Welcome to the May issue of Wholesale Manager. Dunsters Farm Foodservice has announced the acquisition of respected Lancashire-based wholesaler Ralph Livesey. The move strengthens the Caterforce member’s fresh produce offering and supports their growth as the largest, independent, family-run foodservice in the region. The partnership between Dunsters Farm and Ralph Livesey marks an exciting new chapter for two businesses with rich historic ties to their local communities.
As part of its 150th anniversary year, venerable Glasgow food and drink wholesaler JW Filshill is on a mission to raise £150,000 for six charities which represent large demographics of the communities it serves as part of its celebrations. The award-winning, fifth-generation wholesaler, which serves independent KeyStore convenience stores across Scotland and the north of England, is marking its 150th anniversary in 2025 with a raft of activity based around the theme Delivering Success that champions sustainability, innovation, community, and wellbeing.
To support its foodservice wholesale members and their customers, leading buying group Caterforce is investing even further into its award-winning own brand with more than 50 new products set to launch over the coming months. Currently worth more than £85m in annual sales, the Caterforce’s own brand portfolio comprises five bestselling ranges, providing more than 400 products across all categories and for all out-of-home settings.
Wholesalers often choose to join buying groups to leverage collective purchasing power, leading to better prices and terms with suppliers, and potentially enhanced competitiveness. By combining their individual needs, buying groups can negotiate more favourable deals that might not be achievable for a single wholesaler. WM looks at the various buying groups available for wholesalers to join.
Caterfood Buying Group is a collection of independent foodservice suppliers working together to offer both an extensive product range, industry knowledge and geographical coverage. United behind one main vision, the group wants to bring its members and their communities together through food and is proud to be one of the fastest growing and most exciting buying groups in the UK. In a Focus on Foodservice interview, Tom Workman, Commercial Director for Caterfood Buying Group (CFBG), tells Wholesale Manager what benefits CFBG provides for its members and how the wholesale industry has changed in recent years.
New research shows the economic contribution of wholesale distributors. Going for Growth: The Impact of Food and Drink Wholesale Distributors by the FWD reports the food and drink wholesale distribution sector is a crucial part of a value chain which connects large food and drink manufacturers with small independent shops and foodservice providers; the sector generated £33.6 billion of turnover in 2023/24, with £17.5 billion coming from sales to mainly small independent retailers and £13.4 billion to foodservice providers and caterers.
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