Wholesale 2022 by The Bright Media Agency

WHOLESALE

2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

STOCK UP ON THE KP TOP 25! and bring your snack sales alive!

BIG Hoops BBQ Beef 70g £1 PMP Nik-Naks Nice ‘N’ Spicy 75g £1 PMP McCoy’s Flame Grilled Steak 65g £1 PMP Nik-Naks Rib ‘N’ Saucy 75g £1 PMP BIG Hoops Salted 70g £1 PMP Skips Prawn Cocktail 45g £1 PMP Space Raiders Beef 70g £1 PMP Roysters T Bone Steak 60g £1 PMP McCoy’s Cheddar & Onion 65g £1 PMP McCoy’s Salt & Malt Vinegar 65g £1 PMP McCoy’s Thai Sweet Chicken 65g £1 PMP

*Nielsen Scantrack, w.e. 01.01.2022

DON’T FORGET THE NPD!

POPCORN

Butterkist Sweet & Salty 70g £1 PMP Butterkist Sweet 70g £1 PMP Butterkist Toffee 78g £1 PMP

NUTS

Tyrrells Lightly Sea Salted 60g £1 PMP Tyrrells Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar 60g £1 PMP Tyrrells Mature Cheddar & Chive 60g £1 PMP Penn State Sour Cream & Chive 120g £1 PMP

KP Nuts Original Salted Peanuts 65g £1 PMP KP Nuts Dry Roasted Peanuts 65g £1 PMP

VALUE

EVERYDAY CRISPS & SNACKS

SHARING

Select from the KP Best Sellers to help drive your CSN Sales!

Space Raiders Beef 25g 30p PMP Space Raiders Pickled Onion 25g 30p PMP Discos Salt & Vinegar 34g 39p PMP Wheat Crunchies Bacon 36g 39p PMP Pom-Bear Original 19g 59p PMP

From the No.1 contributor of category growth in the last 7 years*

10 CONTENTS

06 16

10 Wholesale 2022 is published by The Bright Media Agency, The Old Bank, 2 Cross Street, Enderby, Leicestershire LE19 4NJ on behalf of the FWD thebrightmediaagency.com

CONTACT US… EDITORIAL Chris Evans 07852 605305 wn@thebrightmedia agency.com ADVERTISING Claire Holton 07947 902263 claire@thebrightmedia agency.com SUBSCRIBE TO WHOLESALE NEWS wholesalenews.co.uk 0116 296 0200 wnsubs@thebrightmedia agency.com

04 We are FWD 06 FWD: looking ahead Exploring what lies ahead in the coming months 10 FWD: legislation The issues FWD is monitoring during 2022 on behalf of its members

20 eWholesale Collective The latest on the digital revolution 23 Retail We talk to the UK's leading retail wholesalers about their reality and plans for the future

14 FWD: diversity and inclusion Making wholesale a great place to work for all

39 Foodservice The UK's leading foodservice wholesalers share their challenges and opportunities

16 Green Wholesale Collective Support for sustainability across the sector

57 Supporting wholesale Suppliers and service providers share their insight and advice

18 The e-commerce gap Is wholesale embracing the digital opportunities?

68 Service providers Support for FWD wholesale members WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

The voice of wholesale

The Federation of Wholesale Distributors, or FWD, represents and promotes the wholesale sector and brings the industry together

YOUR FWD TEAM JAMES BIELBY Chief Executive james@fwd-uk.com DAVID VISICK Director of Communications david@fwd-uk.com NIKKI CONNOR Events Director nikki@fwd-uk.com MARTIN WILLIAMS Associate Director martin@fwd-uk.com LYNDSEY CAMBRIDGE Head of Engagement lyndsey@fwd-uk.com

GET IN TOUCH

WE ARE FWD

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

01323 724 952 www.fwd.co.uk @fwdwholesale

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ur members provide food and associated products to more than 400,000 retail and foodservice businesses, either by direct delivery or via cash and carry depots. Their customers range from small independent stores to large restaurant chains, and from local coffee shops to hospitals and schools. As well as providing the perfect product mix for each of these diverse businesses, wholesalers support their customers with merchandising materials, business advice, training courses and inspirational ideas. We also work with product suppliers to help them take advantage of the opportunity to grow their brands through partnerships with FWD members. FWD’s membership includes companies which provide services to the wholesale channel, such as market insight, technology and consultancy. Product and service suppliers looking to work more closely with FWD’s wholesaler members can join FWD as a supplier partner, supplier member or service provider. Our council of members oversee FWD’s work in three key areas:

Representing wholesale

FWD works with ministers, MPs and government officials to defend and protect members’ business interests against political and regulatory threats. As the voice of wholesale we speak for the sector in policy debates, and ensure that government is aware of the impact of any proposed legislation will have on this vital component of the food supply chain. We also make sure our members are aware of their obligations under forthcoming legislation.

Promoting wholesale

Our wholesale members provide a vital service to communities across the UK, ensuring that small businesses are able to offer compelling and distinctive food offers in cities, towns and villages, and keeping the country’s critical institutions fed and watered – among them hospitals, schools, care homes, and prisons. Along with their customers, they improve diversity,

service and competition in retail and foodservice markets. It is our job to publicise this massive contribution to society and the economy to government, policy makers, the media and the public.

Bringing wholesale together

FWD is the hub of wholesale, providing a meeting place for suppliers, wholesalers, service providers and other stakeholders to come together and discuss non-competitive issues. We organise a programme of events to bring the sector together, including an annual conference, training days, briefings for senior executives, category focus discussions and the annual FWD Gold Medal Awards. We also chair a number of ad-hoc committees, bringing the appropriate representatives of member companies together to discuss issues of mutual interest, such as diversity, sustainability, crime, HR and how to meet the requirements of impending legislation.

YOUR FWD COUNCIL MEMBERS CORAL ROSE – CHAIR ANDREW SELLEY – PAST CHAIR CEO Bidfood HELEN WILLIAMS Senior Counsel Booker

SUE KNOWLES Marketing/ HR Director Costco UK CHRIS BINGE Chief Executive Fairway Foodservice VANESSA COOPER Chief Executive Sterling Supergroup

JOHN KINNEY Managing Director Unitas Wholesale

DAWOOD PERVEZ Managing Director Bestway Wholesale

ANDREW LYNAS Managing Director Lynas Foodservice

JAMES RUSSELL Managing Director AF Blakemore & Son

GARY MULLINEUX Managing Director Caterforce

YULIA PETIT Head of Trading and Marketing Sugro UK

COLIN SMITH Chief Executive Scottish Wholesale Association

STUART SMITH UK Merchandising Director Brakes TOM GITTINS Managing Director Confex

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LOOKING AHEAD

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Wholesale’s future focus FWD Head of Communications David Visick shares his thoughts for the coming year

hen the wholesale sector gathers at St. George’s Park this summer for the FWD Live! Conference, we’ll be discussing three themes that we think will require attention, innovation and investment over the rest of the year and into 2023. They form the event’s strapline: Sustainable, Digital, Diverse Wholesale. Some will see these three development areas as challenges and some as opportunities. Many will say they have enough to do to keep their business going after two years of constant struggles without having to take on the nice-to-do stuff as well. But as the pandemic slowly loosens its grip and something like normal trading conditions resume, that will be where customers are won and lost.

Diverse wholesale

You can read about FWD’s diversity and inclusion work on pages 14-15, but what’s become clear over the recent months of recruitment challenges is that this sector has to open its doors to everyone – it has to

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attract and nurture all available talent and be the kind of industry where everyone feels safe, valued and helped to progress.

Predictions

Of course, we’re not out of the Covid, Brexit or supply chain woods yet. All predictions suggest 2022 will be dominated by price inflation and labour shortages, leading to difficult conversations between suppliers and wholesalers about allocations, delivery against order and margin. If there’s one thing our wholesaler members tell us they want from their supply chain partners, it’s honest and transparent dialogue about what’s on the truck that’s coming their way and how much they’re paying for it. They have a duty to their own customers to let them know if their order will be short. In the early panic-buying months of 2020, that dialogue was better than ever, we were told, as everyone discovered the joys of Zoom and Teams calls. But by the end of 2021, with labour gaps affecting every link in the supply chain, some wholesalers felt their questions just weren’t getting answers, perhaps because there weren’t any answers to be had.

Carve a niche

Without doubt, the big project for 2022 is

managing that inflation in the face of scarce commodities and resources, with everything from energy costs to HGV drivers to Living Wage and National Insurance increases and potential CO2 shortages stirred into the pot. But that’s a given and impacts everyone, which brings us back to the areas where we believe individual wholesalers can carve their own niche. In some areas, such as health and environment, there’s both the carrot of consumer demand and the stick of government legislation prompting us to do better. Nice-to-do starts to look a lot nicer if you have both the fear of legal sanction and the loss of sales to motivate you

Impact reduction

So 2022’s second big project has to be stepping up the transition to a sustainable supply chain, in line with carbon reduction commitments. If you run fleets of trucks and huge commercial freezer units, you’re going to attract attention if you don’t have a plan to reduce your environmental impact. Our colleagues in the Scottish Wholesale Association are meeting this head-on, with their Fleet Emissions Roadmap to Net Zero. At FWD, we are demonstrating to government the serious and successful efforts being made to improve wholesale’s carbon footprint.

This sector has to open its doors to everyone… and be the kind of industry where everyone feels safe and valued” WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

LOOKING AHEAD

Digital

Our second theme is Digital and here we have a trend that might be considered one of the few upsides of the pandemic. There’s nothing like the calamitous shutdown of 80% of your customer base to focus the mind on how to sell that mountain of food in your warehouse and the speed at which many foodservice wholesalers adopted digital platforms with business-to-consumer capability for their home delivery services was astonishing. We lived on our phones in lockdown; now we’re so used to the convenience of app ordering in our personal lives that we quite rightly expect to have the same ease and versatility when we’re ordering for work. Incidentally, online ordering isn’t automatically the domain of delivered wholesale – in fact, cash and carry did pretty well in 2020/21 and if driver costs and, therefore, delivery charges continue to rise, it will continue to do so. We see the depot continuing to evolve, however, with click and collect, online ordering, plus delivery, and even B2C all fighting for space under the one roof. Partnerships with app providers and local stores to provide rapid delivery are just the start and how about the prospect of dark stores and even dark kitchens after the C&C doors shut for the night? It’s all on the cards.

