Wholesalers
Booker’s sales up by 13%
The group’s like-for-like sales (excluding tobacco) for the H1 increased by 0.1% with operating profit also up 9% to £81.4m.
Chief executive Charles Wilson said: “Profits of £106m means we are making good progress on how we focus, drive and broaden the group, and we are seeing good performance on both the catering and retail sides of the business.”
Earlier this year (March), Booker reported its group sales for the fourth quarter had risen by 10.6% for the 12 weeks to 25 March.
Managing director of Booker’s group catering and small business division Stuart Hyslop said: “We are pleased with the progress of our catering business during the first half."
Exceptional availability
Hyslop continued: “Our caterers fed back to us that they were enjoying a better time over the summer as the weather had improved and we maintained exceptional availability to support them.”
Wilson described H1 as good and said the group’s plan to focus, drive and broaden its range remained on track.
He added: “We strive to improve choice, prices and service for our catering, retail and small business customers.”
Unpredictable demand
The company is trialling a same-day service in Norwich in response to customer feedback.
Hyslop said: “We have spent a lot of time out on the streets speaking to our customers and I think what is clear is the consumer is asking for slightly different things.
“Our customers’ demands are very unpredictable and, as no two days are the same, no two services are the same.
“In response to that, they have asked us to provide a fit-for-purpose delivery service and our customers are taking advantage multiple times per day as their business flexes.”
The same-day delivery service it provides increased from 98 in week one to 453 in week 15. Wilson explained during the trial, the record time it has achieved is 40 minutes from the order being taken to the delivery being made in Norwich.
In a further bid to help food-service operators, the group has also introduced a new range of cups. Hyslop explained: “They are very much coming into vogue.
“We have learned a lot from what is happening in London, particularly Camden, and we have brought that to market in the Norwich branch, which is going from strength to strength.”
