Creed Foodservice, a prominent foodservice provider in the UK, has reached an agreement to be acquired by Kitwave Wholesale Group (Kitwave).

As part of the acquisition, Creed Foodservice will assume a key position within Kitwave’s Foodservice division, which encompasses the trading operations of David Miller Frozen Foods, Total Foodservice, M.J. Baker Foodservice, and Westcountry Food Holdings.

With the integration of Creed Foodservice, Kitwave’s Foodservice division will expand its depot count to 10 (16 when including the on-trade business).

more »

As of October 1st, 2024, Country Valley Foods has become the newest foodservice wholesaler to join the Country Range Group.

Founded in 1971 by Stewart Munro and Eric Duggan, Country Valley Foods provides a wide selection of fresh meat, dry goods, chilled and frozen products, as well as janitorial supplies, serving the hospitality, retail, education, and healthcare industries.

In 2023, the family-owned business generated a turnover of £29 million and operates a fleet of 24 vehicles delivering five days a week across North East England.

more »

Harlech Foodservice has secured two significant school contracts valued at over £2 million, marking its first education partnership in South Wales.

One of the contracts, valued at £1.5 million, involves supplying schools in Gwynedd, North Wales, with a variety of products, including Welsh beef. The other is a £700,000, 12-month agreement to provide schools and care homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, with food supplies.

The Gwynedd contract encompasses all schools in the region, including Ysgol Llanystumdwy.

more »

Britvic, the global drinks company, has unveiled its newly upgraded national distribution centre in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, UK, following a £25 million investment.

Britvic has upgraded the technical systems and facilities at its distribution centre to enhance warehouse and logistical operations. This facility supports both national and international customers, providing a range of soft drinks, including Robinsons, Tango, and J2O.

Thanks to the investment, the Leicestershire facility now boasts 17 new automatic cranes.

more »

Steelite International has purchased Utopia, a British supplier of tableware and glassware, for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition provides Steelite with access to Utopia’s product lines, brands, centralised distribution centre, and state-of-the-art decorating facility, while also expanding its international presence.

Established in 2000 and headquartered in Chesterfield, UK, Utopia provides a wide array of tableware, glassware, and accessories specifically designed for the hospitality industry and branded glass market.

more »

Star Pubs is investing £4.6m in revamping the outside of its pubs and creating great outdoor spaces in 2024 with 156 pubs set to benefit from the external upgrade programme.

To deliver maximum returns for licensees, Star is taking a strategic approach to its redecoration projects focusing on reflecting and promoting each pub’s internal offer to passersby via its external look and signage. As part of the initiative, all Star’s project teams have been through training in the conscious and subconscious signals that a pub’s exterior communicates. Mural signs and smart heritage colours will be used at premium venues.

more »

Soft drink maker Britvic has turned down a £3.1bn takeover bid from Danish brewing giant Carlsberg. Following the news, shares of Britvic, the producer of Robinsons squash and J2O, jumped by as much as 15% from Friday, 21 June.

Britvic announced that it received a proposal from Carlsberg to acquire the entire business on 11 June.

Britvic revealed that Carlsberg's potential bid valued the company at 1,250p per share, or £3.1 billion. However, Britvic rejected the proposal, stating that it 'significantly undervalues Britvic.

more »

Bidcorp UK has acquired Northern Bloc, an ice cream manufacturer that supplies products to Booths, the National Trust, and Wagamama.

Founded in 2014, Northern Bloc Ice Cream Ltd provides a variety of products, including vegan and custom ice creams in numerous flavors. The company also offers a low-sugar ice cream range for children and a special ice cream for dogs, in partnership with the Dogs Trust.

Northern Bloc will become part of Bidcorp UK's network of manufacturing businesses, which includes Simply Food Solutions and Yarde Farm.

more »

Harlech Foodservice has acquired Celtic Foodservice, which is based in Pembrokeshire, in order to expand into south west Wales to meet increasing customer demand.

David Cattrall, Harlech Foodservice managing director, said: “I am delighted we have successfully acquired Celtic Foodservice and this strategic acquisition is a significant step forward in our mission to expand our footprint into South Wales.”

He praised Celtic Foodservice for its ‘strong reputation’ and ‘exceptional service’, saying: “By integrating Celtic Foodservice into our operations.

more »

Craig Nightingale has outlined his immediate goals after assuming leadership following the retirement of Helen Cockerham.

Craig Nightingale has been announced as the new managing director of Bunzl's Catering & Hospitality Division, which includes Bunzl Catering Supplies, Lockhart Catering Equipment, Tri-Star Packaging Supplies, Aggora, and Enviropack.

Mr. Nightingale succeeds Helen Cockerham, who retired earlier this year, and brings over 30 years of experience to the role.