Strategic goals

So where does FWD sit in all this? We have three strategic goals that categorise our work. Representing Wholesale: that’s the government-facing role, the eyes and ears of wholesale, spotting and influencing policy that affects our members and communicating those impacts back to decision-makers.

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Partnerships with app providers and local stores to provide rapid delivery are just the start”

FWD EVENTS CALENDAR 7 APRIL Supplier Partner Briefing – London (invitation only) 28 APRIL Women in Wholesale Speed Mentoring – London 11 MAY Bringing Wholesale Together – online 17 MAY Introduction to Foodservice – venue TBC 8 JUNE Bringing Wholesale Together – online 30 JUNE FWD Live – St. George’s Park 14 JULY Bringing Wholesale Together – online

18 JULY Category Focus: Alcohol – London 12 SEPTEMBER Category Focus: HFSS 14 SEPTEMBER Bringing Wholesale Together – online 22 SEPTEMBER Women in Wholesale Conference – London 13 OCTOBER Bringing Wholesale Together – online 16 NOVEMBER Bringing Wholesale Together – online 24 NOVEMBER Gold Medal Awards – Old Billingsgate, London

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WRITTEN IN FEBRUARY 2022

Promoting Wholesale: that’s where the diversity and inclusion work sits, along with our How to Win in Wholesale resources, which help supplier companies recruit and train the top talents for their wholesale team. We offer part-funded training bursaries and recognise and reward talent through our awards. Which brings us to Bringing Wholesale Together, the third goal. FWD’s role as the meeting place for wholesalers, suppliers, service providers, data and insight providers, media, researchers and anyone with a passing interest in the wholesale trade is wellestablished and, particularly for the suppliers and service companies, it provides invaluable networking opportunities. Freed from Covid restrictions we’ve set up the most comprehensive programme of face-to-face and online events FWD has ever offered. From our category focus evenings to our parliamentary reception, from the How to Win orientation seminars in members’ depots to the Women in Wholesale Speed Mentoring event, and from the annual conference to the legendary Gold Medal Awards, we’re here to provide the platform for those relationships, partnerships and friendships that keep this channel driving forward. We look forward to seeing you out there. n

LEGISLATION

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

What lies ahead for wholesale? FWD Chief Executive James Bielby shares progress and explores the challenges that FWD will be monitoring in the months ahead 10

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s the point of connection between the wholesale sector and the highest level of decisionmaking in government, FWD has never been busier than when articulating the challenges of the last two years to ministers, MPs and officials. From the first imposition of Covid restrictions in March 2020, it was clear the government had only a hazy idea of how food gets to the consumer outside the supermarket

chains. In its initial hasty decisions to allocate funding to support food supply, the Treasury overlooked the wholesale sector completely, seemingly unaware that schools, hospitals, care homes and prisons rely on the same distributors whose hospitality customer base had suddenly been closed. Two years on, what FWD wholesalers do, the services they provide and the role they play in preserving businesses big and small, and public services, is a lot better understood by decision-makers. Throughout the pandemic, we kept up pressure through meetings with ministers and MPs, giving evidence to select committees, parliamentary questions, roundtables with wholesalers and department officials, members’ feedback and leveraging national media to get our messages all the way to the Chancellor and Prime Minister. And it worked. Both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak referenced the plight of wholesalers in the House of Commons (the Chancellor described it as an ‘ambush’ by MPs keen to highlight our plight), giving us a clear indication that the awareness battle was being won and by March 2021 we were seeing the first significant awards of grants to companies in our sector. Since then the rollercoaster ride has continued, as the combined effects of Covid and Brexit have, at various times, thrown up labour shortages, stock shortages, fuel shortages, wage inflation and huge increases in energy costs. It’s an extraordinary confluence of pressure points and the battle to keep supply lines open, reliable and affordable has barely begun. Grappling with these issues is going to be the top priority in the coming months.

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LEGISLATION

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

That’s why in February this year, FWD encouraged a group of MPs to take up our banner with the formation of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Food and Drink Supply Chain. Chaired by Matt Vickers MP, the group will launch a special inquiry, examining HGV driver availability and its impact on retail and foodservice. Mr Vickers says: “The labour shortages last year served to demonstrate just how important it is that the sector is adequately equipped and the dire consequences that follow when there is a breakdown in the supply chain. We want to understand the extent to which these supply chain issues are still plaguing the sector and determine the best policy options available to mitigate any potential issues.” With these great allies at our side, we are confident we can keep flying the flag for wholesale over the course of what’s going to be a third consecutive challenging year for our members. Adding to that challenge is the perception – promoted by cabinet ministers – that Covid is over and Brexit is done and, therefore, other legislative activity that might have been sidelined during the pandemic will now move forward at pace. Under other circumstances, action on health and sustainability might

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already have been reflected in law – as it is, we’re now facing further restrictions and requirements at a time when the sector is at its most vulnerable. Let’s have a look at some of the issues we’ll be helping our members navigate over the coming months.

Plastic problem

Creating a truly sustainable supply chain is in everyone’s interest and most wholesalers are well-advanced in their adoption of more responsible packaging and distribution practices. The Plastic Packaging Tax came into force on 1 April 2022 and is charged at a rate of £200 per tonne on plastic packaging components that contain less than 30% recycled plastic. In addition, Defra has published plans to ban single-use plastics, including cutlery, plates, expanded and extruded polystyrene cups, and food and beverage containers, from April 2023 and the government has also called for evidence on commonly littered single-use plastic items, such as wet wipes, tobacco filters, sachets and single-use cups. Alongside this, wholesalers are facing into extended producer responsibility changes, which thanks to FWD’s lobbying won’t affect them directly but which will mean yet more cost being passed through to their customers. Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers goes live in August 2023 but with a phased implementation that will see bottles and cans returned from November 2022. With the rest of the UK still to decide when and how to adopt DRS, wholesalers working across the border

Food & drink

The Prime Minister’s conversion to a healthy lifestyle after his brush with Covid may have been brief but the need to reduce obesity, particularly in children, is a legitimate concern. Restrictions on the promotion and placement of high-fat, salt and sugar products disproportionately impact smaller shops and as it stands now (February) it’s still not clear exactly what the requirements on convenience retailers will be. There are currently more questions than answers, so plenty of work to be done before the October implementation date. Free school meals for infants have been a lifeline for many children and parents through these difficult times and with the cost of living rising, they are perhaps more important than ever. Unfortunately, the government has not increased funding, which makes providing the service less attractive for caterers. That in turn impacts the distributors they work with. We’re working with school food campaigners to keep this vital service viable. The government has also pledged to make the alcohol duty regime simpler, more economically rational and less administratively burdensome on businesses and HMRC. We have

told them we believe rates should be reduced across the board to make the sector more sustainable. Duty fraud is, mercifully, less of an issue than it was at its height, but we still need stronger enforcement to remove trade from illegitimate wholesalers and reduce the alcohol tax gap using the AWRS registration programme.

Import changes

And then there’s Brexit, the gift that keeps on taking. Since January, businesses importing products of animal origin have had to pre-notify imports in advance of arriving into Great Britain and full customs declarations are also required. July sees the next raft of changes and all the signs point to disruption up to and well beyond that date. Plenty to keep FWD’s public affairs team busy, then. As always, it’s the willingness of our wholesaler members to share their concerns, their data and their experience of meeting these challenges that helps us make the case for change. The last two years have seen the wholesale sector recognised for its contribution more than at any time in the past. But there’s no complacency here as we gear up and go again, representing our members’ interests and explaining how government proposals affect them – both positively and negatively. Here’s to more of the former and less of the latter in 2022. n

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WRITTEN IN FEBRUARY 2022

warn of chaos and confusion once the scheme goes live.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

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A vibrant, thriving sector FWD’s focus on diversity and inclusion looks to make the wholesale sector a more attractive and happier place to work, says Head of Engagement Lyndsey Cambridge

he UK convenience and wholesale sector is a vibrant, thriving place to work that offers positive opportunities to thousands of people across the industry. In common with most industries, its available labour pool has been shrinking and competition for the most talented, dedicated and committed people is more intense than it has ever been. Pay and conditions play their part but increasingly, in a seller’s market where the potential employee holds most of the cards, job applicants are looking for more; they want to enjoy their work, feel safe, included and valued, have a clear, signposted path to progression and to have the flexibility to mould their work commitments around other choices and ambitions. It is our collective responsibility to make the industry an attractive place to work in order to sustain the sector and the

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economy. Wholesale has to appeal to everyone, whatever their ethnicity, gender, age or geography. At FWD, we have been inspired by the superb work that Women in Wholesale (WiW) has done over the years to change perceptions of working in the sector through inspiring and supporting women and helping them to progress. WiW will carry on this great work in 2022 with FWD’s full support, with a speed mentoring event, a conference, a series of breakfast briefings and the newly formed Wellness Group. But we want to go further and open up opportunities in wholesale even wider. FWD’s diversity and inclusion workstream will provide encouragement, skills building, career development and a secure and welcoming working environment for

everyone who identifies as belonging to a minority in the working population, whether they are in the wholesale channel or not. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that a more diverse workplace is a happier and more productive one, and it’s unarguable that an inclusive environment exponentially expands its appeal to a wider range of talents. A core component of this is ensuring the safety and dignity of our people at work. This duty of care can only be delivered on if we have confidence that the businesses we deal with as suppliers, customers and service providers are aware of and working to common principles. This means the sector coming together to articulate what is acceptable behaviour, define standards and provide training resources and support.

