In a market that continues to be dominated by consolidation, Unitas has enhanced its scale, efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring it is the preferred business partner for members and suppliers.
With 147 wholesale members, serving 285 wholesale depots and reaching 177,000 customers, the group has the largest network of independent cash and carry and delivered wholesalers in the UK.
Its committed, ambitious and forward-thinking members include retail, foodservice, on-trade and specialist wholesalers, making Unitas multi-channel experts and the most diverse group in the industry.
The collective scale and strength of the group is harnessed to negotiate the strongest trading terms, advertising agreements and the most competitive promotions for its wholesale members.
Gurms Athwal, Trading Director, Unitas, tells Wholesale Manager his goals for what he wants to achieve with the business and how the wholesale industry has changed in recent years.
Can you tell us a little of the history of your company?
The UK’s largest buying group, Unitas was created with a very clear purpose; to bring independent wholesalers together and give them the scale and strength to compete more effectively in a fast-changing marketplace. The business was formed through the merger of two long-standing and respected organisations, Today’s Group and Landmark Wholesale.
From the very beginning, the vision was simple but powerful: independents are the heartbeat of local communities. By uniting wholesalers, Unitas enables them to access the same benefits of scale, pricing, promotions and business support that is typically reserved for the multiples, while still retaining the entrepreneurial spirit and local knowledge that make them unique.
Since its inception, Unitas has grown into a group that not only delivers scale but also provides real value-added services to its wholesale members across retail, foodservice, on-trade and specialist wholesale channels. Unitas members supply tens of thousands of products across a wide range of categories such as grocery, snacks, chilled, frozen, licensed, soft drinks, confectionery and non-food essentials.
What made you want to get into wholesaling?
For me, wholesaling has always been about more than just moving products; it’s about supporting local businesses and communities. What drew me into wholesaling, and particularly the buying group model, was the opportunity to level the playing field. While the multiples and discounters have scale on their side, independents bring something different: a personal touch, flexibility and an understanding of their communities that can’t be replicated.
By working together, wholesalers and suppliers can give independents the pricing, ranges and support they need to compete on equal footing.
On a personal level, I have always enjoyed the combination of relationship building and problem solving. Wholesaling is fast-paced, people-focused and constantly evolving, which makes it challenging but incredibly rewarding.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a wholesaler?
The wholesale industry is as exciting as it is demanding. In recent years, we’ve faced countless challenges, including:
Razor-thin margins – this is an industry where profitability is under constant pressure, requiring us to work smarter, negotiate harder and work with suppliers around shared margins to support the whole supply chain while also driving value for members.
Supply chain disruption – Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and global logistics challenges have all tested our resilience. As a group, we’ve had to strengthen supplier relationships and diversify sourcing to safeguard supply.
Cost-of-living squeeze – inflation, energy and labour costs have created intense pressure on margins while consumer spending habits have shifted sharply towards value. We are helping members weather this storm through competitive promotions and strong own label offers.
Foodservice – the foodservice sector has undergone major change, with new expectations around delivery and healthier menus.
The tobacco category is evolving rapidly with the rise of vaping and next-gen nicotine products, and supporting members to adapt to these changes responsibly and profitably is a constant priority.
Ultimately, challenges are part of our world but as a buying group, our collective scale, shared expertise and how we work with suppliers helps us to support our members to overcome these challenges.
What are your goals for what you want to achieve with the business?
Our overarching ambition is simple: for our members to be the wholesaler of choice for independent businesses across the UK.
To achieve that, we’ve set out a clear set of goals to help support our members:
• Support our members with their drive to recruit and grow their symbol operations and to offer them market-leading promotional plans by working with our supplier partners.
• Digital leadership – by building some of the most advanced platforms in the sector, including online systems and portals.
• Unitas AI Academy and Future Skills – by launching our AI academy we will help members understand and adopt artificial intelligence, from smarter stock management to data- driven marketing.
• Sustainability – by embedding responsibility into everything we do from cutting carbon emissions and reducing packaging to bringing in eco-friendly product ranges.
• Member profitability and own-label growth – ensuring our members can thrive through sharper buying, competitive promotions and expansion of our Local Living and other own-brand ranges, which deliver both quality and margin.
• National growth with local relevance – strengthening our UK-wide reach while making sure we continue to support the local independence and individuality of each member.
At the heart of all these goals is one principle: our success is defined by our members’ success.
How is your company performing?
I’m proud to say that Unitas is performing strongly and continuing to grow, even in a challenging economic climate. We have delivered consistent growth across key categories including grocery, chilled, frozen, soft drinks, alcohol and confectionery.
As a group, we measure our success not by the number of members we have, but by the quality of those members and the value we deliver to them. Our focus has always been quality over quantity: building a network of strong, engaged wholesalers who are committed to supporting their customers and communities.
From a financial perspective, we are driving healthy earnings and returns for members through competitive buying terms and promotions. At the same time, we have invested heavily in digital transformation and innovation, including the rollout of new technology platforms and the development of our AI Academy, which is equipping members with the skills to thrive in a data-driven future.
We’re proud of where we are today and we are excited about the opportunities ahead to grow further and support independents across the UK.
How far is the geographical reach of your business?
