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New retail heads at Unitas and Nisa
Unitas has appointed Victoria Lockie, former head of retail at Nisa, as retail director. Her replacement at Nisa is Taranjit Singh Dhillon, who joins the group from One Stop where he was national operations manager.
Lockie spent 12 years leading the Nisa Retail field team, supporting stores in the UK and Ireland. Before that she worked at Costcutter for more than 25 years, latterly as head of customer services.
In addition, Lockie is an ambassador for Diversity in Wholesale, Women in Wholesale, GroceryAid and WiHTL Women to Watch 2024. For many years she has also supported the Association of Convenience Stores’ activities, including the
recent ‘Shopkind’ campaign.
In her new role, she will be instrumental in the continued development of the Plan for Profit category management scheme, the group’s retail and wholesale promotional programmes, and the roll-out of the Local Living own-brand range.
John Kinney, managing
Changes in Sterling
Sterling Supergroup has announced that chief operating officer Paul Lee, who took on the role in December last year, has left the organisation.
In response, the board has made two internal promotions: Daniel Larkin has been appointed to the position of chief commercial officer, and Jodie Garnham has been promoted to head of finance & operations.
John Whitechurch, chairman, commented: “These
promotions reflect their outstanding contributions and leadership within the group.”
Sterling Supergroup also announced that it will be recruiting additional support at head office to further strengthen its procurement team.
These changes come as the organisation prepares for its 58th annual conference and exhibition, which takes place on 19-20 September in Coventry.
director of Unitas Wholesale, commented: “We are delighted to have Victoria leading the next phase of the implementation of our retail strategy. She is the perfect choice to continue our growth in retail, supporting our members in building an attractive symbol group offering and expanding the reach of their retail clubs.”
Meanwhile, Dhillon’s new role sees him take responsibility for the development and delivery of Nisa’s retail strategy across the diverse network of customer stores.
At One Stop he oversaw a network of 350 franchisees, working with retail teams to optimise store layouts and implementing a strategy to maximise revenue and profitability. Prior to One Stop,
Dhillon held senior roles at Lidl and PepsiCo.
Katie Secretan, director of sales and retail at Nisa, said: “I’m thrilled to have Taranjit join the Nisa team. His hands-on experience in independent retail and ability to build franchise relationships is exactly what we need to take our retailer proposition to the next level.”
Booker sign-up
Booker has signed up to TWC’s independent convenience market read SmartView Convenience, which it operates in partnership with In Touch Group.
SmartView Convenience is said to provide the most representative EPoS market read for independent retail stores and wholesaler-supplied symbol stores in Great Britain, using a sample of around 5,000 independent stores to represent the 30,000 stores in the sector.
Colm Johnson, retail MD at Booker, said: “Working with SmartView Convenience will allow us to better understand the shopping habits of customers in our Budgens, Londis and Premier stores, as we work to ensure we always have the right range of great value products available to support our
independent retailers and their business.”
Sarah Coleman, product director for SmartView Convenience at TWC, added: “Signing up another major wholesaler to SmartView Convenience is a huge milestone for us and supports our ambition to make SmartView Convenience the de facto source of market data for the independent convenience sector.”
Taranjit Singh Dhillon
Daniel Larkin and Jodie Garnham.
Victoria Lockie and John Kinney of Unitas.
Colm Johnson: Working with TWC will help Booker better understand shopping habits.
Metro buys Caterite Food & Wineservice
Düsseldorf-based Metro AG has acquired UK foodservice wholesaler Caterite Food & Wineservice for an undisclosed sum.
Caterite, which is based near Cockermouth, has around 200 employees and supplies over 2,000 customers, offering a mix of locally and internationally sourced food complemented with value-added products from its own processing and production facilities. Caterite generated revenues of £44 million in 2023.
The wholesaler’s range features fresh and frozen food, groceries, value-added products (Caterite brand) as well as beverages (Grapevine brand) and its emphasis is on fresh produce and meat.
Key customer segments include hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés, which are supplied from three sites with a fleet of 70 multi-
temperature trucks. Some 60% of sales are processed via the company’s web-shop.
With Caterite’s regional focus on the Lake District and adjacent regions, the acquisition will help Metro expand its activities to the northern parts of the UK.
Within Metro, Caterite will complement activities of Food Service Distribution (FSD) specialist Classic Fine Foods UK, which supplies customers primarily in the
greater London area, South West and central parts of the UK.
Caterite will initially continue to operate under its established brands and in its existing form, seeking synergetic collaboration with Classic Fine Foods in areas such as assortment, sourcing, knowledge transfer and logistic network.
Lorcan Byrne, managing director of Caterite, commented: “Having traded as
an independently-owned family business for over 50 years, the time has come for us to join something new.
“Over the years we have had multiple expressions of interest in our unique business and have always professionally declined any advances. However, on this occasion we believe we have found our perfect partner.
“Metro are an elite global foodservice powerhouse. Their philosophy, product range and objectives are almost identical to our own: fresh products, ingredients and innovative tech solutions – we have so many synergies.
“With £25 billion global annual sales, distinct sourcing capabilities and a history of successfully acquiring and integrating a number of foodservice specialists in recent years, we feel we have an exciting future,” he concluded.
Two major schools contracts secured
Harlech Foodservice has secured two major schools contracts worth more than £2 million.
The wholesaler has a new £1.5 million contract to provide schools in Gwynedd with a range of products including Welsh beef. This follows its first Gwynedd contract which was signed in 2022. Harlech has also gained a £700,000, 12-month agreement to supply schools and care homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf
Head of procurement for Gwynedd Council, Councillor Menna Trenholme said: “It’s very important to us as a Council and to the parents to have a local firm supplying our schools with local
produce wherever possible and it’s very important for the local economy as well.”
Harlech now has contracts with all six North Wales councils to supply schools and it hopes that the Rhondda Cynon Taf deal will be the first of many with South Wales authorities.
The move is part of an overall £6 million plan by Harlech to create 150 new jobs as part of a major expansion. It has been a change in strategy that has seen Harlech win a raft of public sector contracts in health and education, in addition to its core customer base in
tourism and hospitality.
Harlech’s sales director Mark Lawton said: “The renewal of the Gwynedd contract and our first major public sector deal in South Wales with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council enables us to demonstrate the range of products we can supply and the excellent service we provide.
“We now have a real presence right across Wales and I know the Welsh public sector has a desire to use Welsh suppliers whenever commercially possible.”
Between its five locations, including a new Telford site that opened this summer, Harlech employs 250 staff and runs a fleet of over 50 vehicles.
The Harlech contract with Gwynedd schools includes a delivery just a mile from its HQ to Ysgol Llanystumdwy primary school.
13th for Dhamecha
Dhamecha has officially launched its 13th cash & carry – in Liverpool – with a special event for customers and suppliers.
In the past five years, Dhamecha has opened four depots in the Midlands, expanding from its heartland in London. Its Liverpool branch is its first in the north west of England.
Pradip Dhamecha, chief executive of Dhamecha Group, said: “Retailers in the Midlands area have really taken to our no-nonsense, customer-first approach to traditional cash & carry where every decision is made with them in mind. In Liverpool, we are building a shopping environment that will be a pleasure to visit.”
Surplus shared
Appleby Westward distributed the equivalent of 24,400 meals to people in need between January and June this year.
Through its partnership with FareShare South West and Gregory Logistics, Appleby Westward is cutting the amount of food waste that is going to landfill by sharing surplus food.
The partnership officially began in January, but the wholesaler was already making donations of food to support the charity during last autumn and winter, meaning it has now donated the equivalent of 32,000 meals.
Bidfood opens Bodmin depot
Bidfood is creating up to 30 new jobs for local drivers with its new 15,000 sq ft depot on the Cooksland Industrial Estate in Bodmin.
The new site will improve the wholesaler’s access to the South West and ease some of the seasonal pressures on its Lee Mill depot, as well as reduce delivery miles and enhance the customer experience for those furthest away from Lee Mill.
Bidfood’s new Bodmin site has already implemented a bespoke independent service, which allows customers to order online and via telesales up to 10pm each day for next-day delivery.
To start, Bidfood will be operating the unit for van routes to complement the road network in Cornwall and North Devon, with the aim to migrate some HGVs to it once an ‘O’ licence for the site is secured.
Richard Dow, Bidfood’s business unit director for Chepstow, Swansea and Lee Mill, commented: “As part of our strategy to grow sales
Great place to work
Pricecheck has been officially named as a Great Place to Work.
The certification has been given to the Sheffield-based FMCG wholesaler and distributor by Great Place To Work, which is described as a global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and the leadership behaviours proven to deliver market-leading results, employee retention and increased innovation.
The Great Place to Work
certification is voted for by a company’s own employees.
