The Scottish Wholesale Association is bringing back its annual conference for the first time since before the Covid pandemic.
The event will adopt a different format from the previous conferences, the last of which was in 2019. It will move from the central belt to the north east of Scotland.
The one-day conference will feature a new exhibition of Scottish produce, as part of the association’s commitment to champion the local supply chain.
The conference will adopt the theme of ‘Kaizen’, a Japanese philosophy focused on continuous improvement of business processes.
The association will use the theme as a starting point to tackle industry topics including technology in wholesale, the use of data and AI, diversity, equality and inclusion, sustainability, and maintaining a competitive edge in a fast-moving industry.
The exhibition will also showcase food and drink producers who participated in two SWA initiatives, ‘Delivering Growth Through Wholesale’ (DGTW) and ‘Wholesale Local Food Champion’ programmes.
“We’re ringing the changes with our new-format annual conference, which returns for the first time since 2019,” said SWA CEO Colin Smith.
“As we strive to ensure that our annual conference remains relevant to members and suppliers – their time is at a premium so we must provide a platform for networking and create an environment that is conducive to encouraging discussion and sharing information – we will use Kaizen as the lens through which we will look to the future.
“What does a thriving Scottish wholesale channel look like, now and in the coming years, and what steps should we take to make it a reality? With the support of the renowned Kaizen Institute, our conference – which will feature a mix of speakers and panel discussions – will seek some of the answers,” he added.
“SWA members have told us how valuable networking opportunities like this are to their businesses as they provide a rare opportunity to catch up with their peers and meet new contacts in a relaxed environment.
The conference will be held in Aberdeen on 5 June.
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