At a Fairway Foodservice show featuring its own-brand products, staff of the 20 members met suppliers to taste selected lines and compare them with leading brands as well as other own-labels.

On hand at the Crewe event were the group’s sales, marketing and purchasing personnel.

Fairway’s purchasing director Steve Jeavons said: “The event was all about supplying our members with the tools and expertise to have the confidence to speak positively about our extensive own-brand range.

“And from speaking to wholesalers, we have achieved just that. The taste tests went down a storm.

“It was emphasised that our own-brand is just as good as, if not better and more cost-effective than, many others.”

Jeavons said that own-brand plans for this year included gluten-free products and revamped packaging.

Fairway Foodservice had a turnover last year of £715 million.