He has spent the past two decades at Bunzl.

more »

The UK’s finest and largest whisky festival, The Whisky Show, is returning to Old Billingsgate, London for three days between 6th and 8th September 2024.

The event features features whisky producers, demonstrations and masterclasses in the whisky world, offering opportunities to taste the finest whiskies available today.

For more information please visit https://whiskyshow.com/london/

Actor, journalist and documentary maker, Ross Kemp, has joined forces with HEINEKEN UK to showcase the benefits of its industry leading SmartDispense® cellar technology in a highly engaging video series launching this month.

The new campaign, Ross Kemp Behind Bars, will follow Kemp as he visits great pubs up and down the country to find out how SmartDispense® helps licensees save over 20,000 pints per year of beer, cider and water, and deliver the perfect pint every time.

It comes in response to new research showing the importance of serving great quality beer.

more »

Heineken UK is set to invest £39 million in reopening 62 pubs and refurbishing hundreds of its older venues, aiming to appeal to customers who have grown accustomed to working from home.

The brewer, with approximately 2,400 sites under its Star Pubs and Bars arm, stated that a quarter of its venues are slated for improvement this year.

Over 90 of these are scheduled for makeovers, with an average cost of £200,000 each.

The investment will result in 62 sites reopening in 2024.

more »

Leading UK food packaging distributor realizes significant benefits across supply chain planning, demand planning and collaboration

Bunzl Catering Supplies, one of the UK’s leading distributors of catering consumables, food packaging and hygiene products, has realized significant benefits since deploying forecasting and replenishment capabilities from RELEX Solutions, supporting supply chain planning, demand planning, and cross-functional collaboration across its operations.

Part of Bunzl plc.

more »

England – Blackstone, America’s leading griddle brand with over 80% market share, is thrilled to announce its official entry into the UK market through an exclusive partnership with JDM Products the specialist added value Distributor based in Daventry. The launch of Blackstone BBQ Griddle in the UK opens up huge volume opportunities for retailers and outdoor cooking specialists to experience the ultimate cooking flexibility.

The heart of Blackstone's ethos is summed up in their slogan: 'Cook anything, any time, anywhere.' Blackstone griddles are designed to empower everyone to prepare a wide variety of dishes in an outdoor setting.

more »

Creed Foodservice, one of the UK’s leading foodservice partners to the HoReCa, Education and Care sectors, has announced Miles Roberts as its new Managing Director. Roberts, 40, who has held the role of Sales and Marketing Director at Creed for the past six years will be taking the reins from Philip de Ternant who will assume the role of Chairman within the Board of Directors. Roberts brings a wealth of experience to his new position at the national wholesaler and catering provider, garnered from senior roles at Brakes, Pepsi Co, and Sainsbury’s.

Involved in Creed’s business growth strategy over previous years.

more »

The ongoing success of The Country Range Group (CRG) is drawing in new members, and Waterdene Foodservice is the latest independent wholesaler to join this purchasing alliance.

Established in 1982, Waterdene Foodservice is a family-owned business located in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Leveraging a fleet of 23 delivery vehicles, they serve a diverse network of schools, hospitals, pubs, coffee shops, garden centers, and other leisure outlets. Boasting over 3,500 product lines and employing 47 individuals, the company conducts 1,500 weekly deliveries to caterers within a 40-mile radius of Leighton Buzzard.

more »

The Country Range Group (CRG) has disclosed that Arthur David, a family-owned and independent wholesaler, has joined the dynamic buying group as its latest member.

Situated in Bishop Sutton, Bristol, Arthur David was established in 1962 and currently conducts more than 42,000 deliveries to caterers and chefs throughout the South West each month. The Arthur David team comprises over 435 staff members, and the business proudly involves three generations of the David family.

Starting from January 1st 2024.

more »

Food and beverage wholesaler, Bidfood, has unveiled a new initiative called the Open Doors Programme, designed to bolster small food and drink suppliers. Launching next month, the program will seek out and provide support to brands and suppliers endeavouring to establish themselves in the market.

The scheme was developed by SME expert and former Bidfood supplier, Andrew Allen. He will collaborate with Bidfood's technical services, buying, procurement, and marketing teams to implement a range of activities tailored to assist emerging suppliers.

Additionally.

more »

The scheme, named the Open Doors Programme, will launch next month and aim to identify and support brands and suppliers trying to establish themselves within the market.

Andrew Allen, an SME expert and former supplier to Bidfood, developed the scheme and will work with Bidfood's technical services, buying, procurement and marketing teams to create a range of activities designed to support emerging suppliers.

In addition, the programme will enable current Bidfood customers to gain access to the new suppliers and their products coming to market.

more »