SCOTLAND’s top wholesalers gathered in the Sheraton Grand, Edinburgh, on Thursday (10 Feb) to celebrate success at the Scottish Wholesale Achievers Awards
Now in its 19th year, the Scottish Wholesale Association’s annual awards ceremony recognises excellence across the wholesale sector.
A total of 17 awards were up for grabs at the gala ceremony hosted by BBC Scotland presenter Amy Irons. Excellence was recognised across retail, foodservice, technology and community-focused categories.
Over 400 people attended the event, including Scottish Government cabinet secretary for Finance and the Economy Kate Forbes.
SWA chief executive Colin Smith thanked Forbes for her engagement with the sector, highlighting in particular an additional £10 million of support funding for wholesalers announced by the finance secretary in January.
Forbes was also on hand to present the first award of the evening, Rising Star of the Year, with Meghan Henderson of Lomond Fine Foods picking up the evening’s first prize.
Other big winners included United Wholesale Scotland, which won Best Cash & Carry for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow; Best Technology Initiative; and Best Business Initiative.
Glasgow-based JW Filshill also picked up multiple gongs, with health and safety manager Amanda Casey topping the Employee of the Year category, with the business also taking home Best Symbol Group for its KeyStore fascia and Best Delivered Operation – Retail.
Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, said: “As well as shining a spotlight on the efforts of Scotland’s wholesalers, our awards recognise the lengths that suppliers and their employees have gone to in supporting their customers and communities during the pandemic.
“That is one of the reasons why these Achievers awards attracted such a high number of entries, both from our longstanding members and from many of the 35 new wholesalers that joined our Association during the pandemic.
“At our last Achievers, in 2019, I spoke about how the industry was witnessing unprecedented change – little did I know that the most unprecedented disruption and change was waiting in the wings.
“But we have worked together as an industry, and the SWA took the lead in fighting for recognition of the impact on our sector, and for equality and fairness in recompensing our members for their losses, ensuring that the Scottish Government recognises wholesale’s key role in the food and drink supply chain.
“It is often said that success is hard won in challenging times and tonight that speaks for itself and we celebrate and acknowledge the resilience and perseverance of our wholesaler and supplier members.”
Full list of winners
Rising Star of Wholesale, sponsored by SWA and Capita
Winner: Meghan Henderson, Lomond Foods
Runner-Up: Alana Taylor, Southeast Traders
Highly Commended: Mohammed Aftab, Batleys Sher Bros
Best Delivered Operation – Retail, sponsored by Budweiser
Winner: JW Filshill
Runner-Up: United Wholesale Scotland
Highly Commended: CJ Lang & Son
Best Licensed Wholesaler, sponsored by Halewood
Winner: Sutherland Brothers
Runner-Up: United Wholesale Scotland
Highly Commended: JW Filshill
Supplier Sales Executive of the Year, sponsored by Unitas Wholesale
Winner: Hazel Boyd, Heineken UK
Runner-Up: Mark Violet, Kepak
Highly Commended: Kay Sims, Halewood Artisanal Spirits
Best Business Initiative, sponsored by Boost Drinks
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland
Runner-Up: Dunns Food and Drinks
Highly Commended: Faílte Foodservice
Best Overall Service, sponsored by SWA
Winner: AG Barr
Runner-Up: JTI UK
Highly Commended: JUUL
Great Place to Work, sponsored by Suntory Beverage & Food
Winner: Faílte Foodservice
Runner-Up: Booker, Dunfermline
Highly Commended: United Wholesale Scotland
Community Service Award, sponsored by Barr Soft Drinks
Winner: CJ Lang & Son
Runner-Up: Williamson Foodservice
Highly Commended: Nisa Retail
Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice, sponsored by Premier Foods
Winner: Lomond Foods
Runner-Up: Faílte Foodservice
Highly Commended: Dunns Food and Drinks
Best Foodservice Supplier, sponsored by SWA
Winner: AG Barr
Runner-Up: Premier Foods
Highly Commended: Mackie’s of Scotland
Best Technology Initiative, sponsored by TWC
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland
Runner-Up: Sutherland Brothers
Highly Commended: JW Filshill
Supplier Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Bestway
Winner: Millers Larder
Runner-Up: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Highly Commended: Heineken UK
Green Wholesaler of the Year, sponsored by JTI
Winner: Booker
Runner-Up: Lomond Foods
Highly Commended: Sutherland Brothers
Best Advertising Campaign, sponsored by SWA
Winner: Tennent’s Lager – Don’t Worry England. We Bottle It Too
Employee of the Year, sponsored by KP Snacks
Winner: Amanda Casey, JW Filshill
Runner-Up: Nicole Robertson, CJ Lang & Son
Highly Commended: Jamie Bowick, Taylor Wholesale
Best Symbol Group, sponsored by JUUL
Winner: JW Filshill, KeyStore
Runner-Up: United Wholesale Scotland, Day-Today
Highly Commended: CJ Lang & Son, SPAR Scotland
Best Cash & Carry, sponsored by Philip Morris Ltd
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland, Queenslie
Runner-Up: Makro/Booker, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Batleys Edinburgh Bellevue
