Welcome to the second edition of the new section within the magazine that is devoted solely to covering all aspects of the foodservice sector.

Campaigners driving the My Shop Is Your Shop (MSYS) activity are reporting record demand by retailers for T-shirts and POS to celebrate National Independents' Day (NID) on June l.

Landmark Wholesale has unveiled a new drop shipment service, Lifestyle Direct, for independent retailers. The announcement was made to the 200 delegates of suppliers and members attending its annual conference in Dubai.

Bestway has released a second group of wines as part of the roll-out of its new Cellar Estates own label range.

The first ever link between the independent retail sector and the nation's professional league football clubs is in the design stage in Luton.

Blueheath has announced that it expects to be able to make greater than expected cost savings resulting from the integration of AC Ward & Son into the business.

Leading independent retailer David Sands and Claire Smith, sales and marketing director at Spar Scotland retailer and wholesaler CJ Lang and Son, will give keynote presentations at next month's Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) annual conference at Dunblane.

The Easter trading season was a big success for Hancocks, according to the specialist confectionery cash and carry. Despite the climate remaining tough and supermarkets continuing to slash prices, Hancocks sales were up 30% on the 2005 season.

HIM, the retail insight consultancy, has added a new caterer study to its growing list of syndicated customer benchmarking programmes.

Landmark Wholesale has launched a point of sale kit for retailers to accompany its Vintners Collection range of wine. The kit is available free of charge to retailers and includes a set of shelf-edges with notes on tasting, 50 leaflets with a dispenser, wobblers to highlight award winners, and A4 window posters. It is designed to draw the consumer's eye and highlight and educate consumers on their purchase.

== New bakery range ==

The Nestlé Rowntree Manager of the Month for May is awarded to Jason Quinn, general manager of Booker Cash & Carry in Middleton. Quinn joined Booker immediately after leaving catering college and has worked as a manager at Booker branches across Yorkshire and Lancashire ever since. He became the general manager of Booker in Middleton 18 months ago.

Voting has been completed for the 2006 Drinksummit Vase for Innovation, the award which goes to a top drinks supplier every year at Drinksummit, the specific off licence forum presented by the Federation of Wholesale Distributors.

Booker has launched its first range of Fair Trade products. Fair Trade hot beverages are aimed at caterers to offer a unique selling point to make their business a destination.

To say that this year's annual conference sent out an upbeat message for the wholesale industry would be to downplay the reality. Delegates at The Belfry heard a superb series of presentations that built one on the other to deliver an indelible impression that wholesaling is vigorously on the move and going in the right direction.

The cash and carry industry, where single bottle spirits sales are an established line, is evaluating an experiment in Parfetts' depot in Halifax using the new PLOD initiative to deter thieves.

Nisa-Today's is a strong supporter of the My Shop Is Your Shop, Local and Proud Of It campaign, and facilitated a special MSYS stand at its annual exhibition at Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire, last month. Staffed by Gareth Shelley and Emma Sadler of IMA Group, the stand attracted many retailers from the large numbers attending the show. Sadler said: "There is huge support for the campaign from group members who enthusiastically completed campaign research questionnaires during their visit to the stand."

? Job title: head of buying - staple grocery and non-food

Grimsby-based Today's Group wholesaler Dee Bee Cash & Carry has announced a senior management restructure, which sees former sales director Craig O'Connor elevated to the role of managing director of the company. Craig now takes on overall responsibility for the cash and carry and delivered arms of business, as well as building on Dee Bee's growing retailer symbol group.

Landmark Wholesale has announced that the future of its retail development programme Hot House has been boosted with a four-year commitment from over 30 major suppliers to support the scheme.

Coors Brewers is to combine its UK sales operations and will appoint John Holberry sales director - on and off-trade from May 25. He has been sales director for Coors on-trade since 2003. Prior to this, he headed the company's off trade sales operation.

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The Today's Group held its annual Member and Supplier Awards Dinner on April 25.

The P&H Gala Dinner Awards were held at the Telford International Centre last month, coinciding with the company's Proretail exhibition.

This year's annual FWD golf day was held on the day preceding the annual conference. It was held at The Belfry on the Brabazon course and was sponsored by Tetley GB.

MORATORIUM. Ed Sturton, on the Today programme on April 25, had a wonderful opportunity to nail Sir Terry Leahy on Tesco's supplier relations policies and intentions in the local store sector.

