With 9 members and a turnover forecast to hit £709m this year, Caterforce is a buying group going from strength to strength.
Having just added a ninth member, Q Catering, to the group, Gary Mullineux, Managing Director of Caterforce, is delighted to be able to enhance the group’s geographical reach in the South East of England providing suppliers with national coverage across the whole of the UK and Ireland.
“Caterforce really is a force to be reckoned with,” he told Wholesale Manager. “We have the largest average turnover per member in the sector, which means that we are the lowest cost to service, offering suppliers the biggest return on investment.”
For members, being part of Caterforce ensures they benefit from all the commercial advantages of joining a buying group, such as competitive buying prices through economy of scale. However, where Caterforce stands out from its competition is its close-knit membership, where members work together rather than against each other, as colleagues not competitors, sharing insight and best practice, which leads to benefits and improvements for all.
“All nine members are regional champions, proud of their heritage and fiercely independent, and we recognise and celebrate their difference,” said Gary. “Every member of the group is actively involved in decision making. From board level to trading teams, marketing, sales, finance and IT, there is openness and willingness to work together and support each other.”
Membership of the group is by invitation only to ensure members don’t overlap geographically. In addition to competitive prices, members also benefit from fully integrated digital and print marketing support, use of in-house digital designers and artworkers, a managed PR service and use of a photographic studio with professional food photographers and stylists.
In addition, Caterforce also has four successful award-winning own brands, offering more than 360 products across all categories. Chefs’ Selections includes store cupboard staples for every kitchen, as well as showstoppers such as its cake range. Roast440 coffee offers a range of single origin and blended coffee beans and filter coffees while Eden Grove is a range of 100% pure fruit juices, ideal for hospitality settings as well as the on trade. ProClean provides cleaning and hygiene products for all settings.
“We concentrate on offering customers the right own brand products for their customers,” said Gary. “We are not interested in growing the number of products just for the sake of it. We are constantly reviewing our range, listing, and developing products based on member and customer feedback as well as consumer trends.”
In addition, Caterforce also operates everyday low pricing and promotions on branded products, all focussed on delivering results for both customers and suppliers. Every month Caterforce’s in-house creative team produces bespoke promotional brochures for its members customers.
In addition to its biennial conference, Caterforce also runs 3 Supplier Presentation Days each year, bringing suppliers and wholesalers together to discuss new product development, hold review meetings and showcase special offers. The group also run working groups for buyers, marketeers and on CSR/environmental projects to ensure it continues to drive the business forwards.
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