Our reach is truly national. Through the Unitas network of member wholesalers, we can supply businesses right across the UK from busy city-centre convenience stores and forecourts to rural retailers and independent foodservice operators in remote locations.
Thanks to strategically located member depots, robust delivery networks and strong supplier partnerships, we can provide the buying power of a national operator while retaining the local focus and flexibility that our members and their customers value so highly. This combination ensures that, no matter where they are, all members can access the full breadth of our ranges and services.
How digital is your business and do you offer any IT support for your members?
Digitalisation is a cornerstone of our strategy. We understand that time, efficiency and convenience are critical for our members, so we’ve invested in a range of tools and services designed to make running their businesses smoother and smarter, including:
• Online platforms which allow members to browse terms, promotions, product details and specs with ease.
• Digital resources and support – we provide our industry-leading Plan for Profit platform, online category plans, Focus On mini category guides, promotional materials and category insights, as well as InStore and Bar & Kitchen, our retail and foodservice magazines and targeted social media content to help members market themselves effectively.
• Our new Unitas AI Academy is a groundbreaking initiative that helps members understand and apply artificial intelligence in areas such as stock forecasting, customer engagement and digital marketing. The Academy ensures our members can embrace the next wave of technological change.
In addition, our tools and services are backed up by dedicated IT and digital support, so no member is left behind. Our aim is to ensure that every member has access to the digital tools and knowledge that allow them to compete with the biggest players in the market.
How many products does your business supply and what categories do you cover?
Through the collective strength of our member wholesalers, the group supplies tens of thousands of products across every major category, providing a genuine one-stop wholesale solution.
Our ranges cover: Grocery & Ambient, Chilled & Frozen, Alcohol – including beer, cider, wine, and spirits, Soft Drinks & Confectionery – a mix of traditional favourites, functional drinks, and on-trend flavours, Non-Food & Household Essentials – covering everything from cleaning and toiletries to pet care and catering supplies.
Alongside branded products, we continue to strengthen our own-label portfolio, with bestselling ranges such as Local Living, Prince Consort, LSV and Caterers Kitchen (CK). Each range is carefully developed to provide independents with access to quality products that deliver better margins and a strong value proposition, helping them compete directly with the multiples and discounters.
Are there any new products in the ranges you want to talk about?
Absolutely. Innovation is at the heart of our trading strategy, and we’re always looking at how we can refresh and expand our ranges to give independents the best chance of success. We are also continually looking at how we launch these new products within the membership with a full best-in-class execution plan hitting every touchpoint.
In addition to our industry-leading NPD launches with key suppliers, we’ve broadened our offer with more low-sugar, low-calorie, healthier options reflecting consumer demand for healthier lifestyles.
Reflecting the UK’s diverse communities, world foods continue to be a growth area and as a result, we are introducing more authentic products to help members meet local demand and attract new shoppers.
With the rapid growth of the vaping market and the decline in traditional tobacco, we’ve been proactive in securing trusted, compliant next-generation products. This is a category with huge potential but also increased regulatory scrutiny, so our job is to ensure members can trade confidently and responsibly.
We are also expanding our own brand ranges to provide members with a stronger value proposition while maintaining quality and consistency. To reflect the latest trends, data and customer insight, we have recently launched several new Local Living SKUs, including new paper products, petcare products and we have launched a brand-new snacking range.
We have also launched a new 500ml LSV can as part of our bestselling own brand energy drink range, which we are expecting to deliver incredible sales – offering a fantastic product at an incredible price point.
How has the wholesale industry changed in recent years?
The wholesale industry has changed more in the past five years than in the decades before. External challenges and shifting consumer expectations have forced us all to adapt rapidly, and as a buying group, we have embraced that change head on.
We have embraced digital transformation, shifting from manual and phone-based ordering to apps, online platforms and real-time tracking which has transformed the way wholesalers and their independent customers interact.
Customer expectation is continually rising. Wholesale members increasingly want more than just supply; instead, they look to us for insight, category expertise, marketing tools and training to help them succeed. And consumers have changed too. There is a strong demand now for healthier products and global flavours. Food and drink trends are shaping the ranges we make available through the group.
As an industry we are under continuous pressure to deliver on environmental commitments from cutting plastic and carbon to supporting greener product choices.
At the same time, regulations and legislations are continually changing. New rules around HFSS, tobacco and the upcoming Deposit Return Schemes are reshaping the market. We see it as our role to guide members through these changes and work with suppliers to develop compliant solutions.
Meanwhile the cost-of-living crisis and economic pressures continue to squeeze margins right across the supply chain. By leveraging our group’s scale, negotiating effectively and driving our own-label ranges, Unitas is helping members stay competitive.
In foodservice, the channel has recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic but has changed dramatically with growth in delivery, convenience dining and demand for healthier menu options, and we are ensuring we support our foodservice members with access to the right products and insights to succeed.
In addition, the tobacco and vaping category is radically different with the rise of vaping and alternative nicotine products alongside tighter regulations. As a group, we are committed to ensuring members stock compliant ranges to meet consumer demand responsibly.
In short, today’s wholesale sector is faster, more digital, more regulated and more competitive than ever before. At Unitas, our size, collective strength and our focus on innovation put us in a strong position to support our members, helping them not only weather the challenges but turn them into opportunities for sustainable growth.
Comments are closed.