United Wholesale (Scotland) has been named the best wholesale business in Scotland at the Scottish Wholesale Achievers awards.
Achievers, now in its 16th year and organised by the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), recognises professionalism and excellence across all sectors of the wholesale industry in Scotland.
United Wholesale (Scotland), which operates depots at Queenslie in the east end of Glasgow and Maxwell Road in the city’s southside, along with the M9 Cash & Carry near Grangemouth, fended off stiff competition from businesses the length and breadth of Scotland to win the Champion of Champions accolade, this year sponsored by JTI.
It also won three other categories: Best Cash & Carry, sponsored by Mondelez International, for its Queenslie depot; Best Licensed Operation, sponsored by Whyte & Mackay; and Best Symbol Group, sponsored by Philip Morris International, for Day-Today.
Another big winner on the night was Glasgow-based JW Filshill. The wholesaler, supplier to KeyStore outlets across Scotland and the north of England, won Best Delivered Operation (Retail), sponsored by Halewood International, and Best Marketing Initiative, sponsored by Quorn Foods, for its ‘Leading the Way’ video series to encourage best-in-class behaviours and drive staff and customer loyalty.
Meanwhile, Bidfood Scotland won the Great Place to Work category, sponsored by Premier Foods. It also won Best Delivered Operation (Foodservice), sponsored by AG Barr.
In the key Employee of the Year category, sponsored by Pritchitts – A Lakeland Dairies Company, the top accolade went to Irene McLaughlin, head of administration at Fáilte Group in Glasgow. Runner-up was Catherine Donaldson, delivery supervisor at Booker Dundee while Kelly Lawson, operations administrator at Brakes, was Highly Commended.
Kate Salmon, executive director of the Edinburgh-based Scottish Wholesale Association, commented: “The marketplace is seeing unprecedented change but despite the challenges, wholesalers and suppliers continue to raise their game – there is plenty of evidence of this as we recognise the very best in our industry in Achievers and I can say with absolute confidence that standards are higher than ever.”
