Chiefs of the Scottish wholesale sector come together to celebrate the very best
THE Scottish wholesale sector was honoured and recognised by the industry at the annual Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) Achievers Awards ceremony.
Now in its 22nd year, the Achievers Awards recognised the excellence and strength across all sectors of the industry and the hard graft that many organisations and individuals have put in over the course of the last year.
Some 500 guests attended a gala dinner and Awards presentation at the O2 Academy Edinburgh on 20 February to mark the occasion including Scotland’s cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and islands Mairi Gougeon MSP, who also presented two of the awards.
Wholesale categories recognised as part of the awards covered off multiple sector across the industry including retail, foodservice, licensed trade, technology and sustainability, as well as the Great Place to Work Award – which this year went to FaÃlte Foods, Glasgow.
In the retail sector, Glasgow-based wholesaler United Wholesale Scotland (UWS) had plenty to smile about as the firm walked away with four accolades. This consisted of ‘Best Delivered Operation – Retail’; ‘Best Cash & Carry’ for its depot in Queenslie, Glasgow; ‘Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade’; and ‘Best Marketing Initiative’.
Judges praised UWS for its “first-class customer service and shopping experience”, with a particular emphasis on the firm’s approach to introducing NPD activations across its Day-Today symbol. Further to this, UWS’s ‘Spin to Win’ concept was called a “game-changer” and a “fantastic way to generate excitement for a brand, drive footfall into depots and gain distribution”.
Other industry wholesalers walked away with gongs during the proceedings as well, as CJ Lang & Son was recognised with the ‘Best Symbol Group’ accolade for the Spar Scotland fascia and JW Filshill won a green sweep with the ‘Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year’ award.
The SWA said that Filshill had met a “vast number of sustainability and environmental goals” that ensured the west of Scotland wholesaler walked away with the sustainability going for 2025. Judges also commented on the firm’s several initiatives that had been “for the wider benefit of other wholesalers, suppliers and retailers”.
AG Barr was one supplier that shone throughout the night as well, picking up seven awards during the night including two Lifetime Achievement awards for Jonathan Kemp and Ian Johnstone, as well as the Best Advertising Campaign for Irn-Bru’s ‘Mannschaft’ campaign – which ran during the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament.
Colin Smith, chief executive at the SWA, 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.
“The people who work in wholesale are the glue that binds our food and drink industry together – be it those who work in partnership with our producers and suppliers, or those who help support, develop and deliver into the local retailer, hotel, school or hospital.
“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.
“Every wholesaler, every supplier – be they local or national, large or small – are an essential cog in Scotland’s complex food and drink supply chain. That’s why is it more important than ever that we celebrate their success and recognise everything they do to ensure that food and drink reaches our plates and tables.”
Achievers Awards 2025 Full List of Winners
Rising Star of Wholesale
Sponsored by KP Snacks
Winner: Matter Farmer, Brakes Scotland
Highly Commended: Suzanne Hood, Bidfood
Runner-Up: Jan Ruszczyc, United Wholesale Grocers
Project Wholesale
Sponsored by Tapestry
Winner: AG Barr
Joint Runner-Up: Tennent’s
Joint Runner-Up: Swizzels
Local Supplier of the Year
Sponsored by Lomond Foods
Winner: Taylors Snacks
Runner-Up: Mossgiel Farm
Highly Commended: Amity Fish Company
Wholesale Driver of the Year
Sponsored by Philip Morris
Winner: John Martin, Braehead Foods
Joint Runner-Up: Charles Mcsherry, JB Foods
Joint Runner-Up: Jesus Jiminez Ramos, Bidfood Glasgow
Highly Commended: Stephen Maxwell, Booker Glasgow
Great Place to Work
Sponsored by Premier Foods
Winner: FaÃlte Foods, Glasgow
Runner-Up: Lynas Foodservice
Highly Commended: Greencity Wholefoods
Best Delivered Operation – Retail
Sponsored by C&C Group
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland
Runner-Up: CJ Lang & Son
Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice
Sponsored by Red Bull
Winner: Brakes Scotland
Runner-Up: FaÃlte Foods
Highly Commended: Lomond Foods
Best Foodservice Supplier
Sponsored by Bestway
Winner: AG Barr
Runner-Up: Taylors Snacks
Joint Highly Commended: Vegware
Joint Highly Commended: Unilever Food Solutions
Supplier Sales Executive of the Year
Sponsored by Unitas Wholesale
Winner: Craig Barr, AG Barr
Runner-Up: Zoe Stephens, KP Snacks
Highly Commended: Jonny Rennie, Taylors Snacks
Wholesale Local Food Champion
Sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink and The Wholesale Company
Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods
Joint Runner-Up: Ewan Harvie, Brakes Scotland
Joint Runner-Up: Matt Farmer, Brakes Scotland
Highly Commended: Gerry Davies, Bidfood
Best Symbol Group
Sponsored by Pernod Ricard
Winner: Spar Scotland, CJ Lang & Son
Runner-Up: Day-Today, United Wholesale Scotland
Highly Commended: Premier, Booker
Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year
Sponsored by AG Barr
Winner: JW Filshill
Runner-Up: Lomond Foods
Highly Commended: Bidfood
Best Licensed Wholesaler – On-Trade
Sponsored by Hi Spirits
Winner: Inverarity Morton
Runner-Up: Dunns Food and Drinks
Highly Commended: Sutherland Brothers
Best Licensed Wholesaler – Off-Trade
Sponsored by AB In-Bev
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland
Runner-Up: United Wholesale Grocers
Highly Commended: Booker Irvine
Employee of the Year
Sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Winner: Megan Smith, Lomond Foods
Runner-Up: Matthew Wardropper, JB Foods
Highly Commended: John McAndie, Bidfood
Best Advertising Campaign
Sponsored by Tapestry
Winner: Irn-Bru ‘Mannschaft’
Best Innovation
Sponsored by JTI
Winner: Lynas Foodservice
Runner-Up: Bidfood
Highly Commended: Brakes
Best Marketing Initiative
Sponsored by Suntory
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland
Runner-Up: Inverarity Morton
Highly Commended: CJ Lang & Son
Best Overall Service
Sponsored by Bestway
Winner: AG Barr
Runner-Up: JTI
Highly Commended: Imperial Brands
Best Cash & Carry
Sponsored by Carlsberg Britvic
Winner: United Wholesale Scotland – Queenslie, Glasgow
Runner-Up: Booker, Galashiels
Highly Commended: United Wholesale Grocers, Springburn
Lifetime Achievement
Ian Johnstone, AG Barr
Lifetime Achievement
Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr
