Better Wholesaling:What is Today’s Group USP?
Darren Goldney: We are independently owned by our members, which are primarily family-owned businesses. As the UK’s largest wholesale services company, with a combined buying power of £5.7bn, our strength is in our scale, independence and expertise. Our members operate across grocery, impulse, licensed, foodservice, on-trade and other specialist areas, so we reach a diverse market.
What has been Today’s most significant achievement over the past 12 months?
Growing the retail estate to more than 3,000 stores, including symbol and Today’s Retail Club members, who, in turn, have distributed more than 20m consumer leaflets in the past 12 months.
How has Today’s expanded and attracted new members over the past 12 months?
Our group covers all sectors of the industry, offering independent wholesalers access to many different channels. We are experts in the sector and can provide a huge range of industry knowledge and experience.
How has Today’s developed members’ businesses?
As an example, HT Drinks recently started extending its product range from drinks into impulse and grocery, to meet retail customers’ demand. Today’s provided its Plan for Profit guide, which advises wholesalers and retailers on the core ranges for all product categories. HT used this to lay out a new extension to its depot in London, and by doing it in a logical, customer-friendly fashion, it is now seeing a double-digit increase in impulse sales.
What category support does Today’s provide its members?
A strong national promotional programme negotiated on behalf of our members to implement in-depot that is supported by brochure and point-of-sale activity, which is also supported digitally by the Plan for Profit app and website. Centrally, we are working with partners to develop a broad range of products and services negotiated at preferential rates. Members have saved thousands by using the services of a tax consultant through our centrally-negotiated terms.
What are the primary ways in which Today’s plans to help its members over the next 12 months?
We will continue to develop our drop shipment and support services to help members and their end-users to make savings in their businesses. We will also negotiate strong deals on behalf of our members. In digital, we are working with several partners to ensure our members are at the forefront of technology, and have negotiated preferential deals with SwiftCloud and Sanderson to provide members with transactional web, app and field sales platforms.
We work with our members and their customers to keep them up-to-date with industry legislation and provide advice and guidance when necessary using communication tools, including a member-exclusive digital bulletin.
What is the biggest challenge Today’s members face over the next 12 months?
Uncertainty will remain a significant challenge following the Tesco/Booker, Co-op/Nisa and Sainsbury’s/Asda deals, with further consolidation likely. Continuing competition from the hard discounters and convenience formats, together with Brexit, the increase in the National Living Wage and minimum unit pricing, will also continue to prove challenging over the next 12 months.
Better Wholesaling:What is Today’s Group USP?
Darren Goldney: We are independently owned by our members, which are primarily family-owned businesses. As the UK’s largest wholesale services company, with a combined buying power of £5.7bn, our strength is in our scale, independence and expertise. Our members operate across grocery, impulse, licensed, foodservice, on-trade and other specialist areas, so we reach a diverse market.
What has been Today’s most significant achievement over the past 12 months?
Growing the retail estate to more than 3,000 stores, including symbol and Today’s Retail Club members, who, in turn, have distributed more than 20m consumer leaflets in the past 12 months.
How has Today’s expanded and attracted new members over the past 12 months?
Our group covers all sectors of the industry, offering independent wholesalers access to many different channels. We are experts in the sector and can provide a huge range of industry knowledge and experience.
How has Today’s developed members’ businesses?
As an example, HT Drinks recently started extending its product range from drinks into impulse and grocery, to meet retail customers’ demand. Today’s provided its Plan for Profit guide, which advises wholesalers and retailers on the core ranges for all product categories. HT used this to lay out a new extension to its depot in London, and by doing it in a logical, customer-friendly fashion, it is now seeing a double-digit increase in impulse sales.
What category support does Today’s provide its members?
A strong national promotional programme negotiated on behalf of our members to implement in-depot that is supported by brochure and point-of-sale activity, which is also supported digitally by the Plan for Profit app and website. Centrally, we are working with partners to develop a broad range of products and services negotiated at preferential rates. Members have saved thousands by using the services of a tax consultant through our centrally-negotiated terms.
What are the primary ways in which Today’s plans to help its members over the next 12 months?
We will continue to develop our drop shipment and support services to help members and their end-users to make savings in their businesses. We will also negotiate strong deals on behalf of our members. In digital, we are working with several partners to ensure our members are at the forefront of technology, and have negotiated preferential deals with SwiftCloud and Sanderson to provide members with transactional web, app and field sales platforms.
We work with our members and their customers to keep them up-to-date with industry legislation and provide advice and guidance when necessary using communication tools, including a member-exclusive digital bulletin.
What is the biggest challenge Today’s members face over the next 12 months?
Uncertainty will remain a significant challenge following the Tesco/Booker, Co-op/Nisa and Sainsbury’s/Asda deals, with further consolidation likely. Continuing competition from the hard discounters and convenience formats, together with Brexit, the increase in the National Living Wage and minimum unit pricing, will also continue to prove challenging over the next 12 months.
Fast Facts
Number of members
Group buying power
£5.7bn
Biggest member
Dhamecha Foods
Latest members
Kitwave Wholesale Group and Amish Wholesalers joined in January