In the latest round of research from HIM's Cash & Carry Tracking Programme, 1,600 confectionery shoppers from independent retail businesses were interviewed at cash and carries.

Thorworld Industries has launched a new low cost economy model (Type 7) mobile yard ramp.

The Today's group has built up a big diverse collection of wholesalers within its membership so perhaps it should not come as a surprise that it has a significant presence in foodservice. Chris Beckingham, foodservice trading controller, says there are three main types of business contributing to a £500m total turnover in foodservice. The first is the Today's Foodservice Trading Group (TFTG), which comprises 27 members with a total turnover of around £200m. A similar total turnover is attributable to the Country Range Group (CRG), and Beckingham estimates that about £100m of foodservice business goes through the rest of Today's delivered and cash and carry members. While it might seem odd to have two foodservice buying groups within Today's, Beckingham explains that the two have grown differently with CRG members each having defined exclusive territories while TFTG has no exclusivity, and in fact in two cases, Chesterfield and Great Yarmouth, members have depots within close proximity.

The hotel sector represents a food and drink sales opportunity valued at £1.8bn in 2005. But it often does not get the attention its size warrants.

RHM Foodservice has developed the Sharwood's Lighter range of ready-to-use Indian sauces.

Farm Frites has launched a new faster frying brand of chips called Yes Fry.

The Authentic Food Company is extending its range of snacks and starters with two new additions, marinated chicken teppo sticks and lamb seekh kebabs.

Kenco has launched a medium-dark roasted coffee blend. In tribute to the first coffee shop the company opened in Sloane Square, in London in 1925, the blend is called Café 25. The beans have been roasted and blended to deliver the most appropriate taste profile for milk-based speciality drinks.

It was the only piece of show business to highlight the FWD annual conference at The Belfry in April. Alan Fincham, who runs the Londis News Extra, at Attleborough, Norfolk, walked on to the stage in his Darth Vader outfit.

It's been a busy month at Vanessa Braithwaite's store near Rugby. If you have ever been involved in a big six-figure store refit you'll know just how busy. And to cap it all and celebrate the opening of the refurbished store, Vanessa will be using MSYS point of sale, T-shirts, balloons and window stickers to impress her local community.

1 Home delivery to aged and infirm

Foodservice delivery business Hopwells has ordered 10 Hubbard Alpha refrigeration systems from Hubbard Transport Refrigeration Solutions.

Topaz has unveiled what it believes to be the world's first proactive standalone credit control software system. Aiming to reduce the number of customers not paying on time, Topaz Computer Systems has developed the Topaz Credit Control module, which it claims can be integrated with any leading system.

A compact heavy duty thermal printer for diverse locations has been launched by distribution company Trident.

The leaders of the wholesale industry told the FWD Annual Conference that the trade needs to concentrate on its unique status within the community. John Wood reports

Community retailing faces an unprecedented number of challenges, but the best adapted businesses will survive. This was the message Booker chief executive Charles Wilson gave in his presentation to the FWD Annual Conference.

Batleys operations director Martin Race explained how Bestway had made a success of its takeover of Batleys by taking a careful measured approach.

Andrew Thewlis, finance director and company secretary of Landmark Wholesale, gave details of significant expansion plans for its Hot House store improvement scheme.

In Mike Taylor's presentation he emphasised the value his company puts in retailers engaging with their local communities.

Competition expert Myles O'Reilly told delegates he believed the Competition Commission might be persuaded to act against below cost selling by the major multiples, if, as seems likely, it is asked to investigate the grocery trade by the Office of Fair Trading.

Details of a sophisticated system for predicting the economic prospects of a store refit were revealed by Nisa-Today's senior trading controller John Baines.

Makro is looking to remodel its entire UK estate over the next five years, managing director Philipp Dautzenberg told the FWD Annual Conference.

A rare insight into the way the Sugro buying group operates was provided by Philip Jenkins, managing director of Sugro UK.

A welcome example of the independent sector beating the major multiples was provided by David Glennon, marketing manager for ACNielsen.

Drinksummit, the annual beer, wines and spirits conference organised by the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 1989 and is now seen as an agenda-setting event in the drinks calendar.

While beer producers are hoping for a successful World Cup and a baking hot summer to spark growth in a near static market, cider producers can look back on one of the most dramatic turnarounds in history and look forward to more growth to come.

