SWA 2013 yearbook

SCOTTISH WHOLESALE ASSOCIATION

2013 yearbook

the voice of the Scottish food, drink and allied trades

OUTSELLS HOT CAKES. Around one in three off-trade drinkers choose Tennent’s*.

So keep your fridge full, the Tennent’s cold and your customers happy.

*Brand drank in last 4 weeks. Source: Hall and Partners January 2013.

Please drink Tennent’s responsibly. Tennent’s and the red T are registered trademarks of C&C Group.

contents

One of two new members ... see page 14

Meeting customers’ needs ... see pages 20-23

Valuable advice ... see pages 24-25

4

foreword: Kate Salmon

20-23

profile: Matthew Clark

6

leader: George Benson

24-25

lobbying & legislation

8-9

interview: Asim Sarwar

26-29

profile: Sher Bros

10

who’s who: council members

30-31

training & mentoring

12

conference

32

profile: Taylors of Harrogate

14

new members: Alfa and Gizzi

34-36

employment law

16

achievers

38-51

background

18

supplier representation

52-59

directory: swa members

editor

Kirsti Sharratt SCOTTISH WHOLESALE ASSOCIATION

2013 yearbook

contributing editor

Mervyn Gilbert publishing director

Published on behalf of the Scottish Wholesale Association by Winlove Publications Ltd PO Box 366, East Grinstead, RH19 4ZE Tel: (01342) 712100 email: mail.winlove@btconnect.com website: www.cashandcarrymanagement.co.uk

Martin Lovell media sales manager

Clare Phillips business development manager the voice of the Scottish food, drink and allied trades

David Ford

Scottish Wholesale Association 30 McDonald Place, Edinburgh, EH7 4NH Tel: 0131-556 8753 email: kate.swa@btconnect.com website: www.scottishwholesale.co.uk

scottish wholesale association • 2013

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foreword

Giving wholesaling more clout SINCE the launch of the Scottish Wholesale Association over 70 years ago, our sole purpose has been to serve our members. Of course, as the industry has evolved, so too has the SWA, but what hasn’t changed is our ability to reach all members – whether a cash & carry competing in the cut-throat Glasgow market place or a wholesaler delivering to caterers in the Highlands.

Six key pillars cover our main functions: liaison between members and suppliers, lobbying, legislation, training, Achievers, and our annual conference. We are the voice of the Scottish wholesale industry and as such tailor all our activities to our members’ requirements.

We are also a very collaborative organisation. We work closely with our counterparts at the Federation of Wholesale Distributors and have a reciprocal agreement whereby I am a member of the FWD council and its chief executive, James Bielby, sits on ours. This helps us gain a better understanding of the issues affecting wholesalers north and south of the Border.

We also work closely with the Scottish Grocers’ Federation and Scottish Licensed Trade Association. This year, in conjunction with the SGF, we produced a booklet and app on the new tobacco display laws, available free to

Kate Salmon, executive director

every wholesaler and retailer in Scotland. Not only was the project supported by BAT, Imperial Tobacco and JTI, it was also endorsed by the Scottish Government.

Collaboration is important in our industry and we use Achievers and the annual conference to encourage wholesalers and suppliers to learn about each other’s businesses. Suppliers often get a hard time – sometimes justified – but if both sides share and act on information, progress will be made.

No-one needs reminding that the economic crisis continues to bite. However, in Scotland there is a feeling of optimism – this was clearly evident at the Achievers dinner in February. Our annual awards initiative struck a chord with the trade when we introduced it back in 2003, and the fact that it’s still gaining momentum is testament to its relevance and the credibility of the judging process.

The next big event on the calendar is our annual conference. As Scotland gears up for the referendum on independence in 2014, we will be exploring the pros and cons of any ensuing changes. Hosting such a forum fits with our role to assess the challenges our members face and to offer guidance wherever we can. That’s also why we publish a monthly review of developments in legislation and the issues on which we are lobbying the Scottish Parliament and Government.

We firmly believe in using experts in their field. Scott Brady continues to counsel the Association on lobbying and legislative matters, while 121 HR Solutions provides training for our members and advises them on employment law concerns. Meanwhile, our mentoring programme, which is designed to help talented individuals in wholesaling realise their full potential, has got off to a great start.

By supplying the tools to help our members stay ahead, we are giving Scottish wholesaling more clout. Indeed, our reputation for protecting and promoting the interests of the industry has brought two new members into the fold: Alfa Wholesale of Glasgow and Gizzi Cash & Carry of Bellshill. SImilarly, our supplier base has been boosted with the recruitment of Wells & Young’s.

In Scotland, we are under no illusions that business is tough. That’s why we need a robust trade association.

Ensuring that we deliver against our objectives is something I take very seriously.

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

AB-InBev is proud to support the Scottish Wholesale Association.

AB InBev are proud to be the number one supplier of Beer and Cider to the Scottish off trade* Thank you for making: • Budweiser No2 brand in Scotland* • Stella Artois No3 brand in Scotland* • Beck’s Blue is the No1 non alc beer and has grown 14.1%* • Cidre is the No2 Premium Cider and the fastest growing top 15 brand in beer and cider.

It was the most successful new product at the Retail Industry Awards 2012

© 2013 AB InBev UK Limited, all rights reserved *The source is: Nielsen; Total Market Scotland; MAT to 02.03.13

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

leader

Proud to serve the trade As president, what has been your greatest achievement to date?

The mentoring programme we launched for members last year. The idea was to offer mentoring to ambitious individuals working in the key areas of buying, sales and management, and I am delighted to report that the mentees involved are already proclaiming the value of this initiative. We need the right people with the right attitude and the right skills to create a truly world-class industry, and I am convinced that investing in mentoring is a step in the right direction. Like the training we offer, the mentoring programme is carefully structured to meet our members’ needs.

I am also pleased that I instigated six key pillars to define more clearly the Association’s main functions: liaison between members and suppliers, lobbying, legislation, training, Achievers, and our annual conference. Each pillar comes under the management of a sub committee of the council.

In which other areas has the Association made strong progress during the past year?

We have stepped up our advice to members on legislative issues and have invested more in lobbying through our consultant Scott Brady. For example, in consultation with the SGF, FWD and leading tobacco suppliers, we produced a free fingertip guide to the tobacco display ban; this was also turned into a mobile app. Both formats explained the changes required and the timescales for implementation. We also recently introduced a monthly review to keep wholesalers up to date with developments in legislation, relevant government consultations and the SWA’s lobbying efforts.

What are the aims and plans for the SWA in the coming year?

We have to get closer to suppliers in order for them to understand exactly what we do on behalf of the wholesale industry in Scotland. I am sure they realise that having a healthy and prosperous independent trade benefits their own companies – after all, putting all their business into the multiples’ hands would be very dangerous – but some have yet to support our work by being active members of the Association. Yet there is no doubt that the advantages are mutual: just ask any supplier that has sponsored an Achievers category how its knowledge of the wholesale industry and relationships with individual wholesalers have improved as a direct result of the judging process.

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

George Benson, president More suppliers will be seen on a one-to-one basis in order to explain the Association’s six pillars and to find out about their own plans for Scotland. We are also using social networks, as well as our website and a revamped marketing brochure, to promote the SWA to a wider audience. At this point, I would like to thank executive director Kate Salmon for her tireless work in keeping the Association fresh and purposeful. I have recently spoken to each council member about how they can lend their expertise to the six pillars and build on the momentum Kate has created.

Final thoughts?

Everything we do as an Association is for our members.

The SWA is not here to make a profit: any surplus is reinvested in the industry through training, mentoring, and our lobbying and legislative activities. My presidency has reaffirmed my view that people in wholesaling are incredibly passionate about the industry, and we are proud to serve their interests through the SWA. I leave the Association in the capable hands of Asim Sarwar, managing director of United Wholesale (Scotland), who I am sure will be just as dynamic as president of the SWA as he is as head of his own independent, family business.

•

Winning brands.

Winning partnerships.

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At Britvic, we remain as committed to our partners’ success as we’ve always been; driving sales growth through unrivalled customer service, category expertise and best-in-class equipment solutions.

To find out more about working with us, call 08457 581 781 or email newbusiness@britvic.co.uk

Britvic are pleased to support Scottish Wholesale Association All copyrights and trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

interview

‘The SWA is a real asset’ “IF you stand still, you actually go backwards because everyone else moves on,” insists Asim Sarwar, managing director of Glasgow-based United Wholesale (Scotland) and incoming president of the Scottish Wholesale Association. “You have to look at ways to innovate and to lead. You must be prepared to go the extra mile. That is no different for the SWA as for any individual business.”

At 31 years old, Asim will be the youngest ever president, but his youthfulness belies his experience of the wholesale industry. He was just seven years old when he started helping his father in the company’s Maxwell Road branch, cleaning the toilets and scrubbing the floor. A decade later, having worked in every section of the cash & carry, he was appointed depot manager. He subsequently took charge at West Street, and turned it around from making a £250,000 loss to £100,000 profit within 12 months.

Developments in the intervening years have included selling West Street for a substantial sum and investing in the 170,000 sq ft former Linpak depot at Queenslie, first launching it as a distribution centre and six months later adding a cash & carry facility with a comprehensive product range, including groceries, impulse lines, soft drinks, toiletries and licensed drinks.

Last year United passed the £200 million turnover milestone and Asim, who is renowned for his verve and determination, is confident of additional growth this year.

Above: Asim Sarwar will be the youngest ever SWA president.

Below: United is investing £2 million in its Maxwell Road operation, enabling it to offer a full catering and on-trade cash & carry/delivered service.

Expansion work under way at the 18,000 sq ft Maxwell Road depot will be completed by April 2014, allowing the company to sell beers, wines and spirits from the site.

Phase one, which entailed extending the car park and tobacco room and building new offices, was finished in the spring. Phase two started in May and will see the warehouse more than double in size to 40,000 sq ft.

“This will enable us to offer a full catering and on-trade cash & carry/delivered service,” says Asim. “We already serve some licensees and caterers from our Queenslie branch, but Maxwell Road is just a few minutes from the city centre so really couldn’t be better placed to capitalise on this type of business. We are investing £2 million in our Maxwell Road operation but we should achieve payback within two to three years.”

United is also concentrating on developing its Day-Today customer base. Of the 255 retailers signed up to the symbol group, around half sport the standard fascia and half the Express banner. A further 10 have the black DayToday fascia, designating them as elite members.

Although most Day-Today operators are located in the central belt, a growing number can be found in Edinburgh, Fife and as far south as Dumfries. A new ‘elite’ store will shortly open in Wallyford, East Lothian. “It will be the best convenience store in Scotland,” vows Asim. “I designed it myself and it’s a belter.”

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

interview

United, which has a total of 175 employees, recently recruited four merchandisers to help its Day-Today customers realise their full potential. Although it will continue to use a third party to refit the shops new to the group, its in-house team will aim to create a bit of theatre and improve the layout within existing stores.

Promotional compliance among United’s symbol members presently stands at 85% and it is looking to increase that figure by investing £1 million in mobile point-of-sale (MPoS) technology. This is designed to give the retailers a better understanding of margins and stock control. It also means that promotions can be uploaded directly to their tills. MPoS has the added benefit of providing data that United can use to add weight to its dealings with both retailers and suppliers.

Some 30 customers have already implemented the MPoS package, and United is aiming for another 40 by the end of the year. As an incentive, it is covering 50% of the cost and allowing the retailer to pay the balance over three years.

Further support for its customers will come with the imminent launch of United’s own charity ‘It’s a Good DayToday’. Suppliers involved will donate 1p per bottle or Below: United has 265 Day-Today members, including 10 with the elite fascia.

pack of their product sold, and the retailers will be able to choose how it is spent in their local area, subject to the charity’s approval. “The strapline is ‘Supporting Scottish Communities’ and every single penny raised will be spent on good causes in Scotland,” says Asim.

Already, many of United’s promotions focus on the communities that the retailers serve. For instance, its ‘Great Local Online Deals for Local People’ campaign, which was named the 2013 Achievers Best Marketing Initiative, took the Groupon concept one step further, increasing sales and footfall in the shops, as well as adding value for consumers.

United’s website www.uniteduk.co.uk offers online ordering and allows retailers to print posters, shelf talkers and tickets for over 7,000 lines. The website also has regular updates from the Scottish Grocers’ Federation and planograms for all types of stores.

Asim applauds the SWA for its work in helping wholesalers educate retailers about their legal responsibilities, citing the booklets and apps produced by the Association on the tobacco display laws and the Alcohol Act. “We also take advantage of the training, and one of our employees is participating in the mentoring programme,” says Asim.

“United has been represented on the SWA council for several years by impulse grocery director Ali Afsar, who is also a judge for the Achievers award Project Scotland.

“I am very excited about becoming president,” Asim comments. “I need to get my feet under the table and see where we are as an Association before I set my objectives, but I firmly believe the SWA is a real asset to wholesalers in Scotland.”

Back in his own business, Asim reveals that a newlylaunched export division, headed by former grocery buyer Bobby Gill, is already showing great promise, with grocery and impulse lines being shipped to customers in Nigeria and the Middle East.

“We may be experiencing difficult economic conditions but there are still plenty of opportunities to expand,” he concludes. “I grew up in this business and love the cut and thrust as much as ever.”

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

9

who’s who

10

GEORGE BENSON president George was formerly commercial director of Bellevue Cash & Carry.

CHRIS GALLACHER council member Chris is retail development controller Scotland of Booker.

ASIM SARWAR incoming president Asim is managing director of United Wholesale (Scotland).

PAUL HAGON council member Paul is director – group strategy & development of Palmer and Harvey.

KATE SALMON executive director Kate looks after the day-to-day running of the SWA.

SIMON HANNAH council member Simon is managing director of JW Filshill.

ALI AFSAR council member Ali is impulse grocery director of United Wholesale (Scotland).

IAIN HILL council member Iain is managing director of Iain Hill Ltd.

JAMES BIELBY council member James is chief executive of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors.

BILL LAIRD council member Bill is managing director of Today’s Group.

JULIE DUNN council member Julie is operations director of Dunns Food & Drinks.

DAVID LAMB council member David is trading director of CJ Lang.

JOHN FORTEITH council member John is depot general manager of Forteith Foodservice (3663 Alba Ltd).

MARTIN RACE council member Martin is operations director of Batleys.

scottish wholesale association • 2013

conference

Inspiration and ideas IN a change of format, the business sessions at this year’s conference, which takes place from 14–16 June at Crieff Hydro, will be open to all suppliers and wholesalers and will kick off with ‘The Big Debate’ on Scottish independence. This will be chaired by Bill Jamieson, executive editor of The Scotsman.

“Bill Jamieson is one of the most respected journalists in Scotland,” says SWA executive director Kate Salmon. “He will discuss what independence – or retaining the status quo – might mean for businesses based in Scotland and the UK, and the potential implications for southern-based companies supplying Scottish wholesalers. It is important for our members to hear both sides of the argument.”

A panel of speakers will give their own views on the pros and cons of Scottish independence, the referendum for which will be held on 18 September 2014. After the formal speeches, the debate will be opened to the floor, when delegates can express their opinions and put questions to members of the panel.

The Big Debate will begin at 11.20am on the Friday and will be followed after lunch and on the Saturday morning by a line-up of top speakers, who will address the theme ‘Inspiring Scottish Wholesale’. They include James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink, an industry body tasked with increasing the value of Scotland’s food & drink sector, and Craig Lear, general manager – catering, cleaning & waste at Glasgow 2014, the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games in the city.