Standards of behaviour

Along with Association of Convenience Stores, FWD has proposed a Standards & Dignity Charter for the sector. Companies are asked to sign up to three commitments for behaviour in the working environment, and in networking and social situations related to work. n We strive to provide a harassment-free

environment within our shops, depots, warehouses and offices and at industry events. n We will be receptive to and take seriously reports of behaviour, from members of our own company, that contradicts this contract. n We will not tolerate anyone being subject to physical, sexual, racial, psychological, verbal or any other form of harassment, bullying or abuse. n We believe that an employee of a business that has signed up to the charter should feel reassured that they will be mixing with colleagues and contacts that will follow the highest standards of conduct when the Standards & Dignity logo is seen on ticket confirmations, companies’ websites and email signatures. We are asking all our members to sign this charter and use the logo on their marketing material. FWD is also bringing together some of the brightest talents through the Future Leaders Forum, a space that gives a voice to the up-and-coming leaders within the sector. It is an opportunity to have a new demographic of voices heard and a chance for talent to come to the fore in order to support the strategic objectives of FWD, which in turn will directly benefit FWD members. The members of the group come from both wholesalers and suppliers and are all 30 or younger. Given free rein to devise their own workstreams, it is hoped they will cast a younger, fresher and challenging eye on how wholesale operates and conducts itself. There’s plenty of established ways of working within the sector that could benefit from a critical review and we’re looking forward to helping this talented group of next-generation wholesale heroes to do exactly that. n

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GREEN WHOLESALE COLLECTIVE

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Be part of the collective Join the Green Wholesale Collective today to make a positive mark on sustainability in the sector

nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you can’t fail to have tuned into the conversations regarding the need for sustainability in the world around us. But while we know everyone understands the need to reduce the impact our actions have on the climate, sometimes it’s hard to know how to make a significant change – especially in the food and drink wholesale sector. When we’re storing and transporting goods that need to be packaged sufficiently well to maintain quality, solutions aren’t always easy to come by. That’s why we’re launching the Green Wholesale Collective to champion the best examples of sustainability work in the sector and inspire others to come up with ways to do their bit. With government legislation coming down the line in years to come, it’s not just a social responsibility that we share to get it right. Our idea is to create a group of like-minded brands and individuals – wholesalers and suppliers – and we’d love for you to be part of that.

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What does the Green Wholesale Collective do? In 2022, we aim to establish the Green Wholesale Collective as an umbrella for sustainability discussion in the sector: n creating a group of like-minded businesses and individuals discussing sustainability issues and sharing best practice to inspire others in the wholesale sector to make greener choices n i nspiring conversation and action to reduce wholesale’s carbon footprint n holding three themed webinars to

explore the work being done in the sector and provide opportunities for discussion among the group n running an online destination for industry sustainability news and thought leadership pieces at greenwholesalecollective.com n providing helpful advice and case studies in a dedicated Green Wholesale Collective section in every edition of Wholesale News – alongside promotion for supporting brands.

The Green Wholesale Collective will champion the best examples of sustainability work in the sector”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Our ambition is to develop the Green Wholesale Collective to become a recognisable industry movement that offers these four exclusive benefits: n a wide range of literature and guidance to help wholesalers and suppliers make positive change in the sustainability space n an annual wholesale sustainability conference that includes key industry representation n a special wholesale sustainability award to recognise the work being done in the sector n bespoke content solutions to help brands share their positive sustainability stories.

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E-COMMERCE

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

A digital future… but are you ready? An industry-wide survey reveals whether the sector is ready to embrace e-commerce and online marketplaces in its pursuit of customer service

he Covid-19 pandemic brought about two key moments for foodservice wholesalers. The first, during the initial lockdown when venues closed and customers were lost overnight, shortly followed by the second, when venues were able to reopen and demand soared to historically high levels. This dramatic about-turn represented a significant challenge for foodservice wholesalers to adjust their business quickly in order to meet customer demand. For wholesalers who had already

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invested in a digital strategy and e-commerce functionality, adapting was straightforward. However, for those who had yet to commit to a digital presence or were using the wrong platforms, new ways of working proved to be a significant barrier. In order to survive, the sector had to evolve at pace and those wholesale businesses unable to deliver digitally faced the very real threat of being left behind. The bar had been set exceptionally high by customer-centric e-commerce systems and marketplaces such as Amazon, with ease of use, product range and next-day delivery and customers expected more of the same. And it’s not just ease of

use that make online marketplaces popular. Supply chain issues around availability and logistics shone a light on the restrictions of the traditional wholesale model, laying down a gauntlet to wholesalers to digitally transform in order to compete. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the pressure is on wholesalers to offer a first-class online service. As a result, the sector has recognised that a clear, robust digital strategy is crucial to future-proof any wholesale business. However, a survey carried out by FWD, Foodservice Online and Mirakl found that despite this recognition, there still remains a gulf between those wholesalers who invest and commit to implementing a digital strategy and those who continue to wait. The survey, which quizzed 34 of the UK’s leading foodservice wholesalers, revealed that 100% of wholesalers viewed e-commerce as important to the future of their business.

The report also revealed that:

n More than 70% of wholesalers view their approach to digital strategy as more important than ever. n More than 82% of wholesalers felt that demand from foodservice buyers for online services is increasing. n More than 73% of wholesalers identified e-commerce development and transformation as the most strategically important area for their business. n More than 73% of wholesalers regarded digital services as the primary way for their business to differentiate itself from its competitors. nM ore than 85% of wholesalers believe that the average foodservice buyer is

purchasing more products online than a year ago. n More than 82% of wholesalers felt that digital sales offered the greatest potential for growth. n More than 85% of wholesalers felt their business was disadvantaged if their competitors had a strong online presence.

However, the survey also discovered that:

n Less than half of those surveyed had set aside a dedicated budget for e-commerce development. n Just 5.9% of wholesalers have a dedicated e-commerce team fully established in their business. n Just 31% of those surveyed have nothing in place or are still at the stage of considering what to put in place, which reflects a real lack of urgency to embrace digital transformation. It is clear from the survey that the majority of foodservice wholesalers recognise the need to digitally transform their businesses in order to stay relevant and futureproofed. They see the very real opportunities and potential that an online marketplace affords them and they recognise that the time to take action is now, or they risk being left behind as the sector continues to gather pace. n

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT: https://info.mirakl.com/en/uk/ ie-foodbeverage-wholesale-mindthe-gap

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EWHOLESALE COLLECTIVE

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What’s big in e-commerce? Wholesale News’s eWholesale Collective share their thoughts on the biggest talking points in the market for the year ahead Quick thinking

The explosion of quick commerce in the consumer world since 2020 is having an impact on how wholesalers’ customers view good service. Just as with other aspects of e-commerce, getting used to speedy deliveries in other walks of life means customers start to want similar when it comes to their business. Wholesalers need to adapt to meet this changing customer demand by offering flexible and same-day delivery services to stand out from the competition. For those wholesalers who have a retail part to their business, signing up their retail stores to rapid

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delivery and quick-commerce platforms could have a massive impact on their sales.

Sharpen your capabilities

Getting online right can stand wholesalers apart from their competitors. Give customers visibility of pricing, deals, NPDs within brands and drive a more efficient NPS awareness, which will drive distribution and ROS. There’s also a real opportunity to guide retailers on the range that’s going to deliver the ROS in stores, building loyalty. For wholesalers, getting an e-commerce site that works is a real advantage that brings in profits.

time to take orders on the phone or in person, and an e-commerce platform could result in them simply appearing in an inbox to be picked. Just as the adoption of new warehouse technology helps operationally, so can e-commerce – it should be considered more than simply a sales-driving tool, but one that benefits the entire business in different ways.

Share your knowledge Create loyalty online

Wholesalers often say it’s tougher to drive loyalty online than it is with depot visits, but it’s not impossible. By fulfilling orders correctly and having the core range available and, critically, ease of shop, customers will want to come back again and again. Understand how your retailers are using your site. Make sure searches work. Promote deals using web banners to make prices obvious. Having clear information, such as product size, is key for usability. Retailers like to know margins so help by highlighting POR. You can remain competitive and gain an edge by getting these basics correct.

There’s no doubting online transactions lack the human touch a visit to a wholesaler’s depot can offer and there’s always room for face-to-face contact, even in a digital strategy. But there are also plenty of ways to share best practice and knowledge with customers when they’re shopping on your e-commerce platform too. By having regularly updated resources on your website, you can offer articles and advice on how to merchandise correctly, build the best product range and even on setting up their own online sales portal. Wholesalers can retain their position as a go-to partner online. n

WHAT IS THE

Keep an eye on the numbers Online orders are more than simply money in and stock out. Look beneath the lid of an e-commerce platform and there’s loads of data that can inform you of customer trends and interests – a veritable gold mine of opportunity to make additional sales that is much harder to track in depot.

Embrace the efficiency

By adding an additional string to their bow, a wholesaler could save themselves precious

A group of e-commerce experts from Red Bull, Diageo, PepsiCo and Mars Wrigley who offer solutions for the sector’s e-commerce challenges. Visit ewholesalecollective.co.uk for updates, insight and thought leadership pieces about how to get the most from your online business

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FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

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And for retailers simply wanting access to the very best of Bestway Cash and Carry we have a leading retail club scheme, Xtra Local

Find out how Bestway Retail can help you grow your food and drink business.

www.bestway-retail.co.uk

BESTWAY

BESTWAY 2022’s focus is on retailer recruitment and supporting retailers to create stores that meet the need of local communities

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

2022 is about highlighting the Bestway retail proposition to independent retailers. The acquisitions of Costcutter Supermarkets Group and Bargain Booze and our continued development of best-one means we now have a retail solution to suit every retailer, regardless of size or location. Our new proposition enables retailers to scale up or down depending on their requirements, and become fresh- or impulse-led. Ensuring that our retailers’ offer matches the needs of their local communities is essential.

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

We’ve already embarked on two major recruitment campaigns this year and have more planned throughout 2022. Our new business and acquisition teams have visited more than 1,000 retailers in their stores. This has not only saved retailers both time and effort, but it has also provided our teams with the opportunity to offer solutions based on individual store layout and locations.

We now have a retail solution to suit every retailer”

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

The last two years highlighted the importance of logistical planning and futureproofing. We navigated unprecedented supply chain disruptions thanks to our strong distribution network and operational infrastructure, never falling below 89% availability. We also trialled alternative modes of distribution and optimised our network by rolling out a dark hub trial to ensure stock availability.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

2022’s regulations, such as calorie labelling and HFSS, mean many retailers will have to revise their business models. There are also significant inflationary pressures that will have an impact on retailers.

Do you have initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

We ensure that our supply chain and logistics operation is ethical, sustainable and has a low carbon footprint. We constantly look at routing efficiencies and have rolled out LED lighting across our estate, and we’re switching print materials to a recyclable format. Last year, we donated the equivalent of 167,000 meals in three months to The Felix Project.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

A.F. BLAKEMORE

A.F. BLAKEMORE Providing a better and faster experience for both independent retailers and consumers is a key focus for the year ahead

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

We’ve just launched some new concepts at one of our company stores in Aberystwyth that heroes food to go, fresh meat and vegetables, and an awesome shopping experience. We’ve been piloting and trialling lots of different concepts, which are all about creating theatre and experience in store that we can package into solutions for our partners.