Murray Harris, director of customer operations at Britvic, has a lot of sympathy for cash and carry managers because of the way they have to balance their service with what their customers want, within a limited amount of space. He explains: "When we talk to a cash and carry manager about ranging we often find ourselves asking 'Why are you stocking brand X when you only sell a limited amount?' The reply is usually the same - 'I'm a service to the retailer and if he can't get brand X from me then he will go elsewhere and take all his business with him. By stocking brand X I get all of his shopping'."

The FWD Take Home Blueprint team is set to deliver further help and advice to the independent retail sector by expanding its current portfolio to include guidance on the growing premium bottled ales category.

Alcohol theft is not purely a problem facing independent retailers. Parfetts Cash & Carry's Halifax depot has for some time identified a particular problem with shrinkage across its single-bottle spirits section.

Nestlé Rowntree has announced that KitKat, Aero, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles and Yorkie will all carry an on-pack football promotion during the World Cup.

From May 1 Gallaher has launched a Benson & Hedges Silver Slide limited edition pack.

Haribo Dunhills has introduced a new football-themed Looney Tunes edition of Pez to coincide with the forthcoming FIFA World Cup.

Wrigley has introduced three new products to its range, Airwaves Black Mint, Extra Mints Cool Breeze and Hubba Bubba Triple Treat Bubble Tape.

Leaf UK is strengthening the position of the Chewits brand in the confectionery sector, with the relaunch of its kids confectionery brand Malaco, under the higher profile Chewits brand.

Coca-Cola will be offering an on- the-pack ticket promotion for the 2006 World Cup.

As part of Pringles' £3.23m Dream Team campaign, Pringles Dippers has launched a 'Win a day in the life of a footballer's wife' promotion. This is to specifically target the female consumer during the football-focused weeks.

Fassini is introducing Scoubidou, Flexies, Sour Snagx and Sputnix, under the Fassini brand name.

Bendicks Mayfair is rejuvenating and expanding its hard-boiled sweet Werther's Original, with activity including a redesign and a £4m TV advertising campaign.

Cadbury Trebor Bassett has invested £4m in its Cadbury Snaps brand and added a new variant, Caramel Crunch.

Ernest & Julio Gallo has launched a range of Chilean wines in the UK called Vina Chilcaya. The new range will initially only be available through the wholesale, independent and convenience sectors.

Blue Nun has this month announced the launch of its latest UK line extension, Blue Nun Pinot Grigio, a white wine from the Rheinpfalz region in Germany. It joins the current Blue Nun UK range which includes wines from Germany, Spain and France. The pinot grigio has an RRP of £4.49.

This month Blossom Hill is unveiling a revamp of its packaging on its 17-strong portfolio of wines. Products within the brand will be clearly differentiated through the new design and packaging and there will be a 'premium' feel to its £4.99 single varietal range.

Diageo Great Britain is introducing a Smirnoff vodka promotion, giving consumers the chance to win one of 10 diamonds worth £10,000 each.

Retailers have to take a fresh look at their stores - remove the clutter, fill the shelves and get some special activity going. Shopper's expectations have to be exceeded. The coupon promotion to be featured in the Daily Mirror and Daily Record looks great with a total coupon value of over £2 and a good mix of products, too.

Pringles Dream Team activity breaks at the same time and the lads will be glad of both to help soak up all that beer.

Its acquisition of a large part of the Unwin's estate makes it an even stronger competitor to many independent retailers. All the more reason why our retailers should make the most of the ongoing deals we provide - which help to lessen the impact of outrageous multiple activities.

By accommodating Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland fans, by providing their own retro shirts, and supplying non-promotional packs outside of England, World Cup fever and affection for the England team is unlikely to spread to the provinces.

We have to secure improved investment for our marketing programme and agree realistic targets for our overriding discount arrangements.

One of the best known figures in the wholesale industry will be leaving Booker as the result of restructuring of the company's trading team.

Booker has increased the range available to customers by 20% and has introduced a new promotional structure that offers greater discounts.

Wholesalers can expect more promotions from Unilever UK Foods tailored to their individual requirements, according to sales director Tony Smith.

The Today's Group achieved a 6% growth in sales last year compared with overall growth for the sector of just 0.6%, according to managing director Rodney Hunt.

The must-have T-shirt for National Independents' Day on June l is a historic first for the industry.