Debbie Harrison OBE, joint managing director, said: “We’re so proud that Pricecheck has been named a Great Place to Work. Mark [Lythe, joint MD] and I have always strived to create a business and culture where people feel engaged, celebrated and motivated to come to work, and this certification reflects our continuous efforts to improve the experience for everyone.”
and deliver service excellence to our customers we’re always reviewing our infrastructure and, where we can, expand the local depot network.
“With that in mind, we recognised the opportunity to improve in the South West and I’m incredibly excited to assemble this new team to provide an even better service to the Devon and Cornwall area.
“I’m also delighted that we’re able to give back to the local community – the added jobs coupled with reinforced abilities to support local businesses will give the local economy a great chance to grow.”
Hand-prepared
Fresh Kitchen has launched a range of 18 new hand-prepared pickles, sauces and condiments into Brakes.
The range has been designed to help alleviate the pressure on professional kitchens, many of which continue to face challenges around recruiting and retaining skilled chefs.
The selection includes Pickled Watermelon, Golden Beetroot Piccalilli, Hot Honey Sauce, Makhani Curry Sauce and Pickled Chilli Pineapple.
Fresh Kitchen products do not use artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and are made using produce from Fresh Direct. The two businesses are on the same site.
Bestway move
Bestway has appointed Simon King as senior category manager.
King (pictured) was formerly senior business development manager at Confex, where he spent five-and-ahalf years.
Before that he was trading controller at Unitas Wholesale for nearly eight years, and he also previously looked after the confectionery, cereals, pet food, hot beverages and beers, wines and spirits categories at Landmark.
In addition, King’s buying experience included over 16 years as a buyer at Costco for various categories including grocery and tobacco.
Satellite in Colchester
Pilgrim Foodservice, of Boston, Lincolnshire, has officially opened its new Colchester satellite depot.
The £3 million project included demolition of two existing structures, allowing for the construction of a purpose-built warehouse incorporating seven loading docks.
The new depot, a cornerstone of Pilgrim Foodservice’s ambitious investment plan, has already created 14 new jobs. The strategic location of the depot enables the family-run Caterforce member to expand its operations, ensuring more efficient deliveries of its products and services across Essex, Suffolk
MADE FOR THE IN THE KITCHEN
and London.
Charles Bateman, managing director of Pilgrim Foodservice, said: “The positive customer feedback we’ve received since the depot started operating reflects the dedication of our Colchester team.”
In other news, Pilgrim Foodservice’s Three Peaks Challenge has raised £22,775 for GroceryAid.
The event, dubbed the ‘Three Peaks Pilgrim-age’, saw the wholesaler’s strategy director Jenni Holgate and head of procurement Karen Hamlyn conquer the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales.
Cooper at Creed
Kirsty Cooper, who left Unitas after just nine months as commercial director, has joined Creed Foodservice as trading director.
Cooper (pictured) commented: “I am excited to get started with Creed – Creed are a business who are truly customer and people first.
“Thanks to everyone who has supported me these last few months and especially to Creed for patiently waiting for me and understanding the need for me to take time out. I couldn’t be more motivated to get going again.”
Eight months ago Miles Roberts became MD of Creed.
Giving back
Dunns Food and Drinks, in partnership with Scotland’s oldest football club Queen’s Park, has announced an initiative to support young people through Aware Scotland. This is the second year the Blantyre-based wholesaler has joined forces with Queen’s Park and Aware Scotland.
The partnership will see the club provide coaching sessions and experiences for young people facing adversity.
Operations director Julie Dunn said: “Our company has a long history of giving back to the community, and this initiative aligns perfectly with our values.”
‘An invaluable tool for retailers’
Unitas Wholesale has launched its latest Plan for Profit guide to the licensed & tobacco category.
The advice in the 64-page guide is informed by up-todate sales and trends data.
In addition to listings of the bestselling products, the guide contains merchandising tips, planograms, channel insights and tips and tricks to support independent retailers to make the most of the space in their store.
“The brand new Licensed & Tobacco Category Guide provides independent retailers with essential industry insight,” said Julian Smith, senior commercial controller, Unitas Wholesale.
“Available in depot and online, it’s an invaluable tool for retailers to identify the must-stock core range
products to ensure they are stocking the products customers most want to buy.
“Our Plan for Profit guides provide retailers with a powerful resource to increase sales and protect their margins,” he continued.
“Our guides are created by analysing data and insight from a range of industry
experts such as TWC, NielsenIQ, Circana and Lumina. We then add in sales and trend data from our supplier partners, our member wholesalers and, of course, our retailers’ EPoS systems. This ensures our range recommendations are not only up to date but also tailored for the independent retailer.”
In other news, Unitas has announced that its conference in Portugal this month will feature two keynote speakers: Henry Dimbleby, whose recommendations on sustainable and healthy food provision are expected to influence the Government, and the team-building strategist James Kerr, known for his book Legacy, which provides an insight into the culture of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.
£3m Great Yarmouth upgrade
Thompsons Food Service has invested more than £3 million in its depot in Great Yarmouth.
The Confex member has extended the warehouse from 8,000 sq ft to 30,000 sq ft and installed a new butchery and delicatessen.
The investment also included complete renewal of all chillers and freezers, LED lighting throughout, the installation of solar panels to support the wholesaler’s sustainability goals, and a newly-built dedicated area for employees.
Five new jobs have been created as a result of the expansion.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the work that has been carried out at the depot,” said Ryan Thompson, director at Thompsons Food
Service. “It was important to us to be able to provide our customers with an enhanced shopping experience and an enlarged product range.
“Our vision has been to become a one-stop shop stocking everything from cleaning, packaging and grocery to delicatessen, butchery and alcohol lines. The newly refurbished depot
ticks all of these boxes and, critically, also provides us with more space to grow in the future.”
As part of the reopening, the team at Confex attended a customer open day to share the benefits of the CORE own-brand range, which now includes over 300 products in the ambient, chilled, frozen and non-food categories.
Stronger offering
Fairway Foodservice has launched its first-ever ownbrand coffee range.
There are four varieties, all in 1kg bags: Fairway Assured Espresso Coffee Beans plus Fairway Excellence 100% Arabica Brazilian Whole Bean Coffee, Colombian Coffee Beans, and Fairtrade Barista Coffee Beans.
“The launch of our ownlabel coffee range has been
Sweet idea
A nine-year-old’s ‘Wobbly Jelly’ monster drawing has inspired the pack design of SPAR’s newest confectionery product, Fizzy Fangs.
After being presented with Archie Barr’s drawing, Chris Todd (both pictured), owner of SPAR Ballygally in Co Antrim, shared the idea with Henderson Group in Northern Ireland.
The product is now on shelf in more than 1,250 SPAR and EUROSPAR stores across the UK, including over 500 in Northern Ireland.
highly anticipated,” says Adam Williamson, purchasing manager at Fairway Foodservice. “The desire for premium coffee continues to rise, not just in independent coffee shops, forcing hotels, pubs and restaurants to ensure they also have highend coffee available.
“The latest statistics show that over 70% of coffee purchases are roast coffee outside of the home, and we believe there’s a gap in the market for fairly priced, high-quality coffee (Lavazza Professional). In addition, adding great coffee to our range helps us to strengthen our one-stop-shop offering for customers.”
As a long-term supporter of Macmillan, Fairway is donating 10p for every bag of Fairway Assured Espresso Coffee Beans sold during this month.
Chef collaboration
JJ Foodservice has recruited Thai celebrity chef and former MasterChef quarterfinalist Yui Miles to promote its new World Food Asia range to restaurants.
After acquiring Londonbased ethnic wholesaler Gatelands Supplies earlier this year, JJ Foodservice now offers hundreds of Asian products and exclusive coconut milk and rice brands.
Miles will highlight these products through cooking demonstrations on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. She will share a new dish each week for 10 weeks, featuring her favourite JJ Foodservice products. Dishes will include Pad Thai, Green Curry and Pad Cha Scallops.
Miles commented: “I’m excited to partner with JJ Foodservice to bring the vibrant flavours of Thailand
to a wider audience. These products are perfect for creating authentic Thai dishes that are both delicious and easy to prepare.”
Thai restaurants that are not currently customers of JJ Foodservice can enter a free prize draw for a chance to win a £200 bundle from Miles’s ‘favourite shopping list’.
Retail and foodservice divisions
Confex has introduced retail and foodservice dedicated divisions with the aim of providing the best possible support for its members while it continues with its ambitious growth strategy.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the group has doubled in size and now represents more than 12% of the UK wholesale sector.
This growth, and the Cotswold-based group’s ambitious growth plans, has resulted in CEO Tom Gittins and COO Jess Douglas creating a new structure for the business.
Gittins said: “These changes will provide us with a clear and dedicated focus for both our retail and our foodservice members which,
in turn, supports our growth plans. As our turnover has grown from £1.97 billion to £3.46 billion in the past four years, we are confident that this change in structure will enable us to hit our target of becoming a £4 billion buying group by 2027.”
