Blakemore Trade Partners has launched a brand new retailer induction to welcome new retailers to Spar. The two-day induction programme, based at AF Blakemore’s main site in Willenhall, aims to provide new joiners with an overview of the key retailer
Two Blakemore Logistics transport managers have raised more than £7,100 for Bowel Cancer UK by cycling 300 miles from London to Paris. On 8 April distribution general manager Dave Higgs and distribution manager Pete James embarked on a four-day bike
A logistics operator has placed increased emphasis upon developing its own people to help ease the challenges created as a result of the national shortage of drivers. AF Blakemore & Son provides existing employees with the opportunity to develop their
James Hall & Co, the Spar wholesaler for the North of England, is helping retailers get the right balance of stock with its store replenishment system. Availability is one of the top things customers look for in a convenience store, says research
James Hall, the Spar wholesaler for the North of England, is relaunching its lunchtime range, introducing a new meal deal and added sushi to its offer. The Spar wholesaler has sold almost 25m sandwiches since it first started producing them in its own
James Hall & Co, the Spar wholesaler for the North of England, reports it has seen phenomenal success in its Cream Cakes range, with £1.3m of retail sales in just one year since they were launched by Clayton Park. To
James Hall & Co, the Spar wholesaler for the North of England, is launching a range of new bread products to retailers, thanks to the huge success of its six-day a week bread delivery service. Since the fresh bread delivery service
AF Blakemore, the largest wholesaler of Spar UK and distributor to the independent grocery sector, has implemented a 3G failover system from Vodat International, the leading in-store communications and network provider. The solution offers AF Blakemore’s store estate improved resilience, reduced down
The Bestway Group has announced its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2014. The Group’s annual turnover increased by 1.2% to £2.55bn from £2.52bn in 2013. Profit before tax for the year ended 30 June 2014 was up
CJ Lang & Son, the long-established Dundee-based independent food and drink wholesaler, has been named the best wholesale business in the country at the prestigious Scottish Wholesale Achievers, the awards initiative created and organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association to
AF Blakemore’s Fine Foods division has announced the second phase of its strategic re-launch, with the expansion of its operational team and online presence. The company, which was launched in 2007, rebranded as Blakemore Fine Foods last July to symbolise
AF Blakemore has announced the launch of its first graduate scheme, due to commence in July 2015. The two-year programme aims to develop future leaders for the company and will take on four graduates across four areas of the business.
Ascot-based drinks wholesaler Interbev UK has secured a £9m funding package from Lloyds Bank to support its growth across all the company’s operations. The business specialises in the sale and distribution of UK and global drink brands to a number
Toyota Material Handling UK has supplied Lanchester Wines with a new fleet of Toyota Tonero gas-powered forklifts after meeting at the Commercial Vehicle show. Lanchester Wines offers a complete wine service, beginning at vineyards all over the world, to bottling,
CJ Lang, owner and operator of Spar Scotland, has raised more than £70,000 last year for local causes and charities. Spar Scotland has generously donated a cheque for £6,000 to The Scarlett Fund. Scarlett Dougan was born with a rare
Employee volunteers from AF Blakemore’s finance department joined forces with Barclays to support young people across the Black Country in a day of enterprise challenges. A total of 18 volunteers from across AF Blakemore and Barclays spent a day supporting
AF Blakemore has posted a 7.4% increase in profits and 5% increase in sales in its latest set of accounts. The West Midlands-based food retail, wholesale and distribution business recorded annual sales of £1.19bn with pre-tax profits up from £7.1m
Holland’s, one of the UK’s best-known producers of pies and pastries for over 160 years, and Central Foods, a dedicated, frozen food specialist, offering a ‘one-stop-shop’ exclusively to the foodservice sector, have come together to increase distribution of Holland’s frozen foods to wholesalers and caterers
Gnaw, the Norwich-based maker of a quirky range of handcrafted chocolates, has formed a partnership with leading distributor Blakemore Fine Foods, that will enable both companies to boost business with UK retailers who want to buy British. Gnaw reports it
There’s a lot of balance sheets in the retail grocery sector that can’t take much more disruption, according to Booker chief executive Charles Wilson. Speaking at the 2014 IGD Convention, Wilson said the supermarkets’ economic model has been disrupted. Their
Spar stores and customers across the North of England have helped to raise £200,000 for the NSPCC’s ChildLine Schools Service simply by having a bite to eat. The money has been raised since 2011 through a sandwich promotion on a
Spar UK reports it is racing ahead in making changes to traffic light labeling on its products – with more than 80% of artwork now signed off ahead of schedule. A total of 200 products are already in store using the
Independent food and drink wholesaler, JW Filshill ,has expanded into the export market, setting up JW Filshill International – trading as The Craft Beer Clan of Scotland – to help Scottish craft brewers initially penetrate the lucrative Asia market. The new company, with
Blakemore Logistics has opened the door to a career in LGV driving for several young people by hosting a driver apprenticeship scheme. Working in partnership with the Logistics Apprenticeship Training Academy (LATA), Blakemore Logistics has provided a series of work
Spar reports its service levels are at their highest ever – currently running at 98.7%, with all five Spar wholesalers recording on average 97.5% of deliveries arriving on time over 13,000 deliveries made per week. This success is thanks to Spar’s
