CJ Lang, United Wholesale (Scotland) and Failte Foods were the big winners at the Scottish Wholesale Achievers Awards, with the former picking up Best Delivered Operation – Retail, Best Symbol Group and Best Marketing Initiative.
UWS, meanwhile, was awarded Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow, Best Licensed Wholesaler and Best Technology Initiative. Failte Foods wins were for Community Service Award, Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice and Rising Star of Wholesale for Bethany Kennedy.
Two categories were claimed by Lomond Foods – Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year and Great Place to Work. David Hadden of Booker Edinburgh A1, meanwhile, was the recipient of Employee of the Year, and Kepak’s Mark Violet was voted Supplier Sales Executive of the Year.
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The new Local Supplier of the Year award went to Aberdeenshire-based Summer House Drinks with Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, revealing that such has been the success of the SWA’s ‘Delivering Growth Through Wholesale’ programme that Achievers 2024 will present a new award for Wholesale Local Food Champion.
This award complements the ‘Delivering Growth Through Wholesale’ programme, which is designed to not only increase the amount of local sourcing by Scottish wholesalers but strengthen the wholesale supply chain for all.
Meanwhile, long-time wholesale channel supporter, soft drinks firm AG Barr, won both the Best Overall Service and Best Advertising Campaign categories.
Colin Smith said: “This is our 20th year of these prestigious awards and we have a lot to celebrate, from the remarkable individuals who go above and beyond in their day-to-day duties to make a real difference in our industry and in their communities, to the wholesalers and suppliers that go the extra mile to provide exceptional customer service to get food and drink delivered the length and breadth of Scotland.
“The wholesale industry is not for the faint-hearted. We’ve shown grit and determination as we’ve stumbled out of a pandemic – and into a new set of challenges and turbulence for the food and drink industry. Rising inflation, falling food supplies, spiralling energy costs and the search for skilled workers.
Full list of winners:
Great Place to Work, sponsored by Pernod Ricard
Lomond Foods
Runner-up: Booker Dundee
Highly Commended: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Best Cash & Carry, sponsored by Philip Morris
United Wholesale (Scotland), Queenslie
Runner-up: Batleys Sher Glasgow
Highly Commended: Booker A1 Edinburgh
Best Delivered Operation – Retail, sponsored by Juul
CJ Lang & Son
Runner-up: JW Filshill
Highly Commended: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Best Symbol Group, sponsored by Budweiser
SPAR, CJ Lang & Son
Runner-up: KeyStore, JW Filshill
Highly Commended: Day-Today, United Wholesale (Scotland)
Best Technology Initiative, sponsored by TWC
United Wholesale (Scotland)
Runner-up: Lomond Foods
Community Service Award, sponsored by AG Barr
Failte Foods
Runner-up: CJ Lang & Son
Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice, sponsored by Premier Foods
Failte Foods
Runner-up: Lomond Foods
Highly Commended: Brakes Scotland and Dunns Food & Drinks
Best Licensed Wholesaler, sponsored by Halewood
United Wholesale (Scotland)
Runner-up: Alison Wholesale
Highly Commended: Gordon & MacPhail
Best Marketing Initiative, sponsored by Suntory
CJ Lang & Son
Runner-up: Brakes Scotland
Highly Commended: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Employee of the Year, sponsored by Red Bull
David Hadden, Booker Edinburgh A1
Runner-up: Karen Clark, Brakes Scotland
Highly Commended: Scott Robertson, Booker Galashiels
Best Advertising Campaign, sponsored by SWA
Irn-Bru
‘Let’s Just Agree It Tastes…’ (Prom)
Local Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Dunns Food & Drinks
Summer House Drinks
Runner-up: Millers Larder
Highly Commended: Toll House Spirits
Project Wholesale, sponsored by Bestway Wholesale
Four Loko, Red Star Brands
Runners-up: Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I and Swizzels
Highly Commended: Juul Labs
Best Overall Service, sponsored by SWA
AG Barr
Runner-up: JTI
Highly Commended: Juul Labs
Best Foodservice Supplier, sponsored by SWA
Unilever Food Solutions
Runner-up: Highland Fine Cheeses
Highly Commended: Premier Foods
Supplier Sales Executive of the Year, sponsored by Unitas Wholesale
Mark Violet, Kepak
Runner-up: David Walker, Heineken UK
Highly Commended: Richard Garden, BrewDog
Rising Star of Wholesale, sponsored by KP Snacks
Bethany Kennedy, Failte Foods
Runner-up: Calum Brown, Brakes Scotland
Highly Commended: Jordan Mclay, United Wholesale (Scotland)
Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year, sponsored by JTI
Lomond Foods
Runner-up: Booker
Highly Commended: Brakes Scotland
