Kitwave has moved its foodservice operations to Country Range Group.
The acquisitive wholesaler’s foodservice division became the latest member of CRG this week. It consists of four wholesalers – Miller Foodservice, MJ Baker Foodservice, Total Foodservice and Westcountry Fruit Sales – which have a combined turnover of £126m. The businesses operate from eight depots across the UK, with a fleet of 200 delivery vehicles and a 96-strong sales force.
The Grocer understands that previously, around 95% of the division’s supplier terms for branded and own-brand products were sourced through the Fairway Foodservice buying group with the rest being part of Unitas.
Kitwave said in May it was taking its foodservice business out of Unitas. The move to CRG came about following consolidation elsewhere in wholesale.
Earlier this month, former CRG member Turner Price was snapped up by the Bidfood-owned buying group Caterfood. This freed up Kitwave to join CRG, as it would not be competing with another north east-based member.
The foodservice division makes up around 20% of Kitwave’s total operations. In its most recent full-year accounts, the wholesaler reported a 20% increase in sales to £602.2m for the year to 31 October 2023.
“We are delighted to be joining CRG at a time when we are strategically growing our own foodservice offering,” said Kitwave CEO Ben Maxted.
“The product portfolio, marketing support and shared knowledge will ensure we continue to improve our own offering and service in a sustainable way, as we work closely to support our own valued customer base.”
Country Range Group CEO Martin Ward said: “I wish a warm welcome to the whole Kitwave team. The business has been built on hard work, great people and by providing the best customer service, so we’re confident they will be a great fit for our group.”
CRG has grown significantly since the beginning of 2023 with Arthur David, Waterdene Foodservice, Brook Street Foodservice and Harlech Foodservice all joining in that period.
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