One of the key drivers for the restructure has been the success of the dedicated retail and foodservice committees that were introduced in 2022. These committees comprise key members who meet monthly to discuss Confex’s strategic pillars across trading, technology, marketing, own brand, distribution, execution and operations.
As a result of the restructure, former senior business development manager Kirsty Winkel has been promoted to the newly-created position of retail controller. She will oversee the retail division of the group, while foodservice controller Matt Norman will oversee the foodservice and out-of-home division.
Kirsty Winkel has been appointed retail controller.
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Backing Scotland’s wholesalers
With a new president and vice president, the Scottish Wholesale Association has reconfirmed its commitment to supporting wholesalers by addressing challenges and creating opportunities.
The Scottish Wholesale Association has “important work ahead”, declared the organisation’s new president Tom Slaven at an event in Edinburgh for members and suppliers last month.
Slaven, who is retail director of Glasgow-based United Wholesale Grocers, said: “Our organisation must remain agile, adapting to the evolving economic and political landscape as well as changes within our sector.
“My goal is to nurture the growing confidence of the SWA and provide the tools and support needed to spread this optimism throughout the Scottish wholesale sector and to all our members.”
Pointing to recent developments within the SWA, he highlighted the launch of a new Scottish Wholesale Local Food & Drink Growth Fund which seeks to support wholesalers and food producers to increase the volume of local Scottish produce being sold through wholesale channels.
The SWA has secured £195,000 from the Scottish Government to deliver the initiative and will provide match funding of up to £10,000 per business for wholesalers whose applications to the new fund are successful.
The Scottish Wholesale Local Food & Drink Growth Fund sets out to increase the turnover of Scottish produce sold through Scottish wholesalers to 35% of baseline sales and it represents the third phase of the ‘Delivering Growth Through Wholesale’ local sourcing programme that was introduced by the SWA in 2021.
To date, the programme has delivered over 230 new Scottish product listings via new wholesale partnerships.
Praise for predecessor
The president’s chain of office was handed over to Slaven by former president Julie Dunn, operations director of Blantyre-based Dunns Food and Drinks. Slaven paid tribute to Dunn for her leadership over the last seven years in the role, including during the pandemic.
He also emphasised his dedication to the position: “I am fully committed to being an active and engaged president who will work diligently to represent, support and champion our members and the Scottish wholesale sector.
“I am deeply honoured to serve as the new president of the Scottish Wholesale Association.”
Further support for the SWA will be given by Jon Mack, business unit director at Bidfood Scotland, who is the SWA’s new vice president.
Return of conference
The annual Scottish Wholesale Association conference will return in 2025. It will take place at a new venue – Ardoe
House Hotel & Spa in Aberdeen – on 5 June. The event will provide a platform for SWA members, suppliers and other stakeholders to share ideas, network, and discuss industry challenges.
SWA chief executive Colin Smith outlined some of these challenges: “Businesses are facing significant cost pressures from high employee, materials and energy costs,” he said. “Additionally, an evolving regulatory environment threatens to stymie the sector’s delicate growth. To navigate these challenges there is a need for strategic investment and growth, a careful review of regulations, and a commitment to a just and sustainable transition.
“Despite these obstacles, there is confidence among members that as economies and the sector show signs of recovery, investments will be made that support business growth and development of our people.”
Later this month the SWA will host a webinar on a market overview it is conducting with TWC, Kantar and other partners.
SWA president Tom Slaven (left) and chief executive Colin Smith.
Improved quality and more innovation: praise for own brands from expert judges
Ahuge increase (43%) in the number of entries for this year’s CCM Chefs’ OwnBrand Awards illustrates the importance attached to foodservice own-brands by wholesalers and buying groups.
The judging was conducted in blind tastings. Feedback will be given on each product tested with the aim of raising the bar even further in own-brand development for the benefit of wholesalers, their customers and consumers alike.
Heading up the judging panel was Andrew Green, chief executive of the Craft Guild of Chefs – the leading chefs’ association in the UK. He has been involved with the CCM awards since they were launched in 2018.
Green was joined on the panel by Jason Gordon, catering manager for the General Medical Council, who has also been a judge for the awards since the start.
The third judge, Mark Reynolds, was
new to the CCM awards this year. He is national chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs and regional executive head chef of sports and entertainment catering business Levy UK.
“I have been working in the food industry for over 20 years now in various roles from pubs to five-star hotels and more recently running large venues like Tottenham, Chelsea, the Oval and the O2,” he explained. “It’s a role with huge turnover of food and drink but my passion is still there and I love how varied our industry is.”
Reynolds expressed his admiration for many of the products in this year’s CCM awards: “It was the first year I had judged and I had never seen some of the brands before but now I know to look out for them in the market. Some of the brands that I did know I had associated with being cheap but I was surprised by their quality and I have noted some items I would like to use in my operations.”
Gordon was similarly impressed by the standard of the entries: “I thought the overall quality was improved from last year. We saw more innovation and I felt that more thought went into the ingredients of the products.
“We also saw a more diverse range of products this year. There were some products we had not seen before and would use in our business.”
He continued: “The products are evolving with an increased range year on year. We are seeing some similar products re-entered, where the entrants have thought about the feedback and returned with an improved product. It is nice to see that the feedback is being acted upon.
“I am looking forward to seeing where the innovations take us next year.”
Green made a similar point about the feedback given on each item entered into the CCM awards: “I think that the quality of the own-brands products has stepped up again. Each year it tends to move forward a small amount and hopefully that’s due to some of the critiquing and information fed back to the entrants from the judging.
“We obviously like to think that they listen and act upon what they’re hearing because obviously they want to sell more to their customers.”
Cash & Carry Management’s managing director Martin Lovell added: “This is the seventh year of our CCM Chefs’ Own-Brand Awards, and we are thrilled with the response of wholesalers to our initiative.
“It is clear from the breadth and depth of entries that wholesalers and their buying groups continue to invest in their own-brand ranges, and it is encouraging to see that feedback given
by our judging panel in previous years is being acted upon to enhance the quality of own-brand lines.”
The judges awarded several of the products a ‘Best of the Best’ accolade because of their outstanding taste, texture and appearance. In addition, they nominated the ‘Star of the Show’ (the overall top-scoring product) and ‘Best Innovation’ in both savoury and sweet categories.
“We look forward to announcing all the winners at our prestigious awards lunch in January. It is going to be another great event,” promised Lovell.
Reynolds summed up the importance of the awards in shining a spotlight on foodservice own brands: “I think that the CCM Chefs’ Own-Brand Awards are so important to keep healthy competition going. This can only improve the quality of the food being sold to the consumer.
“The awards are also an opportunity for lesser-known brands to showcase their development work, which is not an easy task and often costs a lot of money, and it’s therefore great that they have this yearly date in the diary to focus on products and be able to celebrate with one another.”
The hard work is done! Left to right: Andrew Green, Jason Gordon, Mark Reynolds.
A lighter moment during the serious business of blind tasting every entry.
Sarah Guest, managing director, Rowan International
‘Treat
others how you want to be treated’
What have been your biggest achievements in work and outside work?
After working for brands including Abel & Cole and BHS I relished getting to grips with the excess stock sector and then guide Rowan through the tumultuous times of Brexit, the pandemic and the Ukraine war. Since then, I’m proud of how Rowan has built its market share in Europe and re-established partnerships by seeing people face to face. Outside of work, I am very excited to have had my first flying lesson – something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child. I am now planning to learn to fly properly!
Who has been the biggest inspiration to you?
My grandad was a huge inspiration business-wise. He built a brilliant company as a greengrocer, making home delivery decades before Abel & Cole was launched! It wasn’t until he died that I learned he couldn’t read or write as his dyslexia wasn’t recognised back
then. He really showed me I could do anything I put my mind to.
What were your ambitions when you were growing up?
At 16 I put my mind to being a managing director – I didn’t know what sector but I knew I wanted to do something where I could learn and grow and challenge myself.
What are your interests outside work and how do you maintain a work-life balance?
Everyone at Rowan works hard so it’s important for all of us to take holidays. Quality time with family is very important to me and every year we go to Fowey in Cornwall to walk, eat and talk. A yoga class once during the working week is also a must!
How would you describe your personality and what approach do you take in business (and in life)?
I always endeavour to be hard-working,
dedicated, inspirational and open to ideas in my daily work. At Rowan I hope I’ve created a business in which people enjoy working and feel inspired to push themselves further. I hope I always treat others how I want to be treated myself and am respectful and supportive, helping others to be as good as they can be at work. I know I can be relentless but then again, so is the FMCG sector!
What is your favourite film?
As a kid I loved Grease and I watched it every weekend for months before seeing it on stage – and I still love it now. The song ‘We Go Together’ at the end is brilliant!
