Welcome to the March issue of Wholesale Manager. Sugro UK, the member-owned buying and marketing group comprising over 90 independent wholesalers, announced the expansion of its membership with the addition of Direct Traders Ltd as a new member to the group. Direct Traders, based in Brentwood, have been trading since 2012 supplying a wide range of food and non-food products to the Hospitality sector.
Unitas is leveraging its position as the UK’s largest independent wholesale group to offer its 150 members centrally-negotiated rates on overhead purchases including energy supply and agency staff. With its goal of reducing operating costs through minimising indirect spend, Unitas Procurement Services has already seen one wholesaler report a £20,000 monthly saving.
Scan & Save retailers are thriving despite news of the UK slipping into a technical recession following a 0.3% drop in GDP in the last quarter of 2023. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed this February a 0.3 per cent decline in gross domestic product (GDP) between October and December 2023, which followed on from a 0.1% drop in the previous quarter.
Scotland’s most innovative, forward-thinking and resilient wholesalers have been recognised and rewarded by the industry at the annual Scottish Wholesale Achievers Awards. Achievers, now in its 21st year and organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association, highlights excellence across all sectors of the wholesale industry and the achievements that have made a difference to individuals, communities and businesses over the last year. Wholesaler categories up for grabs incorporated retail, foodservice, licensed, technology and community-focused sectors – while there was also an award for the wholesaler deemed Great Place to Work.
Epicurium is a UK based healthy snacks wholesaler, offering a wide range of delicious snacks and drinks to meet today’s hottest trends. Epicurium helps retailers stand out from the competition and attract a wider range of shoppers; workplaces engage better with their workforce; and cafes, venues, and sports clubs better serve their visitors. In a Who’s Who in Wholesaling interview, Ben McKechnie, Director, Epicurium, tells Wholesale Manager what trends are driving the healthy snacking category and gives advice for other wholesalers to help grow the healthy snacking category.
Wholesalers need to be reminded of the Government’s forthcoming tightening of the restrictions on the marketing of High Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) which covers a huge number of products in a number of categories. There is now a ban on the placement of HFSS products at checkouts (within 2 metres) and in high-traffic areas such as end-of-aisle or storefront locations (not within 15 metres). This will have an impact on ‘impulse’ sales, especially of confectionery and soft drinks, writes Jeremy Stern, CEO of PromoVeritas, the global prize promotion specialists, in a special report.
Enjoy reading the issue.
Comments are closed.