Presentations will be made by several wholesalers, including Billy Bell, managing director of Livingston-based wholesaler Wine Importers; Booker Longstone’s area manager Michael McCrosson, who spent a year working for the company in Mumbai; and John Forteith, depot general manager at Oban-based wholesaler Forteith Foodservice, which was acquired a year ago by 3663.

“Speaking at the conference is a great opportunity for our business to illustrate how we have developed since we introduced sourcing of Scottish local produce 10 years ago,” says John (left). “I hope that my presentation will encourage suppliers to think differently about Scotland.”

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Above: Crieff Hydro, the venue for the SWA’s annual conference.

He adds: “The conference always provides an excellent overview of trends in Scottish wholesaling and it also gives me a chance to network with other wholesalers – and suppliers – when Scotland is at the forefront of their minds.”

Supplier executives on the rostrum include Diageo’s director of leadership development Jayne Harvey, whose mentoring role is of particular interest given the SWA’s own focus in this area through its Mentoring Programme, and Al Gunn, sales director at Boost Drinks.

“I feel very honoured to have been invited to address this year’s conference,” says Al (below). “My presentation is themed ‘Passing the Baton’ – a different perspective on how we integrate plans from supplier to wholesaler to independent retailer and ultimately on to the consumer.

As the major multiples continue to drive their unrelenting growth into convenience retailing, the time has never been more critical to take stock of where we can work together to win in this challenging trading environment. I passionately believe that there are still tangible opportunities for growth for suppliers and wholesalers alike, enabled by the unique trading relationships that exist in this fantastic channel we work in.”

Al continues: “From a personal perspective, the conference also provides an excellent ‘functional and fun’ balance, giving great opportunities to gain industry knowledge, network and build upon relationships.”

The keynote speaker at the 2013 annual conference is inspirational Falklands veteran Simon Weston OBE.

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new members

Firms favour hands-on style THE SWA has recruited two new members: Alfa Wholesale, of Glasgow, and Gizzi Cash & Carry, of Bellshill.

Alfa Wholesale, which describes itself as Glasgow’s friendliest cash & carry, has been serving convenience retailers, caterers and fast-food operators in the city since 1982. The cash & carry re-opened in March, a year after fire destroyed the original 16,000 sq ft premises, where turnover was £30 million. Building work cost the company around £1.5 million.

“Business has been picking up steadily,” reports director Atif Rashid. “We used radio ads on a local community station to get the word out, and about six weeks later we ran special promotions and sent a mailshot to over 6,500 addresses across Scotland inviting everybody to come in.

We’ve seen a great response to that, with sales still climbing. We’re confident that, within a couple of years, we’ll get back to where we were before the fire.”

Alfa Wholesale, which has 25 staff, stocks a comprehensive range of groceries, catering supplies, household goods, and chilled & frozen foods. It is an ethnic foods specialist, offering “Scotland’s broadest selection” of African, Arabic, Chinese, Indian, Kurdish, Malaysian, Pakistani and Turkish ingredients – from exotic spices to fresh vegetables. It also has an exclusive portfolio of halal products.

Above: Alfa invested £1.5 million in its new warehouse, which opened in March.

Below: Brothers Alan and Andrew Clark are responsible for the day-to-day operation of Gizzi Cash & Carry.

A Today’s Group member, Alfa prides itself on its service excellence – the owners are on the shop floor every day in order to stay in touch with customers’ needs. There are four directors/owners: Atif, his father Abdul (who started the business), and brothers Shahid and Zahid Nasim.

“Our advantages are our location, our unique range and the fact that, as the owners, we are the ones that serve our customers,” says Atif. “We have exceptionally strong relationships with our customers – they trust us to keep our prices keen. We will keep focusing on reinforcing and re-earning that reputation.”

Gizzi is another family business with a hands-on approach.

It was founded in 1991 by Norman Gizzi as an ice cream manufacturer before being sold to the present owner William Clark. William now works part-time in the 8,000 sq ft depot, while his sons and business partners, Alan and Andrew, are responsible for the day-to-day operation.

The company still manufactures ice cream on the premises but its clientele has broadened to include caterers of all kinds, as well as the original base of ice cream vans. Similarly, Gizzi has expanded its range to incorporate frozen & chilled foods, soft drinks, crisps & snacks, confectionery and tobacco. Cash & carry now accounts for two-thirds of sales, deliveries the remainder.

Gizzi, which has built up its business largely by word of mouth, employs 10 people and has a turnover in excess of £6 million. In the coming months, the Today’s Group member is looking to further extend its customer base and introduce a website and more regular promotions.

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

Proud to sponsor the

Scottish Wholesale Awards 2014

LET THE JOY BEGIN!

achievers

Project Scotland simplified •

AS is the case every year, feedback from wholesalers and suppliers has resulted in the fine-tuning of Scottish Wholesale Achievers in order to ensure the awards remain as pertinent to the industry today as they were when they were launched 12 years ago.

It can last for any duration, ranging from a couple of weeks to all year, but must run at some point during 2013.

The main change is to Project Scotland, which benefits from a simplified entry process. Wholesalers, as well as suppliers, can now nominate an initiative that has succeeded in building mutual business. Also, suppliers no longer have to prepare a PowerPoint presentation; instead, all entrants will have a chance to present to the judging panel, which is chosen from a broad range of businesses and comprises some of the most senior executives from the Scottish wholesale industry.

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The entry criteria have stayed the same: The project can focus on any single element of the wholesale sector – cash & carry, delivered, on-trade, off-trade, foodservice, wholesalers’ retail clubs – or the industry as a whole.

• •

It can involve wholesalers throughout Scotland or in one geographical area. For example, a project might concentrate on the Edinburgh Festival and include all cash & carries and delivered wholesalers serving the city.

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The project can feature any aspect of business, such as a promotion, trading strategy or marketing initiative.

Below: Stevie Ramage of AG Barr (in the Irn-Bru tartan!) is presented with the 2013 Project Scotland award by SWA president George Benson and executive director Kate Salmon.

All judges will vote on all projects, regardless of whether their own company was involved. Feedback will be given in person after each supplier’s presentation, although the final results will remain a closely guarded secret until the Achievers awards dinner on 13 February 2014.

PROJECT SCOTLAND JUDGING CRITERIA The judges will score each entry on the information provided by the supplier and, if appropriate, their company’s own participation in the project.

Will the project strengthen the relationship between C&C/delivered wholesaler/caterer/retailer/consumer?

How innovative and exciting is it?

If the project involves a new product/relaunch, how appropriate and effective are pack size, product design, case size, PoS material?

If the initiative is UK-wide, has the supplier recognised the nuances of the Scottish marketplace and offered tailormade support?

Will pull-through to the consumer be achieved?

Will the project expand the entire product category, or just the brand concerned?

What has been the impact on sales and profits?

Has any uplift been sustained after the initial support period?

How good was stock availability before, during and after the support period?

Did the project run smoothly?

Did you enjoy working with the supplier on this project and consequently would you seek to work with this particular company again?

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

Do you want to be a

ST R RETAILER? You could increase your sales by an impressive 12% simply by following our 3 key principles of Range, Category and Merchandising.

As well as increasing sales, you will also be awarded points for following our advice at each level.

These points can be redeemed for a variety of our star performing products as well great equipment.1

STAR RANGE Make sure you stock the products shoppers want to buy.

Stella Artois 4x500ml

Foster’s 4x500ml

Tennent’s 4x500ml

Stella Artois 4x568ml

Strongbow 2l

Strongbow 4x500ml

Foster’s 8x440ml

Carlsberg 8x440ml

The top 10 beer and cider products account for nearly 40%* of total category sales so make sure they are always in-stock. *IRI 29.10.11. Vol, Total Impulse exc Coops & Specialists

John Smith’s Extra Smooth 4x440ml

Guinness Draught 4x440ml

STAR CATEGORY Make sure it is easy for shoppers to find the product they want.

Put similar products next to each other to make it easy for customers to find what they want. Make sure you give enough space to the key types of drink.

STAR MERCHANDISING Make the most of your chilled space for you and your customers.

Vertically block each type of drinks and use top brands to highlight each section.

Lager 60%

Cider 25%

BOTTLED Ale

BOTTLED Cider

BOTTLED Cider

BOTTLED Cider

CANNED Ale

CANNED Cider

CANNED Ale

CANNED Cider

CANNED Stout

PET Cider

Ale & Stout 8%

BOTTLED Lager Multipacks and Singles

RTDs

BOTTLED Premium and World Lager Multipacks

CANNED Premium Lager

CANNED Standard and Value Lager

CANNED Premium Lager

CANNED Standard and Value Lager

Ready to Drink 5%

NB: Where the main fixture is chilled, Ciders in PET format should be merchandised on an ambient fixture near / opposite the chiller.

For more information go to: www.starretailer.co.uk or call: 01454 270 592 and ask for the Star Retailer Team 1. The Star Retailer Rewards scheme is only available in certain postcode areas, please contact the Star Retailer Representative to find out if the scheme is available in your area.

The trade mark rights and copyright for Stella Artois belong to Anheuser-Busch InBev SA. The trade mark rights and copyright for Guinness and Smirnoff Ice belong to Diageo plc.

The trade mark rights and copyright for Carling belong to Molson Coors Brewing Co. (UK) Ltd. The trade mark rights and copyright for Carlsberg belong to Carlsberg UK Ltd.

www.starretailer.co.uk Heineken UK Limited is a member of The Portman Group – promoting responsible drinking

supplier representation

Achieving mutual growth JUDGING the Achievers award Supplier Sales Executive of the Year exposed two key findings: firstly, that there are some incredibly talented supplier representatives working with wholesalers in Scotland and, secondly, that frequent supplier visits undeniably help to increase mutual business.

David Livingstone, operations manager cash & carry for Batleys in Scotland, and the company’s training manager Kath Wallace, were extremely impressed by the standard of entrants in this Achievers category, many of whom have achieved good sales growth during the toughest trading conditions for years.

“There was a clear message from the shortlisted presentations that regular supplier visits to wholesalers build trust, confidence and strong relationships,” said Kath. “In these difficult times suppliers should be supporting the wholesale trade by actively encouraging more of this – we need high-quality representatives walking through our doors.”

Graham Benson, chairman of the Achievers independent judging panel, agreed, saying: “If suppliers recruited this calibre of sales executive, instead of cutting back their sales force, it would make a real difference to their business.”

The joint winners of Supplier Sales Executive of the Year, Keir Stewart of AG Barr and Lawrence Findlay of Unilever Food Solutions, are proof indeed that ambitious and focused sales representatives are worth their weight in gold.

Commenting on Lawrence’s attributes, David said: “He is honest and positive, has a desire to succeed and works in partnership with his customers to achieve incremental growth for both parties. Most importantly, he will deliver against what’s been agreed. In the year to date, he’s showing a 9% increase in sales, which is an excellent performance.”

David’s assessment of Keir was equally complimentary: “He goes the extra mile with his customers. He prides himself on excellence in execution and treats depot visits as head office visits, offering advice and support to fulfil joint business goals. He wants to add value to his customers, to make a difference during his visits and come away with a sense of achievement at the end.”

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

Above: Lawrence Findlay of Unilever Food Solutions (second on left) and Keir Stewart of AG Barr (second on right) receive their 2013 Achievers awards from Kath Wallace (centre) and David Livingstone of Batleys, and SWA executive director Kate Salmon.

According to Kath, each of the candidates nominated for the award did themselves proud. There were only seven points separating the top six – and that was out of a total maximum score of 300 – which shows just how close it was.

Not only did the suppliers receive well-deserved recognition for their commitment to the Scottish wholesale industry, but Batleys also benefited from its participation – so much so that it is going to sponsor the award again this year.

David said: “The judging process was very interesting and, importantly, we found out a little bit more about the guys we work with on a regular basis. We also came away from the interviews with some cracking ideas for our own business which we plan to implement this year.”

Supplier Sales Executive of the Year has generated incredibly stiff competition since it was first introduced two years ago. In order to arrive at a shortlist, the judges seek feedback from a wide range of wholesalers on various issues, including devising joint business plans, understanding and responding to wholesaler goals and strategies, and forging strong relationships with other account personnel.

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OFFICIAL BREW OF ENGLAND

profile

Turning experience into sales IN the face of tough competition and a squeeze on consumer spending, Matthew Clark is working hard not only to please its customers but also to help them achieve increased loyalty and business from consumers.

“Although price is crucial, value and service are important too, and we have spent a lot of time and effort building partnerships with brand owners and wine principals to get the best combination of all these factors,” says Des Gallagher, regional managing director responsible for Scotland. “It is vital that we maintain a solid awareness of our customers’ needs.”

Matthew Clark delivers to over 16,000 on-trade premises in the UK from 14 regional depots. In Scotland, it services customers from a 55,000 sq ft distribution centre in Glasgow and a 15,000 sq ft satellite warehouse in Dundee.

A national accounts team has overall control of accounts like Hilton, Radisson and Starwood Hotels, but day-to-day Below: Customers are demanding excellent service and value, as well as competitive prices.

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

contact with these larger companies is handled in Scotland by wine development manager Liam Dunn.

The wholesaler boasts a 4,000-strong range that incorporates over 1,200 wines, 575 of which are exclusive, including the Oakridge and Terlato agencies. As part of its one-stop-shop approach, it also offers an extensive choice of spirits, beers, soft drinks, RTDs and ciders. “Each category is important to us but wine is our key focus, accounting for a major share of our business,” says Des. “We are proud of our wine portfolio,” he adds. “Wine lists are changed more frequently nowadays and our buyers regularly review the range to ensure it reflects the latest innovations and consumer trends.”

Matthew Clark recognises that its on-trade customers keep up to date with buying habits in the off-trade. “In the off-trade, there is a big opportunity for people to experiment as they can buy a good quality wine for £7-£8 a bottle. The multiples carry a huge range and are making different styles more accessible by running powerful promotions and adopting creative marketing and

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principals were impressed by how knowledgeable our guests were,” says Des. Matthew Clark is endeavouring to support its customers in a variety of other ways, such as hospitality training through an exclusive partnership with FLOW and labour scheduling via S4 Labour. “This is a dynamic management tool geared to assist customers in providing a great service whilst keeping costs within budget,” Des explains.

The company places equal emphasis on the training of its own staff. A mix of on-the-job experience and a structured personal development programme is designed to cultivate a high level of knowledge and skills across the Above: Wine is Matthew Clark’s key focus, accounting for a major share of sales.

TEENAGE TRAINEE TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR merchandising techniques. We encourage our customers to experiment with different grape varieties and ‘wine by the glass‘ options so that they have the right balance of wine styles and price points to retain existing consumers and attract new ones,” says Des. In June 2012 Matthew Clark launched a drinks agency division, Catalyst Brands, which operates in both the on and off-trade. Headed by former group marketing director Gary Squire, Catalyst has already secured a number of agencies such as Gruppo Campari, Greenalls Gin and Herrljunga cider.

Des views Catalyst as complementary to Matthew Clark’s core business. “It is an extremely important part of the Group’s plan to build a compelling range of products that offer the trade a terrific combination of quality and value.”

Matthew Clark is committed to giving its customers excellent back-up. This includes bespoke point-of-sale and promotional merchandise developed by its in-house media centre, advice on drinks lists, and themed promotions linked to the rich and varied calendar of events in Scotland, from the Six Nations to the Edinburgh Festival.

