Delivering Gold: What Award-Winning Project Management Really Looks Like

In October last year, Melita POS was awarded Gold at the POPAI Awards 2025 in the Project Management & Installation

Several months on, it's a great opportunity to reflect on what that recognition truly represents - not just a trophy, but the successful delivery of a complex nationwide retail rollout at scale.

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Managing Complexity at National Scale

The project involved the coordinated retrofit and installation of high-security retail units across thousands of UK stores within a fixed rollout window.

All installations were completed outside of trading hours, requiring precise planning, disciplined scheduling & seamless communication between stakeholders.

Large scale programmes like this are never just about installation. They demand:

• Structured retail rollout project management
• Centralised scheduling and communication
• Careful coordination across multiple stakeholders
• Adaptability to evolving store requirements
• Consistent quality control across every location.

In multi-site retail installation, complexity increases exponentially with scale. Delivering consistency across thousands of environments demand more than just installation teams - it requires disciplined project leadership.

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Streamlining the Supply Chain for Greater Efficiency

As part of the rollout, the solution was refined to simplify supply chain complexity and improve long-term operational efficiency.

By consolidating production and centrally managing the process, the programme benefited from:

• Greater build consistency
• Improved installation efficiency
• Reduced operational friction
• Stronger cost control
• Long-term compliance assurance and future proofing

For brands and retailers planning national upgrades or compliance-driven refits, structured oversight is what protects timelines and budgets.

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Retail Installation Without Disrupting Trade

One of the defining challenges of this nationwide retail installation was the requirement to complete every site outside of trading hours.

Change was delivered at scale - without interrupting the customer experience

This level of precision highlights the difference between basic fit-out execution and fully managed retail installation project management. It's not just about placing a unit in-store; it's about controlling risk, safeguarding brand standards and maintaining operation continuity.

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Sustainability Built In

Large-scale retail rollouts can generate significant material waste if not carefully managed.

Throuhgout this programme, responsible material handling and component reuse were embedded into the planning process, supporting more circular operational practices and reducing unnecessary waste.

Sustainability within retail display installation is no longer optional - it is expected and important. Integrating it into logistics and lifecycle planning ensures long-term value beyond the initial install.

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Why the Project Earned Gold at the POPAI Awards

The POPAI Awards recognise excellence across six key areas:

• Interpretation of brief
• Planning
• Complexity
• Resource management
• Timescale
• Performance

This project delivered strongly across the full judging criteria.

Coordinating thousands of locations within strict operational windows, while maintaining consistency and compliance, required structured systems, disciplined scheduling and accountable project leadership - all essential elements to project managing a large-scale retail rollout.

Winning Gold reinforces Melita POS's position as an award-winning partner for complex retail installation programmes.

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What This Means for Brands & Retailers

For organisations planning:

• Multi-site retail installation
• Nationwide retail refits
• Compliance-driven display upgrades
• High-volume store rollouts

The critical diffrentiator is not just manufacturing capability - it's full project control.

Gold recognition in Project Management & Installation reinforces Melita POS's ability to deliver:

• Structured national rollouts
• Scalable installation programmes
• Clear stakeholder coordination
• Risk-managed implementation
• Consistent execution at scale

Scale is impressive. Control is critical. Award-winning retail installation requires both — delivered with consistency and excellence.