Bestway appoints new Chilled and Fresh controller

Bestway has added to its management team with the appointment of a new Chilled and Fresh category controller as the group looks to strengthen its position in one of the fastest growing market segments of the retail and foodservice industries.

The addition of Steve Carter to head up the group’s business in fruit and vegetables, butchery and chilled produce underlines Bestway’s commitment to its customers and reaffirms its focus to the development of fresh and chilled as a fundamental part of the business.

Steve, based in Bestway’s head office in Park Royal, brings a wealth of experience in the category having previously headed up chilled at both Musgrave and Sainsbury’s and most recently as Commercial Director at Medina Dairy.

Martin Race, group trading director at Bestway is convinced Steve will build the group’s business in both the retail and foodservice environment. “Steve has a great deal of experience and joins the Bestway group at a time when the group is realising the full potential of the chilled category. Batleys and Bestway have a good business in chilled both at retail and foodservice levels but there is still massive headroom for growth. I am convinced that he and his team can take us to the next level in these vital categories.”

Steve is equally buoyant regarding his new role. “Bestway is a huge group with a turnover of £2.5bn each year. However, the majority of this is in ambient products rather than chilled and fresh, where we are only scraping the surface. The potential is there to increase this part of the business not only in catering and foodservice, where there is tremendous scope, but also among Best-one, Xtra Local and independents in general.”