If you won a holiday, where would you go and who would you take with you? I’ve always wanted to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – I’d take my best friend Caroline (pictured inset on an earlier adventure) as she loves exploring too.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I helped to launch the first digital editions of several glossy magazines including Red and Good Housekeeping CCM
Economics graduate
After studying Economics at York University, Sarah Guest worked for a research agency whose clients included Three, United Biscuits and Arla Foods. She moved to London to work on research projects with the BBC before joining Hearst Media as research & insight manager on magazines including Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health and Harper’s Bazaar. She then spent three years at organic food delivery service Abel & Cole, firstly as head of insight and then as head of product marketing. Following stints at BHS.com and AVS Fencing Supplies, Guest joined Rowan International as digital director in 2020 before being appointed managing director in 2022.
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Sales are spookily good
This year’s opportunities are particularly positive for Halloween, with the occasion proving profitable as shoppers look to maximise fun on a budget. With this is mind, wholesalers need to ensure that they have constant availability of seasonal favourites.
Halloween is an important seasonal event in convenience, with last year’s figures showing the majority of consumers are now taking part in some form, with an increase of 7% from 2022.
Suppliers are taking note of the opportunities with a range of formats to suit multiple occasions, designs to embrace a child-friendly spooky element, and well-timed promotions to tempt shoppers. It’s an affordable holiday for treating, and retailers are looking to stock up increasingly early to make the most of the display opportunities.
Swizzels has launched new multi-flavoured skeletonshaped Squashies Squeletons ahead of Halloween, set to help retailers drive seasonal sales this year.
The new product features three skeleton shapes in three flavours: sour apple, strawberry and orange. The limitededition 120g packs (rsp £1.15) come in cases of 12.
The launch comes amid significant category growth, with Halloween sugar confectionery up by 18.4%, ahead of the 10.4% rise seen in chocolate confectionery (Circana).
Swizzels is urging retailers to stock up early. It is anticipating high demand and increased profitability for retailers due to the novelty of the product and the popularity of Swizzels’ Halloween range.
Clare Newton, trade marketing manager at Swizzels, said: “Halloween has become one of the biggest shopping events for retailers, which has prompted Swizzels to introduce its new-for-2024 Halloween-themed Squashies.
“We saw a great opportunity to elevate the category and decided to shake things up with our uniquely shaped Squashies Squeletons. These treats offer sweet fans a unique experience, perfect for those seeking a new flavour and texture adventure this Halloween.”
Retailer viewpoint
How do you promote seasonal occasions in-store?
We promote seasonal occasions all over our store, maximising every opportunity for letting our customers know what deals and promotions we have for each occasion. We utilise our end-of-aisle displays and dump bins, as well as temporary branded cardboard stands. The stands are positioned strategically by the entrance to the store, near to the tills and at the back of the store for maximum impact.
How important are occasions like Halloween and Christmas to your business?
These occasions are very important to our business as they always create a real buzz around the store and our team always enjoys dressing the store for these events to create theatre and excitement. These celebrations always bring in extra sales and increased basket spend – on average from £11.50 to £15.
Which product categories benefit most from a seasonal emphasis?
For Halloween, we have a display stand that sells all the make-up and accessories for those looking to attend parties or take part in trick-or-treat. Alongside these products we have large bags of sharing sweets and mini sweet treats, both of which are popular for trick-or-treat.
How do you feel about special seasonal packs? Do you buy them cautiously in case you are left with stock after the occasion?
Special seasonal packs always look impressive and are quite different. The customers are always intrigued by them and therefore we ensure we have a huge range in store.
Peter Juty, Costcutter Culverstone
The sweet maker reports that its Halloween products grew by 26% last year (Circana). The No.1 supplier of variety bags (Circana) is also offering its popular vegan variety range this Halloween, including the Scrumptious Sweets, Luscious Lollies and Curious Chews £1.25 PMPs. The individuallywrapped sweets are ideal for sharing with trick-or-treaters.
This year’s Halloween range also includes popular themed bags such as Monster Treats, Mummy Mix, and Trick or Treat Lolly Mix, which has grown by 33% (Circana). In addition, Swizzels’ Sweet Shop Favourites Tub is a bestselling Halloween item, with an rsp of £5.
The Swizzels Halloween range, featuring the new Squashies Squeletons, will be backed by a nationwide marketing campaign. This includes cinema ads across Pearl and Dean venues, targeted video on demand (VOD) spots, digital outdoor advertising, and in-store promotions.
Mondelez International has updated its Oreo Spooky biscuits for Halloween. The new-look packs contain embossed cookies in three designs.
“Treatsize and sharing products are key for retailers looking to have a successful season,” says Susan Nash, trade communications manager. “These formats are particularly suited for consumers welcoming trick-ortreaters, as this popular tradition is currently the No.1 ritual at Halloween, with 76% of consumers saying they take part.”
This month’s release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is being celebrated with Maynards Bassetts Spooky Gums and Maynards Bassetts Liquorice Mix, featuring chances to win vouchers or a spooky city break.
“This partnership absolutely delivers an engaging way to entertain and excite consumers by tapping into a cultural moment and setting the Beetlejuice loose with our deliciously dark and fun campaign,” says Amy Lawson, senior brand manager.
Mondelez is not the only supplier celebrating the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice new release with branded Halloween NPD. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is also driving seasonal sales this year with a new Beetlejuice themed limited-edition Fanta Zero Afterlife.
The apple-flavoured variant taps into the rising demand for no-sugar options and features a black-and-white striped design to echo the look of the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie. The NPD has been joined by a temporary redesign across the whole Fanta range to mark the partnership between CCEP and Warner Bros Pictures ahead of the film’s release.
Hancock’s tricks to tempt shoppers
Hancocks has new additions to its Halloween range this year, including the Petrifying Pumpkins Candy Cup and the Mallow Stacker from children’s brand Candy Realms, and Crazy Candy Factory’s Zombie Brain.
“This year, we know that customers are going to be looking to go all out on Halloween lines for friends and family. Novelty and self-eat confectionery lines can be used as the centrepiece for Halloween snack tables, as party favours or fun offerings for trick-or-treaters,” says Kathryn Hague, head of marketing.
“Retailers are bringing out their Halloween displays earlier each year. In order to keep up with the competition, you should at least be fully stocked for the busy season by September.”
While an early start to merchandising is important, wholesalers need to be prepared for late demand as well. “Because there is a significant uplift in Halloween sales in the final week of October, retailers need to make sure that their stock lasts until the end of the month in order to fully capitalise on the season,” Hague advises.
“It’s also recommended to group the Halloween lines together so they can be easily found from one place.
Having clear and attractive PoS is very important – this way you can be sure that your products will turn the heads of customers and translate into sales.”
While financial pressures led to a decline in overall spending for Halloween last year, there was an uplift in candy sales of 16.7%.
“Halloween novelties, sugar minis and tubs were categories that were driving both value and volume growth last year and we’re expecting this trend to continue this year,” says Hague.
“Halloween is one of the most important retail events in the calendar and it’s become synonymous with Fanta in recent years,” says Rob Yeomans, vice president, commercial development GB. “This year promises to be our biggest and best Halloween yet, with exclusive limited editions under the umbrella of a huge new global partnership.”
CCEP focuses its Halloween activity on its Fanta brand to great effect, this year investing in limited-edition packs, instore activation and a ‘Summon What You Wanta’ campaign. Last year’s activations boosted Fanta sales by £1 million in the four weeks leading up to Halloween (Nielsen).
“Fanta is a popular choice to accompany the scary season, thanks to its longstanding association with Halloween, driven by engaging campaigns and on-pack activity,” says Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager.
bakery brand no.1 From the UK’s
“During the Halloween season, shoppers will be on the lookout for soft drinks to enhance gatherings at home, whether it’s hosting Halloween parties or enjoying scary movie nights with family and friends. This is why retailers and wholesalers should prioritise stocking brands that are synonymous with the spooky season.”
Rose Marketing UK has a number of new Halloweenthemed treats for this season. Its Candy Castle Crew Halloween-themed treat bags have an attractive £1 price point and include Fizzy Freaky Mix, Fizzy Gummy Brains and Fizzy Gummy Pumpkins.
These halal-friendly PMPs join the existing Halloween lineup, which includes Candy Castle Crew, Slush Puppie and Tango branded confectionery.
“Our range is more inclusive, with Halloween-themed bags through to fan-favourite brands. It’s vital that retailers and wholesalers make the most of the occasion, and to encourage much-needed incremental sales, they should stock a range of best-sellers and well-known brands,” says Steven Watt, CEO.
Ignite sales of matches and lighters
Family-oriented seasonal events, such as Halloween and Bonfire Night, provide one of the best opportunities of the year for cash & carry outlets to ignite sales of matches and lighters, a market valued at more than £80 million. In the convenience channel alone, annual sales of matches and lighters exceed £45 million.
