Bestway Wholesale has snapped up Blakemore’s Cardiff and Walsall depots for an undisclosed sum, saving 123 jobs.
The move comes just hours after Blakemore announced it was selling its Middlesbrough cash & carry depot to fellow Landmark member Parfetts.
Both the Cardiff and Walsall depots will remain open and will be run by Blakemore in the interim until the deal is completed over the course of the next few weeks. All staff have been informed and will continue working at the depot under Bestway management.
Subject to completion, the deal sees Bestway acquire 151,000 sq ft of depot space at the Cardiff site and 76,000 sq ft in the Walsall depot.
“We’re very excited to add these two well-located and sizeable depots into our estate, and to welcome the employees into the Bestway family as our new colleagues. The addition of the Cardiff and Walsall depots will only make us stronger, enhancing our presence in these two key areas, and expanding our footprint and coverage in the UK,” said Bestway Wholesale MD Martin Race.
“As a business, our mission is to be the best way for customers to grow their food and drinks businesses and the purchase of these two depots will provide Bestway with the increased scale and reach to provide the best possible service to our customers, alongside our market-leading prices and promotions.
“The landscape in convenience retail is changing rapidly and we are committed to ensuring that Bestway Wholesale has the infrastructure to meet - and exceed - our customers’ requirements.”
This brings Bestway’s total number of depots to 65.
Blakemore first announced that it was selling its 12 cash & carry depots in April.
Since then, the wholesaler has closed its Killingworth depot and is shutting down its Barnsley and Newport depots today. Blakemore is also currently in consultation with staff who work on the cash & carry operations at its Wolverhampton head office.
Blakemore has five remaining cash & carry depots - in Bangor, Birmingham, Grimsby and Swansea as well as its head office depot.
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