Online ordering in wholesale continues to increase with the rise of ‘new generation’ retailers and caterers, but Charles Wilson told Better Wholesaling today that he still has confidence in the cash & carry.
Speaking at the announcement of Booker’s preliminary results, Mr Wilson said: “The retailer and caterer of the future is already here, but they still want to touch and feel products; they still want to speak with our butcher to ask for specific cuts of meat. You can’t replicate that online.”
During the press conference, Booker reported total sales of £4.7bn, up +17%, for the year to March 28. Online orders at Booker are up 10% compared with 11% last year and Wilson said that the group has ambitious plans to grow online sales, particularly as its delivered operation and Makro empire continue to expand. The average Booker depot currently has 8,000 SKUs but customers are able to order an additional 5,000 SKUs online. Download the full financial results here