Republic Technologies (UK) says that cash & carries can easily capitalise on the surge in demand for these high-margin products by giving more focus to what they should view as must-have seasonal lines and siting them in seasonal displays. Bryant & May Extra Long matches, particularly useful during Halloween and Bonfire Night activities, can be displayed in shelf-ready, eye-catching dispensers.
“It’s the time of year when people want to make the most of family celebrations. Millions of households are in need of a lighter or a box of matches, whether it’s to light a candle to bring a scary pumpkin to life, or to enjoy a fireworks display in the garden,” says Gavin Anderson, sales & marketing director.
“We also know that many households look to their local convenience store to provide the items they need to really make the most of Halloween and Bonfire Night. This is an ideal opportunity for cash & carry depots to drive sales by promoting matches and lighters.”
Rose Marketing urges wholesalers to be prepared for retailers stocking up early. “Halloween displays should be finalised and on sale in good time as research suggests that most Halloween shopping purchases are made in the first week of October, some starting even earlier.
“Continued growth in the market will be dependent on influencing the emotional connection that shoppers have for this occasion and relating back to popular nostalgic activities such as trick-or-treating or pumpkin carving,” Watt advises.
KP Snacks also highlights the sales opportunities in the autumn with big night in and social gatherings around Halloween and Bonfire Night.
“In the lead-up to both events, consumers seek out their favourite snacks for movie nights at home and get-togethers with family and friends, making crisps, snacks and nuts (CSN) a critical category,” points out sales director Matt Collins.
“To capitalise on Bonfire Night and Halloween and the strength of the sharing segment, retailers should stock a range of sharing CSN products. Worth £1.74 billion, sharing is the largest segment in CSN and is growing strongly at 7.6% (Nielsen).”
The best-selling brand in the popcorn segment, Butterkist, is an ideal scary film accompaniment. Meanwhile, for bold-flavoured savoury sharing snacks that can be merchandised by retailers without HFSS restrictions, the KP Nuts Flavour Kravers range fits the bill.
76% of consumers embraced trick-or-treating last year
Surplus happens
What you do with it matters now more than ever.
FareShare
fights hunger and food waste by redistributing surplus food to 9,500 frontline charities and community groups in the UK.
“ When you have a full belly, it makes a huge difference to your overall wellbeing. We have really brought the community closer together, and we literally wouldn’t be able to do any of it without FareShare.
We believe that good food should go to people, not waste.
We take edible surplus from right across the food and drink industry and get it to people in need.
Ellie Phillips, Matthew’s House ” Or visit: fareshareuk.com/FDM Scan: Give us food and make a real difference to people in need.
Experience counts in FMCG
Robinson Young uses an active sales force to ensure that customers and brand partners are both in the best position to meet the wants and needs of the convenience channel.
Acomprehensive understanding of cash & carries and delivered wholesalers’ needs enables Robinson Young to help its non-food FMCG brand partners achieve success in this sector.
Supplying the wholesale and cash & carry sector for more than 50 years, Robinson Young uses its experience and industry knowledge to ensure that its brand partners receive the right kind of support and advice to build their business and grow their brands.
“With our brand partners, we work as a seamless extension of their own sales team,” explains chairman Michael Robinson. “Brands are supported by a dedicated wholesale sales team with unrivalled knowledge, experience and established relationships with all major wholesalers.
“While many companies and brands are cutting back on sales teams and service into the sector, we believe that it is more important than ever to have expert salespeople on the ground, talking to the owners, buyers and managers, and understanding their needs.
“Our sales team will regularly provide feedback and make recommendations to brand owners that will help them optimise sales by way of new or modified products and packaging, promotional programmes that work for our customers and theirs, coupled with competitive pricing structures appropriate for a multi-layered, shared-margin marketplace.”
Robinson Young has an extensive list of brands that it represents in the wholesale sector, including ACE, Bloo, Bodyform, Got2b, Simple, Dylon, Provoke, Jeyes, Soft & Gentle, Bristows, Tena, Tena Lady, Waterwipes, Witch, Wrights, Caterpack, Caterpack Enviro, Cidal, Cuticura, Oust, P20, Pernaton, Biomed, Vosene, and Zoflora.
“Critically for our wholesale and cash & carry customers, we are able to give them access to market-leading brands without having to meet high minimum order values typically required when going directly to the manufacturers, thereby helping them to widen their portfolio of brands and products, and meeting their customers’ needs,” says Robinson.
The sales team makes an average of 400 customer visits a month and keeps brand partners updated on the issues and information that feeds back. “Providing market intelligence and making recommendations that will drive sector sales is a vital part of the service that we offer to both brand owners and our customers, with mutual benefit in our mind at all times,” he adds.
‘Providing market intelligence and making recommendations that will drive sector sales is a vital part of the service that we offer’
Michael
Robinson, chairman, Robinson Young
The business also continually monitors internal efficiencies and supply chain effectiveness to ensure that the best possible processes are in place every step of the way.
Robinson Young has recently appointed Kinaxia as its new delivery partner, with the primary objective of improving the quality of, and speeding up, deliveries nationwide. As a result, the team has seen an improvement in on-time deliveries.
Robinson Young is also committed to ensuring that its service offers good value to customers and brand partners alike. “Our focus during the many current wider economic and political challenges, where we are still seeing increased costs in many aspects of a product’s cost base, is to minimise the impact that our costs have on our customers,” says Robinson.
“Having a partner that is truly committed to, and fully supports, the wholesale sector is vital for any FMCG brand’s long-term success.”
Michael Robinson: ‘Brands are supported by a dedicated wholesale sales team.’
Planning for success
With 40 years of experience to call upon, SHS Sales & Marketing is confident that it can help its clients navigate the changes and challenges of today’s retail environment.
This year, SHS Sales & Marketing is celebrating 40 years of driving brand success within the wholesale and convenience channel. The business operates in the grocery, confectionery, soft drinks, ice cream, healthcare and household categories, representing brands that are among the most popular with UK consumers.
Over the past four decades, the team has consistently delivered growth for an extensive range of premium brands, solidifying its position as a trusted partner in the industry.
The portfolio continues to expand and thrive. In 2023, SHS Sales & Marketing welcomed Highland Spring into its portfolio. Alongside this addition, the team has successfully driven growth for established brands including Zip, Meridian, Old El Paso, Green Giant, Mars Ice Cream & Milks, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Burton’s Sweet Biscuits, PG Tips, and a variety of Unilever brands.
Recently, SHS Sales & Marketing has built new partnerships that include the collaboration with Fox’s Burton’s Companies and the introduction of the Nerds brand. These demonstrate the team’s commitment to bringing innovative products to market, ensuring retailers have the best offerings to meet consumer demand.
“Reaching our 40th year is a testament to the strong relationships we have built with our brand owners and customers. Our commitment to delivering top-tier brands, insights and advice has never been stronger, and we look forward to many more years of success together,” says John Heynen, managing director.
“We recognise the challenges ahead but are confident in our ability to adapt and succeed, just as we have for the past 40 years. We are incredibly proud of all the brands we represent and know how crucial they are to the success of the channel, and therefore we remain passionate, engaged and
dedicated to working with them to drive sales and growth for brand owners and customers.”
Impactful in-depot activations continue to yield significant growth for the brands. The recent Pot Noodle activity contributed to Pot Noodle’s double-digit year-on-year growth of 19%, with the Chicken & Mushroom 90g the top-selling SKU.
The Maryland Cookies takeover resulted in a strong uplift from January to May 2024 when the brand achieved an 8% rise in both volume and value compared to the same period in 2023. Furthermore, a focused four-week campaign in May led to a 29% year-on-year surge in sales volume for Maryland.
‘Reaching our 40th year is a testament to the strong relationships we have built’
John Heynen, managing director, SHS Sales & Marketing
In addition, Hellmann’s Euro takeover in April and May resulted in a 106% increase in volume and a 92% rise in value compared to the same period in 2023.
The business has also achieved substantial success with in-depot merchandising initiatives, including the placement of 100 Nivea Sun CDUs and 100 Reckitt Spring Clean FSDUs, ensuring these key brands are front of mind for customers.
Presently, there are two significant sales opportunities for the trade. Heading into cold and flu season, consumers want to self-medicate, and brands like Lemsip, Nurofen, Strepsils, Anadin, Beechams and Panadol will be in demand. The SHS Sales & Marketing team have been working with wholesalers and retailers to stock up on a wide range of formats early.
As retailers begin to plan their Christmas offers, SHS Sales & Marketing will be at the forefront in advising them on how to maximise the impulse gifting opportunity. No 1 gifting product Terry’s Chocolate Orange will again be a consumer favourite, and the team will be helping depots and wholesalers ensure that there is plenty of stock available.
Time is precious for convenience retailers, so the SHS Sales & Marketing team continues to work with depots and wholesalers to ensure that their customers can find the leading products, in the right formats, as quickly as possible. CCM
John Heynen: ‘We are incredibly proud of all the brands we represent.’