It also holds a series of annual wine tastings across the UK. This year its Scottish tasting took place in March at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh and attracted more than 400 existing and prospective customers. “We were delighted with the feedback from our customers, and our wine

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

Since starting his career at 17 years old as a trainee manager with wholesaler and beer & cider bottler Dunn & Moore, Des Gallagher has seen considerable change within the drinks industry. He worked in a variety of management roles for his first employer as the family business evolved through acquisition and innovation.

One of its acquisitions was Strathmore Water, which was built into a national brand before being sold to Matthew Clark in the early ’90s. Then in 1994 Matthew Clark bought Dunn & Moore itself, and Des moved across as regional manager.

“I really enjoy being part of the drinks industry,” says Des, who was promoted to his current post of regional managing director eight years ago.“Working with my team, I like the challenge of developing the business to match the changing needs of customers, consumers and the economy. Our range of added-value services is a good example of how we are trying to support our customers in a difficult economic climate.”

Des is president of The Scottish Licensed Trade Benevolent Society (better known as the Ben). He is a wine enthusiast and is also partial to the occasional pint of Guinness.

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workforce. The sales team and telesales staff have all attained qualifications from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. They are further equipped with an online toolkit that brings together the latest market data, the entire product range and current promotions to help customers decide what’s right for their business.

The company’s strategy of engendering loyalty seems to be paying off: it now has a turnover of £700 million, of which the Scottish operation contributes over £70 million.

“The scale of the business is important to maximise the value we can offer, but we will always strive to work on a very personal basis with customers.”

It is clear that complacency has no place within Matthew Clark. Des says: “Our 200 years’ experience in the on-trade has taught us a lot, but the one thing we never forget is that our customers have a choice.”

•

Above: Matthew Clark delivers to over 16,000 on-trade premises in the UK from 14 regional depots.

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lobbying & legislation

The burden of regulation

by Scott Brady LLB MBA, independent adviser to the SWA bur-den noun A load, a heavy one reg-u-la-tion noun A rule or directive made by an authority SUCCESS in business is normally judged by more customers, happier customers, increased margins and taking on more employees. Quite correctly, of course, these are the things we want to celebrate. Then the law comes along. The complicated lawyer’s language, the serious looking inspector, and the great and the good found in the Scottish courts system.

Why is it that, as confident, well-educated and personable managers and business leaders, we suddenly feel disadvantaged when someone wants to discuss legal responsibilities for trading areas such as alcohol promotions, licensing hours, tobacco displays, health and safety laws, food labelling, and traceability regulations?

It is not because we don’t get it or because somehow the understanding is beyond us. It’s the threat of being punished for what the government sees as a crime and how we deal with this worrisome burden of committing an offence. It’s also the concern over fines, penalties and legal costs. It’s the damage to our personal and company reputation and brand that worries us too.

As professional business women and men, we are well able to deal with the arguments put to us every day about the need to constrain commerce because of research showing that we should look at the impact of our products and business activities on the community we serve. The point at which we struggle to deal with these demands is simply when our elected politicians are so convinced of a pressing need that they decide to create new criminal offences, extra civil penalties and punishment in the courts when we have not complied.

There is a myth that a business must be really uncompassionate, reckless or irresponsible when it finds

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itself in trouble with the law because an offence has been spotted. The truth is simpler: a single breach is enough for the shop police (not Her Majesty’s Constabulary) to take action. It would be careless to think that repeated offences are the only thing that leads to falling foul of the law. There is no law that I have seen recently that reads ‘Only proceed to punishment where every other method has failed’. More directly, government guidance will state, ‘These are criminal offences’; a breach at any time will be a breach.

VALUABLE ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS Monthly legislative review In November 2012, the SWA launched a monthly legislative review covering key legal challenges to the trade. Compiled by Scott Brady, the review is designed to notify members of relevant new laws coming into force.

The review also aids SWA members in scanning the legal horizon for possible future legislation and bills.

An active role in Scotland and Europe The SWA contributed to discussions on the creation of a new independent food body to replace the Food Standards Agency Scotland. It also attended – as a business observer – the SNP’s 78th annual conference in Perth in October 2012.

The Association provided information to the trade on the Scottish Government’s proposals on minimum unit pricing on alcohol. It also regularly attends meetings of the Scottish Government’s Alcohol Industry Partnership.

The SWA will continue to take an active role on behalf of its members at a European level. One of the main issues in the coming year is the European Commission's proposals on tobacco products.

Help with legal compliance Scott Brady continues to help SWA members on various issues relating to legal compliance. Companies that have benefited include AB InBev, Batleys, Booker, JB Foods, Sutherland Brothers and William Yule and Son.

lobbying & legislation

GUIDANCE ON THE TOBACCO DISPLAY LAWS Earlier this year, the Scottish Wholesale Association, in partnership with the Scottish Grocers’ Federation and tobacco manufacturers, produced a free guide on the tobacco display ban, Fingertip Guide to the New Tobacco Display Laws.

Designed to help independent retailers and wholesalers comply with the changes to tobacco display requirements included in the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010, the guide is supported by Imperial Tobacco, JTI and BAT. The SWA also liaised with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors about the content of the brochure, which was written by SWA consultant Scott Brady with support from the stakeholders’ legal counsel.

Scott made an important presentation to the Scottish Government, resulting in endorsement of the publication by those in power. “We are particularly pleased about this acknowledgement because it is crucial that Holyrood recognises that

Our message continues to be: ‘Can this please stop?’ It is in our declared interest to live and trade in a sustainable world, with healthy shoppers who trust their traders to get it right by trading responsibly. We are, after all, central to our communities. When will the punishment stop? It will stop when our politicians have regard to our ‘diligence’ when being persuaded by campaigners to create extra trading crimes.

Most of us use the phrase ‘due diligence’ – our right not to be convicted of an offence we have taken all reasonable care to avoid committing. Politicians, in making the law of the land, rarely rely on this as the best means of securing compliance. They want to be strict with us when we are

we have the best interests of Scotland’s wholesalers and independent retailers at heart,” says SWA executive director Kate Salmon.

An iPhone/iPad app of the guide was introduced earlier this year and is available on the Apple App Store under the name Tobacco Displays Scotland. Scan the QR code opposite to go straight there.

Developed by Knightsbridge App Company, the new SWA app is the only up-to-date version of Fingertip Guide to the New Tobacco Display Laws. Users benefit from the following features:

•

The ability to print, email and bookmark the guide – it has never been easier to provide staff with the information they really need.

• • •

Easy-to-use ‘Notes‘ section.

All of the important legislation and guidance in one place and at your fingertips.

The ability to share the app with others through Twitter, Facebook and email.

The SWA plans to update the app when necessary and will add extra features over time to make complying even easier.

responsible, strict when we are successful, strict when we are in partnership with them, and beyond strict when we occasionally get it wrong.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong, we know, with a nanny state when nanny is taking care to make sure we do the right thing. It is when nanny wants to report us to the regulation police all of the time that we have a democratic right to protest. That’s what trade associations do better than any individual company or organisation.

•

If you have any queries or would like more information, contact Scott Brady, managing director of ecos limited, on (01382) 423286 or (07879) 448404.

scottish wholesale association • 2013

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New roads to success

SALES soared by £5 million to £45 million at Sher Bros’ Glasgow cash & carry last year as the company reacted to a gap in the market by targeting caterers with a much broader offering.

Senior buyer Aftab Mohammed explains: “We increased our catering range by 80% in order to provide an alternative source for caterers in this area. For example, we had been stocking one type of pizza cheese; we increased that to four. We also started selling Middle Eastern food and ventured into the Chinese market.”

The food cash & carry (no alcohol is sold) first opened its doors in 1990. Today the Landmark member has 3,500 registered retail customers and 2,500 caterers. A large non-food range generates 40% of sales, while deliveries account for around 30% and are growing. The Sher operation also includes three more depots in Glasgow – two dealing in clothing, the other in hardware – which together have a turnover of around £30 million.

It hasn’t always been plain sailing for Sher. In 2001, an exploding aerosol hit a light and caused the food warehouse to burn to the ground. It took six months to

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Above: Senior buyer Aftab Mohammed (left) and buyer Hassan Sher with Marian Whinnerah of Boost Drinks. Suppliers are regarded as part of the team and essential to the success of Sher’s business.

get the business back on its feet and a further five years to fully restore its customer base. Then, in 2009/10, the cash & carry suffered from access problems related to Glasgow’s M74 completion project.

Even today, a dispute with a builder has delayed a plan to use the full 100,000 sq ft of the cash & carry – just 55,000 sq ft is currently operational. However, Sher has again shown its resilience, and this year it will renew the flooring and move its burgeoning catering range into the remaining space.

“Although our sales continue to be predominantly retail, our catering business has increased dramatically,” says Aftab, who joined the company 17 years ago. He started part-time on the checkouts, and worked his way up to become floor manager and then a buyer for non-food. His duties now also include the cash & carry website and promotions for Sher’s 120 Lifestyle Express members.

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Aftab works closely with buyer Hassan Sher, whose father Waheed is a director. Along with director Tariq Ali, Waheed is responsible for food buying and the overall control of the operation.

Hassan studied marketing and finance at Strathclyde University before working in the company’s hardware depot and then transferring to the food cash & carry in 2011. “I was born and bred in this business,” he laughs. “I used to come here as a kid and Aftab looked after me while I played.

“Aftab is the first non-family buyer that we have ever retained. He has created his own opportunities and built himself a very good reputation. We are very proud of what he’s achieved. Basically he’s my teacher.”

Hassan explains that, in the early days, the cash & carry specialised in toiletries and cleaning products. “We don’t sell alcohol so we wanted to offer something different. We analysed our competitors’ cash & carries and found that none of them had a comprehensive range of toiletries or cleaning products – they tended to sell only the leading brand and a cheaper alternative. We offer everything in between!”

Hassan adds: “We have never been scared of trying something new. Most of the time it works.”

Below: Sales at the food cash & carry soared by £5 million last year.

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A recent innovation at the cash & carry is the installation of LED aisle ends. “They are different from standard aisle ends,” says Aftab. “We charge an annual fee to suppliers but they definitely think it’s worthwhile – they have all seen a strong uplift in sales.

“We do really well with suppliers,” he continues. “As Mr Sher always says, honesty is the best policy. He has never fallen out with a rep in the 22 years of being in this business, and he has encouraged us to think of reps as part of our team.

“We don’t secondary wholesale. Suppliers give us promotions in good faith and we pass them on to retailers. If we work with them, we will grow together.”

Hassan points to the success of Sher’s trade days, which are well attended by suppliers and customers alike. “A lot of our suppliers want to take part; they are invited whether or not they are promoting on the day. There is always a good buzz about the place, with a great buffet produced by one of our catering customers. At our last trade day, even very senior people like Roger White, chief executive of AG Barr, attended, and we saw that as a mark of respect.”

Also key to the success of Sher’s business is its staff. “We employ 50 people in this cash & carry and they are all fantastic,” says Hassan. “We try to empower them – there is a proper system in place for them to discuss any issues, and their views are heard. Our employees are always

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smiling, which is down to how we treat them. We want to get the best out of them.”

While relaunching the depot with a dedicated catering side and upgrading the external signage are immediate priorities for the business, Sher is also looking to expand its export interests at some point this year.

Hassan says: “We already have a few export customers who buy products such as pet food and Asian spices. We work out their order with them then load the containers.

All of them have approached us, not because of our pricing but because we get to know them as people. We often have dinner together and buy birthday presents for their kids. It’s more than just business for us.”

•

Right: The introduction of LED aisle ends has worked well for Sher.

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“Promo Checker is a user-friendly tool that enables me to monitor competitor activity at the click of a button.

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training & mentoring

Empowering employees TRAINING of staff is crucial to the performance of individual businesses and industry as a whole. On top of that, employees are more likely to feel motivated and valued if employers invest in their personal development.

The SWA’s training programme is specifically geared towards members’ requirements and taps into the expertise of leading suppliers that also recognise the importance of a highly skilled and stimulated workforce.

Sandie Holmes of 121 HR Solutions, which manages the service on behalf of the Association, comments: “SWA members are being offered training that is expressly designed for them, and because it is heavily subsidised it represents great value for money.”

Events during the past year have included Selling & Negotiation Skills, facilitated by Diageo; Employment Law Update (Dundas & Wilson); Presenting Masterclass (Mars Chocolate); and Customer Care for Drivers (AG Barr).

Because places on the drivers course were limited to six delegates, it was repeated four times.

WHOLESALERS’ VIEWS Employment Law Update Dundas and Wilson, January 2013 “Informative, factual and at times terrifying, particularly the variable attached to different social media platforms.

It is very clear what we need to do – get a robust policy in place!”

Simon Hannah, Filshill “Valuable for all employers!”

Gordon White, Wine Importers Selling & Negotiation Skills Diageo, October 2012 “The content and presentation worked well for me, with information to take away from the workshop.”

Roy Meikle, Booker “A great deal of useful information.”

Gerry Davies, Forteith Foodservice

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121 also runs workshops every month and these have proved popular with SWA members. For example, Batleys sent eight people to Effective Appraisal Discussions and a further nine people to Team Dynamics.

As well as Batleys, a variety of wholesalers – from large multi-nationals to small owner-operators – have taken advantage of SWA courses in recent months. They include Booker, Dunns Food & Drinks, Filshill, Forteith Foodservice, JB Foods, United Wholesale (Scotland) and Wine Importers.

“We have been pleased to welcome a lot of new faces at the workshops,” says Sandie. “SWA members increasingly understand the worth of the training we provide, and the feedback is always very positive.”

She adds: “As always, if wholesalers have any particular training needs, please get in touch; similarly, we are keen to involve any suppliers that are willing to share their knowledge and experience and, at the same time, get closer to their customers.”

Sessions planned for the coming year include Selling Skills, focusing on telesales and sponsored by Tennent’s; Negotiation Skills, which will be hosted by Diageo and concentrate on face-to-face meetings; and Performance Management, which will be delivered by 121 especially for SWA members.

In addition to training courses, SWA members have access to a wide range of professional human resources support at minimum cost. Consultants from 121 have worked with the Association for over a decade, saving wholesalers substantial time and money.

training & mentoring

Expert advice is available whenever an issue crops up via the Live Chat facility at www.121hrsolutions.co.uk, which is manned during business hours and gives users a transcript of every call for reference.

When managing staff, wholesalers need not worry if their action is correct or compliant as they will be guided through tricky, potentially litigious action without fear of falling foul of employment law.

Here are just two examples of 121’s support of SWA members. In each case, it could have potentially cost the wholesalers substantial legal fees but was instead provided as part of SWA membership.

Absence 121 assisted in managing a long-term absent employee claiming work-related stress. It helped with a letter inviting the employee to a welfare meeting to discuss the nature of the absence, briefing notes to manage the meeting, documentation to request a medical, and a letter to the employee explaining the legal process.

MENTORING PROGRAMME NURTURES TALENT The SWA’s Mentoring Programme, which is being supervised by 121 HR Solutions, has got off to a great start.

Four mentees – each endorsed by his/her manager – have begun a 12-month period of mentoring to help them develop their skills and knowledge and to encourage them out of their comfort zones.

The mentees are ambitious and talented individuals from Booker, Filshill, Forteith Foodservice and United Wholesale (Scotland).