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

That we can move and change as quickly as we want. Like others, we found that Covid-19 pushed us to deliver solutions in days that may have taken weeks or months in normal times. We’ve taken this agile mindset and thinking into everything we do – keeping an eye on the customer and the road ahead but always focused on accelerating delivery. We are also mindful of the increased level of support that independent retailers need – we pride ourselves on guiding them through the tough times.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

Inflation and global supply chain stability will be a huge driver. Delivered wholesalers

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FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

We’ve taken this agile mindset and thinking into everything” will offer a higher cost but, ultimately, massive added value service for our partners. Cost pressures will force us all to work out quickly what is important, so expect propositions to evolve.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

It builds consumer expectation, which means we need to find and support ways and means to make this mainstream. We do this via our company stores, partner stores and partner retailers. Consumers and retailers all having a better, faster experience can’t be a bad thing!

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

We’ve just opened a new site, powered by PV, with a raft of other sustainability solutions in place. We are really proud of it, along with other actions we’re taking to reduce and eliminate plastics, drive road miles down and reduce fuel usage (on- and off-road).

BOOKER

BOOKER Delivering continuous improvement for its retail customers remains a priority in addition to further digital developments

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

Booker remains focused on delivering continuous improvements for our independent retailers. By keeping up with trends, such as food to go and specialist ranges, we can ensure that our retail customers benefit from choice, quality, price and service. As cost of living continues to rise, shoppers will be looking for value and we will support retailers to become that essential, value-added service to their community while prospering as a business.

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

All independent retailers who operate under the Booker symbol groups are supported to grow their profits through strong, targeted promotions and initiatives, including digital and social media communications. We serve more than 100,000 independent retailers and help them grow by offering products and services that deliver additional revenue.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick

We serve more than 100,000 independent retailers”

commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space? Sales and customer numbers continue to grow through our digital platforms. Our key principles around digital developments are simplicity and ease of use while driving satisfaction and demonstrating choice, quality, price and service.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

There are still many uncertainties and it is our job to help navigate these for our independent retailers and help them capture sales and profits. Retailers continue to face challenges, including HFSS legislation and National Living Wage increases, and our focus will remain on helping customers ‘make more and save more’.

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

Booker is the only wholesaler in the UK to achieve four certifications to the Carbon Trust Standard for the second time. The latest round of audits confirm that Booker Group has delivered 12 years of absolute carbon emission reductions. We are delighted to retain the FWD Green Wholesaler Award and the SWA Green Wholesaler Award.

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FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

If you’re a wholesaler or supplier and want to find out more about one of the UK’s largest and most diverse buying groups, please contact us today.

Email Tom Gittins on

tomgittins@confex.ltd.uk confex.ltd.uk

CONFEX

CONFEX A priority for 2022 will be further development of retail and food-to-go clubs which have already shown significant growth

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

Confex will be focusing on further developing our retail and food-to-go clubs. Both of these customer-facing initiatives have shown significant growth across our key members and suppliers in the last two years and we are looking to expand the number of convenience stores and food-to-go outlets by 50% this year.

Our business development team have been amazing at engaging our key suppliers and members, which in turn is driven by strong joint business plans that have been put in place through detailed discussion. We now have the Confex Data Insight programme, which gives us a data pool accounting for 47% of our group turnover, so we can make more informed decisions backed up by sales data relevant to each end user type. The expansion of this data read to 65% by the end of 2022 will really help to drive continued growth.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

Inflation! We are seeing that the UK is now more interconnected than ever to global

commerce, which means we as a country will need to weather the global supply shortages we are now seeing post-pandemic. All countries will also need to recoup the monies they have ploughed into their economies during Covid, so taxes will rise, leading to an inevitable squeeze on living standards over the next few years. The key for the UK economy is to ensure credit remains available so that consumer confidence can remain high. The public has been locked down for too long and wants to spend and so wholesalers need to be fearless and invest into their growth plans, despite all the doom and gloom in the press.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

Confex is launching a retail D2C website, which will be managed centrally and fulfilled by Confex wholesalers across the UK. We see this as a major source of growth in the coming years and are hopeful we have the delivery infrastructure to give Amazon and co a run for their money.

Wholesalers need to be fearless and invest in their growth” WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

COSTCO

COSTCO Developing locally sourced and speciality products is a new focus alongside providing quality products at the lowest possible prices

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

Costco Wholesale UK is in its 29th year in the UK and our mission statement remains the same: to provide our members with quality products and services at the lowest possible prices and continue to increase the value of the Costco membership card. Quality remains our focus within all aspects of Costco but is essential within our foodservice departments. We utilise our significant global sourcing programme and continue to develop local sourcing opportunities, bringing in speciality items that are unique to a given area of the country.

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

We continue to retrofit fuel stations within our UK warehouse locations, currently 18 out of the 29, with an expectation there will be another two by the end of 2022. We’re improving the services we offer to our members to assist in their business and personal life and delivering the ‘WOW’ item to our members in the warehouses and online via costco.co.uk as well as maintaining

Quality remains our focus within all aspects of Costco” 28

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FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

We are focused on providing great prices and quality” our focus on providing great prices and quality to our members every day.

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

The safety of our employees and members has been imperative while delivering day-to-day basic items to small businesses in the area who continue to be essential to their local community.

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint? Costco Wholesale UK recognises that we are well-known for our value and service, but we need our world to survive as well as our business. We are committed to doing our part. Sustainability to us is remaining a profitable business while doing the right thing. We have adopted principles and responsibilities to help us navigate a dynamic and changing future, while striving to do the right thing and remain a low-cost and efficient business operator.

MEVALCO

MEVALCO New partnerships and high-end produce are the way forward for Mevalco alongside personalised service and retail solutions

and we are developing exciting partnerships with renowned chefs such as Mitch Tonks. We are looking to grow our retail presence in high-end produce, working with independent retailers both as Mevalco and also with our branded signature partners. We are also exploring export opportunities.

The use of e-commerce accelerated at an extraordinary rate during the pandemic. Analysts have noted that e-commerce now accounts for more than one-quarter of all retail sales in the UK. This number is expected to steadily increase in the years ahead. Our online sales have increased in the last year but many of our customers want to discuss our products, so the personal touch is important.

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick The end of 2021 saw us launch into retail with commerce in the channel changing the our new range of quality artisan Spanish foods way you work in the retail space?

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

We have a unique artisan supplier base that never fails to inspire and innovate with products that add something special to retailers’ proposition. We base our offer on a personalised service and through our networks and sales team of professional chefs. We host local-tolocal events, take products to retailers and spend time sampling, testing and agreeing unique features that work for retailers’ businesses.

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

That shopper behaviours can change fast but that people appreciate top-quality foods and are happy to pay for them. We also learned not to take anything for granted – the world can change in an instant.

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

As we grow our business, we are looking at elements such as electric vans and how we can decarbonise our business, such as effective routing. For us, sustainability starts with the sourcing of products. Our meats have grown outdoors, roaming freely on the hillsides of Andalusia. Our octopus, famed for its quality, is only harvested at certain times of year to prevent over-fishing. The flavours and quality are reflected in everything we sell.

We base our offer on a personalised service” WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

The Leading Cash & Carry Group

No. 1 Choice for Independent Retailers DEPOTS AT: BARKING • BIRMINGHAM • CROYDON • ENFIELD • HAYES • LEICESTER • LEWISHAM • LEYTON • WATFORD • WEMBLEY

info@dhamecha.com • www.dhamecha.com WEMBLEY STADIUM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, FIRST WAY, WEMBLEY, MIDDLESEX, HA9 0TU • 0208 903 8181

Supporting retailers with competitive pricing remains a priority for this family-run business in its fourth decade of continuous growth

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

Our family-run business has continued to grow year on year for more than four decades through a simple combination of keen prices, good stock availability, regular deep-cut promotions and by constantly improving the standards in our branches. These principles will remain our priority for the coming year.

Are there any challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

With rising energy bills, higher fuel prices and increased taxation, consumer spend will continue to be squeezed throughout 2022. This may well encourage the trend to ‘shop local’, but the danger is that it will encourage shopping online and/or with the discounters. We remain cautiously optimistic that quality independent retailers – those who have built their reputations and trust in the local community – will weather the storm by continuing to offer branded products at increasingly competitive prices in their stores. But they need our help.

We are encouraging customers to download our app”

We must give these retailers everything they need to compete. And that means working in partnership with suppliers to protect this increasingly important route to market.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

We are encouraging customers to download our Dhamecha app and order online to make their lives simpler and quicker.

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

By definition, supplying local businesses who, in turn, attract local shoppers helps combat the impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions. But, of course, we all need to do more. We pride ourselves on our process improvement initiatives to reduce energy consumption, cut down on the duplication of unnecessary paperwork and increase recycling of waste. All branches now have energy-efficient LED lighting and improved waste packaging procedures and most have solar panels installed, with the roll-out set to be completed this year.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

DHAMECHA

NISA RETAIL

NISA RETAIL Trialling innovative partnerships and new initiatives will drive success for Nisa Retail alongside flexibility and agility

What are your retail priorities for the coming 12 months?

Through our enhanced business support offer we aim to deliver retail expertise to our partners and ensure we are easy to do business with. We will continue to support partners with more relevant ranges, propositions and reasons to visit their stores.

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

We will continue to trial innovative partnerships and initiatives to drive footfall, sales and profit while helping to minimise the cost of running the business. Nisa’s annual retail exhibition will return to a physical event, providing invaluable opportunities for retailers to engage with others working within the convenience sector.

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

Nothing is certain and we need flexibility and agility to respond to new challenges at pace. Our partners have unique businesses and we are focusing on identifying the best solutions for them.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022? 32

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We aim to deliver retail expertise to our partners” The increasing cost of energy, products, staffing and transport means everyone will be looking for the best deals they can get.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

During the pandemic, more people shopped locally which provided an opportunity for better digital engagement and many retailers introduced new delivery options. We recognised e-commerce as one of the biggest trends in convenience and agreed preferential terms with key delivery partners to cater for this growing market and support retailers.

Sustainability is a big topic. Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

We have removed paperwork from all partner deliveries and made great sustainability gains on the production of our consumer leaflets, POS, and product brochure. We are also including gravity feed refill stations as a standard element of our Evolution store concept.

