There was a strong Scottish flavour to proceedings at the Today’s Group annual conference which took place earlier this month in Monte Carlo.
Attendees enjoyed an intensive line up of industry-leading speakers, many from north of the border, combined with a variety of networking opportunities.
Jim Cummiskey of Glasgow-based Failte Foods shared some of the group’s latest developments. Following the launch of a new fresh fruit and vegetable division, Failte has now doubled its fresh produce offering and has relocated the category to its own 18,500 sq ft site within Glasgow’s fresh fruit & vegetable market. The next step for the team will be to launch a fresh meats butchery in 2016.
Director of the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) Kate Salmon and Chief Executive of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, James Bielby, updated delegates on the work the associations have been doing towards education, lobbying and training.
Bielby urged wholesalers to act fast and apply for Alcohol Registration via the Government Gateway Scheme while Salmon highlighted the huge success of SWA’s Essential Negotiator course, which will make a return in 2016.
Stephen Watt of Whyte & Mackay urged delegates to consider improving the spirits shopping experience for customers. Consumers want to be engaged and informed, said Watt, recommending that wholesalers and their customers must respond by utilising social media to establish what is popular on a local level together with educating staff to offer customers advice with premium lines.
Simon Hannah (pictured) discussed the launch of JW Filshill’s specialist Scottish beer export business Craft Beer Clan last year, which has successfully diversified into new lucrative markets while adding new interest to the core business.
He explained that the conference theme ‘Partnerships for Success’ means something very different in Asia, where social media is controlled and Twitter and Facebook are banned. Effective relationships are about respecting different cultures not just about transactions. By embracing new ways of doing business, Hannah’s new venture has been able to thrive.
Back in Glasgow, JW Filshill has invested in technology to make huge improvements to the core business, saving £30k worth of false claims per year. Fifty per cent of Hannah’s team have been with the business for at least ten years or more. To achieve ‘Partnerships for Success’ the knowledge and experience of his staff is blended with the aspirations of his suppliers.
Among those also speaking at the four day event were jewellery retailer Gerald Ratner and Reggae Reggae sauce founder Levi Roots, who also hosted the Today’s Annual Supplier Awards.
The conference closed with a James-Bond themed finale at the Salle Des Etoiles in the Monte Carlo Bay hotel, where members and suppliers enjoyed a tutored whisky tasting with Whyte & MacKay’s Master Blender Richard Paterson and a performance of James Bond anthems from X Factor’s Rebecca Ferguson.