One of these is Stuart Harrison (right), senior grocery buyer at Filshill, who explained why he wanted to be mentored: “As a buyer I have gained my experience by listening to and watching my colleagues. I always try to pick out the best practices and adopt them as my own. However, I do realise I still have much to learn, and I think that getting

121’s involvement enabled the SWA member to manage the process confidently and swiftly and it ultimately resulted in the employee resigning. Advice was also given around the conduct of an exit interview in order to ensure that no risk existed for the employer if the employee later claimed constructive dismissal or discrimination.

Dismissal Another SWA member sought advice on the disciplinary of an employee who had attended work under the influence of alcohol. This wholesaler did not have an alcohol at work policy in its handbook and 121 provided the company with a policy and accompanying guidance.

121 helped with the subsequent disciplinary, resulting in a summary dismissal. Further assistance was given to the organisation’s managing director who had the unenviable task of conducting the appeal process.

•

This is only a snapshot of the service that 121 gives to SWA members. For further information, call Cate or Sandie on (01382) 370878 or email train.swa@btconnect.com.

external support will prove to be beneficial in my aim to push our business forward.

“Also, because my whole career has been spent working at Filshill, I feel it is important to gain some experience from an individual with knowledge in the wider corporate world.”

The SWA’s Mentoring Programme began with a workshop aimed at self analysis and goal setting. This ensured that the mentees were ready to make the most of their first mentoring session. Since then all of them have had at least one meeting with their appointed mentor and identified development needs and supportive actions.

Over the year, meetings will take place both on and off site to allow the mentees to be observed in their workplace and also to ensure that some discussions are held free of work-related distractions.

After completion of the mentoring process, the mentees will have the opportunity to work towards a professional qualification through the SWA.

scottish wholesale association • 2013

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More resource for wholesale TAYLORS of Harrogate’s share of the standard tea category in Scotland has grown from 2.7% to 3.2% in the past year. Although that is eclipsed by its strength in England and Wales (up from 13.8% to 15.1%), the supplier is encouraged by its progress.

“The total tea market is in marginal decline and we are the only key player in growth – our value sales are increasing by 6.8% year on year,” says John Sutcliffe, out-of-home and convenience controller. “Last year we improved our distribution in cash & carry/wholesale from 70% to 80%, partly as a result of gaining a national listing with Booker.”

According to John, price-marking has been an important factor in the company’s success. “It has really helped us in independents and symbol groups. We now have listings with all the retail groups except Premier, and we hope to crack that this year.”

A family-owned business, Taylors is promoting a core range to C&C/wholesalers: 40s and 80s for retail and 480s and 1200s for catering. For out-of-home, it has enveloped bags in 200s and naked string-and-tag bags in 100s. Other key SKUs are Yorkshire Tea Decaffeinated, 80s, Yorkshire Gold, 40s, and Yorkshire Tea for Hard Water, also 40s.

Taylors will work with ScotServe at some point this year on a tactical project with 500 retail stores across the central belt. Stock will be pulled from Bellevue and Filshill, and the activity will be followed with direct mail and couponing.

Above:

New TV ads with the tagline ‘Let’s Have a Proper Brew’ and featuring staff from Taylors were shown earlier this year and are back on air in June and November. Further support includes a “huge push” in social media. “We have such a loyal following that it makes sense to interact with our customers through Facebook and Twitter,” says John.

Yorkshire Tea is now the official brew of the England cricket team and has appointed Michael Vaughan as brand ambassador. Meanwhile, Little Urn, a converted ice cream van with ‘Tea for Two’ as its jingle, is appearing at various venues, including cash & carries, throughout the UK.

John Sutcliffe serves Yorkshire Tea from ‘Little Urn’.

Below: Price-marking has been an important factor in the company’s growth through independents and symbol groups.

In the speciality tea sector, Taylors is concentrating on five lines: Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Peppermint, Chamomile and Green Tea, which are available in packs of 20, 50 and 100 sachets. A national account manager, Natalie Cross, has been appointed to focus on foodservice, and, once again, Taylors is sponsoring the Achievers category of Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice.

Taylors Coffee, which grew by 17.5% last year and is No.1 in the roast & ground coffee sector, is being relaunched in branded cash & carry outers (6 x 227g) for its three key blends: Rich Italian, Lazy Sunday and Decaffé.

John concludes: “By allocating more resource to cash & carry/wholesale, we hope to boost sales with existing customers and win new accounts in the coming year.”

•

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

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employment law

A re-balance of rights

by Finlay McKay (right), partner, employment at Dundas & Wilson IT seems that the pace of employment law reform continues unabated. This year we have moved from consultation for various reforms to implementation, principally through the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013.

Overall the thrust of the government’s changes is to re-balance rights to make employment law more user-friendly from the employer’s perspective. There is also a growing recognition that small and medium enterprises that do not have access to large HR departments have different needs and may require additional support and guidance.

Which changes will have the greatest impact on the wholesale sector?

For the first time claimants will be charged to raise an employment tribunal claim. It’s too early to tell how great an impact this will have on claimants, but it is widely expected to discourage claims being brought in the first place. The fact that a payment is due prior to a tribunal hearing is likely to have an impact on settlement behaviour. Although there is a remissions system designed to help those on low incomes, the thresholds are relatively low. As it stands, individuals with a gross Below:

salary of little over £13,000 will be required to contribute to their tribunal claim.

Also of interest to SME employers is the idea of confidential settlement offers, where an employer can offer an employee a package to leave without fear that the employee will raise a claim for constructive dismissal. As ever with employment law the fine print poses a number of questions and so clarity may depend upon guidance from tribunals. From an SME perspective, the ACAS Code of Practice, guidance, model letters and draft compromise agreement will be helpful.

Changes which have already been implemented Spring 2013 – increase in parental leave With effect from 8 March 2013, eligible employees are now entitled to take 18 weeks’ unpaid parental leave per child. This is an increase from the previous entitlement of 13 weeks. This statutory entitlement remains limited to a period of four weeks’ unpaid leave per year even if an employee has multiple dependants.

April 2013 – reduction in collective redundancy periods From April 2013, the minimum consultation period has been reduced from 90 days to 45 days where the redundancy process affects 100 employees or more. This is intended to condense what many have viewed as an unnecessarily long period. The minimum period of 30 days which applied to dismissals of between 20-99 employees remains unchanged.

Eligible employees can take 18 weeks’ unpaid parental leave per child.

Image: TCJ2020/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fixed-term contracts The expiry of a fixed-term contract will be expressly excluded from triggering the collective consultation rules.

Therefore, employers do not need to count an employee whose fixed-term contract is due to expire in collective consultancy procedures. However if the redundancy consultation takes place before the expiry of the contract the fixed-term employee should be included. The exclusion is narrowly defined and only applies to the natural expiry of the contract.

Looking ahead – changes planned for summer 2013 Unfair dismissal compensation The government is very keen to try to manage expectations around the true value of compensation

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scottish wholesale association • 2013

employment law

which claimants can recover in a tribunal claim. As such it has decided to limit the maximum amount that an employee can receive for unfair dismissal to the lower end of the statutory cap (currently £74,200) or one year of earnings.

in the knowledge that the discussion will not later be admissible in court.

In other words they plan to extend the scope of ‘without prejudice’ conversations to cover situations where there is no prior dispute.

Whistleblowing The government is proposing a number of changes to the protection afforded to whistleblowers to come into effect in summer 2013. This will enable whistleblowers to make a claim based on their treatment by a co-worker as a result of blowing the whistle. Employers should therefore inform employees that they should not treat colleagues any differently for reporting any concerns to management.

This option is limited in scope and will not apply to claims for discrimination or breach of contract, or where there is evidence of improper behaviour on behalf of the employer. These limitations mean that, in practice, employers will still have to act with caution before proceeding to have these discussions, but at least now there is a statutory footing for making an offer to leave.

At the moment a worker can seek protection under the whistleblowing legislation for reporting a concern arising over a breach of their own contract of employment. The idea behind the whistleblowing legislation was to enable people to come forward to report breaches which are in the public interest. Therefore the government will amend the legislation to explain that the disclosure must be in the public interest.

As a means of counterbalancing this new public interest requirement, it also plans to remove the requirement that a disclosure should be made in good faith although the tribunal will be able to reduce compensation by up to 25% if a qualifying disclosure was not made in good faith.

Settlement offers and settlement agreements After this summer, compromise agreements will be renamed ‘settlement agreements’ on the basis that some respondents to the consultation complained that they did not like the phrase ‘compromise agreement’ as they didn’t want to be seen to be compromising their position!

The government wants to extend the use of compromise agreements and has come up with several ways of achieving this. It wants to give employers greater certainty that they can make an offer to an employee to exit the business, safe in the knowledge that if the employee rejects it and wishes to stay, then this would not give the employee grounds for a claim for constructive dismissal.

Settlement offers are designed to give employers greater flexibility to enter pre-termination settlement discussions

The government has also asked ACAS to produce a Code of Practice providing some helpful pointers for employers on what amounts to improper conduct and confidentiality. ACAS also plans to produce additional step-by-step guidance on what the process would look like. It has also provided a template settlement agreement and model letters. Breach of the statutory Code will not in itself give rise to a claim but may be taken into account by a tribunal in evidence.

Tribunal fees From summer 2013 a new fees regime is to be introduced in the employment tribunals. Claimants will be required to pay two fees: an issue fee on submitting the claim and a hearing fee around four to six weeks before the full tribunal hearing. Claims will be categorised and different fees will apply depending on the category of the claim.

Type A claims will include breach of contract, wages claims, holiday pay, redundancy pay, and some rights to time off. Type B claims will cover the majority of claims and include unfair dismissal, detriment, and discrimination.

The government is currently consulting over the

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL FEES Issue fee

Hearing fee

Type A claims

£160

£250

Type B claims

£230

£950

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scope of the remissions system, where claimants on low income will receive either a contribution towards the fee or a full rebate.

September 2013 – employee shareholder contracts Employee shareholder contracts have been the subject of various disagreements between the Lords and the Commons over the last few months. In April, Parliament approved the final wording of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act, which contains the provisions setting out how the new employment status will work in practice.

A number of new counterbalancing measures were introduced prior to final assent. The new contracts, which enable employees to sign away employment rights in return for shares, will now require the employee to take independent advice (along the same lines as a compromise agreement) before they are valid. Employers will be required to pay for the legal costs of this advice.

In addition there will be a seven-day ‘cooling off’ period after contracts are issued where an employee can change their mind. A written statement should be provided to the employee setting out the details of the shares and the rights they carry. To address concerns that there could be pressure placed on existing employees to convert to shareholder status, existing employees will be protected from detriment if they refuse to switch to an employeeshareholder contract. The new rights are due to come into force in autumn 2013.

October 2013 – TUPE changes The government has also announced reforms to the TUPE Regulations 2006. The most significant change is the potential repeal of the service provision change (SPC) provisions, which apply to the outsourcing of service contracts. The government believes that the SPC provisions amount to gold plating, and wants to strip the regulations back to be more closely aligned with the European Directive.

Other key reforms to TUPE include: removing the need for the transferor to provide employee liability information to the transferee amending the wording so that a change in location amounts to ‘changes in the workforce’ making it easier for the transferee to make changes to terms and conditions allowing the transferee to consult on collective redundancies with employees who would transfer before the transfer takes place.

• • • •

The consultation on these proposals closed in April. We expect to see these changes come into force around October 2013, although a longer lead-in time may be included for the SPC provisions to assist parties in managing outsourcing agreements and exit arrangements.

•

To obtain further information or legal advice, contact Finlay McKay at Dundas & Wilson on (01224) 444122 or log on to www.dundas-wilson.com.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2014

• •

Prospective claimants will need to make a request for early conciliation before issuing certain proceedings in the employment tribunal. ACAS recently announced that this process is to be introduced in April 2014.

Tribunals are to be given the power to impose a financial penalty on employers who lose at tribunal of 50% of any financial award, with a minimum threshold of £100 and a maximum cap of £5,000.The levy of a financial penalty will be at the tribunal’s discretion; it will not be automatic.

• •

Flexible working rights will be extended to all employees with 26 weeks’ service, rather than just those employees who qualify as parents or carers.

A new service will offer free occupational health expertise to employers, employees and GPs including an independent assessment of employees who have been off sick for four weeks. This will be funded by the abolition of the Percentage Threshold Scheme which currently provides compensation for those facing high levels of sickness absence.

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Sugro UK Whitewell House 69 Crewe Road Nantwich Cheshire CW5 6HX. Telephone: 01270 628728 Fax: 01270 623069 For more information visit our website: www.sugro.co.uk

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Wholesaler profiles 3663 established 1999 3663 is one of the UK’s largest foodservice wholesale distributors and has three depots in Scotland: a 91,000 sq ft state-of-the-art unit at Newbridge, Edinburgh; a 25,000 sq ft frozen and fresh depot at Larbert utilised as a frozen hub for the Edinburgh branch; and a shared facility with Inverness Farmers which operates as a separate business and services the area from Skye to Nairn and up to Wick. 3663 also added Oban-based Forteith Foodservice to its portfolio of companies in 2012.

as its own-brand draught soft drinks. It delivers to around 3,000 pubs, clubs, hotels and caterers throughout central Scotland.

Allson Wholesale has evolved from being a general wholesaler into a company that also supplies a wide range of sales and marketing solutions. It plans to extend relationships with its trading partners and brand owners, and help them to increase their market share in the Scottish independent on-trade.

BATLEYS Part of the international Bidvest Group, 3663 services around 3,000 accounts in Scotland, such as schools, hospitals, hotels, pubs and restaurants. Customers can choose from 9,000 foodservice lines, including grocery, frozen, fresh and speciality foods, plus beverages, cleaning products, disposables and catering equipment, which are available for next-day delivery. 3663 provides a full selection of wines, beers and spirits through dedicated wine specialists ViVAS, and it also offers local Scottish produce and a recently improved fresh meat range.

The wholesaler continues to drive forward managing director Scotland the provision of healthy product choices, & North, Norman Wemyss supported with fact-based advice and nutritional information. It is also developing its service and product ranges in line with customers’ focus on provenance and their demand for more locally sourced foods.

Above:

In Edinburgh and Glasgow, 3663 offers a service called City Express. This enables new customers to receive guaranteed morning deliveries with no minimum spend.

In the 2013 Achievers awards, 3663 Edinburgh won Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice.

Batleys has invested around £1 million in improving the acquired cash & carries, relaying the wines & spirits departments and upgrading the racking, lighting and refrigeration. All of the depots, except Stirling which is retail-focused, now offer butchery and fresh fruit & veg.

Last year, the company rebranded Bellevue’s Drinks Direct operation as Drinks Express and rolled it out across the whole of Scotland and also into England and Wales. The division makes deliveries to the foodservice industry, particularly restaurants, clubs and bars. It currently has over 1,000 customers in Scotland and carries a range of more than 5,000 products.

Batleys also relaunched CJ Lang’s delivered foodservice arm as Batleys Foodservice. It now operates from Glasgow, Newbridge, Newcastle and Cleveland, as well as the original sites at Aberdeen and Perth. In the past year, the division, which offers 18,000 lines and utilises 25 vehicles, has won multi-million pound contracts in both Scotland and North East England.

ALLSON WHOLESALE

Batleys has a dedicated Scottish office at its Bellevue branch.

