Confex and Fairway Foodservice merge to form The Wholesale Group

Confex and Fairway Foodservice have merged to form The Wholesale Group.

The group will be led by joint managing directors Tom Gittins and Jess Douglas, with Martin Williams and Coral Rose as co-chairs. Described as ‘the buying group for the future’ by its leadership team, The Wholesale Group will officially launch on 1 January 2025 as the home of the independent wholesaler.

The Wholesale Group has been created to provide extensive retail and foodservice support for independent wholesalers as they navigate the changing dynamics of the wholesale landscape.

“Put simply, this is the buying group that the sector needs,” said Gittins.

“The Wholesale Group will be the only UK buying group to offer an extensive retail and foodservice range and expertise, alongside logistics efficiency via central distribution. It has an award-winning foodservice own brand supported by bespoke, coordinated member marketing and retail member support. And there are no membership fees and every member receives a share of the profits. We are delighted to launch The Wholesale Group as we know it is the solution for the independent wholesaler.”

Douglas added: “The sector has changed dramatically and it is crucial that we do things differently to accommodate these changes for both our members and suppliers, and The Wholesale Group will lead the way. Driven by data and technology and with a crystal-clear focus on service, it will be the largest delivered buying group, the largest foodservice buying group and the second largest retail buying group in the UK.”

The Wholesale Group will represent more than 12% of UK wholesale. Combined member turnover will be £4.47 billion. There are 253 member depots across the UK serving more than 349,000 customers.

The benefits brought by the group will be felt across the entire supply chain. “For our supplier partners, The Wholesale Group provides an efficient and powerful route to market through enhanced scale and capability,” said Rose.

“For our members, it is clear that Confex and Fairway have long held similar cultures and ethos, focused on celebrating and championing family businesses with members at the heart of everything we do. By coming together, we retain this member-centric approach but are even stronger, while building for the future.”

“While the foundations of The Wholesale Group are built upon years of expertise and specialist knowledge of the sector, this is a buying group created for the future,” said Williams.

“This is the solution for the independent wholesaler. It will provide something no other group can, and this will enable us to become the genuine home of independent wholesalers. We look forward to an incredibly exciting future.”

The announcement follows the news that three more wholesalers have joined Confex, adding £56.2 million to the group’s turnover.

AC Georgiades is a national soft drinks wholesaler and distributor located in Morpeth and Stevenage.

Bradford-based Ahmed Foods supplies the hospitality and restaurant trade in the north of England with a range of chilled, frozen, ambient and fresh produce.

Regency Services & Solutions, based in Manchester, specialises in hot beverage products and equipment.