Three wins apiece for JW Filshill and United Wholesale at SWA Awards

JW Filshill and United Wholesale Scotland claimed hat-tricks of titles as the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) Achievers Awards returned for 2022.

Filshill clinched the Best Delivered Operation – Retail and Best Symbol Group of the Year awards for KeyStore, while Amanda Casey was Employee of the Year. United Wholesale’s accolades were in the Best Business Initiative, Best Technology Initiative and Best Cash & Carry categories.

The awards recognised the most resilient and innovative wholesalers, with more than 400 people in attendance at the gala dinners and presentation at Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh on 10 February – the first time the awards had been held in two years.

Other multiple winners on the night included AG Barr and Lomond Foods. Lomond’s double included Meghan Henderson taking home the coveted Rising Star of Wholesale award.

Sutherland Brothers, Failte Foodservice, CJ Lang & Son and Booker were the other wholesalers who were celebrating.

“As well as shining a spotlight on the efforts of Scotland’s wholesalers, our awards recognise the lengths that suppliers and their employees have gone to in supporting their customers and communities during the pandemic,” said SWA Chief Executive Colin Smith.

“That is one of the reasons why these Achievers awards attracted such a high number of entries, both from our longstanding members and from many of the 35 new wholesalers that joined our Association during the pandemic.

“At our last Achievers, in 2019, I spoke about how the industry was witnessing unprecedented change – little did I know that the most unprecedented disruption and change was waiting in the wings.

“But we have worked together as an industry, and the SWA took the lead in fighting for recognition of the impact on our sector, and for equality and fairness in recompensing our members for their losses, ensuring that the Scottish Government recognises wholesale’s key role in the food and drink supply chain.

“It is often said that success is hard won in challenging times and tonight that speaks for itself and we celebrate and acknowledge the resilience and perseverance of our wholesaler and supplier members.”

The full list of winners are:

Rising Star of Wholesale – Meghan Henderson, Lomond Foods

Best Delivered Operation – Retail – JW Filshill

Best Licensed Wholesaler – Sutherland Brothers

Supplier Sales Executive of the Year – Hazel Boyd, Heineken UK

Best Business Initiative – United Wholesale Scotland

Best Overall Service – AG Barr

Great Place to Work – Failte Foodservice

Community Service Award – CJ Lang & Son

Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice – Lomond Foods

Best Foodservice Supplier – AG Barr

Best Technology Initiative – United Wholesale Scotland

Supplier Outstanding Achievement Award – Millers Larder

Green Wholesaler of the Year – Booker

Best Advertising Campaign – Tennent’s Lager (Don’t Worry England, We Bottle it Too)

Employee of the Year – Amanda Casey, JW Filshill

Best Symbol Group – JW Filshill, KeyStore

Best Cash & Carry – United Wholesale Scotland, Queenslie

AG Barr Amanda Casey Colin Smith JW Filshill Lomond Foods Meghan Henderson Scottish Wholesale Association Achievers awards SWA United Wholesale Scotland