BACKGROUND
Wholesaler profiles
BATLEYS
BIDVEST FOODSERVICE
established 1958 Batleys has eight branches in Scotland – Newbridge, Cambuslang, Edinburgh, Stirling, Dundee, Perth, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
established 1999 Bidvest 3663, which will be called Bidvest Foodservice as of 1 July 2015, is one of the UK’s largest foodservice wholesalers and has four depots in Scotland, including a 91,000 sq ft state-of-the-art unit at Newbridge, Edinburgh, and a 25,000 sq ft frozen and fresh depot at Larbert utilised as a frozen hub for the Edinburgh branch.
During the past year, the company has rebranded its existing depots, installed new fascias for club & symbol members, provided a chilled delivered service for Best-one customers, introduced online ordering and relaunched the Bestway Batleys depot in the heart of Glasgow. It has focused heavily on three main areas: retail club/symbol, foodservice and omni-channel (web and digital) In Scotland, over 300 retailers participate in the Xtra Local retail club, while the Best-one symbol group has more than 100 members. Deal purchase compliance has surpassed 90% across the company’s retail club/symbol network and, with consumers demanding value for money, Bestway Batleys continues to provide retailers with a platform to drive sales, footfall and profit. The Bestway Batleys Foodservice business also continues to grow, with sales to fast-food, takeaway and licensed outlets, plus restaurants and contract customers, going from strength to strength. The division, which offers over 20,000 lines and utilises 40 vehicles, has recently won multi-million-pound contracts in both Scotland and north-east England. Batleys’ Scottish operation generates more than 20% of the company’s turnover and employs over 500 staff. There is a dedicated Scottish office at the Edinburgh branch. David Livingstone looks after cash & carry, while Frank Fraser is responsible for catering. The Scottish head office team is completed by Gerry Fraser, who negotiates Scottish promotions and Xtra Local deals, and Steve Irons, who manages Bestway Batleys Foodservice‘s Scottish contracts.
38
scottish wholesale association
2015
Part of the international Bidvest Group, the company offers a City Express service to its customers in Edinburgh and Glasgow. This gives foodservice operators guaranteed morning deliveries with no minimum spend. The company, which acquired Forteith Foodservice in 2012, services around 4,000 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, beverages, cleaning products, disposables and catering equipment. 3663 provides a full selection of wines, beers and spirits through dedicated wine specialists ViVAS. It also offers local Scottish produce and a recently improved fresh meat range, which is showing impressive growth. The wholesaler continues to drive forward the provision of healthy product choices, supported with advice and nutritional information. It is also developing its service and product ranges in line with customers’ focus on provenance. At the 2015 Achievers awards, 3663 won the Corporate Responsibility Award.
BOOKER established 1957 Booker is the largest cash & carry operator in Scotland, with 22 branches and more than 1,000 employees. The wholesaler lists over 18,000 lines, covering grocery, fresh and frozen foods, alcohol, soft drinks, tobacco and
www.scottishwholesale.co.uk