Trading since 2003, Nasco now exports to over 65 countries worldwide. With over 10,000 products available, the company’s strong relationship with both suppliers and clients enables Nasco to deliver the most popular brands at the best prices.
The company’s efforts have been recognised with it winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for the fifth time.
Ashish Vidani, Director of Nasco, tells Wholesale Manager how it feels to have won the award.
Tell us a bit about the history of the company. When was it formed and what is the company’s core business?
Nasco is a family business founded in 2003 and has since grown to occupy a 17,000 sq. ft premises in Southall, West London. We are an export and wholesale company who specialise in the export of Fast Moving Consumer Goods to over 65 countries worldwide, sourcing, stocking and supplying more than 10,000 food, drink, toiletries and household items.
What product categories does Nasco supply?
We have a vast product range which includes tinned food, oils, tea, coffee, confectionery, soft drinks, water, pet food, baby food, healthcare and household products. We have recently developed our own product range of biscuits, drinks, tinned goods, coffee and honey.
Which product categories that you supply are in growth and which are more challenging?
There are a wide range of products we provide to our customers. Some are more fast moving than others and have created significant export growth. Cereals, biscuits and organic food seem to be the more lucrative product categories we have exported in recent years. Baby food has been difficult to procure recently, as the availability and cost has changed drastically. The most challenging product category would be chilled products as we currently do not have the facilities to store goods in cold storage.
How many countries does the company supply, how many products are in Nasco’s range and what volume of product does the company ship?
Nasco has an export network that reaches most continents around the world, and we export to over 65 countries. The total number of countries we trade with continues to steadily increase. Our main export markets tend to be focused in Africa specifically Nigeria, Ghana and Libya. Whilst those three countries are key markets for us, we also have a growing export business in Sierra Leone, Sudan and Somalia. Our other significant export markets can be found in the Middle East and Asia. This includes UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, China, India and Hong Kong, where we have long-standing customer relationships. We continue to gain new customers in these territories and other countries around the world.
What promotional offers do you run?
Nasco provides daily and monthly promotions to our customers and these are advertised on our website, through mailshots and emails.
How much is the business currently growing in terms of exports?
We are proud of our growth. In the three years to December 2020, our overseas sales grew by 63 per cent and now make up 91 per cent of all sales. In 2020, our top five overseas markets were UAE, Nigeria, USA, Saudi Arabia, and India.
How do you feel to have won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for the fifth time?
Winning the Queen’s Award for a fifth time, which is incredibly rare, has had a huge impact on us as an export company. It has boosted morale and shown the results of the hard work our team has put in and strong working relationship we have with our customers and suppliers. Our customers and suppliers are assured that Nasco is thriving and continues to deliver a reliable service. This award is a shared achievement and is being celebrated in that regard.
Why do you think you won the award?
We have adapted to the ever-changing export market and delivered consistent growth. Achieving our fifth Queen’s Award shows the resilience of our company in the face of some of the most challenging times in food export.
How has the wholesale industry changed in recent years?
We’ve witnessed some significant changes in the wholesale industry since we started. The industry has become much more competitive, and technology is playing a larger part than it used to. Covid-19 has changed a lot of wholesalers’ business outlook and risk appetite. Most notably, Brexit has had a significant impact on the way goods are imported and exported. Following the new rules and regulations on imports and exports, required careful planning and adapting to new procedures.
How digital is Nasco as a business, and do you offer any IT support for your members e.g. ordering apps, online support, delivery tracking?
We have rebranded our website and now offer an ordering portal for our customers to view our product range and send us orders. Once quotes are made, our sales team receive the quotation and contact the customer to generate an order. Our customised ERP software manages the ordering process from start to finish.
What new products have you introduced recently?
In 2019, we started our own branded products. Casa De Campo is one of these brands which offers oils, coffee, honey and tinned food such as baked beans and chickpeas. London Biscuits is another brand which has been popular and includes cream crackers, shortbread, rich tea and digestives biscuits. This range continues to experience steady sales growth and because of its success, two varieties of cookies were added earlier this year with another one in development.
What are your plans to expand the company in the future?
The possibilities of expansion are looking very positive. Our own branded products are reaching more customers since their launch a few years ago. We are looking to gain exposure into new markets and expand the number of countries we export to. We have reinvested in our online offering. Customers can now request quotations on our ordering portal which is immediately sent to the sales team who can liaise with them directly. We have expanded our in-house offerings to include freight forwarding and have plans to launch a retail club, a department dedicated to growing our UK retail business.
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