David Livingstone looks after cash & carry, while Frank Fraser is responsible for Batleys Foodservice and Drinks Express. Both report to Martin Race, operations director for the whole of the UK. The Scottish head office team is completed by Gerry Fraser, who negotiates the Scottish version of national promotions and Xtra Local retail deals, and Steve Irons, who manages Batleys Foodservice’s Scottish contracts.

established 1984 Allson Wholesale is an independent wholesaler to the licensed trade with a turnover of £30 million and 60 staff, including 12 field sales representatives.

In Scotland, over 200 retailers participate in the Xtra Local retail club, while the Best-one symbol group has more than 80 members.

Based in Buckhaven, Fife, the company sells branded beers, ciders, wines, spirits, soft drinks, snacks and confectionery, as well

Batleys’ Scottish operation generates more than 10% of the company’s £700 million turnover and employs 400 staff.

ALFA WHOLESALE LTD established 1982 see page 14

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established 1958 Batleys has seven branches in Scotland following its acquisition in 2010 of the two Bellevue cash & carries in Edinburgh and Stirling and the three Martex depots in Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth.

They joined the existing Batleys branches at Newbridge and Cambuslang.

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Cash & carry, foodservice and Drinks Express are all growing in line with expectations, and Batleys is looking to increase its market share.

ingredients and food-to-go items; and Pauleys offers fresh and prepared fruit and vegetables. In addition, Wild Harvest provides fine food from around the world, while Prime Meats offers speciality butchery products.

BOOKER

Turnover in Scotland is split equally between independent caterers and contract clients. Deliveries are made from five sites: a 45,000 sq ft depot at Uddingston; a 60,000 sq ft warehouse at Motherwell Food Park, Bellshill; a 55,000 sq ft depot at Dundee; a 40,000 sq ft warehouse at Inverness; and a 25,000 sq ft depot at Glasgow. All sites are fully accredited to ISO 14001 standards.

established 1957 Booker is the largest cash & carry operator in Scotland, with 22 branches and more than 1,000 employees, headed by regional director Pat Foy. The wholesaler lists over 18,000 lines, covering grocery, fresh & frozen foods, alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco and non-food items.

Growth areas include fresh meat and fruit & vegetables, and the company has fully trained butchers and greengrocers in store to deliver exceptional customer service for customers. Category manager Stephen Clinton is responsible for Scottish-specific products and promotions.

The company has rolled out the ‘Extra’ programme in its cash & carries, with 18 of the 22 in Scotland now converted. To meet customer demand, 20 of the branches open seven days a week.

It has also put significant investment into its fresh portfolio of meat, produce and chilled foods, and continues to invest in its delivery fleet of 17.5-tonne vehicles, which all offer chilled facilities.

Booker claims an 18% share of the Scottish wholesale market. Of its customers in Scotland, there are 7,000 retailers, 30,000 caterers and 6,000 other types of business. The catering base includes 6,000 fast-food outlets, 5,000 bed-and-breakfast and small hotel operators, and 3,000 pubs.

Booker Scotland has focused on developing Premier to become the No.1 symbol group – there are now over 300 Premier retailers north of the border. The Premier promotional package features 10 Scottish-specific consumer deals that change every four weeks.

Booker is committed to improving choice, lowering prices and enhancing its service for all customers.

BRAKES established 1958 As the leading supplier to the foodservice sector in the UK, Brakes offers more than 20,000 products, including grocery, frozen and chilled food, non-food and equipment.

Some businesses within the Brakes Group retain separate identities due to the specialised nature of their customers and markets. M&J Seafood delivers quality seafood; Country Choice supplies frozen/chilled bakery products, sandwich fillings, salad

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The wholesaler offers caterers various ancillary services, such as online menu design, online ordering, nutritional advice and support, guidance on themed events and potential inclusion to promotions and benefits through the Nectar loyalty scheme.

Above: Brakes has renewed its partnership with sales director, independent Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland for the division, Arlene Bonomi coming two years and it continues to sponsor the Federation of Chefs Scotland. Dedicated to recognising and rewarding the talent of young chefs, it also invests heavily in the development of its annual Student Team Chef Challenge.

Brakes Group turnover is £2.2 billion, with the Scottish operation accounting for over 10% of its UK business. The company employs over 7,000 people in the UK, including more than 600 in Scotland.

CJ LANG AND SON LTD incorporated in 1934 CJ Lang, which first started trading in Dundee in 1919, is Scotland’s largest independent wholesaler. It employs over 2,000 staff across the country, with more than 400 based at its head office and distribution centre in Dundee.

The company owns and operates the SPAR fascia in Scotland, and SPAR Scotland is the largest symbol group north of the Border. CJ Lang supplies goods and services to over 300 stores, including 115 which are company owned.

A package of incentives has been developed to encourage independent retailers to join the SPAR Scotland group. This includes up to £20,000 per store to help with conversion, free store refit project management and a full merchandising service.

Bespoke advertising support worth £2,500 is provided to launch new stores, and the retailers can also participate in the new store

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induction scheme and fresh food sales project. In addition, new recruits receive free membership in year one, as well as free training.

Each branch operates its own butchery, bakery, service deli, produce and food court, together with an optician, a photo lab and a tyre fitting facility.

The stores are serviced by the largest Scottish-based sales team within the symbol sector. SPAR’s ground-breaking sales plan for 2013/14 includes heavyweight national TV advertising, themed events, and free leaflets and distribution. Stores can also take advantage of the group’s successful value initiatives, such as £1 pricing and Real Deal promotions.

Paid membership is available to businesses and specific professional employment groups. Worldwide, the company has in excess of 161,000 employees and a turnover of approximately US$81 billion, trading out of 626 warehouse clubs in 10 countries.

An enhanced terms package is now available for existing and new members. This includes lower cost prices and additional margin opportunities through overriders on all purchases (excluding tobacco products).

In the 2013 Achievers awards, CJ Lang was crowned Champion of Champions and also won Best Symbol Group and Best Delivered Operation – Retail.

COSTCO WHOLESALE UK LTD established 1992 The first membership cash & carry warehouse club, Price Club, was founded in San Diego, California, in 1976. Seven years later, Costco Wholesale was established in Seattle, USA. Costco Wholesale merged with Price Club in 1983 and came to the UK in 1992.

The UK operation – now wholly owned by Costco Inc – encompasses 24 warehouse clubs, three of which are in Scotland: at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Above:

Out of its Aberdeen warehouse, Costco provides a delivery service for trade-only members in recognition of the significant distance many travel to the branch. There are no plans to offer delivery from any other Costco warehouse.

Earlier this year, Costco UK launched an online service for the general public. Those shopping online can choose from a wide variety of products in more categories than are available in the branches. However, unlike the company’s Trade and Individual members, they will not be able to visit the stores.

DUNNS FOOD & DRINKS LTD established 2001 Delivered wholesaler Dunns Food & Drinks operates from a 70,000 sq ft depot in Blantyre and services over 2,000 customers with a range of 3,000 products, including a newly-added portfolio of wine.

The privately-owned company provides a one-stop shop for the licensed and foodservice sectors in Scotland and its operations include manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and sales.

Dunns is also the largest and oldest independent drinks dispense company in Scotland. Its foodservice division, historically known as Duncans Food Service, now operates under the Dunns Food & Drinks name.

With a turnover of nearly £21 million and 96 employees, Dunns has created a business strategy to take it to 2015. The main aspects of this strategy are to improve effectiveness and achieve a £25 million turnover.

Recent developments include the installation of a new computer system worth £100,000. This will allow easier processing of orders and improve customer service.

managing director Steve Pappas

Refurbishment of the warehouse and offices is on the cards at a cost of approximately £190,000. Newly branded trucks will see additional investment of around £560,000. A further £20,000 will be spent on staff training and development over the next two years. This will include specific training on wine for all employees.

Costco sells a wide range of top brand goods, covering ambient, chilled and frozen food categories, as well as an extensive choice of non-foods, from computers and office supplies to furniture, power tools and TV/audio equipment. The company also has its own Kirkland Signature private label portfolio and the products are guaranteed to offer better quality than named brands.

Currie’s Red Kola, Dunns’ flagship soft drink, is benefiting from a £300,000 marketing campaign over two years. A trial in 16 ASDA stores has resulted in a national listing in Scotland.

All three Costco warehouses in Scotland – their staff, members and suppliers – made another major contribution to the company’s chosen charity, Children in Need, during 2012. Over the last 13 years, Costco UK has raised around £5.2 million for this excellent cause.

Dunns recently refreshed its company logo to include the Saltire and the strapline ‘Delivering Excellence’.

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FÁILTE FOOD SERVICE established 2004 Independent wholesaler Fáilte Food Service is based at a 58,000 sq ft warehouse and offices at Glasgow’s fruit & vegetable market in Blochairn.

The wholesaler prides itself on the range of local produce it offers.

This includes Argyll wild venison, pork, hill lamb, beef and freerange eggs, biscuits from Island Bakery Organics, Soaves ice cream, and local ales from Oban, Mull and Colonsay.

It sells a wide range of chilled and frozen foods, groceries, confectionery, soft drinks and non-foods to sandwich bars, fast-food outlets, burger vans and other mobile caterers. New products are listed daily.

Forteith has been working closely with Scotland Food & Drink and local producers to improve the marketing, distribution and availability of local produce. In the last few years, the wholesaler has listed numerous local and Scottish suppliers as a result of this initiative. It intends to continue developing products and services that best fit the west coast of Scotland. Much of the produce is processed on site at its own butchery cutting plant.

The wholesaler has around 2,500 customers, mainly in Scotland, although it also delivers once a week to England. Deliveries account for 80% of its sales, cash & carry/collection the remainder. Every day, the company’s 18 multi-temperature trucks go out at 4am and are back by early afternoon.

The company’s links with the local community are reinforced by its sponsorship of the world stone skimming championships, which take place every year on Easdale Island, near Oban. It runs the award-winning West Highlands & Islands trade show – one of the largest food and drink exhibitions in Scotland. It also recently launched the Lochaber Food & Drink trade show in Fort William.

A Today’s Group member, Fáilte Food Service employs 50 staff and in the past year it has increased its turnover by over £1 million to around £14 million. It also gained the BRC Global Standards certificate for Storage and Distribution.

The wholesaler has made good progress, despite the challenging times. It puts this down to a focus on core competencies of service, quality and range and on understanding its unique market place and offering added-value solutions to its customers.

Earlier this year, the company took over a fruit & vegetable business which it relaunched as Fáilte Produce.

In April this year, Forteith was accredited with BRC Global Standards for Storage and Distribution. Additionally, at the 2013 Achievers awards, it won the Corporate Responsibility Award.

Above: joint managing director Jim Cummiskey

FORTEITH FOODSERVICE (3663 ALBA LTD) established 1955 Forteith Foodservice offers a delivered service to retailers and caterers from a 22,000 sq ft multi-temperature warehouse in Oban. Its customer base extends from Glengarry in the north to Luss and Campbeltown in the south and from Callander in the east to the islands off the west coast.

Forteith was acquired in July 2012 by longstanding partner BFS Group (3663), which is making significant investment in the business to take it to the next level.

The depot is headed by John Forteith and services 1,200 catering accounts, including independent caterers, small groups of hotels, west coast ferry operators CalMac, and Argyll & Bute local authority. It also supplies 300 retailers, 30 of which are Co-op accounts for Ice Cream World.

Using 12 multi-temp vehicles, the company offers a wide range of products, including butchery, ambient, licensed, tobacco, chilled and frozen foods. In total it has access to over 35,000 lines through its links with parent company BFS Group and partners with which it has distribution arrangements. These include Landmark, Delice de France and Cuisine de France.

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FORTH WINES established 1963 Forth Wines was originally set up as a shareholding co-operative buying in bulk and passing on benefits to its shareholders.

After being acquired by Matthew Clark in 2000, the company returned to independent hands in August 2010 when it was bought by a consortium of four executives, including managing director George Thomson and commercial director Ian Cumming.

Marketing itself as Scotland’s leading wine merchant, Forth Wines has a wine list of 1,100 lines and also boasts an extremely comprehensive spirits range. The company has its own wine range under a variety of trade names and it includes single-serve bottles, as well as standard sizes.

Above:

managing director The wholesaler operates from a 70,000 sq ft George Thomson depot – including bonded warehouse – in Milnathort. Over 70% of its turnover is generated in Scotland,

A great portfolio of brands...

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primarily by servicing the on-trade. In England and Wales, it mainly deals with route-to-market customers such as wholesalers and large retailers. Its customer base is split 70:30 independent to contract customers.

Forth Wines has 50 staff, including a nine-strong sales team for Scotland and four key account managers for England and Wales.

The company provides advice on the ideal range of wines to maximise sales in customers’ individual outlets. This is supported by bespoke training or Wine & Spirit Education Trust qualifications to intermediate level. It also offers a tailored wine listing service and monthly promotional activity.

Forth Wines has continued to source outstanding wines from around the world in order to meet the needs of an ever more wine-savvy consumer. Supplying its customers with the right products to meet consumer requirements has seen the development of an increasingly sophisticated portfolio, and the future of the business is underpinned by quality agencies from exceptional producers.

Its objective is to be its customers’ first-choice wine supplier – ‘The Independents’ Independent’ – and it has continued to grow in the last year despite very difficult market conditions. Forth’s wine-led approach provides customers with quality options at every level across its extensive portfolio.

This year, Forth Wines is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Its tasting held in the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh was a fantastic success and introduced some great new wines to the business.

GIZZI CASH & CARRY established 1991 see page 14

GLENCREST LTD established 1996 A family business run by brothers Ross and Fraser Gourlay, Glencrest operates from a 20,000 sq ft depot in Glasgow. The wholesaler delivers soft drinks, confectionery, crisps, snacks, beers, wines and spirits to a 3,000-strong customer base that includes schools, colleges, universities, forecourts, pubs, clubs, restaurants, takeaways and leisure outlets.

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In addition, the wholesaler now offers a range of sales solutions to brand owners, including tactical sales activity, in-store audits & merchandising, trade days and sampling campaigns, and it has already secured some major contracts for 2013.

GORDON & MACPHAIL established 1895 The family owned and managed firm of Gordon & MacPhail is located in Elgin. The iconic retail shop on South Street, where the company was established, still thrives today.

Since those early days the business has grown into one of Scotland’s leading independent whisky specialists through wholesaling, bottling and its own distillery in nearby Forres.

The £21 million turnover company is regarded as the world’s leading malt whisky specialist. Today Gordon & MacPhail bottles over 300 expressions of single malt whisky aged from five to 70 years and vintages from 1936 to more recent times. Its products are Above: enjoyed throughout the UK and in over 50 managing director markets worldwide. In 2013, Gordon & Michael Urquhart MacPhail won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade for the second time (the first in 2009) following a 100% increase in the value of total exports over a three-year period.

The company owns and manages Benromach Distillery in Forres.

Included in the award-winning Benromach range is Benromach 10 Years Old and Benromach Organic – the first bottled single malt to be fully certified organic by the Soil Association. Gordon & MacPhail continues to invest significantly in building the brand in over 35 international markets.

Furthermore, Gordon & MacPhail is one of Scotland’s leading independent wholesalers with a portfolio of over 4,500 lines, including 140 micro-brewed bottled beers, a selection of speciality rums and vodkas, 800 wines, 400 miniatures, a limited range of tobacco and a wide choice of branded ceramic water jugs. Around 60% of wholesale sales are to the off-trade and 40% to the on-trade. The company was named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards in both 2012 and 2013.

The van sales side of the business trades under the name of Confectionery Direct. Using a fleet of five custom-fit vehicles, it provides excellent service levels to its 400 regular customers.

