Welcome to the June issue of Wholesale Manager. New independent analysis by KPMG – commissioned by Philip Morris International – has revealed that almost half of cigarettes (45%) consumed in the UK in 2025 were illicit. Of the total cigarette consumption in the UK, 13% of cigarettes are purchased abroad legally, whereas 32.3% are counterfeit or contraband. The findings show that illicit consumption rose by 1.5 billion cigarettes in 2025 (vs. 2024), making it the second-largest illegal market in Europe, behind France, for illicit cigarette consumption by volume.
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Bestway Wholesale has announced the acquisition of DB Ramsden & Co Ltd, trading as Dee Bee Wholesale, the long-established, family-owned, independent wholesaler serving more than 1,400 retail and on-trade customers across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Founded in 1961, Dee Bee Wholesale has been operating for more than 65 years with reported annual sales of approximately £57 million in its last financial year. The company employs 87 colleagues across its two depots in Hull and Grimsby.
Castell Howell Foods, one of the UK’s leading family-run food wholesale businesses has officially broken ground on a transformative warehouse expansion at its headquarters, signalling a major leap forward in its long-term growth strategy. The development, which boasts a 103,000 sq ft building, will lead the way in wholesale with a state-of-the-art cold store, as well as 16,000 sq ft of office suites and amenity space. The site will also incorporate more than 150 car parking spaces, 48 truck parking spaces and eight loading bays.
KCS Cash & Carry, a member of The Wholesale Group, has opened its new 30,000 sq ft depot in Croydon. Located at Unit 1, Segro Park, Redhouse Road, Croydon, CR0 3AQ, the new site has been developed to serve independent retailers, foodservice operators and other trade customers across Croydon and the surrounding area. Kiran Singh, Director of KCS Cash & Carry, tells Wholesale Manager why he chose Croydon and how the wholesale industry has changed in recent years.
Central Foods is a dedicated frozen food specialist, offering mixed pallet consolidation exclusively to the UK foodservice sector. With a diverse portfolio in meat, poultry, vegetarian, free-from, vegan, buffet, bakery and dessert lines, Central Foods supplies over 250 wholesalers nationwide. Oli Sampson, Managing Director of Central Foods, tells Wholesale Manager how the company has survived and thrived for 30 years.
The market for food supplement and nutrition products is projected to reach around $160 billion by 2029, expanding at a CAGR of 5.1%. Driven by health-conscious consumers, the category is expanding thanks to changing expectations and new audiences. This creates an opportunity for forward-looking food and beverage producers that adopt new ingredients and new ideas, writes Anna Larsson, Category Leader at Tetra Pak.
Enjoy reading the issue.
George Simpson
Group Editor
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