Bestway Retail, part of Bestway Wholesale, the UK’s largest independent food and drink wholesaler, saw the return of its flagship Retail Showcase 2026, which it said was its most impactful event to date as it brought together retailers, suppliers and industry experts for a day of insight, innovation and commercial opportunity.
Held at the Coventry Building Society Arena (CBS), the Showcase built on the success of previous years, with more than 700 retailers and guests in attendance.
Representatives from Bestway Retail’s leading fascias – Costcutter, best-one, Bargain Booze and Xtra Local, were joined by prospective retailers exploring opportunities to join the network.
Dawood Pervez, Managing Director at Bestway Wholesale, said: “This year’s Showcase was a fantastic demonstration of what Bestway does best – bringing retailers and suppliers together to create real commercial opportunity.
“This year’s focus on being ‘World Cup Ready’ gave the event a powerful commercial purpose. Major sporting moments can drive significant shopper demand, but retailers need the right products, the right promotions and the right support in place to maximise that opportunity.
“That is exactly what the Showcase delivered. Retailers were able to access exclusive deals, supplier innovation, category insight and practical guidance they can take straight back into their stores.
“At a time when independent retailers are working harder than ever to protect margin and remain competitive, the event delivered what they need most: strong deals, actionable insight, supplier access and tangible opportunities for growth.
“The energy in the room was outstanding. Retailers came ready to do business, suppliers came with meaningful support, and together we created a Showcase that was focused not on theory, but on action, value and growth.
“At Bestway, we are committed to going beyond supply. We are here to support retailers with the expertise, partnerships and opportunities that help them thrive, and the Retail Showcase brings all of that together under one roof.”
Pervez tells Wholesale Manager how the show helped retailers prepare for the World Cup trading opportunity and what his plans are for next year’s show.
How many retailers and suppliers attended the show?
Bestway’s 2026 Retail Showcase saw a 10% increase in attendance compared with last year’s event, underlining the continued strength of engagement across its retail network.
The event welcomed retail customers from Costcutter, best-one, SimplyFresh, Bargain Booze and Xtra Local, alongside independent retailers interested in joining the Bestway family. They were able to meet and engage with around 130 suppliers across a wide range of categories, giving them direct access to new products, seasonal opportunities, commercial insight and promotional support designed to help drive footfall, basket spend and profitability in-store.
The theme was World Cup Ready. How did the show help retailers prepare for the World Cup trading opportunity?
The ‘World Cup Ready’ theme was designed to help retailers plan ahead for one of the year’s biggest footfall and sales opportunities. With major sporting occasions driving demand across impulse, soft drinks, alcohol, snacks, sharing formats, food-to-go and meal solutions, the showcase gave retailers practical insight into how they could make the most of increased shopper missions around match days.
Through stand activations, relevant new product showcases and category-led advice, retailers were able to identify the ranges, promotions and merchandising opportunities most likely to resonate with shoppers during the tournament. Bestway’s store support teams also provided guidance around ranging, summer trading, availability and operational efficiency, helping retailers prepare for demand spikes and make sure they had the right products in the right place at the right time.
The event also gave retailers access to exclusive on-the-day supplier deals and insight from major brands, helping them build stronger promotional plans and maximise margin opportunities. The focus was not simply on celebrating the World Cup, but on helping retailers turn the tournament into a meaningful commercial opportunity in-store.
How did the Bestway Retail Hub provide support and guidance to retailers?
Now in its fourth year, Bestway’s Retail Showcase once again placed practical retailer support at the heart of the event, with the Retail Hub acting as a central destination for advice, insight and guidance.
This year’s key theme was helping retailers get ‘World Cup Ready’, with stand activations, relevant new products and category insight designed to help stores maximise sales around one of 2026’s biggest trading opportunities. Bestway’s store support teams were on hand to provide actionable advice around ranging, summer trading, store efficiency and cost reduction, helping retailers identify ways to improve sales, margins and operational performance.
The Retail Hub also brought together specialist support from across the business. Bestway’s New Business Team provided guidance for retailers considering store expansion or looking to join the Bestway Retail family, while marketing support teams offered advice on how retailers could strengthen their digital and local marketing activity.
Retailers were also able to find out more about Bestway’s Best-in own-label range, which is now in its third year and available to every Bestway customer. Alongside the Retail Hub, attendees benefited from exclusive on-the-day supplier deals from major brands, including CCEP, Mars Wrigley, Red Bull, Diageo, Phoenix2Retail, AG Barr and Philip Morris, giving them further opportunities to unlock value from attending the show.
Did many retailers take advantage of the exclusive on-the-day deals?
Yes, we saw strong engagement from retailers with the exclusive on-the-day deals available across the show. Retailers were clearly keen to take advantage of the commercial opportunities on offer, with many signing up to supplier deals and promotions during the event.
The deals were an important part of the showcase, giving retailers access to added value on the day while helping them build momentum around key categories, seasonal opportunities and major trading moments such as the World Cup.
Did retailers sign up to join the Bestway retail network at the show?
The showcase generated strong interest from retailers looking to understand more about the Bestway retail network and the support available through our symbol and retail club propositions.
Our New Business Team had a number of positive conversations with retailers throughout the event, including those exploring the benefits of joining the Bestway family.
What are your plans next year’s show – will it be bigger and better?
Our focus is always on making the Retail Showcase as valuable and commercially relevant as possible for retailers and suppliers. We will take the learnings and feedback from this year’s event and use them to shape next year’s showcase, ensuring it continues to deliver practical support, strong supplier engagement and clear opportunities for retailers to grow their businesses.
While it is too early to share specific plans, our ambition is to keep building on the success of the event and make sure it remains a key moment in the Bestway calendar.
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