Gordon & MacPhail employs more than 130 staff and is accredited to ISO 9001. Last year it gained Investors in People Bronze status – an award that recognises organisations at the leading edge of best practice.

Last year Glencrest launched a new energy drink, Nae Danger, which has already established itself on the retail scene.

The business is owned and managed by the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family. Michael Urquhart is

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managing director and Stephen Rankin and Neil Urquhart were appointed directors in August 2010. Completing the executive team are non-family directors Ewen Mackintosh (whisky supply) and Norman Ross (finance). Stuart Urquhart and Richard Urquhart have completed their management training and are working in key roles, while Laura Urquhart joined the business earlier this year and is working through a management training programme.

Iain Hill, which is a member of Sugro, operates a successful retail club, with 53 retailers reaping the benefits of membership. The company has also been actively promoting Sugro’s Quidzin £1 initiative, resulting in over 150 customers introducing dedicated Quidzin/£1 zones in their stores.

The privately-owned business has 19 staff and a turnover of £7 million.

HUGHSON BROTHERS established 1923 Hughson Brothers is the trading name of John Tulloch (Shetland Products) Ltd, which was originally founded as a knitwear manufacturer.

The company moved into wholesaling in 1978 with the acquisition of Lerwick firm Hughson Brothers, and in May last year it was bought by its accountant, Robert Boulton, who has invested £150,000 in upgrading the 15,000 sq ft depot with a new roof and warehouse cladding.

Hughson Brothers is involved in cash & carry, delivered wholesaling and ship chandlery and services retailers and caterers throughout Shetland with a wide range of products incorporating ambient, chilled and frozen foods, soft drinks, confectionery, cigarettes, non-foods, wines, beers (including kegs) and spirits. It also has its own butchery department selling fresh and frozen meats.

Above:

For its delivered service it uses five vehicles branded with the company logo and recently updated Today’s logo. A total of 18 of its retail customers are members of Today’s retail club.

director/buyer Carl Cross

Hughson Brothers has 17 staff and a turnover of £7.5 million. It is planning to invest in a new computer system that will allow it to offer online ordering and target customers faster with promotions.

IAIN HILL LTD established 1990 Iain Hill Ltd specialises in the delivery of crisps, snacks, confectionery and soft drinks to independent retailers. It has five 18-tonne trucks to service its 600-strong customer base, which covers Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Ayrshire.

The wholesaler recently relocated to Linwood, Renfrewshire. At 47,000 sq ft, the warehouse, which was an old paper mill, is nearly four times the size of its former depot in Glengarnock, Beith.

IANNOTTI BROTHERS LTD established 1967 Sugro member Iannotti Brothers operates from a 17,000 sq ft depot in Ayr, offering more than 5,000 lines to off-licences, pubs, clubs, licensed grocers, CTNs and mobile shops.

Managing director Roberto Iannotti and his cousin Tony, who is company secretary, hold equal shares in the business, having taken over from their fathers and uncles.

Around 75% of Iannotti Brothers’ business is delivered, the rest cash & carry. The company, which employs 10 staff, has four delivery vehicles. Although it originally focused on sweets, crisps, soft drinks, alcohol and ice cream mixes, it has added a selection of catering products and packaging to target the hot food sectors.

The company delivers Dunn, Barrs and Currie drinks in returnable glass. It also supplies a full range of the drinks in plastic bottles, supplementing this service with goods such as confectionery, to accounts in the KA postcode area and also now in Stranraer.

Over the last year it has embarked on Sugro’s Quidzin programme, which enables retailers to sell a range of products at £1 and at good margins. This has proven to be very successful for Iannotti Brothers as it is all incremental business. Quidzin has also benefited its customers because consumers see that their local store is offering competitive deals and return to shop there.

Iannotti Brothers plans to work more closely with suppliers to offer better local promotions and to increase its Quidzin business by sourcing items which can be sold at £1. It is looking to add products like toilet rolls, kitchen rolls and toiletries to its portfolio to complement its established lines, and it also intends to increase saturation in the on-trade market.

JAMES WILSON (ORKNEY) LTD established 1996 The cash & carry and delivered wholesaler is based at a 20,000 sq ft purpose-built warehouse at Stromness and services retailers and caterers throughout Orkney with a 6,000-strong range of food, soft drinks, alcohol and non-food lines.

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James Wilson commenced trading in 1927 and in 1996 George Kirkpatrick, who has been with the company for 50 years, took it over in a management buyout with his wife Helena.

The company has 20 employees and a turnover of £6.5 million.

Retailers account for two-thirds of the business, caterers the rest.

Of the 60 or so retail customers, 13 have Day-Today fascias and 12 are members of Today’s retail club. Hand-held scanners are used by the 20 customers who order electronically.

The Orkney economy had another tough winter, with consumers not spending as much and the catering and foodservice sectors struggling. New and expanding global supermarkets and discount stores have been detrimental to smaller businesses in Orkney. However, tourism numbers are ever important and with continued media interest in the ongoing archaeological excavations and amazing finds within the Neolithic World Heritage Site at Brodgar, James Wilson remains optimistic.

The wholesaler recently renewed a contract to supply dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt to the local authority in Orkney as well as securing the same deal for general groceries.

James Wilson recently completed the refurbishment of the depot inside and out, giving a fresher, brighter look.

JB FOODS (SCOTLAND) LTD established 1963 JB Foods is one of Scotland’s largest family-owned wholesalers, operating from a two-acre site at Loanhead, Midlothian. The company offers more than 2,800 lines of frozen, chilled, ambient and non-food products to independent caterers, with a 2,000strong customer base stretching from as far north as Elgin to south of Newcastle. During the past year, it has significantly increased the size of its range, particularly in the grocery and nonfood categories.

Above: managing director Lee Brown

Since its acquisition of Double A Ices in 2008, the CMi-accredited wholesaler has developed the retail side of its business by supplying impulse ice cream and frozen retail products to convenience stores, including all Scottish Co-ops, and other wholesalers. Such has been the success of this element that retail now accounts for 35% of its £15 million turnover.

Ice cream sales span both foodservice and retail accounts, with JB Foods’ designated customer base (it is a member of Ice Cream World) covering an area from Newcastle to Edinburgh and Glasgow to Perth.

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Also affiliated to Caterforce, JB Foods has 25 multi-temp vehicles branded with the distinctive company logo and employs up to 100 people during the peak season. Last year, it expanded its telesales team and sales force.

Three years ago, the wholesaler acquired the 1.5-acre site adjoining its existing premises. Its longer-term plans lie in developing the two sites and it is targeting a 30% rise in turnover over the next five years.

JW FILSHILL LTD established 1875 JW Filshill operates from a 170,000 sq ft warehouse at Hillington, Glasgow, and it also owns two retail shops: at Renfrew and Kirkcudbright.

The company provides a comprehensive product range of confectionery, soft drinks, tobacco, alcohol and convenience lines. A cash & carry facility is available but 90% of sales are accounted for by the delivered wholesale arm. Although most of its customers are in Scotland, Filshill has a rep working in England and services customers as far south as Leeds. Orders are trunked down overnight and delivered by two vehicles based in England.

Filshill’s symbol offering is KeyStore and there are currently 165 stores, some operating under the KeyStore Express format, which is suitable for forecourt and high street locations. KeyStore Express has its own promotional package, which is more impulseorientated than the standard programme.

The website www.keystore.co.uk provides information on the symbol group, including new products, competitions, promotions and a store finder. This continues to be very popular with consumers, attracting thousands of hits each month. The wholesaler prides itself on enabling KeyStore retailers to create effective in-store theatre, using special deals and competition prizes negotiated with suppliers to draw consumers in.

Filshill has recently launched a new EPoS system called Re-Scan, which is supplied to retailers free on loan. Re-scan carries individual retailers’ selling prices, which automatically change when the cost of goods change – this is of major benefit to the retailer’s margin. The stores can also access three-weekly consumer promotions which are created at Filshill’s head office.

As well as its KeyStore members, Filshill services 1,600 independent retailers. They can take advantage of Smart Buy, featuring a package of impulse, grocery and alcohol lines with window bills and shelf talkers. Smart Buy and Profit Maker promotional activity, which is available to customers every three weeks, has proved to be very successful. Profit Maker includes category information, planograms and special deals.

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Web-based ordering is available via www.filshill.co.uk where customers can also access details of promotions, new lines, category information and their account balance.

Filshill, which provides employment for 210 people, has a turnover of £168 million. In the 2013 Achievers awards, it won the inaugural Great Place to Work award.

JWG PLC established 1983 The company’s wholesale operation began in 1983 when George and Anna Hepburn bought JW Gray & Co, a small locally-based wholesaler. Since 2000, the business has been run by their son-in-law Iain Johnston, who now holds the post of partner and operations director.

The business comprises two wholesale depots offering both cash & carry and delivered services, a bonded facility, and a leisure division. The wholesale division’s 37,000 sq ft warehouse in Shetland stocks 14,000 lines including licensed products, soft drinks, tobacco, non-foods, fresh meat, catering goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and frozen foods.

Above: partner and operations director, Iain Johnston

The 20,000 sq ft depot in Orkney also offers a wide range. In 2009, JW Gray acquired the business interests of its main on-trade competitor on Orkney – Orkney Wholesalers Ltd. This has resulted in increased turnover and an enlarged customer base, giving the Kirkwall depot stability.

A member of Landmark, JWG aims to be a one-stop shop for retailers and caterers. It has a total turnover of £15.4 million, of which wholesale accounts for £13.3 million.

During the past year, the company picked up several key foodservice contracts at both depots. This follows its largest ever contract win, which involves supplying and assisting Compass Catering with all foodservice and porterage provision for the Laggan Tormore accommodation facility at Sella Ness, Shetland.

The deal is expected to last for at least four years.

Ships stores foodservice and provision supply is another growth area. In partnership with Compass Catering, JWG has been commended for this service. In addition, the International Ships Suppliers Association recently awarded the company its highest standard quality mark.

The wholesaler has continued to enlarge its retail customer base, with local deals aimed specifically at its retail club members.

Consumer offers from the retailers on Orkney and Shetland are publicised in the local media.

JWG has recently made significant improvements to its infrastructure, including new refrigerated vans and HGV vehicles equipped with the highest standard of temperature control and monitoring equipment.

JWG is a City & Guilds training centre and it runs accredited ServeWise courses. This training is delivered in-house by sales & business development manager Michael Johnston. The company offers both on-trade and off-trade customers industryspecific electrical testing in line with workplace safety legislation.

First aid training is now also available.

In the coming year, JWG plans to improve quality standards, due diligence and staff training in order to further enhance the service it provides.

LANDMARK WHOLESALE established 1972 Landmark was formed in 1972 to provide a centralised trading and marketing operation on behalf of independent wholesalers.

Today, the group has 37 members operating 106 depots with a combined turnover of around £2.7 billion.

There are seven members in Scotland: Forteith Foodservice, JW Gray, Lomond Fine Foods, Sher Bros (Cash & Carries), Sutherland Brothers, United Wholesale Grocers, and William Yule and Son.

MAKRO SELF SERVICE WHOLESALERS LTD established in the UK 1971 Makro has 30 warehouse-style stores across the UK including three in Scotland: Glasgow (150,000 sq ft), Aberdeen and Edinburgh (both 100,000 sq ft).

As part of the Booker Group, Makro aims to become the UK’s leading wholesaler to caterers, retailers and small businesses with the best choice, prices and service via the internet, delivery and cash & carry.

Each Makro store stocks around 35,000 food and non-food lines and has a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and service.

Professional butchers, fishmongers and wine experts provide practical advice and support free of charge. Services available include meat cutting, menu suggestions and wine list creation.

In addition, a team of key account managers support larger customers with specialist business advice in store and at their premises. A Gold Card is available to higher spending customers who receive discounts and special benefits.

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Two of Makro’s Scottish stores – Glasgow and Edinburgh – offer an extensive foodservice range, with catering customers able to take advantage of delivery direct to their premises. The general public can buy a wide range of non-food products online without the need to have a Makro trade card.

SHER BROS (CASH & CARRIES) LTD established 1934 see pages 26–29

SUGRO UK In 2012, in order to give customers an improved shopping experience, all three Scottish stores were refurbished. This included wider aisles, brighter lighting, improved signage and simpler point-of-sale messages, and the removal of entrance turnstiles.

MATTHEW CLARK established 1996 see pages 20–23

PALMER AND HARVEY established 1925 Delivered wholesaler Palmer and Harvey has been serving Scottish retailers for more than 80 years and it now has over 2,500 customers in Scotland. It is one of the largest independentlyowned companies in the UK, with an annual turnover of over £4 billion, and it is owned by former and current employees, who all share in its success.

Palmer and Harvey provides a one-stop shop to independent stores and its services include delivery, promotions, retail advice, web-based ordering and direct van sales for snacks and sweets.

The company has a fleet of over 1,000 vehicles and it makes more than 60,000 deliveries across the UK every week. In addition, it provides logistics and supply chain solutions to major multiple retailers and manufacturers.

From its distribution centre in Dunfermline, Palmer and Harvey offers retailers a comprehensive range of confectionery, tobacco, alcohol, chilled and frozen products. In the past year it has added over 700 lines to its chilled and fresh foods portfolio. Customers also have access to more than 60,000 lines via Plus Extra, its thirdparty drop shipment scheme involving around 300 of the biggest and best suppliers and services.

The wholesaler claims to have unbeatable prices on tobacco through its tobacco initiative, whereby retailers’ non-tobacco orders count towards a discounted tobacco price which can be as much as £1.40 per tobacco outer. Palmer and Harvey also price matches against cash & carries on the top 600 best-selling lines for its independent retail customers.

Palmer and Harvey plans to extend its specialist training for staff throughout all departments at branch level. Furthermore, it is committed to enhancing its green credentials.

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established 1984 National Wholesale Confectioners Ltd, or Sugro UK as it is better known, was formed in 1984.

A progressive buying and marketing group operating within a commercial environment, it provides a range of services for its 52 members, which operate from 54 depots nationwide and have a combined turnover of £660 million.

There are eight members in Scotland: Allan Wilson (Snack Sales), Apex Cash & Carry, Clydebank Cash & Carry, Glencrest, Iain Hill, Iannotti Brothers, Paul Burton Drinks Wholesale, and Taylor Vending & Wholesale.

Sugro operates a successful symbol group in Scotland called Sweet Break with more than 140 stores. It also has a contract supply division, which includes Scottish distribution.

SUTHERLAND BROTHERS LTD established 1892 Family-owned Sutherland Brothers operates from a custom-built 36,000 sq ft depot in Wick and offers more than 4,000 lines across all product categories.

The wholesaler delivers to around 900 customers in the Highlands and Western Isles, an area covering 400 square miles and equivalent to one-quarter of Scotland but containing just 4% of the population.

The customer base is split equally between retail and catering, and the business now has a strong on-trade focus, supplying 300 pubs.

Sutherland Brothers attributes its solid performance partly to Landmark’s Lifestyle Express programme, which runs in most of the 30 stores that belong to its own retail club.

The company, which has 30 staff, gained the Investors in People award in 1995 and added Above: Scottish Quality Management Systems in managing director 1998. It recently increased its field sales force David Sutherland to six and strengthened its management team with the appointment of Tom Maclennan as sales director.

