Parfetts rewards staff after hitting record turnover

Employee-owned wholesaler Parfetts is awarding its workforce the maximum 4% sales bonus following a record-breaking year

Parfetts’ turnover has grown to a record £733m, up from £696m in 2024, and has grown by 93% over the past six years.* The wholesaler’s symbol group now supports over 1,650 retailers across the UK, from Portsmouth to Lockerbie, with more than 300 new stores planned to join in the new financial year.

Alongside sustained growth in Birmingham and the successful launch of new initiatives, such as its Shop & Go and The Local fascias, the company has confirmed that it will open a new depot in Southampton later this year. The move strengthens Parfetts’ national credentials, further enhancing its delivered service network and accelerating access for retailers in the south of England.

Parfetts continues to focus on delivering real value to independent retailers through a twin strategy of own-label development and promotions that drive sales and, it says, deliver exceptional margins for customers. Its own label range now spans more than 200 lines, tailored to the needs of the convenience channel.

Additionally, strategic partnerships with suppliers underpin a promotional programme that includes regular daily deals, Go Local three weekly promotions, supplier takeovers and regular seasonal trade weeks. The Big Ticket initiative has also proven popular with suppliers and retailers. It enhances margins and drives footfall for retailers through impactful campaigns, depot activations, and in-store takeovers, offering a 360-degree activation vehicle for suppliers that drives sales and distribution.

“Our people are the heartbeat of Parfetts,” said joint MD Guy Swindell. “It’s their hard work, passion and commitment that fuels our growth. The employee ownership model gives us a powerful platform to reward that effort, attract great talent and deliver the best service to our retailers.”

The sales bonus comes in addition to a 12% profit share bonus paid last year, with another profit share distribution planned for later in 2025. Parfetts’ employee ownership model enables it to reinvest profits into its people and infrastructure, which it says is the engine behind its momentum.

Noel Robinson, joint MD concluded: “It also means we invest more back into margins for our customers as we have no shareholders to pay, so everything we make is invested in the business and our customers’ businesses.”

Parfetts is closing in on its target of 2,000 symbol stores across its Go Local network and expects its turnover to surpass £1 billion in the next three years.

*Parfetts announced turnover in the year ending June 2019 of £380.2m.