The Group is the UK's largest cash and carry operators, offering branded and private-label goods which are sold to over 400,000 customers including independent convenience stores, grocers, leisure outlets, pubs and restaurants. The Group currently lists circa 18,000 product lines, comprising an extensive range of branded and own label grocery, fresh and frozen food, beers, wines, spirits, tobacco and non-food items. In the year to March 2009, sales totalling £2.5 billion were collected by the customer from the group’s branches and sales totalling £0.7 billion were delivered to the Group’s customer premises.
In June 2008, the Company was awarded "Wholesaler of the Year" by The Grocer magazine.
Cash and Carry branches
The Group currently trades from 173 branches in the UK. The average size of these branches is approximately 47,000 sq ft, although the Group has four branches over 100,000 sq ft and 12 branches under 20,000 sq ft. In January 2008 the Group launched free delivery services which are available from 163 branches. All branch staff have been trained on ‘PRIDE’, focusing on improving the parking, reception, internal, delivery and exit experience for customers.
Distribution Centres
The Group operates three regional distribution centres, Hatfield and Haydock in England and Livingston in Scotland, and has a national distribution centre in Wellingborough. These distribution centres supply the cash and carry branches and two of them also handle retail deliveries.
Caterers
As at 27 March 2009, the Group had approximately 296,000 catering customers, including pubs, restaurants, leisure facilities and catering outlets.
Retailers
As at 27 March 2009, the Group had over 72,000 retail customers. The Group offers its independent retail customers the opportunity to trade under its Premier brand which provides the benefits of a national symbol group whilst retaining the personality and entrepreneurial spirit of the independent retailer. The Group will typically subsidise the fit out of the store's fascia, signage and other imagery in return for certain minimum spend contracts. At 27 March 2009, there were over 2,200 Premier branded stores in the UK. At the Convenience Tracking Programme Awards in May 2008, Premier won “best in class” for availability, customer service and value for money. Based on this success the Group plans to re-launch Premier in 2009/10 with consumer driven ranging, improved information systems and a new format called 'Premier Express'.
Booker Direct
Booker Direct is the Group’s delivered wholesale business. This is a growing part of the business which has in the year ended 27 March 2009 won some significant new customer contracts, including HM Prisons in England and Wales (in partnership with DHL).
Product Range
The Group sells an extensive range of grocery, tobacco, alcoholic products and other products used by its customers , who are predominantly independent retailers and caterers. In the year to 27 March 2009 tobacco sales were £1.23 billion (39 per cent of total sales for the year) and sales of other products totalled £1.95 billion (61 per cent of total sales for the year).
Brands
The Group owns a number of "own label" brands including:
- Catering brands – Chef’s Larder and Lichfields;
- Wine, spirit and tobacco brands – Malt House Vinters, Chekov and Red Band; and
- Retail own label – Happy Shopper and Euro Shopper.
Euro Shopper is a brand that the Group is licensed to use in the United Kingdom. The existing licence runs until 2017.
Internet
In June 2007, the Group re-launched the improved booker.co.uk site – having made the site easier to use with a more efficient search capability. Customer satisfaction with the new site has been excellent. Sales on the site have increased from £44m per annum in the year ended 30 March 2007 to £250 million for the year ended 27 March 2009. In 2008 the Group was awarded ‘Online Retailer of the Year’ at the Retail Industry Awards.
Employees
The Company employed approximately 8,500 employees as at 27 March 2009. The Group is an equal opportunities employer and the Directors believe that the Group’s people are the key to the future of its business and intends to continue to develop them at all levels of the business.