Low minimum order, high sales
Offering an effective solution for manufacturers, Petty Wood’s growing list of client brands represents some stand-out performers in the cash & carry/wholesale channel.
For Petty Wood & Co, the cash & carry/delivered wholesale channel has been steadily growing over the years and now represents just under 30% of its business.
Explaining why the service the company offers is so important to manufacturers and C&Cs/delivered wholesalers, sales director David Johnson says: “We are a consolidator of a number of major brands and a service and solution provider for keeping customers in stock with low minimum order levels as opposed to large direct-from-factory order requirements.”
The company has adapted and evolved to ensure that it continues to offer an invaluable service to its clients in light of current market challenges. “We are a privatelyowned organisation, which allows us to be very agile in order to navigate difficult market conditions,” explains Johnson.
“Despite increased cost pressures, we are committed to an ‘invest to grow strategy’ and continue to invest in innovation and brand building to drive sales and category value.”
Petty Wood is mindful of the specific requirements needed to maximise sales in the convenience channel and shapes its brand activity accordingly. “We are totally committed to ensuring we develop the right channel pack offers for this sector in order to optimise sales,” he says. “In particular, the PMP initiatives along with C&C specific outer cases are areas of investment.
“Our recent activities with Werther’s would be an example of how the brand is outperforming and growing the category, and we have also had similar success stories with Canderel, Sacla and Lavazza.”
The business ensures that it has a visible presence, with a multi-strand workforce that enables maximum coverage.
“We have 15 sales people working in the channel
supported by a telesales and customer service team,” he adds. “Call frequency varies, based on geography and customer requirements.”
Brands that utilise Petty Wood’s expertise include Baxters, Fray Bentos, Sacla, Lavazza, Canderel, Rummo, Epicure and Werther’s. “We have a great range of core grocery, impulse and innovation brands in our portfolio with stand-out brands in this channel,” he says.
‘We are committed to an ‘invest to grow’ strategy and continue to invest in innovation and brand building’
David Johnson, sales director, Petty Wood & Co
The most recent brand additions include Epic Giant Marshmallows and Munchmallow biscuits. This month, Paddington licensed biscuits and cakes are landing in depots, ready for the new Paddington 3 movie that comes out in November.
With the cost of living continuing to impact household budgets, and costs remaining a challenge throughout the supply chain, the current climate is a tough one for retailers and wholesalers.
The expertise that Petty Wood offers, from the understanding of format types to an up-to-date knowledge and communication of product activity, ensures that its focus is one that keeps working for both brand owners and the convenience channel.
“We will keep looking and listening in order to try to map out what our customers’ and consumer needs might be going forward. We will drive innovation and change and, most importantly, continue to give this channel high priority,” Johnson concludes.
David Johnson: ‘We will continue to give this channel high priority.’
Profile: Caterforce
by Gary Mullineux, managing director
How is Caterforce presently performing?
The past year has been fantastic for Caterforce as our members have gone from strength to strength and we are hitting record levels of turnover – this year exceeding £800 million.
As always, our focus remains on supporting our members in the best ways possible. A great example of this is our new website and members portal, providing a one-stop-shop for members to access everything they need to grow their sales, including the latest supplier news, insight and marketing assets.
To entice new talent to the industry and ensure we benefit from technological and digital advances, including AI, we launched an apprenticeship programme for our data team. Data and insight has become a driving force for the group, and we are delighted to have invested in this ahead of the curve.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
We support our members by securing the right products at the right prices, holding regular tenders for key commodities and through the fantastic supplier relationships we have created and nurtured for the past 30 years.
All Caterforce members also benefit from industry-leading support from head office, including five award-winning own brands, centralised rebate management, specialist data and insight, and an expert buying team running regular tenders and bespoke promotions.
All members have access to a full marketing service, including bespoke
PR support, social media content creation and enterprise email solutions, plus access to our specialist food and drink photographic studio.
Members can also access bespoke printed and digital promotional brochures for customers, in addition to quarterly food and drink trend reports and advice from our in-house data analysis team.
We host several events throughout the year including supplier presentation days, as well as marketing events and food study tours to inspire members.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
We are continually developing our own brand to ensure it exceeds customer expectations. We recently launched Chefs’ Selections Premium Collection to enable our members’ customers to provide top-quality, experiential dining experiences.
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
Our investment in data services has brought invaluable benefit. Our Sales Hub provides both suppliers and members with real-time, accurate information. Our dedicated IT experts have also spent time visiting all our members to support them with their ecommerce platforms and central product information.
What member events do you have coming up?
We will be holding our supplier conference at Wembley Stadium on 7 November when we will get all our members and suppliers together.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
The coming months will see many of our ambitious plans move forwards, including the relaunch of both Roast 440 and ProClean own-brand ranges.
What is your group’s USP?
Caterforce prides itself on being truly customer-first and we understand that one size does not fit all. Our members are independent wholesalers and they are industry experts. Our role is to support them all to evolve in all elements of their business. In addition, the group works collaboratively to inspire, encourage and support each other.
Caterforce has the largest average turnover per member in the sector, which means our membership is the lowest cost to service for suppliers. CCM
Member testimonial: Q Catering, Sittingbourne
“We joined Caterforce to leverage its strong buying power with suppliers and harness the many benefits of being part of such a dynamic, futurefocused group.
“As a relatively new member of the group, what stood
out immediately was how Caterforce recognises not only each member’s independence but also our regional expertise and specialism and celebrates that.”
Steve Clarke, managing director, Q Catering
Gary Mullineux: ‘The past year has been fantastic for Caterforce.’
£806m turnover
Independent regional wholesalers across the UK and Ireland
Member first approach
Family businesses sharing best practice
Everything goes back to our members
Creative & digital marketing support
Five award-winning own brands
Managed monthly promotions
Centralised rebate management
9 members
34,000 customers
Experienced trading team with frequent tenders for best prices
Biennial Supplier Conference
Director from every wholesaler on the Caterforce Board
Data analysis & e-commerce support
Regular supplier presentation days
Inhouse photography studio
Trends & insights reports
33 years of innovation
Profile: Confex
by Jess Douglas, chief operating officer
How is Confex presently performing?
Brilliantly! Confex has continued to grow ahead of our competitors, achieving 11.4% growth and exceeding £3.7 billion turnover as a group in the past year. We have added nine new members during 2024 alone, and we have increased our member dividends with group profits returned to Confex wholesalers, which in turn, boosts our members’ businesses.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
Confex is committed to providing industry-leading support and advice for our wide and varied range of members.
Not only do we offer competitive terms, pricing and promotions across all product categories, but our highlyexperienced head office team provides invaluable insight for every member of the group, while dedicated business development managers offer personalised support and advice.
Members have access to our awardwinning own-brand range, a product and allergen specification resource, an image library and a customer-facing magazine. We also have a central distribution facility and retail and food-to-go clubs with additional promotional funding.
Where we really stand out is that our members also work in collaboration rather than competition, meaning we can share best practice, identify where improvements in effectiveness and efficiency can be made, and combine efforts to provide a nationwide service for national accounts.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
We have always been focused on technology to ensure we stay ahead of the curve to support our members, and this is continuing with our Confex Accelerate and Confex Data Insight platforms.
Confex Accelerate is a specialist digital automation platform which provides members with a range of digital solutions including a digital catalogue and access to our direct-to-consumer proposition, Confex Direct.
Confex Data Insight is a sales reporting data platform that benefits both our members and suppliers, enabling them to identify opportunities to sell more.
What member events do you have coming up?
Our foodservice fair takes place in Stratford upon Avon this month, while our main conference is taking place in
Barcelona in October. Our events are free for members to attend.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
We will continue to focus on growth, reflecting the past four years which has seen Confex double in size and buying power. Our focus remains on four key strategic pillars: developing the CORE own brand, learning from Confex Data Insight, developing further tech integration through the Confex Accelerate platform, and enhancing supplier execution through the Confex Savings club.
Our target is for Confex to grow to a turnover of £4 billion, which we will achieve through member growth, acquisition and further collaboration from within the wholesale sector.
What is your group’s USP?
Not only is Confex one of the UK’s longest standing wholesale buying groups, but we are proud to offer the best value. We represent 12% of the total wholesale channel, and offer competitive terms and pricing and promotions across all product categories. In addition, we do not operate any joining or membership fees, while giving all members a share of group profits.
Our biggest advantage is the sheer range and diversity of our membership, and that means we work with the widest range of supplier partners – more than 240 retail and foodservice brands. As part of Confex, wholesalers of any size can develop their business across all product categories. CCM
Member testimonial: North West Tea, Liverpool
“Confex has a unique blend of members who are all likeminded but different enough from each other, which makes it a fantastic buying group.
”Confex is innovative with technology (which is one of our priorities) and front-footed
with suppliers, and being part of the group has enabled us, and the wider membership, to evolve into new sectors and embrace new products.”