YOUR NEW HOME OF WHOLESALE E-COMMERCE ewholesalecollective.co.uk Want to learn more? Get in touch with chris.evans@thebrightmediaagency.com

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SUGRO UK

SUGRO UK Continuing to develop its e-commerce platform and app will enable the buying group to support its 82 individual members

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

As a member-owned buying and marketing group, our focus is always on our 82 individual members – working with them individually to create bespoke business plans to ensure the best results. We have enjoyed 16 years of consecutive growth and we began 2022 with a combined wholesale turnover of more than £1.5 billion. A key focus for the year ahead will be to ensure we remain at the forefront of digital ordering with our app and e-commerce platform.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

Digital is the fastest-growing channel in the wholesale industry. Digitalising wholesale business often results in increased sales, fewer order mistakes and, most importantly, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Our digital partnership with the b2b.store app has been very successful and helped members do business with their customers more efficiently. Since taking up the group

Our focus is always on our 82 individual members”

app offering, members have seen a substantial increase in average basket size and increased online sales, as well as a significant reduction of costs. Members have also reported 100% customer satisfaction driven by efficiencies of 24/7 ordering system capabilities, as well as improved accuracy, with up to 30% of their turnover now generated online.

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

Regular communication between wholesalers, head office and suppliers is key, as is the ability to explore new opportunities and adapt quickly. We describe Sugro as a family and it is our ‘togetherness’ as well as our commercial success that makes it so successful.

Are there any further challenges you foresee impacting retail wholesalers in 2022?

Our priorities are now reverting back to pre-pandemic times, so we have a focus on sustainability, the Deposit Return Scheme and HFSS regulations as these will have a notable impact on retailers and suppliers. Stock availability remains a challenge as many suppliers are still struggling to achieve 80% service levels or above. Rising costs are also something to be taken into account.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

Better and stronger together Unitas Wholesale is the UK’s largest wholesale services company working with our supplier partners to negotiate the very best terms on behalf of our 165 member wholesalers

As your first choice business partner we harness the collective scale and strength of our membership to negotiate the most competitive terms for our members and their customers. We deliver outstanding service, powerful promotions and an award winning own brand. Through efficiency and effectiveness we support our members in saving more and selling more. If you share the same values and believe you would benefit from becoming part of the Unitas family, contact us today on T: 01302 249909 or visit www.unitaswholesale.co.uk for more information

Retail

Foodservice

On trade

Specialist

UNITAS

UNITAS The UK’s largest wholesale buying group is embracing the basics to support its existing retailers and the newest additions

What are your retail plans/priorities for the coming 12 months?

We will collaborate with member field sales teams and introduce new stores to the group with full store layouts and refits, as well as refreshing existing stores to uphold our high store standards. After two years of availability disruption which has created changes in consumer behaviour, we will also look to re-establish our core range to ensure it meets customer demand. We are also looking to redevelop our website with interactive store floor plans.

How do you intend to bring these ideas to life?

We will work with members and retailers to ensure that Plan for Profit initiatives are embraced by both. We are encouraging retailers to use the Plan for Profit website for core range, planograms, category insight, shopper missions and trade information. We are also introducing tools to maximise retailer sales and profit as well as a web-based RDM reporting tool which will help retailers order any gap fills and drive distribution on the right range and products.

We support our members to adapt and embrace change”

What are the biggest lessons your business has learned in the past two years?

By introducing a more agile way of working, we have supported members when they have availability issues, supplying them with weekly updates. We will continue to support them with the demands emerging from suppliers now wanting to increase MOQs.

How is the growth of wholesale e-commerce and the use of quick commerce in the channel changing the way you work in the retail space?

We support our members to adapt and embrace change and actively encourage member communication, best practice and inter-group sharing on new developments. Members saw significant revenue growth during the pandemic as retailers switched from cash and carry to delivered. 2021 saw the launch of our Digital Excellence Academy, providing digital support and tools for members.

Do you have any initiatives to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

We are committed to improving our environmental performance including switching to reusable materials for Brand Box, and installing LED and timed lighting.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

BESTWAY FOODSERVICE

BESTWAY The wholesale group is focusing on key categories this year for success: fast food, traditional catering and on-trade outlets

What are your priorities in the coming 12 months?

We’re experiencing a strong rebound in the hospitality sector which obviously presents significant opportunities and we’re looking forward to expanding into new regions. We plan to double down on the depots where we are already winning market share and focus on driving growth. We have a market-leading proposition in the north, are launching our fast-food offer in and around London and we will look to replicate the success we’ve had within this category. We will direct our focus on three main categories: fast food, traditional catering, and on-trade outlets.

After a tumultuous two years for foodservice, how has the market changed?

The market is constantly shifting due to rising costs, inflation, staffing issues and stock challenges. These pressures have seen outlets and wholesalers reduce or simplify menus and focus on core range, and this trend will continue until market conditions improve. However, our

We’re experiencing a strong rebound in the hospitality sector”

exceptional distribution network and relationships with suppliers mean we are in a strong position to make the most out of every opportunity.

Are there any trends that have emerged post-pandemic?

We’ve seen a move towards simplified menus and core range products. We can flex or scale our proposition based on customer demand, such as the phenomenal growth in cocktails which we supported with our range of premium beer, wine and spirits.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Many food businesses stated that they were unprepared for Natasha’s Law. New regulations, such as calorie labelling requirements, HFSS and a potential sugar tax, could have significant implications. We are engaging with suppliers and customers to ensure that any transitions are seamless.

We are constantly looking at how we can streamline our delivery network to ensure it’s as efficient and sustainable as possible. We are also focused on reducing food wastage and to keep our range full of local and national products from accredited suppliers.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

Let us feed your passion

...with a relationship that delivers. Our dedicated team of food development managers, account managers, and marketers are here to help you. Whatever your menu requires, we can provide the right ingredients for you to add your magic. For more information contact your local account manager.

Join the conversation www.bidfood.co.uk

This year, Bidfood is placing emphasis on its sustainability strategy, digital capabilities and supporting customers through key changes

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months? How do you plan to bring these to life?

One of our key priorities at Bidfood is to continue to expand and invest. After what has been an incredibly difficult few years for the industry, we’re really excited to be putting plans in place to open a new depot in the second half of this year, as well as an ongoing programme of investment in our people, our technology, our vehicles and in our overall infrastructure. We are also putting significant emphasis on our sustainability strategy, our digital capabilities and supporting customers as they navigate food inflation and a raft of changes in legislation by leveraging our network of experts within the business.

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged on the back of the pandemic? The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the ever-growing health trend and alcohol moderation is really gaining momentum. Consumers are cost-conscious but have

One of our key priorities is to expand and invest”

pent-up demand to socialise, so this means that when they do venture out of home, it must be worth the visit. Experience-led venues and competitive socialising have consequently become increasingly popular and are emerging in several cities across the UK. Contact-free solutions emerged as a result of health and hygiene concerns. Consumers have also continued to seek convenience, so things like home delivery are continuing to boom.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

There’s increased pressure on the out-of-home sector to deliver safe and accurate information in the required PPDS label format. More auditing checks are needed to ensure data across the supply chain matches the allergen information on product packaging and ends in a suitable format on the final label. Food operators at the end of the supply chain are expected to act like manufacturers and produce similar labels, without taking product ownership as manufacturers do. The advantages are collaboration across the supply chain, staff are getting trained to provide compliant labels and businesses are aspiring towards best practice standards in complying with this legislation.

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

BIDFOOD

A.F. BLAKEMORE

A.F. BLAKEMORE Providing brilliant service and great solutions are a priority for Blakemore alongside its newly launched e-commerce platform

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice this year?

We will continue our focus on providing brilliant service and great solutions to our partners. Our attention is on servicing our existing customers and building an offer to existing and new customers within the pub and cafe channels.

How do you plan to bring these ideas to life?

Blakemore Foodservice launched a new e-commerce platform in 2021, which helps us to service our customers better and offers them a faster, more user-friendly way to shop. We’ve got loads of great solutions for our partners, particularly through our Voice of the Chef programme. We think that digital is not only an effective way of getting our message across but also a great way to engage in two-way dialogue, so watch this space.

After a tumultuous two years, how has the market changed?

In every way. Wages, shortages of staff and skills, and supply chain disruption, but we are also seeing a boom in leisure and restaurant bookings, which are translating to a growth in sales above 2019 levels. Key changes we are seeing are a drive for simplicity and reduction in complexity – our customers want reduced menus, core

WHOLESALE 2022

FEDERATION OF WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

A key change we are seeing is a drive for simplicity” ingredients with multiple uses and reduced-skill menus to reflect the reduction in chef availability. We’re also seeing emerging new trends and solutions at a time when things are tougher – a sign that this industry is both vibrant and working well together.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Put simply, it has highlighted the need for every step in the supply chain to have robust data. It has also highlighted the opportunities for greater integration between supplier, distributor and outlet.

Yes. Last year A.F. Blakemore established a new responsible business team and earlier this year it welcomed a new environmental sustainability manager to help drive the company’s environmental sustainability strategy forward. These roles will be key in supporting the delivery of our Responsible Business programme, which seeks to make a difference in the community, workplace and environment.

BOOKER

BOOKER Listening to customers in order to meet their needs is critical, enabling Booker to improve choice, quality, price and service

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

Our customers are facing operational and economic challenges on many fronts. At Booker, we are 100% focused on supporting them through the weeks and months ahead by listening to what they need via our branch listening groups and quarterly customer satisfaction surveys. Our priority is to do our best to mitigate as many of the areas affecting our caterers’ profitability by ensuring that we improve our quality, price and service so they can have the products they need at a competitive price and that they are available when they need them.

How do you plan to bring these to life?

We survey 40,000 customers each year to ensure we understand them. By listening to our customers – including our special listening groups – we will continue to improve choice, quality, price and service to help them make more and save more. As a result, when we publish our quarterly catering guides we can offer locked-down

We are 100% focused on supporting customers”

prices on the items that our customers value, as well as launch the new products they need to make their business successful. We also offer quality guarantees on our own-brand products to reassure our customers that they’ll never get anything sent back.

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged on the back of the pandemic? Increasingly, our customers are asking for greater choice so that they can cater for the changing dietary requirements of their end consumers, who are becoming more demanding. This means that Booker is offering more free-from products than ever before, along with items suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. We have also seen growth in demand for environmentallyfriendly products such as compostable, biodegradable and recyclable disposables including food boxes, straws and stirrers.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

The requirement for food outlets to provide full ingredient lists with clear allergen labelling on pre-packed for direct sale foods means that we, as a wholesaler, have to ensure that the products we provide contain the information they need to meet the legislation with their end consumer.

