Big-name independents ‘poised to join Bestway Retail’

The Costcutter takeover completed in February 2021 after Bestway acquired it from previous owner Bibby Line, joining the wholesaler’s existing Best-one symbol group and Bargain Booze franchise operation.

Jamie Davison, who now leads the business and store development team for Bestway Retail, told store owners attending today’s Retail Development Programme conference near Heathrow Airport: “We’ve got some amazing, award-winning retailers about to join us from other groups – retailers everybody would be aware of.”

He added: “That’s because they see us as the wholesaler that’s actually doing something in the sector and wanting to move forward.”

He told attendees to keep an eye out for announcements on the group’s social media channels.

Since the acquisition, Bestway Retail has organised itself into three hubs: wholesale based in Park Royal, north-west London, convenience in York (the former Costcutter head office) and alcohol in Crewe (mainly Bargain Booze).

It has also restructured its store operations team.

Last month the group revealed plans to open Bargain Booze sections within a further 70 of Iceland’s Food Warehouse stores and also to create Bargain Booze “implants” that can sit within Costcutter or Best-one stores.

Davison said the first two pilot sites for the latter would go live by the end of January 2022 and the concept was likely to be a big focus with retailers next year.

He said the group also wanted to be in a position to work with more independent retailers such as Mital Morar in Manchester, who owns eight stores under his own General Store and Foodhall brands but is supplied by Costcutter.

The group also owns the Mace brand. Davison said: “It’s not a brand we see as going through huge recruitment, but in Scotland it’s got heritage.”

Retailers north of the border have been given access to the Mace brand though the PGMA buying group, a subsidiary of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, currently supplying 25 stores.