Grocer Gold Awards 2022: national wholesaler of the year

Winner: Booker

Booker extended its dominance in the UK wholesale market this year with sales growth of 10.5%.

The main driver was its online service, which accounts now for almost 30% of Booker’s total revenue. The wholesaler launched a new mobile-optimised website in January 2021 that saw key upgrades such as a simplified branch finder, mobile-optimised imagery and pinch to zoom feature. As a result, website revenue grew 19% on the previous year. There are now around 570,000 registered customers using the site and almost two-thirds of those access it via their mobile device.

On the retail side, Booker recruited nearly 300 net conversions, with symbol Premier starring. But the standout performance was in horeca. Like many, Booker’s foodservice business suffered through Covid. But fast-tracking info into its supply teams to maintain availability, locking down prices on 100 key catering lines (and lowering the cost of chips to just £9.99 per case), and increasing its team of catering development managers by 30% to 125, it delivered a barnstorming recovery.

It was not always easy for Booker, with HGV drivers threatening strike action in December over pay, and retailers bemoaning a new £30 delivery charge in January. Nonetheless, almost 50% of independent retailers used one of its 194 branches in the run-up to Christmas, while delivered sales have increased from 51% to 54% of sales. 

Shortlisted:

• Bestway
• Brakes
• Henderson Foodservice
• JJ Foodservice