Birmingham-based foodservice wholesaler Giro Foods is to rejoin Unitas after a brief absence from the buying group, describing the move as “the right strategic decision” for the business.
As the UK’s largest wholesale buying group, Unitas said Giro Foods will benefit from its scale and purchasing power, as well as increased investment in member support, supplier partnerships and strategic initiatives.
Giro Foods specialises in food from across the world and supplies products to the Indian, Chinese, Afro-Caribbean, Greek and English markets.
“Giro was a founding member of the group, and we are delighted to welcome them back,” said Unitas CEO John Kinney.
“In an increasingly competitive market, Unitas is a natural home for wholesalers with a shared ambition to drive growth, strengthen their customer offering, and build partnerships with suppliers, other members, and our central support team.
“We will work closely with our friends at Giro to ensure they reap the benefits of the value, support and commercial opportunities we’re building with our members.”
Giro Foods purchasing manager Usmaan Akram added: “After reviewing the opportunities available to us in the market, rejoining Unitas was the right strategic decision for our business. We’re excited to be working with the group again and benefiting from the support and scale it offers.”
It follows the news that long-term Unitas member Parfetts will leave the buying group on 31 December. The decision, which was announced last September, comes as Parfetts continues to expand its national presence.
At the time, Parfetts joint MD Guy Swindell explained that the wholesaler’s ambitions “now naturally extend beyond the buying group model”.
Just this week, Parfetts has pledged better access to NPD, exclusive deals and improved availability for retailers once it becomes independent from Unitas at the end of the year.
Speaking with The Grocer, Swindell said Parfetts wanted to be “joined at the hip” with suppliers on commercial and marketing activity as it cemented its position as a symbol group operator.
No comments yet