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BRAKES

BRAKES Providing customers with second-to-none service, solutions and practical expert advice to support their recovery is key for Brakes

What are your plans/priorities in the coming 12 months?

We are fully focused on helping hospitality to recover, providing products and support to help our customers flourish in the face of unpredictable policy restrictions, new consumer behaviours, the lingering impact of Brexit and attracting and retaining high-quality staff. The customer remains our number-one priority and providing them with marketleading availability, a second-to-none service and the solutions and practical advice that come from long-standing sector expertise will define our operations over the next year.

How do you plan to bring these to life?

While the pandemic has seen a huge impact on our markets, we’ve taken the opportunity to invest in operations, introducing new, proprietary technology and improving our operational efficiency and service to customers. Our dedicated team of development chefs have been busy, not only creating fantastic food from incredible ingredients but also putting their understanding of kitchen economics to good use. They’ve been creating meal solutions for post-pandemic kitchens, driving better use of ingredients and providing solutions for unpredictable demand.

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We are fully focused on helping hospitality to recover”

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a focus for your business in the next 12 months?

As well as comprehensive guidance on brake. co.uk, Brakes has partnered with Nutritics to launch a one-stop solution called Virtual Chef Online – an advanced, groundbreaking suite of online recipe and menu management tools for foodservice operators. Virtual Chef feeds from a live list of Brakes’ products and incorporates highlighted allergen and nutritional information. With a bespoke label design functionality, outlets can easily comply with legislation.

CSR has been a focus for Brakes, and Sysco, for several years, and we’ve helped set higher standards with initiatives such as the removal of black plastic and our partnership with FareShare. This year Sysco announced an ambitious commitment to reduce carbon emissions across its operations. The new science-based emissions reduction target aligns with the Paris Agreement and is an integral part of Sysco’s roadmap to reducing its carbon footprint over the next decade.

CONFEX

CONFEX Good provenance and local sourcing are high on the agenda within foodservice for Confex over the next 12 months

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

We launched our CORE own brand in May 2021, which now has more than 300 products spanning ambient, chilled and frozen. This comprehensive range has already won three awards and is a recognised brand that will only grow exponentially. We plan to extend this range across both foodservice and retail in the coming year.

After a tumultuous two years for foodservice, how has the market changed?

We helped many of our foodservice members to pivot into home delivery during the pandemic, which at the time was more out of need than necessity. However, most now see this as a permanent income stream and we will be extending our D2C e-commerce platform to foodservice later in the year. Good provenance and local sourcing are high on our agenda within foodservice and we are uniquely positioned with more than 120 wholesalers across the UK who are able to service these ranges.

We will be extending our D2C e-commerce platform”

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged from the pandemic?

Is sustainability a focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Online. E-commerce is the future for wholesale and Confex will continue to invest in digital to ensure our wholesalers grow their market share online. Our wholesalers have always been at the forefront of selling online and Confex has the ability to provide our wholesalers with cost-effective economies of scale when it comes to digital. We are also seeing a shift towards utilising local wholesalers over the big nationals. Our wholesalers continue to win business over their larger competitors due to great service and a desire from the customer to be serviced by a local business who can offer a more personalised range. Whether it was the pandemic that created or simply speeded up this trend it is hard to tell, but this increase in demand for local Confex wholesalers is something our members are embracing.

Confex head office was certified carbon negative last year. We continue to help our wholesalers on their green journeys with the help of our partner Inspired Energy, who this year sponsored the eighth Confex Green Wholesaler Awards. Sustainability remains a key pillar of Confex.

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At Caterforce our vision is to

help our wholesalers thrive.

Caterforce is one of the biggest foodservice buying & marketing groups in the UK. We source products from a huge range of leading suppliers and work collaboratively with our nine fantastic wholesalers sharing data and insights across the group to help them thrive. Our four award-winning own brand ranges have been developed exclusively for our members’ customers with a focus on health, welfare, and sustainability. On November 16th we will be celebrating together with our members and suppliers at the Caterforce conference and awards dinner. For more details and to register for tickets visit: www.caterforceconference2022.com.

Collaboration is the keyword for Caterforce as it aims to support members with the best prices, technology, insights and solutions

What are your plans/priorities in the coming 12 months?

Our focus is to work collaboratively with our members and suppliers to secure stock and obtain the best price and margin. We will continue to invest in technology to track the full product journey, from initial supplier agreement through to sale. These insights will be used to make accurate data-based buying decisions and will provide the group with a greater understanding of our customers. In addition to this, we will continue to push forward with our own-brand CSR targets to remove all bleached cardboard in outer packaging by the end of the year.

How will you bring these to life?

By working collaboratively with our nine wholesalers, we are offering suppliers the opportunity to push their products and grow their sales across the group with omnichannel marketing campaigns reaching customers at every stage of their buying journey. Our investment in technology includes a rebate management system, product information management tool and the Caterforce Sales Hub. Our ambition is to integrate these three systems to develop a seamless solution. We are also planning to undertake a large-scale customer survey, which will combine qualitative and quantitative

customer research and provide an in-depth understanding of what our customers want. This research will be brought to life at the Caterforce conference in November.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a key focus for your business this year?

We are encouraging all of our suppliers to use Erudus as this platform powers our PIM and is used as a single source of truth for many foodservice wholesalers. We have also launched several individually wrapped products aimed at cafes to offer them an out-of-the-box solution.

Absolutely. We have chosen to prioritise health, welfare, and sustainability across the whole group. We have overhauled our Chefs Selections products and insisted upon full supply chain traceability. We can confidently say that all our white fish is MSC-certificated. Our tuna is sustainably sourced and we only use sustainable palm oil. In addition to this, we have removed 100% of black plastic from our packaging.

We will remove all bleached cardboard in outer packaging” WHOLESALE 2022

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CATERFORCE

COUNTRY RANGE

COUNTRY RANGE The group celebrates its 30th anniversary and is focused on supporting foodservice recovery with a raft of plans and events

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

First and foremost, the focus is on supporting our members and giving them the tools and product portfolio to ensure their customers can come out of these two pandemic years stronger and ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead. With it being our 30th anniversary, we’ll be raising £100,000 for Hospitality Action and local causes aligned with our members. It’s been a torrid two years for everyone in catering, so we felt it was only fitting that we used our anniversary year to raise some much-needed funds to support and help those who need it most.

How will you bring this to life?

We have an array of exciting new product launches planned throughout the year, which was kicked off recently with the roll-out of our range of three new premium fries. Our customer magazine, Stir It Up, has been rejuvenated with new features, interviews, recipes and trend reports and additional content is being published online. We also have a packed schedule of Country Range events, both face to face and digitally, the website is updated monthly with the latest advice and seasonal recipes, plus we will continue to invest in the grassroots of professional cookery through our

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sponsorship of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

From a safety point of view, it has definitely helped to raise awareness of allergens, but we believe consumer choice has been negatively affected as it is difficult for caterers to comply. Some caterers have stopped food-to-go offerings altogether, while other menus are shrinking. There needs to be more pressure on suppliers to ensure they provide up-to-date allergen information. Suppliers should also be legally obliged to change their barcodes if they change the allergens in a product.

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Definitely – the group and our members have made huge strides in the last few years but this is only the beginning. We’re passionate about continuing to assess, test and develop new solutions to further reduce our footprint, while also encouraging manufacturers, suppliers and customers to follow our lead.

We have a packed schedule of events, face to face and digitally”

FAIRWAY FOODSERVICE

FAIRWAY FOODSERVICE For the year ahead, rebuilding its own-brand range is a priority for Fairway Foodservice once stock availability stabilises

What are your plans in the coming 12 months?

Once stock availability stabilises, we need to rebuild the range in our Fairway brand. Some lines were a casualty of the pandemic where manufacturers reduced their inventory dramatically to have the most efficient production possible. We acquiesced to every request because we understood that ‘some stock is better than no stock’ and we wanted to help our suppliers as much as possible.

After a tumultuous two years, how has the market changed?

Are there any trends that have emerged post-pandemic?

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

The effect on the high street due to a lack of office workers has been well documented, with many outlets closing or changing hands. However, we are seeing that generally, demand is still strong.

Plant-based and vegan products are seeing good growth which follows the last big trend of growth around gluten-free products.

As yet there’s no real sign of an effect

We will help members to improve sustainability” although some outlets’ lack of knowledge still needs addressing. There are systems to support caterers, plus wholesalers will help.

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Our understanding of sustainability is to manage life today so it does as little damage to life tomorrow. We all need to reduce the damage done and many small things can contribute to a big effect. At Fairway we will produce a plan of all the factors that could be changed in a wholesale business to lessen the negative impacts of operations and we will help members to continuously improve their performance in sustainability. We will also look at what is feasible for us around sourcing to reduce our impact and we will try to adapt our packaging to be less environmentally harmful. We cannot individually change the big things but each business can change things in their business which will help sustainability for all.

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MEVALCO

MEVALCO Inspiring customers with the highest-quality products and new development and innovation is the driving force for Mevalco

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

We will continue to innovate with new products that deliver stand-out appeal for our chefs and are of the utmost quality. Since the end of UK lockdowns, we have enjoyed a strong demand for our products as consumers enjoy the return to eating out and, in many cases, have upweighted their dining options. We continue to work closely with our hospitality partners and our chef development team remain at the forefront of menu development and continue to inspire our customers. We’ll be showcasing our products and continuing to bring new products to market. We are also maintaining an ambitious programme of promotion with local-to-local events, Spanish study tours, industry events and more.

Chefs are looking for product solutions that require minimum ‘chef-ing’ to get to the plate, which is why there is the need for high-quality products and ingredients.

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged on the back of the pandemic? Our private clients are enjoying our products at home following the pandemic. Some of our customers continue to offer consumers meals to enjoy at home and certain trends have stuck even though we have the ability to dine out.

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Inflationary pressures are impacting on all, which brings unpredictability. There is now a real drive on the quality of products and ingredients and this is of vital importance in delivering differentiation and upsell. The quality of our products and ingredients is what is most important – simplicity is key.

We innovate with new products that deliver stand-out appeal”

After a tumultuous two years for foodservice, how has the market changed?

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Natasha’s Law doesn’t affect us as much as other businesses, but we ensure that all labelling of ingredients and allergen information is up to date.

