Confex is the UK’s longest standing buying group, operating since 1972. Turning over a huge £3.71bn, the group represents 12% of the UK wholesale market including both retail and foodservice wholesalers. The group negotiates on behalf of over 200 independent wholesale businesses and more than 200 suppliers, covering categories from ambient, chilled, frozen and alcohol to non-food, health and beauty. Jess Douglas, COO, Confex, tells Wholesale Manager what benefits the Confex Data Insight programme will bring to members and how the wholesale industry has changed in recent years.
Where have you worked before and in what roles?
I started working at Confex 12 years ago on a part-time basis when my children were very young. Initially I was digital asset manager before I moved on to the full-time role of marketing and HR manager, before progressing to a director role, before my current role as chief operating officer. Prior to joining Confex, I was a journalist based in London working for a large magazine publishing house called IPC Media.
What does your current role involve?
I oversee the whole of the business strategy with my brother, Tom Gittins, who is chief executive officer. I sit on the Confex board alongside five of our wholesale members.
I organise and run all of our events, which includes two trade shows and one overseas conference each year, which are growing in size annually. I also manage the HR function of the business in addition to the group’s communications, marketing and PR, including our digital magazine, Eat, which provides suppliers with an invaluable platform to communicate with end users. Put it this way, no two days are the same!
What are your goals for what you want to achieve in the role?
Tom and I were incredibly fortunate to take the reins of the longest-standing and extremely successful wholesale buying group set up by our grandfather 54 years ago. A lot has changed in that 54 years but we have always tried to move with the times and we are committed to Confex remaining an agile, collaborative buying group that champions independent wholesalers.
We pride ourselves on enabling all our members to grow and thrive while nurturing and supporting our talented, inspired and motivated head office team to continually move the group forward.
Tell us more about Confex…
Confex is a wholesale buying group with a turnover of more than £3.71bn, representing 12% of the UK wholesale market. The group negotiates terms, pricing and promotions on behalf of more than 230 independent wholesale businesses, working with more than 200 official suppliers and their brands.
Confex has been in operation as a buying group since 1972, spanning both retail and foodservice routes to market across ambient, chilled, frozen, alcohol, non-food, health and beauty categories.
Diversity is a key selling point for Confex. We have the most diverse membership of all wholesale buying groups which in turn means we work with the most diverse supplier partners, which opens up huge potential and opportunity for our membership.
Not only are we the longest-standing buying group but we also provide the best value as we have no joining fee. We are governed by a member-led board and for the past three years we have paid out profit distributions to our members, based on their support for our core functions. All members of Confex will be paid a dividend each year.
And that’s not all. Our members and suppliers are supported by our experienced, dedicated and passionate head office team in a collaborative and commercial capacity to grow their businesses.
We have provided exceptional value and head office services to all types of wholesale businesses for more than 50 years and we guarantee members are in safe and experienced hands.
What promotional offers do you run?
We run a comprehensive annual promotional programme across thousands of major brands and these are offered to suit each category of member. For retail members, there are 16 promotion periods per year, each one having a six-week buy in and three-week sell out. Our catering promotion programme operates monthly, plus we also provide special seasonal promotions for key occasions such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween and spring events.
How is the CORE own label range performing?
Exceptionally well! We are seeing sales and distribution increasing month on month as we add more SKUs based on demand and customer feedback. CORE launched in 2022 and is already an award-winning £12m own brand and we are delighted with its success.
How many products are in the range and what categories does it cover?
CORE now has more than 170 lines available, covering chilled, frozen, ambient and non-food. So far during 2024, we have introduced 15 new lines to the CORE range including store cupboard essentials such as salt, canned goods and a range of non-food products.
What benefits will the Confex Data Insight programme bring to your members?
We are very proud of Confex Data Insight as it provides our wholesale members customised business intelligence specific to their customer base on a daily basis. This cutting-edge technology provides members with the ability to drill down to SKU-level to identify sales opportunities across entire product ranges. Our wholesale members can also compare their results against the group as a whole, highlighting any under or over performing products in addition to those all-important range gaps.
For both the Confex wholesaler and Confex supplier, utilising this data pool has a proven track record to drive sales growth which is instrumental for success. At the same time, it highlights strategic synergies throughout the wholesale supply chain.
How has the wholesale industry changed in recent years?
The wholesale industry has undoubtedly become more efficient since the Covid-19 pandemic. A focus on technology, data and sustainability has led to increased business efficiency across the sector. The continuing consolidation of UK wholesale, through investment from a diverse range of sectors both nationally and internationally, has created a highly innovative marketplace driven by transformative change.
Wholesale is certainly an exciting place to be right now – fast-paced, agile and dynamic – and it will be fascinating to see how it evolves during the coming decade.
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