[ INDUSTRY NEWS ]
Choudrey honoured Bestway Group chief executive Zameer Choudrey CBE was last month presented with the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by the President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain. The award was largely in recognition of his contribution to advancing the country through philanthropy. Choudrey chairs the Bestway Foundation Pakistan and the UK advisory council of the Prince Charles British Asian Trust. He is also a founding trustee of Bestway Foundation UK and a trustee of Crimestoppers UK and GroceryAid. The philanthropic arm of the C&C/wholesaler, Bestway Foundation, was established in 1987 in the UK and 10 years later in Pakistan. a Bestway Group 0208-453 1234
Who’s in the running? As this issue of Cash & Carry Management went to press, no announcement had been made by AF Blakemore & Son about prospective purchasers of the 12 cash & carries that the company is offloading. The sale will leave the Willenhall, West Midlands, concern to concentrate on the remaining parts of the business, headed by SPAR distribution and foodservice. There were strong rumours nine months ago that the C&C side – a longstanding member of Landmark – would be sold for around £100 million, but Blakemore issued a denial that anything was planned. The conjecture began soon after the company closed its 10,000 sq ft Hexham, Northumberland, C&C, formerly operating as Lowrie’s. There were also plans that, beginning with the Wolverhampton unit, the
company would rejig the whole chain, with greater concentration on foodservice. As part of this process, it was intended that the number of suppliers would be almost halved to 355. Blakemore joint managing director Geoff Hallam said: “The move away from cash & carry will allow the company to invest further across its wider business and focus its future strategy upon its remaining divisions as it continues to drive innovation within the retail and wholesale distribution sectors.” Some 520 people are
affected by the decision to withdraw from the C&C trade, including James Russell, managing director of Blakemore Wholesale, which includes C&C as well as delivered wholesaling. Landmark MD John Mills commented: “We understand that in this consolidating market, AF Blakemore have to do what is right for their business. We will work closely with their management team during this process.” Total Blakemore turnover is more than £1.3 billion. a AF Blakemore & Son (01902) 366066
Bestway and C&C Group share Conviviality In a rapid twin deal, both sides of the stricken Conviviality drinks business have been sold – the wholesale operation to C&C Group in Dublin and the retail chains to Bestway Group. For Bestway, it means control of 769 stores in the UK, mainly operating through franchisees trading as Bargain Booze (398 outlets), Select Convenience (213) and Wine Rack (31). Earlier this year – part of the same package – Bestway bought WS Retail (127 Central Convenience stores), previously part of Palmer & Harvey but later bought by Conviviality. Zameer Choudrey CBE, 08
April 2018
Bargain Booze: now under Bestway control.
Bestway Group CEO, said: “The deal provides much needed certainty to these stores. Our priority will be to stabilise the supply of stock. We are able to provide job security to over 2,300.” Dawood Pervez, Bestway Wholesale trading director, added: “The purchase of the four businesses further
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strengthens our position within the convenience retail sector.” Last year, sales of Bargain Booze, Select Convenience and Wine Rack were £445 million; WS Retail turned over £75.7 million. C&C Group, owner of Magners, Tennent’s and Bulmers, has taken over the
Matthew Clark and Bibendum wholesale companies, paying a nominal £1 and assuming £102 million in debts. The takeover was supported by AB InBev. The former Conviviality wholesale operation, which has been supplying bars, pubs and restaurants, was recently valued at £750 million. Just months ago it won a contract to supply the JD Wetherspoon pub chain. Matthew Clark was acquired for £200 million in 2015 and Bibendum for £60 million a year later. a C&C Group (00353) 1506 3900 a Bestway Group 0208-453 1234