It is certainly a focus and we have a number of priorities as sustainability remains important to the industry and to consumers.

National Buying Consortium’s priority is aligning suppliers’ brand plans with pricing, availability and activity to meet member needs

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

From the group’s perspective, our priority is to align suppliers’ annual brand plans with pricing, activity and availability. Our members’ priorities are simple: competitive pricing, full availability and high customer service levels.

How will you bring this to life?

We are enabling our alignment with suppliers’ brand plans through better, regular communication with our account managers and including, wherever possible, member forecasts by SKU. In addition, as members’ activity levels grow, we are assisting with bespoke marketing support to ensure their messages are communicated clearly to their customers. We must focus on our core suppliers that represent significant categories for our members. We are also mindful of the need for innovation and we regularly introduce

We are assisting with bespoke marketing support”

new suppliers to members to provide something a little different to the norm.

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged from the pandemic?

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Eating out, eating healthily and eating well are the obvious consumer trends. From a wholesaler perspective, there is an emerging trend of supply consolidation – fewer smaller customers for suppliers to reduce costs and mitigate potential credit risks when the industry is under real cashflow pressure. We are experiencing more and more enquiries for our central warehousing and logistics business, NDN, to assist suppliers to achieve their goals while still being able to access the channels they want to reach.

It always has been, it just wasn’t badged in this way. Wholesalers are a consolidating platform, making it more efficient to get a basket of goods from one place. The greater our efficiency, the more sustainable the industry becomes. From our perspective, we want to ensure our business activities retain high levels of digitalisation, cutting down on the use of goods not for resale.

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NATIONAL BUYING CONSORTIUM

STERLING SUPERGROUP

STERLING SUPERGROUP It’s clear there is one definite aim for Sterling Supergroup over the following months and that is to maintain margins

What are your plans/priorities for foodservice in the coming 12 months?

In the face of an onslaught of inflationary pressures, combined with unprecedented supply chain shortages faced by the whole trade, we are making it a priority to maintain margins over the coming months.

How do you plan to do this?

Prices are changing by the day which, unfortunately, has to be passed down the line. Wholesalers who had stocked up for Brexit got caught out by Covid-19 and are now having to build stocks to try to ameliorate these issues facing the trade. Labour costs are rising and post-Covid wholesalers are running on fewer staff in many areas of their businesses, plus they are also having to look at increasing minimum order values to help offset the rising fuel costs.

After a tumultuous two years for foodservice, how has the market changed?

Regionally, especially in the areas of the country that have a tourist season, wholesalers have seen an even larger boost

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Alfresco dining is a trend that looks set to stick around” than usual due to the enforced staycation that many people enjoyed. This changed the mix of items sold to fulfil the needs of their customers who, in turn, found it very difficult to access the range that they would usually have from many sources. Wholesalers have tried to be as much of a one-stop shop as possible, according to their customers’ needs.

Are there any stand-out trends that have emerged from the pandemic?

Obviously, weather allowing, the huge increase in alfresco dining is a trend that looks set to stick around. Many outlets have made the investment in allowing this to extend further into each end of the season.

Is sustainability a key focus for your business in the next 12 months?

Yes, sustainability is very important, guiding many decisions made throughout the year. We expect this year to be another good one, with further progress made.

The Green Wholesale Collective is here GREEN WHOLESALE COLLECTIVE Want to find out more?

Contact chris.evans@ thebrightmediaagency. com to discuss how you can get involved

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UNITAS

UNITAS A member-centric approach, data and influence are the three main priorities for Unitas Wholesale over the coming months

What are your priorities in the coming 12 months?

Now we are emerging from Covid, we will be engaging with members both from a Central Support Office point of view, but also at member level. This member-centric approach feeds into a range of initiatives that place members at the centre of the business. Building on a successful CGA on-trade platform, we are rolling out a foodservice data platform with CGA which will provide additional insight, support and understanding, plus this will help make business even more profitable for all. We will also be looking at ways we can better utilise our influence with members and customers to support suppliers. After all, our members deliver to more than 120,000 outlets, and everything we do is anchored around selling more.

After a tumultuous two years, how has the market changed?

Most of the market changes are out of our control, such as inflation, but right now, food to go and quick-serve restaurants are leading the market. We are starting to see the ‘old

Everything we do is anchored around selling more”

traditional’ mature markets rebound with pubs and bars back in growth and, overall, the market has shown its resilience.

Are there any trends that have emerged post-pandemic?

How has Natasha’s Law affected the way the sector operates?

Is sustainability a focus for your business in the next 12 months?

The food-to-go and quick-serve markets have benefited from lockdowns and these trends are set to stay. The emergence of delivery specialists such as Deliveroo and Just Eat mean that culturally and behaviourally, we are now all happy to pay for the convenience of this type of service.

This has had a really important impact on the sector and while it’s aimed at pre-packed for direct sale food, most operators have rolled out the principle across their whole operation, ensuring information is shared at all touch points, a fantastic legacy from a backdrop of tragedy.

Sustainability is a must for every business. we moved our own-brand products into RPET, working closely with suppliers to reduce printed materials, and donating leftover stock from events to local food banks.

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OR F G N I K LOO

S Y A W W E N RIVE

DSNACK SALES? O T CRISP & Then how about listing some Lorenz products as they: • Offer Differentiation • Have a Long Shelf Life • Provide Great POR‘s

• Add Incremental Sales • Taste Fantastic • Are Much Loved Across Europe

All products now with RSP of £1 and available in small cases. • Pomsticks 14 x 85g, • Crunchips X-Cut 12 x 75g, • Crunchips 12 x 100g, • Curly Peanut 14 x 120g and • Crunchips WOW 12 x 80g

Widely stocked now through symbol groups and wholesalers, but please contact Envis Snacks on 023 9262 7130 or sales@envissnacks.com for your nearest Lorenz Snack-World stockists.

ENVIS SNACKS

ENVIS SNACKS Providing wholesalers and their customers with a strong core range and exciting new lines is essential for success this year

What are the key lessons you’ve taken away from the past two years?

Never take anything for granted as you never know what is around the corner. Always make sure the basics are in place such as availability, merchandising and good-value pricing. Building strong relationships with suppliers is absolutely crucial in order to work together through challenges and understand each other’s needs.

What are your plans for the coming 12–18 months?

With the worldwide economic market as it is, focusing on availability and maintaining value for our product ranges will be critical to ensure sales are maximised. Now is the time to make sure that everything is in place for the next 12 months or so. As importers we are continuing to work hard with our key suppliers such as Lorenz Snackworld to ensure recycling, reducing plastic and reducing salt also remain a focus despite the challenging commercial and economic pressures.

How are you supporting wholesalers to succeed?

We are focusing on availability of a strong range of products that add incrementality by offering something different, such as Pomsticks and Curlys, and offering choice in the ridged crisp market with Crunchips X-cut. We’re also

Building strong relationships is absolutely crucial” introducing exciting new flavours that meet customer demand for bold flavours, such as WOW Jalapeno or X-cut Chilli and Lime. Recognising trends in customer purchases, we offer a wide range of £1 sharing bags as well as larger bags with RSPs from £1.50–£2 to provide retailers with a great choice of options.

How can wholesalers work better with suppliers to achieve sales?

If you could give wholesalers one key piece of advice, what would it be?

Collaboration and understanding each other’s needs and challenges remain at the heart of healthy and successful supplier/wholesaler relationships and will drive growth. The focus should be on the pricing and development of products by working together to sell more rather than having a focus on back margin. Helping retailers get the right products at the right prices is the most important thing.

Make sure that you stock a range that balances core lines, differentiated products and exciting new lines to give retailers a great choice for their customers.

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All of our favourite soft drinks brands are already NON-HFSS

NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING HFSS?

Please speak to your SBF GB&I account rep or contact 020 3727 2420.

Working with suppliers to understand the reason for new launches and the consumption occasion they cater for will drive sales

What are the key lessons you’ve taken away from the past two years?

Our team has remained agile in response to industry-wide challenges while continuing to innovate. We ensured our core lines were available across the market and reduced disruption as much as possible, while staying close to wholesale and retail customers. That mutual support has been crucial over the last two years.

What are your plans for the coming 12–18 months?

We are proud of our track record for innovation and this will continue throughout 2022 and beyond. Lucozade Alert is set to go from strength to strength, especially with the introduction of new Alert Original. We also plan to accelerate sales for our new stimulant drinks. We will work with our customers to help them manage upcoming legislative changes while supporting retailers through the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme.

How are you supporting wholesalers to succeed?

For many years we’ve invested in futureproofing our brands and all of our favourite soft drinks are already HFSS compliant, including Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport, Ribena and Orangina.

Get on top of legislation so you can help retailers” The format changes we’ve made and new launches we’ve introduced, combined with continued big-budget marketing, means we are ready to grow even further this year. All our drinks are based on shopper insight and trends such as health and wellbeing and sugar-free. We will continue to communicate with wholesalers to help them navigate the changing market directly through our field sales team and other platforms.

How can wholesalers work better with suppliers to achieve sales?

Work with suppliers to understand the reasons for new launches and the consumption occasion they cater for. Wholesalers can educate retailers and, in turn, deliver sales throughout the channel.

If you could give wholesalers one key piece of advice, what would it be? Get on top of legislation like HFSS so you can help retailers understand which products are not affected by the new restrictions, and how to comply with regulation efficiently.

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SUNTORY

Don’t miss out of hours! If you don’t offer online ordering you’re missing out on a huge market opportunity.

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B2B.STORE

B2B.STORE Providing technology that delivers 24/7 online ordering and ease of use for the customer is the way forward for wholesale

How are you supporting wholesalers?

adopted remote working with very little upheaval. One of the biggest issues we face is that the developer community is We launched our specialist wholesaler e-commerce platform in March 2020 and have now demanding more flexible working options along with significantly higher seen record growth in client numbers and revenues processed ever since with more than salaries than pre-Covid. 100 wholesale clients. The b2b.store platform allows wholesalers to accept orders from What are the biggest trends or clients at any time and delivers a consistent, opportunities for wholesalers? structured order format that can be easily New generations expect slick tech, even in processed within the wholesale business, the B2B world. It’s known as the Amazon significantly reducing the cost of order effect and means wholesalers need to think processing. Furthermore, our data shows about the user experience of tech. that online or app orders where customers Empowering your customers to self-serve self-serve generate a significantly bigger your product range 24/7 via e-commerce and basket compared to telesales or in-depot sales. apps enables you to increase sales and reduce costs – our research shows that 49% of orders are placed outside of normal business hours, How has your business been so if you don’t offer online ordering you affected the past two years? could be missing out on a huge opportunity. Before the pandemic we had already begun Expanding your catchment by partnering to pivot from a traditional software offer, with logistical firms like Palletwise will towards a ‘software as a service’ business model. The pandemic accelerated demand for enable you to think nationally, rather than regionally. Tech can also open up export e-commerce, but caused significant upheaval opportunities - several b2b.store wholesale as some wholesalers invested heavily, while clients are taking advantage of this. others were battling to survive. As a software company we were fortunate that we quickly

New generations expect slick tech, even in the B2B world”

If you could give wholesalers one piece of advice, what would it be?