The wholesaler has developed a successful online customer ordering facility at www.suthbros.co.uk and utilises a new

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replenishment and put-away voice-activated system to provide efficiencies and further improve customer service. It operates a back shift for picking and loading, which allows it to offer a next-day delivery service, and it has also introduced a timed delivery system, allowing it to offer more frequent drops to its customers.

Sutherland Brothers is able to email a customised product list every three weeks to each customer. This contains all products previously bought by that account along with all items purchased by other operators in the same sector. Promotions, price changes and new lines are also included.

It now has more than 170 symbol group members, whose shops are branded with the Lifestyle fascia or its revolutionary Shop Smart design.

Future plans for the company include extending the size of the Polmadie depot to 80,000 sq ft and continuing to drive its delivered business by extending the number of bespoke delivery vehicles from six to 10.

Sutherland Brothers has extended its depot to provide new loading bays and it is currently developing new CRM (customer relationship management) and office systems. Two 12Kw wind turbines have been installed which, together with solar panels, make the company self sufficient in energy.

In the 2013 Achievers awards, United Wholesale Grocers at Springburn won Best Cash & Carry Depot, while Abhay Singh, floor supervisor at the Polmadie branch, won Employee of the Year.

Earlier this year, the wholesaler launched an on-trade wine division called Strathnaver, which has been well received. In the 2013 Achievers awards, and for the second consecutive year, Sutherland Brothers won Best Delivered Operation – On-Trade.

UNITED WHOLESALE (SCOTLAND) LTD

Sutherland Brothers will shortly relaunch its chilled offering with 2,700 new lines.

WALLACES EXPRESS

TODAY’S GROUP established 1987 Nisa was established in 1977, and Today’s – the wholesale arm – followed in 1987. In 2012, Today’s Group broke away from the Nisa retail side, moving to new headquarters near Doncaster.

Today’s Group has buying power of £5.5 billion. UK-wide, there are now 171 Today’s wholesalers with over 200 depots. There are 15 members in Scotland.

UNITED WHOLESALE GROCERS LTD established 1982 Landmark member United Wholesale Grocers is a family run business with two cash & carries in Glasgow – a 110,000 sq ft depot that includes a distribution centre and head office based in Springburn and a 40,000 sq ft depot at Polmadie, which opened in 2004.

Above: managing director Nabeel Ramzan

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United Wholesale Grocers offers a wide range of lines across all the main product categories, with a particularly extensive choice of catering items available at Polmadie.

The company increased its turnover in 2012 to £132 million. It has 166 staff including its new commercial director David Reilly.

scottish wholesale association • 2013

established 2002 see pages 8–9

established 1875 Wallaces Express is Scotland’s largest independent wine and spirit wholesaler, supplying the licensed trade throughout much of central Scotland, the South West, the Borders and Cumbria. Its 6,000 customers are predominantly on-trade operators, such as pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels. Other customers include forecourts and retail shops.

Founded in 1875 as a grocers shop in Ayr, the company evolved in the mid 1980s into a drinks wholesaler and now sells beers, wines & spirits, tobacco, soft drinks, crisps & snacks, confectionery, glassware and Above: cleaning products. Wallaces is a member of managing director Merchant Vintners and offers 700 wines Brian Calder under the La Barrique Fine Wines banner. It is also the Scottish agent for Reads Minicellar wine range.

The company has five depots: at Irvine (50,000 sq ft incorporating a 10,000 sq ft bonded warehouse and head office); Coatbridge (25,000 sq ft); Dumfries (24,000 sq ft); Lanark (22,000 sq ft); and Kintore (12,000 sq ft). It also has a 6,000 sq ft hub depot in Inverness.

Earlier this year Wallaces Express entered into a joint venture with C&C Group (owners of Magners and Tennent’s). Although the

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wholesaler will continue to be run independently, it will work alongside C&C Group to deliver an outstanding portfolio, increased value and enhanced service and support to the Scottish on-trade in these challenging times.

Using a fleet of 70 vehicles, the company offers next-day delivery five or six days a week within a 30-mile radius of each of its branches and a frequent service outwith this area.

Wallaces has a turnover of £83 million and a staff of 288, including a 35-strong sales force. Positioned as ‘The Complete Supplier to the Licensed Trade’, its aim is to provide service levels that customers would expect from a small local business at prices equal to or better than those of larger national suppliers.

WILLIAM YULE AND SON LTD established 1867 The family-owned business of William Yule and Son is a specialist foodservice supplier serving independent and local authority outlets in central Scotland.

It delivers dry, chilled and frozen goods, kitchen equipment and a wide range of exclusive foodservice products using its fleet of multi-temperature vehicles.

The Landmark ‘Foodservice Member of the Year’ for each of the past seven years, William Yule employs 40 staff and has continued expanding its business in the care and education sectors, having successfully tendered for several important contracts.

controlled warehouse in Livingston. It has five vans that deliver to the central belt and Aberdeen; carriers are used for other areas of Scotland and the Border counties of England.

Sales are divided equally between the on-trade (mainly hotels and restaurants) and independent retailers. Because of the agencies it holds, Wine Importers also supplies other large wholesalers throughout Scotland.

An innovative marketing campaign featuring its Scottish Connections range, which links wines with local heritage, is proving popular with foreign visitors.

To complement its wines, the company stocks craft ales including award-winning Fyne Ales and Archerfield Ales, as well as a choice of glassware from Schott Zwiesel. It also now offers Liebherr prestige wine storage units for restaurants.

Above:

managing director Every two years, Wine Importers holds its Billy Bell unique Epicurean Event – a wine tasting that marries food and wine in a market-style emporium – at Gleneagles Hotel, one of its major customers. In alternate years, the company hosts a roadshow that takes in cities and towns around Scotland.

Wine Importers has 20 employees and a turnover in excess of £5.5 million. The business is continuing to grow as an increasing number of customers seek a reliable local supplier.

•

Kirkcaldy-based William Yule offers an extensive range of services – from cost control to nutritional analysis – to independent caterers to assist them in managing their catering operations.

The wholesaler exceeds 99.5% order fulfilment to independent trade customers and 99.9% to contract customers. This has been a major contribution to its success.

In 2012, the company experienced strong growth and improved margins. With its relentless focus on quality and service, William Yule is confident of maintaining its position as the leading foodservice supplier to independent caterers in the care sector throughout central Scotland.

WINE IMPORTERS LTD established 1975 Wine Importers offers an extensive portfolio of wines – 1,200 lines – from around the world, surpassing most UK merchants.

The company, whose motto is ‘The Most Reliable Wine Wholesaler in Scotland’, is based at an 18,000 sq ft temperature-

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Wholesaler members

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3663 Buckingham Court Kingsmead Business Park London Road High Wycombe Bucks HP11 1JU TEL: (0370) 3663 100 email: advice_centre@ 3663.co.uk website: www.3663.co.uk

Alex Fisher, managing director wholesale division Norman Wemyss, managing director region 1 (Scotland and North) Keith Jackson, regional operations director wholesale Scotland and North Jon Mack, regional sales controller wholesale Scotland and North Adam Spiers, business unit controller Scotland

Alfa Wholesale Ltd 111-115 Lancefield Street Glasgow G3 8HZ Tel: 0141-204 1483 email: atif@alfawholesale.co.uk

Atif Rashid, director

Allson Wholesale Station Road Buckhaven Fife KY8 1JH TEL: (01592) 715545 email: info@allsonwholesale.co.uk website: www.allsonwholesale.co.uk

Colin Drysdale, managing director John Scanlon, operations director Kevin Brereton, factory manager

Batleys 977 Leeds Road Deighton Huddersfield HD2 1UP TEL: (01484) 481150 website: www.batleys.co.uk

Frank Fraser, operations manager foodservice/ Drinks Express David Livingstone, operations manager cash & carry Gerry Fraser, senior trading manager Steve Irons, senior foodservice contract manager

Booker Equity House Irthlingborough Road Wellingborough Northamptonshire NN8 1LT TEL: (01933) 371000 website: www.booker.co.uk

Charles Wilson, chief executive Andrew Thompson, commercial director Steve Fox, sales director – retail Stuart Hyslop, sales director – catering Pat Foy, regional director Chris Gallacher, retail development controller

scottish wholesale association • 2013

Brakes Enterprise House Eureka Business Park Ashford Kent TN25 4AG TEL: (01233) 206000 email: customer.service @brake.co.uk website: www.brake.co.uk

Arlene Bonomi, sales director, independent division, Scotland Sandra Coulter, sales manager, independent division, Glasgow region Gary Tait, sales manager, independent division, Edinburgh region Donald Owens, sales manager, independent division, Inverness region Paul Stewart, business director, public sector, Scotland Mark Bruce, business unit director, Scotland

CJ Lang and Son Ltd 78 Longtown Road Dundee DD4 8JU TEL: (01382) 512000 email: email@cjlang.co.uk website: www.cjlang.co.uk www.sparscotland.co.uk

Scott Malcolm, managing director John Leitch, distribution director David Lamb, trading director Jamie Buchanan, own stores director Bill Mair, sales director Graham Murdoch, IT director

Costco Wholesale UK Ltd Hartspring Lane Watford Herts WD25 8JS TEL: (01923) 213113 website: www.costco.co.uk

Steve Pappas, managing director Steve Barnett, trading director Sue Knowles, marketing & admin director Nick Deeks, international real estate director Magan Chauhan, finance director Towfick Agowun, IT director

Dunns Food & Drinks Ltd 32 Glasgow Road Blantyre G72 0JY TEL: (01698) 727700 email: julie.dunn@dunns foodanddrinks.co.uk website: www.dunns foodanddrinks.co.uk

Jim Rowan, managing director Julie Dunn, operations director Neil Rutland, buyer Alan MacPherson, business development manager, food & drinks Philip McRae, business development manager, soft drinks David Rowan, business development manager, wholesale

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Fรกilte Food Service East Warehouse Glasgow Fruit & Vegetable Wholesale Market 130 Blochairn Road Glasgow G21 2SW TEL: 0141-548 6170 email: jim@failtefoods.com website: www.failtefoods.com

Forteith Foodservice (3663 Alba Ltd) Glengallan Road Glenshellach Oban Argyll PA34 4HG TEL: (01631) 569100 email: enquiry@forteith.co.uk website: www.forteith.co.uk

Jim Cummiskey, joint managing director Grant Rennie, joint managing director Robert Duff Jnr, general manager David Carmichael, sales development manager Sarah McCann, administration manager Stephen Kyle, goods-in manager

John Forteith, depot general manager Ernie McInnes, operations manager

Forth Wines Crawford Place Milnathort Kinross-shire KY13 9XF TEL: (01577) 866000 email: enquiries@forthwines.com website: www.forthwines.com

George Thomson, managing director Ian Cumming, commercial director

Gizzi Cash & Carry 15 James Street Righead Industrial Estate Bellshill Lanarkshire ML4 3LU TEL: (01698) 841122 email: andrew.clark4@ btconnect.com

Alan Clark, partner Andrew Clark, partner William Clark, partner

Glencrest Ltd Unit 1 151 Balmoral Street Glasgow G14 0HB TEL: 0141-579 0007 email: sales@glencrest.co.uk website: www.glencrest.co.uk www.nae-danger.com

Ross Gourlay, managing director Fraser Gourlay, director Kenny Tonner, sales manager Kari Gourlay, tactical sales manager

Gordon & MacPhail George House Boroughbriggs Road Elgin Moray IV30 1JY TEL: (01343) 545111 email: info@gordonand macphail.com website: www.gordonand macphail.com www.benromach.com

Michael Urquhart, managing director

Hughson Brothers Gremista Industrial Estate Lerwick Shetland ZE1 0PX TEL: (01595) 693150 email: carl@hughsonbros.co.uk

Robert Boulton, owner Carl Cross, director/buyer Drew Tulloch, director

Iain Hill Ltd 32 Napier Street Linwood Renfrewshire PA3 3AJ TEL: (01505) 684499 email: iain@iainhill.co.uk website: www.iainhill.co.uk

Iain Hill, managing director Robert Millar, general manager

Iannotti Brothers Ltd 62 Viewfield Road Ayr KA8 8HH TEL: (01292) 265110 email: iblayr@btconnect.com

Roberto Iannotti, managing director Tony Iannotti, company secretary

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James Wilson (Orkney) Ltd Garson Industrial Estate Stromness Orkney KW16 3JU TEL: (01856) 850234 email: info@wilsonsorkney.co.uk

George Kirkpatrick, managing director Helena Kirkpatrick, director

JB Foods (Scotland) Ltd Edgefield Industrial Estate Loanhead EH20 9TB TEL: 0131-448 2888 email: jbfoods@jbfoods.net website: www.jbfoods.biz

Lee Brown, managing director Gary Black, operations director Tony Boyle, commercial director

JW Filshill Ltd Hillington Road Glasgow G52 4HE TEL: 0141-883 7071 email: filshill@filshill.co.uk website: www.filshill.co.uk www.keystore.co.uk

Simon Hannah, managing director Fraser Harrison, finance director Ian McDonald, sales & buying director Nicholas Hannah, director

JWG plc Gremista Industrial Estate Lerwick Shetland ZE1 0PX TEL: (01595) 693749 email: iain.johnston@ jwgplc.co.uk website: www.jwgray.co.uk

George Hepburn, managing director Iain Johnston, partner and operations director Steven Hutton, assistant to operations director Michael Johnston, sales & business development manager Kevin Sandison, warehouse foreman Ninian Carter, administration manager Erik Burgess, quality manager & health & safety Andrew Devitt, depot manager, Orkney Mary Simmons, depot manager, Shetland

Landmark Wholesale 7 Davy Avenue Knowlhill Milton Keynes MK5 8HJ TEL: (01908) 255300 email: landmark@lmkcc.co.uk website: www.landmark wholesale.co.uk

Martin Williams, managing director Andrew Thewlis, finance director John Searle, trading director Chris Doyle, business development director

scottish wholesale association • 2013

Makro Self Service Wholesalers Ltd Liverpool Road Barton Moss Eccles Manchester M30 7RT TEL: (0844) 445 7445 website: www.makro.co.uk

Steve Blan, managing director Geoff Murphy, store general manager, Glasgow Phil Davies, store general manager, Edinburgh David Gordon, store general manager, Aberdeen

Matthew Clark Whitchurch Lane Bristol BS14 0JZ TEL: (01275) 891400 email: enquiries@ matthewclark.co.uk website: www.matthewclark.co.uk

Des Gallagher, regional managing director Dennis McDermott, customer development director Lindsay Cargill, senior regional sales manager Liam Dunn, wine development manager Ross Dickson, depot manager Gordon Nicol, finance manager Jackie McLaughlin, customer service manager Iain McPherson, marketing planning manager

Palmer and Harvey 106-112 Davigdor Road Hove East Sussex BN3 1RE TEL: (01273) 222100 email: marketing@palmer harvey.co.uk website: www.palmer harvey.co.uk

Chris Etherington, chief executive Paul Hagon, director – group strategy & development Martyn Ward, managing director – commercial & sales Jim Newsome, managing director – direct van sales Julian Streeter, managing director – operations Andy Maclay, director – distribution sales Phil Rennie, distribution centre manager Scotland

Sher Bros (Cash & Carries) Ltd 29 Kilbirnie Street Glasgow G5 8JD TEL: 0141-429 8080 website: www.sherbros.co.uk

Tariq Ali, director Waheed Sher, director

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Sugro UK Whitewell House 69 Crewe Road Nantwich Cheshire CW5 6HX TEL: (01270) 628728 email: info@sugro.co.uk website: www.sugro.co.uk

