Achievers 2025 celebrate top Scottish wholesalers and suppliers

Scotland’s most innovative, forward-thinking and resilient wholesalers – and their people – have been recognised and rewarded at the annual Scottish Wholesale Achievers awards.

Achievers, now in its 22^nd year and organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association, recognises excellence across all sectors of the wholesale industry and the achievements that have made a difference to individuals, communities and businesses over the last year.

More than 500 guests attended the Achievers gala dinner and awards presentation, hosted by sports broadcaster Eilidh Barbour, at the O2 Academy Edinburgh on  20 February. Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, was in attendance and presented two awards.

Multiple winners on the night included United Wholesale (Scotland), which picked up Best Delivered Operation – Retail; Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie in Glasgow; Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade; and Best Marketing Initiative.

Suppliers were recognised for their support of the wholesale sector with awards in categories including Best Overall Service and Best Foodservice Supplier – both won by soft drinks giant AG Barr. These awards involve wholesaler members of the SWA voting each month over a four-month period for the shortlisted suppliers.

AG Barr also shone in the Project Wholesale category for ‘The Great Transition’, its project to move all the sales from Barr Direct into the wholesale industry. And in a fun segment during Achievers, guests watched five TV ads shortlisted by wholesalers across Scotland, with the Best Advertising Campaign going to the supplier’s IRN-BRU – ‘Mannschaft’.

It is the first time in the history of Achievers that one supplier has won all the supplier awards. There was a grand total of 46 individual wholesale executives involved in scoring and judging the supplier awards, so it is no mean feat that AG Barr won them all.

Commenting on the awards, SWA chief executive Colin Smith said: “Tonight is all about recognising and celebrating the exceptional achievements of not only businesses but also individuals in the Scottish wholesale channel, the gateway to Scotland’s food and drink industry.

“The people who work in wholesale are the glue that binds our food and drink industry together – be it those who work in partnership with our producers and suppliers, or those who help support, develop and deliver into the local retailer, hotel, school or hospital.

“Once upon a time, the wholesale industry largely flew under the radar of those in the corridors of power, but today, Scotland’s wholesale industry is far more widely recognised by MSPs and MPs alike for the vital role it plays in the food and drink supply chain.

“Every wholesaler, every supplier – be they local or national, large or small – are an essential cog in Scotland’s complex food and drink supply chain. That’s why is it more important than ever that we celebrate their success and recognise everything they do to ensure that food and drink reaches our plates and tables.”

Two stalwarts of the Scottish wholesale industry – Jonathan Kemp and Ian Johnstone of AG Barr – received Lifetime Achievement Awards in recognition of their valued contribution to the wholesale industry over many years.

The event also recognised wholesale members Dunns Food and Drinks and JW Filshill, both of which are celebrating their 150th anniversaries this year.

Here are the results:

Wholesaler awards:

Rising Star of Wholesale sponsored by KP Snacks

Highly Commended: Suzanne Hood, Bidfood

Runner-Up: Zygmunt Jan Ruszczyc, United Wholesale Grocers

Winner: Matt Farmer, Brakes Scotland

Wholesale Driver of the Year sponsored by Philip Morris

Highly Commended: Stephen Maxwell, Booker Glasgow

Joint Runner-up: Charles Mcsherry, JB Foods

Joint Runner-up: Jesus Jiminez Ramos, Bidfood Glasgow

Winner: John Martin, Braehead Foods

Great Place to Work sponsored by Premier Foods

Highly Commended: Greencity Wholefoods

Runner-up: Lynas Foodservice

Winner: Faílte Foods

Best Delivered Operation – Retail sponsored by C&C Group

Runner-up: CJ Lang & Son

Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)

Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice sponsored by Red Bull

Highly Commended: Lomond Foods

Runner-up: Faílte Foods

Winner: Brakes Scotland

Wholesale Local Food Champion sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink and TWC

Highly Commended: Gerry Davies, Bidfood

Joint Runner-up: Matt Farmer, Brakes Scotland

Joint Runner-up: Ewan Harvie, Brakes Scotland

Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods

Best Symbol Group sponsored by Pernod Ricard

Highly Commended: Premier, Booker

Runner-up: Day-Today, United Wholesale (Scotland)

Winner: SPAR Scotland, CJ Lang & Son

Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year sponsored by AG Barr

Highly Commended: Bidfood

Runner-Up: Lomond Foods

Winner: JW Filshill

Best Licensed Wholesaler – On-Trade sponsored by Hi Spirits

Highly Commended: Sutherland Brothers

Runner Up: Dunns Food and Drinks

Winner: Inverarity Morton

 Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade sponsored by AB In-Bev

Highly Commended: Booker Irvine

Runner-up: United Wholesale Grocers

Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)

Employee of the Year sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

Highly Commended: John McAndie, Bidfood

Runner-up: Matthew Wardropper, JB Foods

Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods

Best Innovation sponsored by JTI

Highly Commended: Brakes

Runner-up: Bidfood

Winner: Lynas Foodservice

Best Marketing Initiative sponsored by Suntory

Highly Commended: CJ Lang & Son

Runner-up: Inverarity Morton

Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)

Best Cash & Carry sponsored by Carlsberg Britvic

Highly Commended: United Wholesale Grocers, Springburn

Runner-up: Booker, Galashiels

Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland), Queenslie, Glasgow

Supplier awards:

Project Wholesale sponsored by Tapestry

Joint Runner-up: Swizzels

Joint Runner-up: Tennent’s

Winner: AG Barr

Local Supplier of the Year sponsored by Lomond Foods

Highly Commended: Amity Fish Company

Runner-up: Mossgiel Farm

Winner: Taylors Snacks

Best Overall Service sponsored by Bestway

Highly Commended: Imperial Tobacco

Runner-up: JTI

Winner: AG Barr

Best Foodservice Supplier sponsored by Bestway

Joint Highly Commended: Unilever Food Solutions

Joint Highly Commended: Vegware

Runner-up: Taylors Snacks

Winner: AG Barr

Supplier Sales Executive of the Year sponsored by Unitas Wholesale

Highly Commended: Jonny Rennie, Taylors Snacks

Runner-up: Zoe Stephens, KP Snacks

Winner: Craig Barr, AG Barr

Best Advertising Campaign sponsored by Tapestry

Winner: IRN-BRU ‘Mannschaft’

Lifetime Achievement

Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr

Lifetime Achievement

Ian Johnstone, AG Barr