If you haven’t taken the plunge, seriously consider investing in slick client-facing tech to support your sales and operational needs.

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Being mindful of how customers and staff interact with your business will enable you to stay relevant and exceed expectations

How are you supporting the wholesale sector?

We deliver software that helps businesses thrive, whether that’s by streamlining back-office processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs, or increasing their sales potential through omnichannel solutions. We continually collaborate with our customers to develop solutions that meet their challenges and increase their resilience to market disruption. In a world where costs continue to spiral, our digital-first solutions give wholesalers the control that they need.

What have been the biggest changes to your business in the past two years?

The biggest change has been remote working and how we interact with our customers. Although face-to-face meetings are always best, remote working means it is much easier to get people together and collaborate. This approach has led to better project outcomes, and is often more time efficient as people no longer need to be in the same place at the same time. It has also provided staff with greater flexibility for work/life balance.

We deliver software that helps businesses thrive”

What are the biggest trends for wholesalers to be aware of?

If you could give wholesalers one piece of advice, what would it be?

The shift to digital-first models. There continues to be an incredible online transformation in the wholesale sector, so businesses should be implementing a diverse range of digital elements to become more agile and create competitive customer experiences across all channels. To achieve this, close integration between back-end systems, customer-facing platforms, and warehouse systems is critical for transparency and real-time information.

A new generation of customers have grown up in a technological revolution. Thanks to social media, people are more accustomed to highly interactive web experiences and having all they need on mobile devices. Tech-savvy employees expect the business they work for to have the same level of technological sophistication. They know that some manual processes can be streamlined to make tasks more time – and cost – efficient. Therefore, we would advise wholesalers to become acutely attuned to how people are interacting and communicating with their businesses. Not only to ensure that the business remains relevant in the long term but also to exceed customer expectations.

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BCP SOFTWARE

TWC

TWC Creating three distinct divisions to better serve its expanding client base, TWC offers services utilising data to drive growth

What have been the biggest changes to your business in the past two years?

We realised we needed to simplify our explanation of ‘who we are’ and ‘what we do’ so we created three divisions: TWC Technology, TWC Consulting and TWC Trends. We revisited our vision, mission and values and included associated routes to market to recognise our expanding client base.

How are you supporting wholesale?

Our mission is ‘harnessing data, empowering wholesale, foodservice and convenience’ and we offer services designed to drive growth. Data-driven companies significantly outperform their rivals and benefit from accurate decision making and efficiency. Our technology enables users to access the facts they need, fast. WholeView (our reporting solution to collate wholesale shipment data) provides suppliers with sales across the whole channel. Anyone in the business can use it and permissions can be tailored so users only see what is relevant.

Data-driven companies outperform their rivals”

TWC Trends reveals what is happening in a fast-paced, disrupted channel while our consulting division supports clients with channel-specific, data-led analysis that shows what works and what doesn’t in the channel.

When it comes to data, is wholesale still a long way behind?

Most wholesalers make data available, but this presents challenges for suppliers. Some wholesale reporting systems overcomplicate reporting. Wholesale data needs to be distilled down to the key elements that will move the needle. Another challenge is how to collate purchased data into a single read. An Excel spreadsheet is no longer enough. Suppliers need data on demand. Enabling businesses to become data led is the final challenge. A surprising number of organisations in the channel still need to identify which metrics to track so that they can assess business performance in real time.

What are the big trends that wholesalers should be aware of?

Wholesalers must have flexibility in their offer to pivot fast to keep pace with market and competitor movement. Changing consumer behaviour means there will be an opportunity to create solutions to meet new and evolving needs.

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R E V E N IT ’S MORE N E E B ORTANT IMP AKE TO M R VOICE YOU RD HEA PRINT • DIGITAL • PR • ADVERTISING • SOCIAL • BRANDING Looking for a content and media agency that specialises in the wholesale, convenience retail and foodservice sectors? Want to work with a team of experts, passionate about helping business thrive? Then look no further.

Engaging, inspiring and informing your customers, suppliers, staff and other stakeholders has never been more critical

How do you work with the wholesale sector?

Our team of content marketing experts have been immersed in the sector for many years, helping wholesalers, buying groups and suppliers communicate and inspire. This can take the form of bespoke print and/or digital retail, foodservice or wholesale magazines, product brochures, advertising campaigns, media handling and PR, websites, apps and social media, internal communications and creating award entries that showcase the incredible work taking place up and down the country. Our passion for the sector means our content always hits the right notes and deliver results.

What have been the biggest changes to your business in the past two years?

Like many other businesses, the pandemic hit us hard. Clients lost business overnight so in turn had to pull planned activity, while advertising revenues fell due to the closure of foodservice outlets and limited availability of some products. With existing clients we provided PR and crisis communication support to ensure their stories were heard, and offered free support to those struggling

Our content always hits the right notes” without resource. Needing to replace lost work, we identified sectors either unaffected by or benefiting from the lockdowns and pitched ideas. Continually expanding the breadth and diversity of our client base and range of work has always been a priority, but Covid accelerated this. As a result, we are more robust and versatile than ever for the further benefit of our clients.

If you could give wholesalers any advice, what would it be?

Communication has never been as vital as it is now. With so many challenges for the sector, inspiring retailers and caterers with examples of best practice and invaluable sector insight will enable them to futureproof their business, while bolstering their loyalty to you at the same time. Shout about your successes to your customers, staff and stakeholders. There’s no better way to stand out in an increasingly competitive world than sharing your triumphs and making it clear that you’re leading the way.

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THE BRIGHT MEDIA AGENCY

SERVICE PROVIDERS

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SERVICES FOR FWD MEMBERS Service providers support and inform FWD wholesale members n ADVANCED B2B RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS ADVANTAGE advantagegroup. com/FWD UKinsight@ advantagegroup. com n AUTOMATED ORDER-TAKING SOLUTIONS BLUE ALLIGATOR blue-alligator.com n B2B E-COMMERCE PROVIDER B2B.STORE b2b.store n B2B E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS OPTIMIZELY optimizely.com

n BUSINESS SOFTWARE MERLIN merlinbusiness software.com

n CUSTOMS BROKING DELOITTE customsclear. deloitte.com

n DEBT RECOVERY RECOVERABLE SOLUTIONS recoverable solutions.co.uk

n CONNECTING THE FOOD ECO SYSTEM CERVE cerve.co dan@cerve.com

n CYBER SECURITY EGRESS egress.com Daniel.hoy@ egress.com

n DIGITAL PRODUCT CONTENT NIELSEN BRANDBANK brandbank.com oliver.best@ nielseniq.com

n CONSUMER AND CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE KAM kam-media.co.uk katy@kam-media. co.uk

n DATA ANALYTICS PHOCAS phocassoftware. com alison.mckenna@ phocassoftware. com

n CRM FOR WHOLESALERS & DISTRIBUTORS PROSPECT prospectsoft.com

n DATA MANAGEMENT AMPLIFI amplifiuk.com hello@amplifiuk. com

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n E-COMMERCE, WEB DESIGN AND PIM SOLUTIONS FOODSERVICE ONLINE foodserviceonline. co.uk richard@ foodserviceonline. co.uk

n EVENTS IFE, INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND DRINK EVENT ife.co.uk

n INSURANCE AND BENEFITS VERLINGUE verlingue.co.uk Jamie.barham@ verlingue.co.uk

n REFRIGERATION LIEBHERR home.liebherr. com stephen.ongley@ liebherr.com

n FIELD MARKETING INSPIRE FIELD MARKETING inspirefield marketing.com

n MARKET AND CONSUMER INTELLIGENCE LUMINA INTELLIGENCE luminaintelligence.com

n PAYMENT SOLUTIONS PAYMENT PROS paymentpros. co.uk gregg@payment pros.co.uk

n MARKETING, MEDIA AND PR THE BRIGHT MEDIA AGENCY thebrightmedia agency.com hello@thebright mediaagency.com

n SALES DATA IRI SALES OUT salesout.co.uk SalesOut. Support@ IRIworldwide.com

n FINANCE FOR BUSINESS ASC asc.co.uk mark@assec. co.uk n FINANCING SOLUTIONS AMERICAN EXPRESS Charlotte.V. Burch@aexp.com n HOUSEHOLD, CLEANING, LAUNDRY AND PERSONAL CARE SPB spbglobal.com/ en/ Kaizer.Tejabwala @spb.es

n MARKETPLACE MIRAKL mirakl.com n MARKET TRADER ADVICE NEW COVENT GARDEN MARKET newcoventgarden market.com

n SALES REPORTING PLATFORMS AND RTM INSIGHT TWC twcgroup.net tanya@wsale. co.uk n STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY INTEGRATION CONSULTING integration consulting.com

n STRATEGY, SALES, MARKETING AND PROCUREMENT ZEST FOOD PARTNERS zestfoodpartners. co.uk kelly.burke@ zestfoodpartners. co.uk n SURPLUS STOCK FARESHARE fareshare.org.uk foodoffers@ FareShare.org.uk n TECHNOLOGY STL TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS stl-solutions.com info@ stl-solutions.com

FIND OUT MORE fwd.co.uk/ about-fwd/ service-towholesale

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FOR YOUR NOTES

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#LetsTalkGroceryAid HERE FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT Call our Helpline for ‘in the moment’ emotional support and to discuss what other services may benefit you

GET FINANCES BACK ON TRACK Get help managing your finances and budgeting for the future. You may also be eligible for a non-repayable grant

TAKE POSITIVE PRACTICAL STEPS Receive accurate information on everyday issues, including legal, financial and consumer law

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