Ryan Torrible, operations director, North West Tea
Jess Douglas: ‘Our biggest advantage is the sheer range of our membership.’
Profile: Country Range Group
by Martin Ward, chief executive
How is Country Range Group presently performing?
Our performance in the first half of 2024 has been exceptional. We’ve welcomed three new members over the last 12 months, most recently Kitwave, which brought four wholesalers into the fold in Miller Foodservice, MJ Baker Foodservice, Total Foodservice and WestCountry. This year we have been very much in demand; however, we only accept new members who will enhance our position.
At the start of the year, our turnover was just over £850 million, with a target of reaching £1 billion by 2026. Given our dedication to our core principles and the performance of our members, we are on track to achieve close to this milestone by the end of 2024. We are trading 20% higher than the same period last year, with May setting a record at £82 million in revenue.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
We revamped our brand and introduced a tiered product strategy last year. Recognising the pressure on chefs, especially in education and care, we launched the Catering Essentials brand, offering essential products at low prices without compromising quality.
We are investing in advanced data solutions like our intranet, directory and PIM to provide valuable insights to our members. Our trading team, led by Dean Pendlebury, continues to secure competitive pricing and value-added promotions, and we have an exciting schedule of new product launches.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
We’ve expanded our three own brands – Catering Essentials, Country Range, and Signature by Country Range. With a passion for supporting the next generation of chefs, the Country Range Student Chef Final took place in spring. We also published a guide aligned with the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative for chefs catering to people with dysphagia.
Our buying team is focused on sustainability, and we are currently verifying each member’s 2023 operational emissions and carbon intensity data with ClimatePartner. Once finalised, we will publish a group ‘Sustainability Guide’.
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
Our data, insights and trend analyses are
crucial for our members and their customers. Tools like PIM, the CRG Directory, and ‘Stir it up’ magazine help members and chefs leverage trends, reduce waste and enhance their businesses.
Our events have never been so successful and our sales promotions and marketing, both digital and face-to-face, are continuing to set us apart. We will also continue to support members at their own customer-facing events.
What member events do you have coming up?
Our next business development day is scheduled for 24–25 September at Doncaster Racecourse. In December, we will host ‘An Evening with CRG’ event at the Frameless in London.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
Our plan focuses on continuous improvement and growth, centred on competitiveness in purchasing, commodities and terms. Our strategy is built on four pillars: sustainability, data, own brands, and innovation.
What is your group’s USP?
Our members are the driving force of our group, maximising our scale and buying power, and collaborating across all aspects of business, including digital solutions, sustainability, operations and supply chain logistics. It is because of our members we remain the leading buying group in foodservice wholesale, driven by our teamwork, collective strength and discipline. CCM
“Our membership in the Country Range Group has played a significant role in taking us to the next level through the sharing of ideas, the data and insights, the marketing support and strategy, and a product portfolio that
cannot be rivalled. It’s great to be part of a group with common goals and beliefs, who strive to better standards and have the confidence to dream big.”
Matthew Hitchen, director, Trevors Foodservice
Martin Ward: ‘Our plan focuses on continuous improvement and growth.’
Profile: Fairway Foodservice
by Coral Rose, managing director
How is Fairway Foodservice presently performing?
Group sales turnover is performing above expectations. Despite the poor weather giving us a challenging start to the year, sales have subsequently continued to gain momentum. This is due to the unwavering commitment to success of our members and the support of the group. The lessons learnt during the slow start have ultimately made us stronger and more efficient, and collectively the group will achieve a turnover of £1 billion this year.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
As well buying competitively, we’re leveraging contracted lines to provide our members with price stability, allowing them to plan and budget more effectively.
We’re also emphasising our ownbrand products. This focus on own brand not only boosts profitability for our members and their customers but also helps differentiate our members in a competitive landscape.
Additionally, we’re providing market insights and trend analysis, equipping our members with tools to optimise their operations, reduce costs, and enhance their customers’ experience.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
We have developed a comprehensive ESG schedule and support programme, giving our members the knowledge and resources to fulfil their customer requirements and create a local plan.
We know caterers are looking to their wholesaler to provide insight, product information and inspiration and so we launched our caterer e-zine, ‘Chef’s Insider’. This format means we can remain true to our ESG commitments.
Suppliers are also benefiting from our digital investment with individual monthly campaigns achieving over 40,000 views.
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
All our UK members use our online promotions platform and from this we drive an active social media programme. Over the last 12 months, our members’ posts have had 4.6 million social views and gained 5,000 additional active followers. In the same period, we have sent two million emails, and our open rate has increased from 5% to 8% above the industry average.
What member events do you have coming up?
This month we have our Meet the Member event, which we have enhanced this year with a mini-expo. We will also host our principals meeting, which we hold twice a year to share best practice, develop our ESG agenda and introduce new advances in technology and business efficiency. Next Spring we will have our FAB (own brand) show and a Christmas show. There will also be a conference and awards ceremony to mark the completion of our 40th year.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
We are very much focused on continued growth, organically with our existing members and by bringing in new volume. Also, we are launching our data platform with TWC later this year and are excited to work with our supplier partners on targeted gap analysis campaigns by category. Our own brand continues to grow and we have an ambitious NPD programme for a range that will provide an enhanced margin opportunity for our members.
What is your group’s USP?
Fairway is the only buying group that offers a comprehensive foodservicefocused buying and marketing proposition for independent wholesalers of all sizes. All our members are family-owned businesses and everyone is equal – we are not dominated by selected members and so operate equitably in the interests of the entire membership. CCM
“Becoming a member of Fairway has been a gamechanger for our business. The access to a diverse portfolio of products, including their award-winning own-brand range, has significantly enhanced our offering. The
support from Fairway’s expert team of buyers, marketeers and data analysts has been invaluable, ensuring we stay ahead of market trends.”
Shaun Atherton, sales director, JMP Foodservice
Coral Rose: ‘All our members are family-owned businesses.’
Fairway Foodservice is a buying and marketing group dedicated to providing independent wholesalers with a competitive advantage.
In 2024, we are celebrating our 40th anniversary and another significant milestone: doubling our members' turnover to £1.1 billion since 2014.
At our core, we stand for fairness and transparency, fostering a supportive and insightful community where you will never feel alone.
EXCLUSIVE OWN BRAND
500+ Fairway Assured own-brand products, all competitively benchmarked for cost, quality, and consistency and supported with active marketing and promotions.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Attractive commercial terms with over 300
MANAGED MARKETING
We provide our Members with free marketing services beyond print including email marketing; social media management; bespoke websites; online promotions platform.
To learn more about membership benefits, please follow the QR code or navigate to Membership on our website www.fairwayfoodserivce.com.
Profile: NBC
by David Lunt, managing director
How is NBC presently performing?
NBC as a group is doing well – we have a very diverse membership that covers multiple channels and we have seen them continue to prosper despite the many challenges coming their way. We believe that the spirit of independent businesses allows them to focus and diversify more easily than other types. NBC continues to work towards the simple benefits for members – access to brands at great net pricing – whilst supporting them with the basics of availability at a time when many suppliers are considering further consolidation. Our National Distribution Network (NDN) continues to grow in an increasingly challenging set of market conditions.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
By providing two things – firstly, information about what suppliers are doing and what they want from reliable partners; secondly, fighting for access to products at competitive pricing, delivered in realistic quantities, so that our members can give consumers access to brands where purchased or consumed.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
The group has spent the majority of 2024 consolidating what it does. We have invested in resource so that the group can provide the services that our members need, and we are further supporting our supplier partners in activating their brand plans. That has not prevented us from taking on new members though!
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
By far and above the most popular and beneficial service has been NDN – our centralised warehousing and logistics function that actively supports both members and suppliers. This is not just the trading arm of the group – it provides access to great brands at great net prices in realistic quantities but also serves as a route to market solution for our supplier partners. As consolidation continues to be the topic of discussion NDN provides a solution to suppliers’ distribution point coverage and potential credit risks.
What member events do you have coming up?
Having recently held our annual member & supplier event the next key date will be our AGM when all our member
shareholders will have an opportunity to review the company’s financial results and discuss issues and opportunities for further growth.
Following the retirement of Stuart Lane, we are pleased to advise that our new member director (from 1 September) is Mohsin Bootwala, proprietor of MB Distribution. This is a great appointment that will ensure that the member directors are the guardians of the group.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
We are busy recruiting for the senior management team to plan and deliver our future objectives. We are also refreshing our marketing toolkit for our members so that we can future-proof their digital stationery and digital & print campaigns for their customers, providing further support for our suppliers’ brand activation plans.
How do you see the future of wholesale and what is your group’s USP?
As a business model, wholesalers provide efficiencies when they do it well. If there is a market to serve, then wholesaling is a critical part of the supply chain for food and beverage companies.
