Conviviality, owner of the Bargain Booze chain and wholesaler Matthew Clark, has reported a rise in first-half sales and profits.

Sales climbed 9.2% to £836.3m in the 26 weeks to October 29, 2017, when adjusted EBITDA rose 1.7% to £23.3m.

Conviviality said that it had achieved “strong” market share gains at its trade businesses and an increase in customer numbers.

Conviviality’s retail arm notched up 10% sales growth during the period. Like-for-likes were up 2.3% excluding tobacco or 0.4% including it.

The retailer opened 22 new stores in the period and said that there was a 53% increase in average sales per store opened in the half.

The retail arm recorded a 0.6% increase in like-for-likes for the six weeks ended December 31. That month it also added 127 convenience stores to its portfolio with the acquisition of Central Convenience.

Conviviality described performance in the first half as “robust” and said that it is trading in line with board expectations for the full year.

Group chief executive Diana Hunter said: “Our customers and franchisees have continued to recognise the strength of the Conviviality proposition and the opportunities a single supplier and distribution solution affords them.

“This has been evidenced by our above market growth in both the on-trade and the off-trade during the period.

“We have made deliberate choices to successfully grow market share and enhance the quality of future earnings by agreeing long-term contracts with our larger customers and securing new national account customers.

“These gains in market share coupled with our continued strong sales demonstrates our competitive advantage, the broad customer base we have developed and the robust nature of Conviviality as the UK’s leading drinks wholesaler, distributor and solution provider to our customers.”