Wholesale Direct Scheme Extends Chilled Offer

Oakland Distribution is forging ahead in the development of its supply chain model in response to new opportunities identified within the wholesale and foodservice sectors, broadening and opening up new service opportunities for individual wholesalers to take advantage of proven consolidation advantages. Citing partnership as their key focus, Oakland Distribution is promoting tangible benefits derived from bespoke chilled and ambient consolidation schemes, fully supported by strong supplier and buyer disciplines, which have proved time and time again to deliver exceptional growth in sales through enhanced availability, range, longer shelf-life, and reduced costs. Oakland MD, Dean Atwell, commented: “Having recently concluded a successful three and a half year relationship supporting the Landmark Wholesale central consolidation scheme, we are now set to extend our Wholesale Direct scheme’s benefits across the wholesale and foodservice sectors; reducing cost, improving product freshness, and extending range availability through collaborative partnerships. Continuing he added: “We enjoy great relationships with bespoke schemes like the Muller scheme and the award winning Dairy Trader Consolidation scheme, with the experience proving invaluable in helping further identify new opportunities and the required disciplines needed to grow the wholesale and foodservice sectors. “We still plan to explore opportunities for bespoke partnership consolidation schemes for individual Landmark Wholesale members who, by themselves, don’t have sufficient critical mass or buying power to attract the best direct deals from large or small suppliers.” With non-affiliated independent retailers who fully endorse the need for a strong chilled offer, Oakland Distribution will provide them with the opportunity in conjunction with core wholesale partners to compete favourably and help retain and grow their market share. Said Dean: “A strong chilled offer is not a new invention that works, it’s a proven requirement for survival and sustainable growth within the independent retailer sector. Independent retailers need to demand an improved chilled offer from their wholesale partner; the supply chain can be built to support this offer through honest collaboration and partnerships with core chilled range suppliers. The alternative is the inevitable and gradual decline of the independent retail sector.” Image details: Oakland MD Dean Attwell. Editor’s notes: Oakland Distribution is a sister company of Oakland International which was founded in 1998, and is an * award winning family owned multi temperature distribution and contracting packing specialist, operating both UK and Ireland depots for food and consumer goods using ambient, chilled and frozen transportation into major UK and Irish retail, wholesale, discount and convenience markets. Key industry associations include; British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), Road Hauliers Association (RHA), Food Storage and Distribution Federation (FSDF), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and a member of the Chamber of Commerce for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association (BCMPA) and accredited by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Company details: Oakland International Limited UK: +44 (0) 1527 596 222 e: sales@oakland-international.com www.oakland-international.com twitter: @OaklandIntUK For all Oakland International press and media enquiries, in the first instance please contact: Kathryn Watts m: 07970 547469 e: k.watts@evopr.com *Latest Awards include 2012 joint winners with SPAR UK of the Environmental Contribution Award at the European Supply Chain Excellence Awards in the category of Contribution to Environmental Improvement: Climate Change and finalists in the Ian MacLaurin Award for Supply Chain Excellence Award, in the 2012 IGD food industry awards.