Booker's UK business could learn some valuable lessons from its 174th depot, which has opened in Mumbai, according to managing director Charles Wilson.

A major campaign by the FWD to get action on duty fraud is targeting government ministers, MPs and senior officials.

FWD has recruited the UK's largest wholesaler by turnover, Palmer & Harvey, and now has every major food and drink wholesaler within its membership.

Creed Foodservice has won the national account to supply Out of Town Leisure Group, which operates branded shopping mall units throughout the UK.

Hancocks has expanded its flagship Manchester site to more than 30,000sq ft.

Sugro UK has joined Molson Coors as a sponsor of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors' Gold Medal Awards at the Annual Dinner in November.

DBC Foodservice has announced changes to the structure of its senior team with the addition of new directors.

Len Jackson, a former president and director general of the FWD, died on September 20 aged 88.

Welcome to the first edition of the renamed and new look Wholesale News. The excellence of the new magazine is a tribute to the work of John Lewis and John Wood and their team at William Reed Business Media.

A new fleet of lorries is being introduced by Musgrave Retail Partners GB to deliver to members of its Londis symbol group.

Licensing body PRS for Music is warning wholesalers that they need to buy a license for any music they play in their depots.

Cadbury gave a major boost to the first Walk & Shop Day, with its entire sales force of more than 200 supporting the event in local stores on September 16.

Spar is reporting overall sales up 8.1%, with like-for-like sales up 5.2%, in the three months to July.

Landmark Wholesale has reached the milestone of its 2,000th store conversion in its Hot House/Lifestyle Express retail development programme, and says it is on schedule to achieve its target of 2,350 conversions by April 2010.

Last month Sweet Charity held its Candy Rocks Party in London to raise funds for the confectionery industry. Members of trade, suppliers, wholesalers, trade press and industry agencies saw the outgoing president Dave Pogson, sales director of Cadbury, hand over to new president Charles Wilson, chief executive of Booker.

With the opening of its first depot in Mumbai, Zunaid Bangee has been appointed as managing director of Booker India.

Keith Kyle has been appointed southern area manager for Hancocks Cash and Carry.

Neil Turton, chief executive of Nisa-Today's, has been elected by the ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) board to become chairman of the organisation.

Job title: group negotiator - convenience foods

Landmark Wholesale member BA Cash & Carry celebrated its best retail customers at its Annual Business Achievers Awards.

Tea manufacturer Finlays Beverages won the prize for Best Exhibition Stand at the Country Range Group Exhibition and conference.

Unilever UK toured cash and carry stores around the country to promote the benefits of Comfort.

Staff at Imperial Cash and Carry in north London created one of the largest Jack Daniel's bottle displays in the world last month.

Overall, it's true that the last 10 years has seen the market for delivery grow while cash and carry has remained relatively stable. Yet the last 18 months has been particularly strong for cash and carry signalling a definite comeback. This trend follows conventional wisdom, which suggests cash and carry does well in a recession. After all, if you cannot obtain credit due to a credit crunch, cash becomes the only option and therefore cash and carry thrives.

Where I'm from, man, there's only a couple of things you can be, and being part of a cartel is one of them. A lot of people wanna get involved in the cartels and that. Honestly, there are a lot of people who will look up to me."

Yale is continuing its NexGen product introduction programme with the release of the VG cushion tyre series.

IDM Software has developed LossManager to help with the issue of internal fraud.

RF technology from STL Technology Solutions has been installed at L&F Jones Foodservice

Beers, wines and spirits account for 20% of sales at Batleys' West Bromwich depot in the West Midlands. The wine department had been relaid courtesy of Pernod Ricard so next it was the spirits department's turn and that job fell to Diageo.

Red Bull has gained a reputation for offering some of the best prizes in the cash and carry calendar - and inspiring some of the most eye catching displays - with its cricket-based Flying Wickets activity, but this year it has introduced a new theme.

Country Range Group is faring much better in the recession than its biggest competitors, according to managing director Colin Birchill. He told delegates at its annual conference that while growth had slowed, own brand was still up by 3% January to June and branded was up 7% for the same period. He added: "Our larger brethren are suffering greatly. Caterers are more inclined to listen to our story in these difficult times. New account growth across the group is substantial - much of it at present however going to make up for customer cut backs. But we do anticipate a return to substantial growth in 2010."

Last month we were lucky enough to have dinner on two separate Wednesdays at restaurants in medium-size towns in the South East. The restaurants were both roughly the same size at around 150 covers and were positioned on the edge of busy high streets.

Before we establish how to communicate with independent caterers we first need to understand whether caterers want to be communicated with, to gauge whether they are receptive to advice and information from wholesalers and suppliers. Do they want information? Do they seek it? And most importantly do they act on it?

Pritchitts has launched a new product that offers a base for all types of recipes.

Monin has launched a range of fruit purées, Le Fruit de Monin.

Bar Foods has launched a Chefs' Selection Soup Box.

Kenco is launching its Kenco Cappio product into its Kenco Freshseal range.

Unifine Food & Bake Ingredients has launched various product aids for Christmas decorations.

In an economic downturn consumers tend to stick with what they know, according to Sandy Wilkie, sales and marketing director at Robert Wiseman Dairies. "Milk is a prime example, with our sales remaining consistent."

Christmas has more of an effect on sales of spirits than any other category, and for many consumers it will be the only time in the year when they buy any, so it is crucial for local stores, and their wholesale suppliers, that they seize the opportunity.

Red Bull has introduced a Red Bull energy shot.

General Mills has launched a winter variant to its Häagen-Dazs range.

Heinz has launched a new range of frozen ready meals for its Weight Watchers from Heinz Home Comforts range.

Ferrero has launched a new range of Happy Hippos in its Kinder Surprise.

The Wrigley Company has added a new flavour variant to its Lockets range.

United Biscuits UK has a range of products ready for Christmas.

PepsiCo has unveiled a new Doritos promotion offering consumers the chance to win Guitar Hero World Tour.

Mars has launched a limited edition Mars Dark bar.

GlaxoSmithKline has launched an energy shot to join its range of energy drinks.

Reckitt Benckiser has launched a new pack for its Strepsils range.

Constellation Europe has launched a new Chilean wine brand which it believes is ideally suited to the cash and carry market.

Drinks manufacturer and distributor Halewood International has signed a strategic alliance with Whitley Neill Gin to take on global sales and marketing responsibility for the brand.

The launch of a new promotion through the UK's biggest ale brand, John Smith's Extra Smooth, will give darts fans the chance to 'check out' with more than their favourite beer.

Maxxium UK is to launch a new campaign for Teacher's to inform consumers and licensees of the quality credentials of blended Scotch whisky and Teacher's history and heritage.

This month, as part of a £5m Christmas campaign, Diageo will launch redesigned packaging for Guinness Draught in a can to maximise its stand-out on-shelf and shopper appeal. The re-design is across both primary and outer packaging.

== Monday ==

Booker’s has continued its rapid rate of growth since Charles Wilson took over as chief executive in October 2005, and it has virtually wiped out its debt.

Four men who asset stripped companies, including a wholesale business, of £4m have been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.

Brakes has announced it has won a contract to supply and distribute frozen foods to local authorities throughout Scotland.

Wholesale News is the new name of ProWholesaler, the journal of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, published by William Reed Business Media.