Unitas wholesalers are improving availability for customers through the sharing of each other’s resources and warehouse spaces.
Managing director of the buying group John Kinney told our sister website Better Retailing the move was the latest in its strategy to ensure its wholesale membership would still be able to supply stores.
Members include wholesalers such as Parfetts, Dhamecha, Filshill, AF Blakemore, Dee Bee Wholesale, United Wholesale Grocers and United Wholesale Scotland.
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He added: “What we are looking to do is work with a number of wholesalers and suppliers where we can offer a consolidation service, especially in geographical regions where members have the capability to operate as a hub for other wholesalers.
“What’s important is to keep giving wholesalers direct access to supplier stocks. It’s important we work with a number of wholesalers that can do this. This is something we’ve been looking at quite tactically.
“Filshill is a good example and it is already operating that service for a number of wholesalers as part of its business model. Turner & Wrights also does that. We can’t name specific wholesalers yet, but there are a number of others we’re talking with to offer a similar service.”
One example of this model includes Parfetts, which is working with Filshill to distribute its Go Local own label in Scotland.
