The Scottish Wholesale Association has rewarded the most forward-thinking, resilient and innovative wholesalers at its annual Achievers Awards.
Around 520 guests attended the Achievers gala dinner and awards presentation, hosted by TV sports presenter Amy Irons, at the O2 Academy Edinburgh, last night (22 February).
Multiple winners on the night included CJ Lang & Son – picking up Best Delivered Operation – Retail, Best Symbol Group, and Community Service Award, while Faílte Foods claimed Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice and Employee of the Year for Paul Ellwood, senior buyer.
United Wholesale (Scotland) won Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow and Best Licensed Wholesaler.
Two categories were claimed by Brakes Scotland with Kelsey Brannan, area sales manager, a popular winner of Rising Star of Wholesale and the wholesaler also picking up Best Marketing Initiative for its enhanced loyalty scheme, My Brakes Rewards.
Bidfood, meanwhile, won the Best Innovation category for its new portal where chefs can create menus, calculate margin, provide full allergen traceability and order products.
For Booker, it was the wholesaler’s commitment to best practice across the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic – that saw it clinch Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year.
The Local Supplier of the Year award, showcasing the innovation and quality of Scotland’s food and drink, went to Perthshire-based Clootie McToot. The winner scored maximum points not only for those aspects, but also for its understanding of the Scottish wholesale channel, its local roots, and marketing and ecommerce activities.
Meanwhile, long-time wholesale channel supporter, soft drinks firm AG Barr, won Project Scotland for the launch of its PWR-BRU big can energy range – fulfilling its aim to drive incremental sales and profits by offering retailer incentives, driving excellent execution in depot, and investing in wide-ranging consumer activity.
In the Best Foodservice Supplier category, judged on the same principles, the award went to Mrs Tilly’s.
SWA Chief Executive Colin Smith said: “I’ve spoken before about how resilient wholesale is and you don’t need me to remind you of the challenges we have faced in recent years – and more recent issues that certainly don’t make running a wholesale business any easier.
“So, it’s only right that we celebrate our industry – whether it’s retail, hospitality, tourism, sustainability, economic transformation, or health and wellbeing – with the SWA’s wholesale and supplier members but also our colleagues and partners from across industry, and from within the Scottish government.”
Full list of winners
- Great Place to Work: Costco
- Best Innovation: Bidfood
- Best Cash & Carry: United Wholesale (Scotland), Queenslie
- Best Delivered Operation – Retail: CJ Lang & Son
- Best Symbol Group: Spar, CJ Lang & Son
- Community Service Award: CJ Lang & Son
- Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice: Faílte Foods
- Best Licensed Wholesaler: United Wholesale (Scotland)
- Best Marketing Initiative: Brakes
- Employee of the Year: Paul Ellwood, senior buyer, Faílte Foods
- Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year: Booker
- Best Advertising Campaign : Tennent’s ‘Raised in Scotland – OOOFT’
- Local Supplier of the Year: Clootie McToot
- Wholesale Local Food Champion: Mark Don, Braehead Foods
- Project Wholesale: AG Barr for the launch of PWR-BRU big can energy range
- Best Overall Service: AG Barr
- Best Foodservice Supplier: Mrs Tilly’s
- Supplier Sales Executive of the Year: Tiffany Emmett, Budweiser Brewing Group
- Rising Star of Wholesale: Kelsey Brannan, area sales manager, Brakes
