicated, resourceful and effective food retail consultant.

Charles’ passion for F&B retailing is second to none backed by his extensive experience and latest knowledge on current & future trends and customer habits. From my many years working with Charles his knowledge has helped formulate centre-wide F&B strategies supported by evidence including a thorough review of a centres’ catchment areas, and customer profile. Additionally Charles’ enthusiasm for food retailing and insight into customer behaviour is a greatClient Name resource for existing F&B businesses seeking to identify areas of improvement and opportunity ensuring long term sustainability of their business.

Thanks to Charles’ efforts I have seen tangible improvements in the bottom lines of numerous retailers that I engaged Charles to coach and provide his valued practical consultation. Having held the roles of Retail Manager at Westfield and now Leasing Executive at 151 Property, I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Charles as a top line business coach or consultant to any food and beverage business regardless of its size, particularly if you want to see your investment translated into real world results.   The difference is in the care factor….Charles is personally invested in his clients to really understand their business, their motivations and their budgets to deliver real world, SMART action plans, that can be systematically implemented throughout the business, whether this is at the food and beverage strategy level of a shopping centre or at the counter of mum and dads fish and chip shop.  Charles’ detailed knowledge of the food and beverage industry is exemplary.

Charles contracted to B&P for twelve years as a food consultant. Before that, Charles worked closely with a former B&P Director at both David Jones and Food Changes. At B&P, Charles worked with over 500 food operators across airports, universities, office complexes, high street and shopping centres to improve shop sales. This included work across all of regional and rural Australia. As a result, Charles has a depth of knowledge unmatched in this country regarding understanding best practice retail F&B. Charles grasps the “big picture” quickly and nuances it into practical advice with real-life examples that reflect his deep understanding of the differences in consumer tastes from State to State and City to City. His excellent rapport-building skills and positive enthusiasm endear him quickly to retail managers and operators from all walks of life. With the hospitality sector immensely challenged by CoVID restrictions across 2020/2021, Charles was instrumental in providing foodservice operators with up to the minute motivation and inspiration to continue staying connected with consumers and keeping customers engaged with F&B operators. His legacy during this time is substantial.

Charles was contracted to review and provide detailed feedback annually across our Brisbane airport retail and specialty food and beverage operation for a number of years. Charles was a pleasure to deal with. His attitude, eye for detail and complete understanding of our difficult environment has been very beneficial to our operation over the past 4 years. I would happily recommend Charles to any retail, food and/or beverage operation as one of the leading food retail consultants in Australia.