JW Filshill voted best Scottish wholesale business

JW Filshill, Scotland’s oldest independent food and drink wholesaler, has been named the best wholesale business in Scotland for a fifth time at the Scottish Wholesale Achievers awards.

Achievers, now in its ninth year, was launched by the Edinburgh-based Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) with the aim of rewarding professionalism and excellence and improving standards across all sectors of the wholesale industry in Scotland.

Some 480 people attended the gala dinner and awards presentation, hosted by BBC Scotland TV presenter Catriona Shearer, at the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh.

JW Filshill, based at Hillington, Glasgow also won three other categories: Best Licensed Wholesaler (Off-Trade), Best Retailer Development Programme and Best Marketing Initiative.

Kate Salmon, SWA executive director, says, “Our industry has always faced change but last year this accelerated to new levels. Bellevue and CJ Lang Martex were acquired by Bestway; Scotland ground to a halt in the heavy snow; the economic climate – with tax increases on one hand and public-spending cuts on the other – hit hard; and the Scottish Wholesale Association continued to fight the onslaught of proposed legislation which threatens to strangle businesses across the board.

“But Achievers remains instrumental in encouraging best practice within Scottish wholesaling and, as an association, we urge wholesalers and suppliers to use Achievers to enhance their business.”