Co-op Wholesale and Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) have joined together in a new agreement, Bestway Wholesale has announced (4).
According to the wholesaler, this partnership signals the start of a new opportunity, bringing the collaboration and strength of both businesses, to unlock greater value for independent retailers.
Katie Secretan, Managing Director of Co-op Wholesale, said, “I am delighted to announce this new agreement which goes further than just a supply deal; we are jointly focused on true partnership as the key ingredient for mutual success, as we collectively support Independent Retailers to grow through our market leading propositions.”
Dawood Pervez, Managing Director of Bestway Wholesale, said, “The continuation of our collaboration will see Costcutter stores continue to benefit from the market-leading full-service convenience model from Co-op Wholesale, including access to the iconic and best in class Co-op own brand products.
"Both businesses are committed to working together to continuously improve the offer, supporting retailer growth in an evolving market.”
What exact changes were made to the existing agreement is still unknown.
The announcement breaks the silence spanning months after it emerged earlier this year that Co-op Wholesale had decided not to renew the long-term supply arrangement to Costcutter stores.
The arrangement was ending Dec 31 thus year, thus implying that Co-op Wholesale would have ceased supplying fresh, chilled and own-label to Costcutter stores from Jan 1, 2026, bringing an end to the long-term supply arrangement.
The exact cause was not known.
Bestway repeatedly assured that it is working out the best deal for Costcutter stores and would soon announce "an improved offer for Costcutter retailers".
Reaffirming its support to Costcutter retailers, a Bestway spokesperson told Asian Trader, in May, "At Bestway, our number one priority is supporting our customers and, in this case, our Costcutter retailers.
"Like all businesses we are looking to the future to remain competitive in the market and provide our customers with the best offer, to help our retailers thrive."