Palmer & Harvey McLane, the UK's biggest wholesaler, has won a contract to supply Tesco's c-store business One Stop with chilled lines, The Grocer can reveal.

The move marks a major expansion of P&H's chilled offer in the week it also relaunched its symbol format, Mace, with an extended range of chilled and fresh products and a refreshed own-label range.

As part of the £25m-a-year One Stop deal, P&H, which has supplied One Stop's 507-store estate with frozen products for the past three years, will also supply medium and long-life chilled products.

Though P&H supplied chilled to Esso, Shell and Martin McColl, it had "merely dipped its toe in the water" in terms of the breadth of its offer, said Nigel Taylor, director of distribution sales at P&H. "Chilled is a key growth area and this adds momentum to our efforts to become the chilled and fresh supplier of choice," said Taylor.

As part of the overhaul, P&H has also been replacing its delivery fleet with multi-temperature vehicles, which deliver up to six times a week.

Michaela Honeywood, trade sector manager for symbol at P&H, said Mace retailers could expect greater benefits and incentives including advice on range, merchandising, floorplans, planograms and pricing.

A Promoting Retail Excellence Programme to drive sales and profits has also been set up, giving Mace retailers the chance to earn up to £2,500 a year.

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