Members of the wholesale buying groups Landmark Wholesale and Today’s Group have given their approval for the two groups to complete their planned merger.
Of those members that voted on the move, some 96% were in favour of the merger going ahead, according to a statement on the Today's website.
Today's said that the planned merger will result in the creation of a 'larger, more effective and efficient group', Unitas Wholesale Ltd.
The merger is scheduled to be completed by 31 October, following a period of consultation with management and staff around the structure of the new combined company.
Supplier Discussions
Current 2018 joint business agreements between the two groups and their suppliers will remain in place until the end of the current calendar year, with the Unitas Wholesale trading team commencing discussions with suppliers once the merger has been fully completed.
Unitas expects 2019 to be a year of 'operational alignment' via a process of integration, Today's said.
Enhanced Scale
“We are absolutely delighted that our members voted to merge the two groups,” commented John Mills, Landmark Wholesale managing director and Darren Goldney, Today’s Group managing director.
“Through enhanced scale, relevance and capability, Unitas Wholesale will be the sustainable wholesale business partner for its supplier base, creating an alternative route to market in the face of the consolidation that it taking place within the wholesale sector.”
Mills and Goldney said that the creation of the new entity "offers an incredible opportunity to support independent businesses and enable them to thrive. [...] Unitas will also create a new and exciting opportunity for suppliers, independent wholesalers and the thousands of independent businesses that we collectively serve.”
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
