Redefining convenience

Amid fierce competition, cash and carry wholesalers are redefining their spaces and services, setting a new standard in the sector and making it easier than ever for retailers to thrive, writes Shauna Bernard

Brand Central

28 October 2024

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No retailer can succeed without a solid and dependable wholesale operation nearby. Cash and carry wholesalers play an essential role in supporting retailers, and the competition among these warehousing brands is just as fierce as in the convenience store sector.

Traditionally, cash and carry warehouses were associated with dusty aisles, cluttered shelves, and a rugged, industrial feel. However, times have changed, and the industry has evolved. Today, cash and carry stores are under pressure to innovate, adapt, and grow their businesses to stay competitive.

Modern cash and carry stores have adopted many strategies from convenience stores, creating a shopping experience that feels more refined and welcoming. These large warehouse spaces are now bright, clean, and thoughtfully organised, with wide aisles, appealing special offers, and personalised customer service. The transformation has redefined the cash and carry concept, shifting it from a purely transactional model to one that prioritises both experience and value, making these wholesalers an attractive and essential part of the retail ecosystem.

Musgrave MarketPlace

Thomas Morrison, head of retail & sales, Musgrave MarketPlace

Fact File

Name – Musgrave MarketPlace

Number of branches nationwide – 9 Dublin (Ballymun, Robinhood, Sallynoggin), Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Belfast, Derry

Number of customers – circa 50,000

Number of lines in product listing – 20,000

Tagline – Business Made Easy

Ordering options – Online, app, collect, delivered, click & collect, telesales, business development manager

www.musgravemarketplace.ie

Customer Services – 0818 800 111

Typical opening hours –

Monday – Friday: 8.00am – 6.00pm

Saturday: 8.00am – 4.00pm

Sunday / Bank Holidays: 10.00am – 4.00pm

*Note Ballymun later opening Thursday 8.00am – 8.00pm

Size-range of outlets: 35,000 – 90,000 sq ft

As your customers’ day-to-day business lives are extremely busy, how have you innovated to ensure your service makes it as easy and convenient as possible for them to secure orders when needed?

At Musgrave MarketPlace, we are committed to building trusted relationships with our customers while delivering exceptional service. At a time when businesses are facing many challenges, we are focused on building the strongest service proposition in the market – whilst providing the most extensive range at the best value. Our branches are open seven days a week with extended opening hours and delivery routes. Nationwide delivery (6 days a week) and a 24/7 online ordering system are available, allowing customers to shop at a time that suits them.

We’re seeing online as the fastest-growing channel for our customers and expect that around 70% of our orders will come through online by the end of 2024.

How have you adjusted to consumer trends including a greater focus on health and wellbeing and more adventurous palates, to guarantee your customers are able to meet these needs?

We have expanded both our range and produce to include more vegan and healthy ingredient options while our Foods of the World offering sources the best of Irish and authentic foods, including our authentic Italian food range, Italicatessen, and an extensive range of Asian lines.

How have you innovated within your physical outlets to make customers’ visits an enjoyable and productive experience?

We are extremely proud of the reimagination of our Ballymun Food Emporium. Now with more than 1,000 additional products, upgraded food and beverage zones, a revamped and extended Butchery offering and walk-in chill room. In addition, our beverage zone stocks 1400 products across premium spirits, wines, champagne and soft drinks.

Strong value is obviously critical – how are you working to ensure customers receive the best pricing and promotions?

We have invested significantly in our own-brand offerings, circa 300 lines, and our customers can get up to 50% savings by shopping these ranges which are more than 33% cheaper than the branded equivalent. This year, we have cut the prices on more than 250 products that matter most to our customers as well as committing to low everyday prices on more than 500 products.

Sustainability has become more important than ever – how are you improving sustainability across your operations?

Across the Musgrave Group, we have a strong commitment to carry out our business in the most sustainable fashion and, through our Growing Sustainably Every Day strategy, are proud of the steps we have taken on this journey.

Earlier this year, we announced a roll out of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel across our network of almost 500 vehicles. By 2030, 50% of the Musgrave fleet will operate on alternative fuel, with an overall ambition for the entire fleet to be net zero by 2040.

Our partnership with Foodcloud continues to deliver results and reduce food waste – more than 1.5 million meals, with an estimated value of over €1.5 million, to 350 local charities and community groups all across Ireland, eliminating 626 tonnes of food waste and saving more than 2000 tonnes of CO2-eq emissions from entering the atmosphere.

We are installing solar panels at our locations around Ireland to reduce emissions from our electricity usage and 79% of the packaging we sell is either compostable, recyclable or reusable. 85% of our own brand packaging is either compostable, recyclable or reusable – this will increase to 100% by 2025.

Value Centre

Paul Bealin, sales director, Cash & Carry

Fact File

Name – Value Centre, 4 Aces, Better Deal

Number of branches nationwide – 22

Number of customers – +15,000

Number of lines in product listing – + 13,000

Tagline – Your local wholesaler

Ordering options – Online with ShopLink.ie, telesales, in-branch and dedicated Sales Developers

Typical opening hours – 8am – 4.30pm Monday – Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday. Online ordering available 24/7

Retail partners – XL and Gala

Size-range of outlets – 12,000 sq ft – 60,000 sq ft.

