Confex has opened out its Wholesaler Marketplace to all wholesalers across the UK to help with the redistribution of food amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
The company said the move addresses the issue of foodservice wholesalers across the country holding stock that will potentially go out of date, while retail wholesalers are running out of stock and unable to purchase the quantities they need from suppliers.
There are no costs, no fees and no commission with wholesalers able to buy, sell and hold wholesaler discussion in an online environment.
“Wholesalers are experiencing diametric fortunes since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak,” said Confex managing director Tom Gittins. “Wholesalers selling to retail are experiencing unprecedented demand due to panic buying and they cannot keep enough stock to satiate consumer demand.
“On the other side of the coin, foodservice wholesalers have lost up to 95% of their customers as cafés, pubs and restaurants have closed their doors during the shutdown. Confex members wanted to help save our industry, so we have opened up our Wholesale Marketplace to all wholesalers in an effort to redistribute food and bring wholesale together as one.”
Tom Matthew, Confex board member and Dunsters Farm managing director, added: “As a foodservice wholesaler, many of our vehicles are parked up right now while food retailers can’t keep up with the surge in demand. There is enough food in the supply chain for everyone if we can co-ordinate the redistribution. We hope the Wholesaler Marketplace can go some way to helping with this.’’
