A major shift is underway at Parfetts in how brands show up across its digital estate in 2026.
Category zones will be rolled out over the coming months and will be central to the next phase of the digital strategy in 2026.
The business expects the approach to reshape how suppliers, wholesalers and independent retailers work together, writes Melanie Clayton, Digital Marketing Manager at Parfetts.
The move follows the success of Parfetts’ first Energy Zone, a trial that proved retailers want more than long product lists and generic category pages. They want structure, clarity, and a faster route to the right products, especially in competitive categories where margins depend on making good decisions quickly. Suppliers want visibility and the ability to tell their story powerfully and convert that awareness into action.
Parfetts sees branded zones as a key part of the mix. These areas give brands their own space to merchandise, educate, and sell. In a digital age when convenience retailers expect the same ease of use as consumer sites, Parfetts believes this approach is overdue. The Energy Zone proved the point. Retailers used the planograms, downloaded the assets, followed the layout advice, and bought more in line with the category’s top sellers.
For 2026, the strategy scales up. Parfetts is now working with several suppliers to create more value across key growth categories. Digital wholesale platforms can be crowded and functional but often lack the depth of information needed to support better decisions. Zones allow suppliers to show retailers a full, coherent range rather than a chopped-up sequence of SKUs listed in numerical order. Retailers get one place to find the information, assets, usage guidance and promotional details that empower them to build a local offer in store and on their own digital platforms, that can stand up to supermarkets and discounters.
Parfetts’ approach is based on three principles. First, to strengthen range discovery. In practice, retailers should find it quicker to track down new lines, limited edition flavours, or seasonal products that often get lost on larger sites. Parfetts knows that retailers are stretched and will default to familiar sellers unless a platform pushes the right information in front of them. A category zone puts the full range on clear display and cuts the time retailers waste on search-and-filter loops.
Second, Parfetts wants to deepen supplier engagement. Zones give brands a larger canvas alongside better control over how they appear. It matters in categories like energy drinks, confectionery, RTDs and spirits where brand cues help sell products. When brands tells their own story, it can show retailers how to merchandise, cross-sell and build missions rather than relying on guesswork. Parfetts expects this to lead to higher conversion rates and larger basket sizes.
Third, the data will work harder. A category zone gives suppliers insight into views, click-throughs, add-to-basket rates, and repeat orders that simply do not surface on standard category pages. For suppliers who often rely on blunt sales data from wholesalers, this is a step forward. It helps them refine launches, adjust pricing and plan promotions that make sense for the independent channel. Parfetts understands that trade marketing is more effective when grounded in genuine retailer behaviour rather than assumptions and has the right analytics platforms in place to showcase the numbers to retailers and suppliers in a uniform way.
Retailers stand to gain as well. In categories marked by rapid churn, retailers can lose track of what is new, what is delisted, or what is performing nationally. Zones cut through the noise and bundle core products, NPD, best-sellers, and value lines in a structured format that mirrors how retailers think when building or refreshing their fixtures.
The zones also allow for more targeted promotions. When a brand controls its space, it can run offers tied to its own objectives rather than relying on general site-wide mechanics. Retailers benefit because these promotions tend to be sharper and tied directly to volume opportunities. Parfetts expects this to deliver better margins and stronger seasonal execution. It is also easier for retailers to plan when promotional calendars are visible within the zone rather than scattered across emails and weekly deals pages.
Shared benefits sit at the heart of the model. A well-executed category zone makes ordering easy to navigate and helps retailers to find the details they need. It also aligns suppliers with Parfetts behind the same objectives, ensuring sales performance is optimised.
Parfetts also sees the zones as a low-risk testing ground for suppliers. Launching through a zone means brands can reach thousands of retailers without the high cost of field teams. Independent retailers are decisive, and if a product lands well, orders rise quickly. If it does not, suppliers know early and can adjust. Parfetts intends to make this pathway easier in 2026, particularly for suppliers with innovation pipelines that need visibility.
The Energy Zone proved that this approach works. Retailers engaged, and suppliers gained the prominence they had requested. The platform delivered more conversions and set a template that Parfetts will follow through next year as it builds a full network of zones that span the categories where retailers need the most support.
Parfetts has always taken a straightforward view of wholesale. It backs retailers, reduces complexity, and invests where it sees long-term value. Branded zones fit this approach and provide a practical response to a market that expects more from digital wholesale than simple ordering tools.
By the middle of 2026, a broad suite of zones will be live, covering energy, snacking, soft drinks, spirits, and other high-churn categories. The intent is to make the platform feel more curated and more functional, giving retailers a digital experience that respects their time and allows suppliers to present their ranges with the care they put into them.
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