Value Centre aisles

The nationwide coverage afforded by BWG’s network of 22 Value Centre Cash & Carry branches strategically located throughout Ireland is beyond compare.

For more than 50 years the Value Centre Cash & Carry network has been the local wholesaler of choice for more than 15,000 customers across the retail, hospitality and licenced industries and the true secret to its success is the deeply customer-centric culture and approach that permeates the business. Knowing your customers, understanding, and anticipating their needs and exceeding their expectations is at the very heart of BWG’s Value Centre Cash & Carry offering.

It provides a first-class service and willingness to meet specific local demand that sets us apart, which includes a Same Day or Next Day delivery service that is truly unrivalled in the industry.

Value Centre’s nationwide success is not due to a single factor but a combination of them, including significant investment made by BWG Foods to upgrade the branch network, improve efficiencies and deliver a more positive customer shopping experience. Continued success and growth are achieved through a robust strategic acquisition plan combined with a strong investment policy, as evidenced by the relaunch of the redeveloped, state-of-the-art Value Centre Ennis, following a major €1.2 million investment, in 2023. The substantially extended facility, which employs approximately 40 people locally, has been expanded from 33,000 sq. ft. to 55,000 sq. ft. allowing the Cash and Carry site to significantly grow and enhance its chilled and frozen food offerings, in addition to its existing ambient offering.

A key area of focus for the Value Centre Cash & Carry network is ensuring that all customers benefit from the additional value and services provided by BWG Foods. This is particularly evident in the bespoke in-person training available to our Wholesale retail brand XL through the BWG Academy training and education centre. The Academy includes a high-spec kitchen, food preparation and food display fittings, along with auxiliary study rooms for theory education. Training at the centre ranges from practical food management skills to specific retail management skills. Of particular note is the Deli Profitability course, which is a practical workshop that is designed to enhance overall knowledge to help improve profitability.

The continuing growth of the Value Centre Cash & Carry network is further complemented by BWG’s dedicated meat business, ‘William’s Gate’ and is the perfect example of how BWG continues to differentiate itself within the industry. William’s Gate is a leading supplier of high-quality meats to discerning food businesses all over Ireland and is now a core part of the Foodservice offering from BWG Foods to Ireland’s leading restaurants, hotels, gastropubs, public and private institutions.

Of course, it is also imperative to be conscious of the wider responsibility that comes with operating a business like the Value Centre Cash & Carry network. The sustainability credentials of Value Centre have been further bolstered recently with a scaling up of surplus food donations to the charity FoodCloud. This initiative supplements the broader sustainability efforts of BWG Foods where significant progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions across all business operations.

Stonehouse

Janice Gibney, chief operations officer, Stonehouse

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your role in the company?

I’m Janice Gibney, I have worked in the FMCG industry for more than 25 years and with Stonehouse for over 18 years. I was appointed Chief Operations officer of Stonehouse Marketing in April 2023.

What has been the standout moment for your business so far in 2024? 

Stonehouse has gone through considerable change in the past 18 months, we relocated office at the end of 2023, we have a new trading and marketing team in place, we launched our new company website, and most importantly we launched our company strategy which will serve as a blueprint for why and how we do business, so a lot of standout moments.

In your opinion how does your business maintain its competitive edge in the market?

We are a group of independent co-operating businesses with nationwide distribution reach, deeply locally connected, we respond to our customers’ needs professionally and competitively with agility and speed.

As your customers’ day-to-day business lives are extremely busy, how have you innovated to ensure your service makes it as easy and convenient as possible for them to secure orders when needed?

E-commerce solutions are more relevant now than ever before, our members strive to develop this key area of their business through online ordering platforms to give customers access 24/7.

How have you adjusted to consumer trends including a greater focus on health and wellbeing and more adventurous palates, to guarantee your customers are able to meet these needs?

In Stonehouse we embrace NPD and changing consumer trends across all categories, as our members are independent companies they can move quicker than others to ensure availability without long lead times for product set up and promotional implementation. This ensures we are as quick to market as possible when new innovations are launched.

The cost-of-living crisis is showing no signs of abating. With this in mind – how are you working to ensure customers receive the best pricing and promotions?

Ensuring competitive pricing for our customers is always at the forefront of our minds, we work closely with our suppliers to ensure we get the best value for the consumer and end user. We drive and develop our Homestead brand for retail to “Bring Value Home” and we focus on our White Hat brand in AFH to supply excellent quality products and reasonable prices to foodservice professionals nationwide.

Looking ahead to 2025, can you tell me about new innovative plans that the business has in place that your customers can expect to see implemented in the near future?

Stonehouse will celebrate its 25th Year in business in 2025 and we have exciting plans, working with suppliers and engaging customers will be key to ensure Stonehouse continues well beyond another 25.

Read more: Keep cash and carry on!

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