Our role at NBC is to leverage scale and provide solutions for both our members and our suppliers. Only by working collaboratively can this be achieved for everyone’s benefit. Our USP is the ability to deliver those solutions through NDN – which is wholly owned by the group and the member shareholders. CCM
Member testimonial: 6868 Food Services, Enfield
“We considered very carefully the various options for joining a buying group and we chose NBC because we felt like we would be part of the family, not just another number. In addition, the flexibility of
their associate membership option provided us with an easy ‘yes please!’ decision without a major outlay of first-year management fees.”
Gulshen Alagoz, buyer, 6868 Food Services
David Lunt: ‘NDN continues to grow in increasingly challenging conditions.’
Profile: Sugro
by Yulia Petitt, head of commercial & marketing
How is Sugro presently performing?
Sugro has had 18 consecutive years of growth, and it continues with a strong performance in 2024 with year-to-date growth of 10% compared to the same period in 2023. The growth has been driven by the group’s diversification into new categories, digitalisation, new marketing initiatives, and new members joining the group.
We are delighted to have been voted No.1 buying group for a second year in a row by our supply partners in the recent Advantage Report Survey.
We are very proud to be celebrating Sugro UK’s 40th anniversary this year.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
At Sugro we are committed to ensuring that our members have access to all the necessary tools and technology that allow them to compete in this challenging marketplace.
By working closely with our supply partners, we provide competitive terms and an effective promotional calendar, as well as efficiently tackling stock availability challenges and making strides in digitalisation and diversification.
Our ultimate goal is to reduce costs, increase sales, expand our customer base and be the No.1 choice for our supply partners in terms of collaboration.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
The Sugro Insight Service (in partnership with TWC) continues to evolve. As part of that, Sugro is now offering
suppliers the option to access their online and offline transactional split, which is priceless insight into members’ sales.
We have also recently partnered with digital signage solution specialists Add Vision, giving Sugro members and their customers access to state-of-the-art digital display screens.
In addition to partnering with Trust Keys to support our members with cost savings on gas, electricity and water rates, we remain committed to further enhancing the Sugro e-loyalty retail reward & recognition scheme, which has now launched across WhatsApp.
We have also been building on the success of the wholesale Sample Box by extending it into the retail arena.
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
Our members have been taking
advantage of our all-in-one B2B e-commerce solution, open banking, B2B WhatsApp, Sugro e-loyalty retail reward & recognition scheme, and the Sugro Insight Service (SIS) platform.
We have also had a very positive response to the ‘Drive Your Sales’ category magazine and web portal.
What member events do you have coming up?
We have an excellent events calendar, with two trade shows each year. We will be holding our annual business networking event this month in Birmingham, and our annual business convention event will take place in India in November.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
We will continue working closely with both members and supply partners on delivering another year of growth. We are also working on several very exciting projects to support our members even further.
What is your group’s USP?
We proudly consider ourselves the ‘Sugro Family’, a sentiment reflected daily as our members consistently support each other in numerous ways. This longstanding sense of community sets us apart as a buying group.
We are also extremely passionate about our digital offering. This has been a key focus for Sugro over recent years and something we feel we are leading on as a buying group. CCM
“I joined Sugro in 2005 with Splendour Wholesale and expanded our commitment by joining with Brand Factory in 2018. Serving as chairman for the past seven years and being on the board of directors for 11 years has been an extraordinary experience.
“Throughout these years, I have witnessed our collective efforts to drive Sugro to new heights. Our success is a testament to the hard work and passion of every member of the Sugro Family.”
Tony Cox, director, Splendour Wholesale/Brand Factory
Yulia Petitt: ‘We proudly consider ourselves the Sugro Family.’
WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN US
Member centric individual approach with a diverse Membership of 95 wholesalers
Impeccable Member retention score with many longstanding Members being part of the group since the start
Exclusive deals for Retail Club Members
Sugro All-in-One B2B Ecommerce Solution with Open Banking, Split Testing and WhatsApp for Business capabilities
Access to industry leading promotions across Impulse, Grocery, Non–Food and Food Service categories
As a Member-owned, not-for-profit Buying Group, we give back to our Members annually a share of the Sugro Surplus
100% overrider terms paid to Members in a timely manner
Opportunity to stand as a Board Director
Access to Central Statement (Sugro centralised terms and billing system to reduce admin-related work and cost to Members)
Access to Central Distribution for smaller orders
Annual overseas Convention
We are thrilled with our experience partnering with the Sugro Buying Group!
They have provided us with access to topnotch suppliers and promotions, leading to remarkable sales growth. Thanks to Sugro, we now offer a broader range of brands and more competitive pricing, while their enticing incentives and supplier competitions keep us motivated to excel. A truly professional and rewarding collaboration!
Ashish Vidani, Director of Nasco UK
FREE WHEN YOU JOIN US
Leaflet design and print for each Promotional Period including POS ticket
Member personalised App development with Member logo and credentials
Website development support
Attendance to two annual trade shows
Access to Category Information via Educational Drive
Your Sales Digital Magazine and Web Portal
Access to Sugro Insight Service (SIS) Data Portal
Access to E-Loyalty Reward and Recognition Scheme
Access to Digital Signage
Sugro Procurement Services in partnership with TrustKeys Ltd offers members cost saving options on utility bills
07789 357568
Shruti Senapati
Profile: Unitas Wholesale
by John Kinney, managing director
How is Unitas presently performing?
We are building on the excellent growth of the last 18 months which has seen Unitas members outperform the market in most key categories with impressive results across retail, foodservice and the on-trade. Members have seen a 35% rise in income through the group over the last five years, and our scale as the largest buying group ensures we are getting the best possible deals from suppliers. We were chosen by suppliers as their No.1 retail wholesaler in the 2024 Advantage Report, with particular praise for ease of doing business, collaborative planning, agility, trust, communication, innovation, and digital leadership.
How are you helping your members deal with current market challenges?
Member centricity is at the heart of everything we do and all our activity is led by our members.
Our focus is on improving availability and increasing value for members and strengthening our collaboration with suppliers. Our members tell us they want to see improvements in investment, with a focus on simplifying agreements. We are driving value through promotional activity, and as always the shared margin must be appropriate for the wholesaler and retailer so we are measuring promotions against the market to deliver a more competitive package.
At the same time we are championing brands through our 360 degree activation with the Unitas members, working with suppliers to develop winning depot, online and store activity.
What have been your group’s most recent developments?
This year has seen the roll-out of Local Living, our affordable own-brand alternative to mainstream brands. While the cost of living remains challenging, it’s so important that independent stores can offer their customers a trusted value option. Over the last year we’ve extended the range into new categories, with more still to come.
Which of your services have been most used by your members during the past few months?
The biggest addition to our service for wholesalers has been Unitas Procurement Services, which uses the combined buying power of our members to secure excellent rates on business expenses like energy, packaging and banking. In the first six months of this year we were able to reduce members’
costs by £2.2 million – not just by negotiating favourable rates, but also by using the expertise of our verified suppliers to ensure the optimal specification.
What member events do you have coming up?
Our trade show and Unitas Connect Awards will be back – and even bigger –in March next year. This month we’re in Portugal for the annual conference which involves 400 of our industry colleagues.
What are your plans and targets for the next six months?
It’s six years since the formation of Unitas and after the initial integration period and the disruption of Covid, now is the time to push forward with every aspect of our offer to members. That’s promotional programmes, the extended own brand, retail execution, our symbol store offer, our Plan for Profit support for retailers, engaging and informative events, and so on. We believe that our support centre is the best resource to help our members drive sales in retail.
What is your group’s USP?
As the UK’s largest wholesale buying group we are able to offer the most competitive terms from suppliers. Being member-owned, the benefits of that scale go directly to our wholesalers. We back up our buying advantage with excellent promotional programmes and marketing support and by using our collective voice to promote independent wholesalers and their retail, foodservice and on-trade customers. CCM
Member testimonial: Dhamecha, Wembley
“Being part of the UK’s largest independent buying group gives us access to trading terms, insights, expertise and central office services which help us grow our business and provide the best possible service to our customers. “Sharing resources reduces
our overheads, and the collective scale of over 150 wholesalers ensures that we are always able to offer competitive prices and fair margins to our customers.”
Mukesh Vithlani, trading director, Dhamecha
John Kinney: ‘We are able to offer the most competitive terms from suppliers.’
#StrongerTogether
At Unitas we leverage the collective strength of our shareholder members, because we know we are stronger together.
That's what's made us the largest buying group in the UK. The benefits our members enjoy are always greater than those available to them individually.
In 2023 our members outperformed the market in Retail, Foodservice and On Trade. With the buying power of their combined scale and the unique services of the Unitas Support Centre, we’re building a stronger proposition for customers and consumers - together.
Call your Member Development Manager or visit our website at www.unitaswholesale.co.uk to find out more.
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