Major UK wholesale business A.F. Blakemore, and the biggest distributor within the UK’s SPAR retail network, has appointed Carol Welch as CEO to replace Jerry Marwood; who has held the role for the last 11 years and is leaving to focus on consultancy and non-executive directorships. New CEO joins from ODEON Cinemas Group For the last six years Carol Welch has been managing director UK & Ire...

Bidcorp UK, the parent of major national foodservice wholesaler Bidfood, has started 2023 by making two acquisitions in as many weeks, with the purchase of regional competitors Harvest Fine Foods (based in Southampton) and Thomas Ridley (based in Bury St Edmunds). Both were well established members of the Country Range foodservice wholesaling consortium, and have switched into Bidcorp’s buying gr...

In the first stage of it scaling back operations in the Asian market, German based Metro Group is selling its wholesale format in India to local retailer Reliance Retail. Scaling back in Asia to focus on European ventures The sale of Metro’s operation in India will see Reliance Retail take over its 31 wholesale stores, with the deal expected to be concluded in March 2023. Metro has been pre...