Filshill grabs the glittering prizes

JW Filshill
Champion of Champions, sponsored by JTI and won by JW Filshill. Pictured above, left to right: Chris Miller, managing director, Craft Beer Clan; Ian McDonald, sales and marketing director, JW Filshill; Nick Hannah, director, JW Filshill; Keith Geddes, finance director, JW Filshill; Andy Stevens, head of sales, JTI; Simon Hannah, managing director, JW Filshill; Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; and awards event host Jean Johansson.

Wholesaler bags five awards and takes the top title in a night of Scottish Wholesale Achievers triumph

GLASGOW-based wholesaler JW Filshill came close to sweeping the boards at this year’s Scottish Wholesale Achievers, taking a total of five awards including the top prize on the night – Champion of Champions, effectively best wholesaler in Scotland.
The family-owned business, which celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2015, supplies 168 KeyStore convenience stores across Scotland and the north of England.
As well as taking the Champion of Champions title Filshill also took the award for Best Symbol Group for its KeyStore fascia chain, Best Delivered Operation (Retail) and Best Marketing Initiative for the launch and development of its specialist beer division Craft Beer Clan.
Fiona Ritchie, the company’s impulse buyer, won the Employee of the Year category.
Filshill won every category it entered.
Describing Filshill as “a true Scottish independent wholesaler”, the Scottish Wholesale Achievers judges said: “It does not have the support of a symbol group central office but it demonstrates excellent retailer selection criteria, retailer support and execution.
“Stores are supported with business development managers, merchandisers, planograms and a range of training packages.
“Its communication and pricing were described by some of its customers as first-class.”
Kate Salmon, executive director of the Edinburgh-based Scottish Wholesale Association, said: “This is an outstanding result for Filshill, one of our sector’s leading independent, family-owned businesses – and a wholesaler that is bold and confident about the future, a wholesaler that is prepared to take risks, embrace new technologies and push boundaries in its quest to diversify and innovate.”
Among other winners on the night, the giant Bestway Batleys Sher Brothers depot on the south side of the River Clyde in Glasgow was named Best Cash & Carry Depot.
United Wholesale Scotland’s Queenslie depot in the east of Glasgow took the Great Place to Work award.
The Corporate Responsibility Award was won by foodservice wholesaler Bidvest.
Among the winners of the awards designed for suppliers to the wholesale industry the Irn-Bru advertisement Train, which features an inappropriately opening train toilet door and a confidence boosting swig of Irn Bru, was voted winner of Best Advertising Campaign.
And C&C Brands won the Best Overall Service award.

Best Symbol Group, sponsored by Cott, pictured above, left to right: Julie Kelly, Cott; Dale Gregory, head of wholesale and out of home, Cott; Robert Paton, business development manager for KeyStore, JW Filshill; Ian McDonald, sales and marketing director, JW Filshill; Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; Annmarie Johnston, KeyStore account manager; Lorraine MacPherson, KeyStore account manager; and awards host Jean Johansson.
Best Symbol Group, sponsored by Cott, pictured above, left to right: Julie Kelly, Cott; Dale Gregory, head of wholesale and out of home, Cott; Robert Paton, business development manager for KeyStore, JW Filshill; Ian McDonald, sales and marketing director, JW Filshill; Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; Annmarie Johnston, KeyStore account manager; Lorraine MacPherson, KeyStore account manager; and awards host Jean Johansson.
Employee of the Year, pictured above left to right: Award winner Fiona Ritchie, impulse buyer at JW Filshill; Karen Murray, regional sales manager, Philip Morris International; Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; and awards event host Jean Johansson.
Employee of the Year, pictured above left to right: Award winner Fiona Ritchie, impulse buyer at JW Filshill; Karen Murray, regional sales manager, Philip Morris International; Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; and awards event host Jean Johansson.
Best Cash and Carry Depot. Pictured above, left to right: Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; Stephen Wilkie of winner Bestway Batleys Sher Brothers, Glasgow; Lesley Smith, route to market development executive, Imperial Tobacco UK; and awards event host Jean Johansson.
Best Cash and Carry Depot. Pictured above, left to right: Kate Salmon, executive director, Scottish Wholesale Association; Stephen Wilkie of winner Bestway Batleys Sher Brothers, Glasgow; Lesley Smith, route to market development executive, Imperial Tobacco UK; and awards event host Jean Johansson.

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Scottish Wholesale Achievers 2016
Roll of honour

The Scottish Wholesale Achievers awards programme features awards for wholesale companies, staff and depots and also has a series of awards for suppliers.

Champion of Champions sponsored by JTI
Winner: JW Filshill

Great Place to Work
sponsored by Lucozade Ribena Suntory
Winner: United Wholesale (Scotland), Queenslie
Runner-up: Bidvest, Newbridge
Highly commended: Iain Hill

Best Cash & Carry Depot sponsored by Imperial Tobacco UK
Winner: Bestway Batleys Sher Bros, Glasgow
Runner-up:
Batleys, Dundee
Highly Commended:
Booker, Kirkcaldy

Best Delivered Operation – Retail
sponsored by Mondelez International
Winner: JW Filshill
Runner-up:
United Wholesale (Scotland)
Highly Commended
Iain Hill

Best Symbol Group
sponsored by Cott
Winner: JW Filshill KeyStore
Runner-up: Booker Premier
Highly Commended:
Bestway Batleys Best-one

Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice
sponsored by Premier Foods
Winner: Fáilte Foods
Runner-up: Bidvest
Highly Commended:
Dunns Food and Drinks

Best Delivered Operation – On-Trade
sponsored by AG Barr
Winner: Sutherland Brothers
Runner-up:
Gordon & MacPhail
Highly Commended:
Dunns Food and Drinks

Corporate Responsibility Award
sponsored by Coca-Cola Enterprises
Winner: Bidvest
Runner-up:
Sutherland Brothers
Highly Commended:
Iain Hill

Best Marketing Initiative sponsored by Britvic Soft Drinks
Winner: JW Filshill
Runner-up: Bidvest
Highly Commended:
United Wholesale (Scotland)

Employee of the Year sponsored by Philip Morris International
Winner: Fiona Ritchie, JW Filshill
Joint runners-up:
Aaron Biggs, Booker Galashiels and John McCluskey, Bidvest

Best Advertising Campaign
Winner: Irn-Bru ‘Train’

Project Scotland
Winner: Cott ‘Macb – Unleash Your Bottle’
Runner-up:
Whyte & Mackay
Highly Commended:
JTI

Best Overall Service by Suppliers
Winner: C&C Brands
Runner-up: Heineken
Highly Commended:
AG Barr

Supplier Sales Executive of the Year
sponsored by Sugro
Winner: Aneesha Somani, Tayto
Runner-up:
Fiona Nisbet, Mars Chocolate
Highly Commended:
Julie Kelly, Cott

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