Wholesaler builds business with producers
BOSSES at CJ Lang & Son have highlighted the strength of its supplier relationships following on from virtual business briefing sessions.
Held on 29 April, the Dundee-based wholesaler engaged with more than 200 suppliers across the UK across multiple sessions across the day.
This helped to provide manufacturers with an update on the Spar Scotland business following on from the company’s last major engagement with brands at the Spar Scotland conference and tradeshow in September 2024.
Colin McLean, chief executive at CJ Lang & Son, said: “We value the importance of working in close partnership with our suppliers to drive mutual growth and success around the Scottish marketplace.”
During the business session, CJ Lang discussed the strength of the Spar Scotland brand with some key suppliers noting both overall value and depot volume sales growth across its business over the last year.
The investment has been underpinned by a significant investment into its customer offer, company-owned store estate, operations and supply chain, the wholesaler said, and is all part of wider, ongoing strategy to modernise the business and ensure it is fit for the future.
Over the past 18 months, CJ Lang has acquired 12 new convenience stores as part of its purchase of the ScotFresh and Eddy’s Food Station estates. The firm’s successful roll out of the Barista Bar service is now available in more than 100 Spar sites across Scotland and electronic shelf edge labels have now been introduced across 114 of its Spar Scotland company stores.
The business has also advanced its technology infrastructure across the business with its ‘Relex’ planning and forecasting platform now live across their supplier network which allows manufacturers the opportunity to see how its products are performing across Spar Scotland stores.
The sessions also kept a look to the future of Spar. Following on from recent consumer gamification campaigns including ‘Win With Every Goal’ and ‘Frozen Fortune’, CJ Lang is now looking to implement these kinds of campaigns more frequently moving forward, with plans in motion for new consumer marketing campaigns.
The firm also confirmed its upcoming support for local produce campaign which will champion a number of Scottish brands and showcase the importance of sourcing products more locally.
Looking ahead, the firm is now gearing up for its annual tradeshow and conference which will make its return to Aviemore on 25 September this year under the theme ‘Inspiring Success’.
The event is set to bring together independent Spar Scotland retailers, store managers and FMCG suppliers to network, share insights and grow with Spar in Scotland.
McLean said: “These business briefings are all about transparency, collaboration and driving collective growth.
“With major investments now in place across stores, systems, marketing and operations, we are more focused than ever on delivering strong returns in the Scottish marketplace for our supplier community.
“There has never been a better time work with CJ Lang and Spar Scotland, and we look forward to a rewarding year ahead.”