Philip Jenkins, managing director David Milligan, head of trading & marketing Ian Irvine, head of retail & business development

Sutherland Brothers Ltd Site 11 Airport Industrial Estate Wick KW1 4QS TEL: (01955) 605070 email: david@suthbros.co.uk website: www.suthbros.co.uk

David Sutherland, managing director Ruth Sutherland, trading director Evan Sutherland, operations director Tom Maclennan, sales director Elaine Fraser, credit control & accounts

Today’s Group 3 Carolina Court Wisconsin Drive Doncaster South Yorkshire DN4 5RA TEL: (0844) 247 0700 email: firstname. surname@todays.co.uk website: www.todays.co.uk

Bill Laird, managing director John Baines, trading director John Kinney, retail director Matthew Oxley, trading director – foodservice John Schofield, finance director

United Wholesale Grocers Ltd 246 Flemington Street Springburn Glasgow G21 4BY TEL: 0141-557 2255 email: info@uwgl.co.uk website: www.uwgl.co.uk

Mohammed Ramzan, chairman Nabeel Ramzan, managing director Amaan Ramzan, operations director Waqas Badar, trading director David Reilly, commercial director Danny Turner, trading controller

United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd 110 Easter Queenslie Road Queenslie Industrial Estate Glasgow G33 4UL TEL: 0141-781 6600 website: www.uniteduk.com www.day-today.co.uk

Asim Sarwar, managing director Mel Saxton, operations director Stephen Gray, financial director Anshu Chandra, licensed director Ali Afsar, impulse grocery director

Wallaces Express Crompton Way North Newmoor Industrial Estate Irvine KA11 4HU TEL: (01294) 203000 email: b.calder@wallaces express.com website: www.wallacesexpress.com

Brian Calder, managing director Chris Cosh, purchase director Allan Deans, financial controller Alan Docherty, regional director of sales east Matt Munro, regional director of sales west

William Yule and Son Ltd 8 Park Road Kirkcaldy Fife KY1 3ER TEL: (01592) 651988 email: administrator@ williamyule.co.uk website: www.williamyule.co.uk

Mike Patterson, managing director James Dick, trading director Joyce Johnstone, admin director Dawn Lyczak, buyer Brian Kirkpatrick, office supervisor

Wine Importers Ltd Thistle House Caputhall Road Deans Industrial Estate Livingston EH54 8AS TEL: (01506) 468900 website: www.wine-importers.net

Billy Bell, managing director Gordon White, administrative director Neil Renton, sales director

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Supplier members AB InBev UK Ltd Porter Tun House 500 Capability Green Luton Beds, LU1 3LS Paul Scrimgeour TEL: (01582) 391166 email: paul.scrimgeour@ ab-inbev.com Accolade Wines The Guildway Old Portsmouth Road Guildford Surrey GU3 1LR Tom Wallis TEL: (01483) 690000 email: tom.wallis@ accolade-wines.com AG Barr plc 4 Mollins Road Westfield Cumbernauld G68 9HD Guy Gissing TEL: (01236) 852400 email: guygissing@agbarr.co.uk

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BAT (UK) Ltd Oxford House Oxford Road Aylesbury Bucks HP21 8SZ Barry Cann TEL: (01296) 335000 email: barry_cann@bat.com Baxters Food Group Fochabers Moray IV32 7LD Richard Simpson TEL: (01343) 820393 email: richard.simpson@ baxters.co.uk Boost Drinks Oakwood House 637 Roundhay Road Leeds LS8 4BA Al Gunn TEL: (0113) 240 3666 email: al.gunn@boostdrinks.com

Carlsberg UK Jacobsen House 140 Bridge Street Northampton NN1 1PZ Jim Logan TEL: (01604) 668866 email: jim.logan@carlsberg.co.uk

DCS Europe 1 Timothy’s Bridge Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CU37 9YL Bill Smith-Coats TEL: (01789) 208000 email: bill@dcseurope.com

Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd Scottish Sales Office 1 Burley Place College Milton South East Kilbride G74 5LZ Norman Weir TEL: (01355) 581200 email: nweir@cokecce.com

Diageo Lakeside Drive Park Royal London, NW10 7HQ Roy Adams TEL: (020) 8978 6000 email: roy.adams@diageo.com

Concha Y Toro 6 Ashurst Court London Road Wheatley Oxon, OX33 1ER Simon Doyle TEL: (01865) 873713 email: sdoyle@cyt_uk.com

Allied Bakeries 180 Glentannar Road Glasgow G22 7UP Robert Wilson TEL: 0141-347 4222 email: robert.wilson@ alliedbakeries.co.uk

British Sugar plc Oundle Road Peterborough PE2 9QU Jan Walden TEL: (01733) 563171 email: jan.walden@the silverspooncompany.co.uk

Cott Beverages Ltd Citrus Grove Side Ley Kegworth Derbyshire DE74 2FJ Steve Corby TEL: (01509) 674915

Bacardi Brown-Forman Church Green Close Kingsworthy Winchester SO23 7TW Steve Lindsay TEL: (01962) 762100 email: slindsay@bacardi.com

Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd Breakspear Park Breakspear Way Hemel Hempstead HP2 4TZ Clare Bocking TEL: (01217) 111102 email: clare.bocking@britvic.co.uk

Danone Waters (UK & Ireland) Ltd 2nd Floor International House 7 High Street Ealing London, W5 5DW Scott Graham TEL: (020) 8799 5800

scottish wholesale association • 2013

E&J Gallo Winery Europe Swan House Cowley Business Park Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 2AD Mark Tinsley TEL: (01895) 813444 Ferrero UK Ltd Awberry Court Hatters Lane Croxley Business Park Watford Herts, WD1 8PA Neil Swift TEL: (01923) 690300 email: neil.swift@ferrero.com First Drinks Brands Form One 17 Bartley Wood Business Park Bartley Way Hook, RG27 9XA Justin Lyle TEL: (01256) 748100 email: justin_lyle@ first-drinks-brands.co.uk

directory

Friesland Campina Ltd Denne House Denne Road Horsham West Sussex RH12 1JF Richard Kemmis-Betty TEL: (01403) 273273 email: richard.kemmisbetty @frieslandcampina.com

Highland Spring Ltd Stirling Street Blackford Auchterarder Perthshire PH4 1QA Simon Oldham TEL: (01764) 660500 email: simon@highland springgroup.com

GlaxoSmithKline GSK House 980 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex TW8 9GS Andrew Howell TEL: (020) 8047 5000 email: andrew.d.howell@ gsk.com

HJ Heinz Co Ltd South Building Hayes Park Hayes Middlesex UB4 8AL Paul Stringer TEL: (020) 8573 7757

Greenstreets Environmental Resources U25 Guinness Enterprise Centre Taylor’s Lane Dublin 8 Ireland Michael Byrne TEL: +353 (0)1 4100 618 email: michael.obyrne@ greenstreets.ie Halewood International Ltd Sovereign Distillery Wilson Road Huyton Liverpool, L36 6AD Des Ewing TEL: 0151-480 8800 email: des.ewing@ halewood-int.com Heineken 2–4 Broadway Park South Gyle Broadway Edinburgh EH12 9JZ Dan Robinson TEL: 0131-528 1000 email: dan.robinson@ heineken.co.uk

Imperial Tobacco Ltd PO Box 525 Winterstoke Road Bristol BS99 1LQ Greg Fuller TEL: (0117) 963 6636 email: greg.fuller@uk.imptob.com

Intercontinental Brands 4 Sceptre House Hornbeam Square Harrogate Yorkshire HG2 8PB John Mills TEL: (01423) 872747 email: mills@icbrands.co.uk

Intertissue/Sofidel UK Brunel Way Baglan Energy Park Briton Ferry Neath SA11 2HZ John Hughes TEL: (01639) 825380 email: john.hughes@ intertissue.co.uk

JH Brand Associates Titan Building Aurora Avenue Glasgow G81 1BF James Hutton TEL: 0141-951 3420 email: james@ brandassociatesuk.com

Macsween of Edinburgh Dryden Road Bilston Glen Loanhead Edinburgh EH20 9LZ Helen Howieson TEL: 0131-440 2555 email: helenhowieson@ macsween.co.uk

JTI (Gallaher Ltd) Members Hill Brooklands Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 0QU Rupert Hinde TEL: (01932) 372000 email: rupert.hinde@jti.com

Mars Chocolate Dundee Road Slough Berkshire SL1 4JX Fiona Nisbet TEL: (01753) 550055 email: fiona.nisbet@ effem.com

Kellogg Marketing & Sales Co (UK) Ltd The Kellogg Building Talbot Road Manchester M16 0PU Graeme Skipper TEL: 0161-869 2000 email: graeme.skipper@ kellogg.com

Mars Food Dundee Road Slough Berkshire SL1 4JX Shonaidh Jack TEL: (01753) 550055 email: shonaidh.jack@ effem.com

Kepak Convenience Foods PO Box 883 Kirkham Preston PR4 2UW Angela Daulby TEL: (01772) 688300

Mars Petcare The National Office Waltham on the Wolds Melton Mowbray Leicestershire LE14 4RS Joe Lawson TEL: (01664) 410000 email: joe.lawson@ effem.com

Kimberly-Clark Ltd 1 Tower View Kingshill West Malling Kent ME19 4HA Mike Navarro TEL: (01732) 594002

Maxxium UK Ltd Maxxium House Castle Business Park Stirling FK9 4RT Mark Riley TEL: (01786) 430500 email: mark.riley@ maxxium.com

scottish wholesale association • 2013

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directory

McBride Ltd Middleton Way Middleton Manchester, M24 4DP Jonathan Townend TEL: 0161-653 9037 email: jonathan. townend@mcbride.co.uk McCurrach UK 74 Waterloo Street Glasgow G2 7DJ Peter Steele TEL: 0141-248 7596 email: info@mccurrach.co.uk Molson Coors Ltd Stadium House Alderstone Road Livingston EH54 7DN Hazel Mitchell TEL: (01506) 602516 email: hazel.mitchell@ molsoncoors.com Mondelez UK Ltd Bournville Place Bournville Lane Birmingham, B30 2LU Peter Baird TEL: 0121-458 2000 email: peter.baird@mdlz.com Müller Dairy UK Ltd Shrewsbury Road Market Drayton Shropshire, TF9 3SQ Joe Stewart TEL: (01630) 692000 Müller Wiseman Dairies 159 Glasgow Road Nerston Village East Kilbride Glasgow, G74 4PA Sandy Wilkie TEL: (01355) 244261 email: sandy.wilkie@ muller-wiseman.co.uk

58

Nestlé 1st Choice 1 City Place Beehive Ring Road Gatwick West Sussex, RH6 0HA Mel Randolph TEL: (020) 8686 3333 Nestlé Professional 1 City Place Beehive Ring Road Gatwick West Sussex, RH6 0HA Val McIntosh TEL: (020) 8686 3333 email: val.mcintosh@ uk.nestle.com Nestlé Purina Petcare 1 City Place Beehive Ring Road Gatwick West Sussex, RH6 0HA Andrew Harding TEL: (020) 8686 3333 Nichols plc Woodlands Park Ashton Road Newton Le Willows WA12 0HH Paul Weston TEL: (01925) 222222 PepsiCo UK 1600 Arlington Business Park Theale Reading Berks, RG7 4SA Alan McCaffer TEL: (0118) 930 6666 email: alan.mccaffer@ intl.pepsico.com Pernod Ricard UK 3 Lampton Road Hounslow Middlesex, TW3 1HY Alan Pattison TEL: (020) 8538 4000 email: alan.pattison@ pernod-ricard.com

scottish wholesale association • 2013

Premier Foods Premier House Centrium Business Park Griffiths Way St Albans Herts AL1 2RE Ross Brown TEL: (01727) 815850 email: ross.brown@ premierfoods.co.uk Procter & Gamble UK The Heights Brooklands Weybridge Surrey KT13 0XP Ian McWilliam TEL: (01932) 896000 Red Bull Co Ltd The Terrace 155-171 Tooley Street London SE1 2JP Joss Bamber TEL: (020) 3117 2000 email: joss.bamber@ uk.redbull.com Republic Technologies UK Ltd Sword House Totteridge Road High Wycombe Bucks HP13 6EJ John Catania TEL: (01494) 533300 RSS Ltd Merlin House Suite 21 Mossland Road Hillington Park Glasgow G52 4XZ Allan Reid TEL: 0141-882 7100 email: allan@rssscotland.com

Scot-Serve Ltd Forrester Lodge Inglewood Alloa FK10 2HU Graeme Clark TEL: (01259) 720800 email: sales@scot-serve.co.uk SHS Group Manderson House 5230 Valiant Court Delta Way Brockworth Gloucestershire GL3 4FE Marcus Freer TEL: (01452) 378500 email: sales@shs-salesmkting.co.uk Swizzels Matlow Ltd Carlton House New Mills High Peak Derbyshire SK22 3HA Ken O’Neill TEL: (01663) 744144 email: koneill@ swizzels-matlow.com Tata Global Beverages 325/347 Oldfield Lane North Greenford Middlesex UB6 0AZ Brett Grimshaw TEL: (020) 8338 4000 Taylors of Harrogate Plumpton Park Hookstone Chase Harrogate RG2 7LD John Sutcliffe TEL: (01423) 889822 email: john.sutcliffe@ bettysandtaylors.co.uk

directory

Tayto Group Princewood Road Corby Northants NN17 4AP Tavis McCabe TEL: (01536) 204200 email: tavis.mccabe@ tayto.com Tennent Caledonian Breweries UK Ltd Wellpark Brewery 161 Duke Street Glasgow G31 1JD Robert Clark TEL: 0141-552 6552 email: robert.clark@ tennents.com Thomas Tunnock Ltd 34 Old Mill Road Uddingston Glasgow G71 7HH Boyd Tunnock TEL: (01698) 813551 email: sales@tunnock.co.uk Unilever Food Solutions Unilever House Springfield Drive Leatherhead Surrey KT22 7GR Chris Hales TEL: (01372) 945000 email: chris.hales@unilever.com Unilever UK Unilever House Springfield Drive Leatherhead Surrey KT22 7GR Ian Toft TEL: (01372) 945000 email: ian.toft@unilever.com

United Biscuits Hayes Park Hayes End Road Hayes Middlesex UB4 8EE David Hornyak TEL: (020) 8234 5000 email: david_hornyak@ unitedbiscuits.com Weetabix Ltd Station Road Burton Latimer Kettering Northants NN15 5JR Chris Rice TEL: (01536) 722181 email: cwr@weetabix.co.uk Wells & Young’s Brewing Co Havelock Street Bedford MK40 4LU Richard Garden TEL: (01234) 272766 email: info@wellsand youngs.co.uk Whyte and Mackay Ltd Dalmore House 310 St Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5RG Peter Wells TEL: 0141-248 5771 email: peter.wells@ whyteandmackay.com The Wrigley Co Ltd 3rd Floor 1420 Arlington Business Park Theale Berkshire RG7 4SA Jon Eatly TEL: (01189) 317030

scottish wholesale association • 2013

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H G U O R H T S E L GET YOUo.R1 SSCOATTISH GROCERY BRAND N

*

WITH THE No.

£2m

ON TV T HEAVYWEIGH NOW TV CAMPAIGN *Kantar Worldpanel, Value Sales, MAT to 13/05/12, Total Scotland

PROUD TO BE SUPPORTING THE SCOTTISH WHOLESALE ASSOCIATION