Welcome to the May issue of Wholesale Manager. Encouraging news as the latest figures from Kantar show take-home grocery sales rose by 5.7% during the 12 weeks to 18 April 2021. The most recent trends suggest that consumer confidence is increasing, as the successful vaccine roll out and relaxation of social restrictions have encouraged more people to visit physical stores and spend time with friends and family. In the four-week period to the same date, growth accelerated to 6.5%.
Well done to Molson Coors Beverage Company, which is removing plastic rings and introducing a fully recyclable and sustainable cardboard sleeve for can multipacks for all major brands in the UK, including Carling and Coors. The move sees Molson Coors hit its target to remove all single-use plastic from Carling and Coors packaging by the end of April 2021 in the UK, following the introduction of recyclable cardboard large-format multipacks in 2020. Since 2019, the company has removed more than 700 tonnes of single-use plastic from its operations.
Congratulations to Bestway Wholesale which, as part of its ongoing commitment to community outreach, has donated over 80 tonnes of self-raising flour to The Felix Project this year. The Felix Project is based in London with a warehouse at Park Royal close to Bestway Wholesale’s head office. The charity uses surplus food to help people in poverty and need, living in London.
Launching its inaugural TWC Trends Spring 2021 Report, leading intelligence and technology consultancy TWC has revealed some key factors in the future of wholesale and urged businesses to consider these in their forward planning. The TWC Trends Spring 2021 Report is one of the most comprehensive studies seen this year looking into consumers’ changing behaviours and buying patterns. TWC’s Tom Fender says in our Special Report there are three market forces which will drive permanent change across wholesale and the route to market sectors.
Rustlers is going from strength to strength and worth £115.6m while currently experiencing double digit growth YoY. The brand has had 21 years of sustained growth and record sales in 2020, making it one of the UK’s biggest FMCG brands. Ross Davison, Convenience Controller at Kepak Consumer Foods, talks to our Supplier Spotlight page about the sales opportunity Rustlers presents in Food to Go, and how wholesalers can seize the opportunity to make more money from the category.
Simon Hannah, CEO of JW Filshill, has worked in the wholesale distribution industry for 21 years and is currently the fifth generation family member to run the company. Glasgow-based Filshill supplies around 8000 products to 1400 different businesses across Scotland and the North of England generating a turnover of £155m. Simon Hannah tells our Who’s Who in Wholesaling page what has changed in wholesaling during his two decades in the industry and how he plans to grow the business over the next 10 years.
Enjoy reading the issue.
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