The Wholesale Group is forecasting 12.5% growth across its two divisions (10% foodservice, 15% retail) over the next 12 months, with the buying group now at 225 members, who collectively serve nearly 350,000 customers across the UK.
Speaking at the buying group’s Senior Supplier Briefing, the management team gave an insight into the company’s growth accelerators and strategy for the year ahead, with retail managing director Tom Gittins calling independent wholesale “the fastest growing sector in the market, with discounters racing to the bottom and the supermarket saturated.”
Meanwhile, foodservice managing director Coral Rose was more cautious and of the opinion that independent foodservice wholesalers now need a buying group to survive: “It’s a tough market out there,” she said as she highlighted TWG’s member to customer marketing options for its wholesalers, including a promotions system, bespoke Whatsapp channel, as well as managed email and social media management.
Retail growth accelerators
- Frozen retail explosion- Convenience is embracing freezers and longer shelf life products/Large format foodservice packs are selling well in retail environments.
- Grocery and chilled expansion- Category diversification away from traditional ambient ranges/Retail growth driven by ‘food for tonight’ needs.
- Member engagement deepening- Average suppliers per member up 12.6 to 22.1/180m new retail spend through members who have joined in 2025.
Retail strategy
- Maximise ranging
- Member diversification
- Strategic member recruitment
- Smarter use of data and AI
- Drive ESG leadership to gain competitive advantage
Foodservice key drivers
- Using more data, insights and AI- Market intelligence
- Targeted member engagement
- Product performance tracking
- Category growth opportunities
- Strengthening communities
- Investment in team development
In one of the later panels comprising of TWG members, Andrew Kirby, Holland Bazaar commercial director called for more price parity from the suppliers in the room: “We are asking for more price parity from suppliers. Even as big as we are we sometimes still go to Tesco and buy stuff cheaper than direct from the supplier.”
Meanwhile, TWC managing director Tanya Pepin delivered a marketplace update and reminded delegates that the market is tough but there are growth opportunities for those in the right place with the right offer. She also highlighted the rise in weight loss injections and how they are starting to change buying behaviour: “This is only the start.”
Jess Douglas, managing director, People & Operations at TWG then concluded the event: “The Senior Supplier Briefing underlined our commitment to transparency, partnership and creating long-term value across both retail and foodservice channels. It was a reminder not only of how we have come, but more importantly where we are going next. We have a target to reach £5bn turnover as a group and we’re aiming to get there through smarter use of data and AI, strategic member recruitment, ESG leadership and deeper collaboration with our members and supplier partners.
