First Choice Foodservice joins Country Range Group

First Choice Foodservice has joined the Country Range Group (CRG).

On track to achieve a turnover of £23.8 million in the current financial year, First Choice Foodservice serves thousands of customers across the Midlands working in the public and hospitality sectors.

Steve Ainger, managing director of First Choice Foodservice, commented: “We’re delighted to be joining the Country Range Group and look forward to working with the other members to share best practice, improve and grow together. The opportunities ahead for the business are very exciting and we’re confident the group will help us to take the next step in our incredible journey.”

Country Range Group chief executive Martin Ward said: “I would like to wish a warm welcome to Steve and the wider First Choice Foodservice team on joining our group. The business has a great heritage and culture so we’re very much looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to work. Their dedication to customer service is outstanding, and with our buying power, three-tiered portfolio and extensive marketing support, I’m confident they will be a great fit for our group and we can help them achieve their ambitious targets.”

Originally established under the name Metro in 1969 by Eddie Ainger, his brother Graham and brother-in-law Arthur Taylor, the business initially ran nine local retail food stores before moving into the wholesale sector in 1982.

In 2005, the retail stores were sold; Eddie, Arthur and Graham retired; and there was a management buyout of First Choice Wholesale Foods, a traditional cash & carry and delivered wholesale business. In 2009, under Eddie’s son Steve’s leadership and alongside long-term colleagues Nick Grantham and Martin Flanders, the trio saw an opportunity to develop and expand into foodservice.

Realising the company’s future was in foodservice, the traditional cash & carry was closed down in 2015 and the business rebranded as First Choice Foodservice. In the 13 years since the change, the business has grown its foodservice turnover to close to £24 million.

Working out of its 35,000 sq ft warehouse, the company has a portfolio of over 4,500 fresh, chilled, frozen, ambient and non-food lines delivered via its fleet of 34 multi-temp vehicles. The business captures 62% of its orders via its bespoke online ordering app, and its telesales team take orders until 10pm for next-day delivery, six days a week.

Still very much a family concern, Steve’s daughter Sophie is now a business development manager in the company and his son Michael helps out during his university holidays.