United Wholesale (Scotland) and AG Barr were the big winners at the SWA Achiever awards in Edinburgh, with the wholesaler picking up Best Delivered Operation – Retail, Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow, Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade, and Best Marketing Initiative.
AG Barr, meanwhile, scooped up every single supplier award, the first time this has ever been achieved at the SWAs.
Wholesale Local Food Champion and Employee of the Year were both won by Megan Smith, purchasing co-ordinator at Glasgow-based Lomond Foods while Rising Star of Wholesale went to Matt Farmer, commercial development co-ordinator at Brakes Scotland.
Read more: SWA conference returns after six years
JW Filshill took home the Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year category – with the judges stating that the business has worked on several initiatives that have been “for the wider benefit of other wholesalers, suppliers and retailers”, with staff empowered by senior management to take the lead in driving sustainability initiatives.
SWA chief executive Colin Smith said: “Tonight is all about recognising and celebrating the exceptional achievements of not only businesses but also individuals in the Scottish wholesale channel, the gateway to Scotland’s food and drink industry.
“Once upon a time, the wholesale industry largely flew under the radar of those in the corridors of power, but today, Scotland’s wholesale industry is far more widely recognised by MSPs and MPs alike for the vital role it plays in the food and drink supply chain,” he added.
ACHIEVERS 2025 RESULTS
Rising Star of Wholesale
Sponsored by KP Snacks
Highly Commended: Suzanne Hood, Bidfood
Runner-Up: Zygmunt Jan Ruszczyc, United Wholesale Grocers
Winner: Matt Farmer, Brakes Scotland
Project Wholesale
Sponsored by Tapestry
Joint Runner-up: Swizzels
Joint Runner-up: Tennent’s
Winner: AG Barr
Local Supplier of the Year
Sponsored by Lomond Foods
Highly Commended: Amity Fish Company
Runner-up: Mossgiel Farm
Winner: Taylors Snacks
Wholesale Driver of the Year
Sponsored by Philip Morris
Highly Commended: Stephen Maxwell, Booker Glasgow
Joint Runner-up: Charles Mcsherry, JB Foods
Joint Runner-up: Jesus Jiminez Ramos, Bidfood Glasgow
Winner: John Martin, Braehead Foods
Great Place to Work
Sponsored by Premier Foods
Highly Commended: Greencity Wholefoods
Runner-up: Lynas Foodservice
Winner: Faílte Foods
Best Delivered Operation – Retail
Sponsored by C&C Group
Runner-up: CJ Lang & Son
Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice
Sponsored by Red Bull
Highly Commended: Lomond Foods
Runner-up: Faílte Foods
Winner: Brakes Scotland
Best Foodservice Supplier
Sponsored by Bestway
Joint Highly Commended: Unilever Food Solutions
Joint Highly Commended: Vegware
Runner-up: Taylors Snacks
Winner: AG Barr
Supplier Sales Executive of the Year
Sponsored by Unitas Wholesale
Highly Commended: Jonny Rennie, Taylors Snacks
Runner-up: Zoe Stephens, KP Snacks
Winner: Craig Barr, AG Barr
Wholesale Local Food Champion
Sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink and TWC
Highly Commended: Gerry Davies, Bidfood
Joint Runner-up: Matt Farmer, Brakes Scotland
Joint Runner-up: Ewan Harvie, Brakes Scotland
Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods
Best Symbol Group
Sponsored by Pernod Ricard
Highly Commended: Premier, Booker
Runner-up: Day-Today, United Wholesale (Scotland)
Winner: SPAR Scotland, CJ Lang & Son
Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year
Sponsored by AG Barr
Highly Commended: Bidfood
Runner-Up: Lomond Foods
Winner: JW Filshill
Best Licensed Wholesaler – On-Trade
Sponsored by Hi Spirits
Highly Commended: Sutherland Brothers
Runner Up: Dunns Food and Drinks
Winner: Inverarity Morton
Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade
Sponsored by AB In-Bev
Highly Commended: Booker Irvine
Runner-up: United Wholesale Grocers
Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Employee of the Year
Sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Highly Commended: John McAndie, Bidfood
Runner-up: Matthew Wardropper, JB Foods
Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods
Best Advertising Campaign
Sponsored by Tapestry
Winner: IRN-BRU ‘Mannschaft’
Best Innovation
Sponsored by JTI
Highly Commended: Brakes
Runner-up: Bidfood
Winner: Lynas Foodservice
Best Marketing Initiative
Sponsored by Suntory
Highly Commended: CJ Lang & Son
Runner-up: Inverarity Morton
Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland)
Best Overall Service
Sponsored by Bestway
Highly Commended: Imperial Tobacco
Runner-up: JTI
Winner: AG Barr
Best Cash & Carry
Sponsored by Carlsberg Britvic
Highly Commended: United Wholesale Grocers, Springburn
Runner-up: Booker, Galashiels
Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland), Queenslie, Glasgow
Lifetime Achievement
Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr
Lifetime Achievement
Ian Johnstone, AG Barr
