When Parfetts says every colleague has “skin in the game”, it isn’t mere rhetoric. As an employee-owned business, it turns the traditional wholesale model on its head and this year, that model is under the spotlight more than ever.
It’s a business revolution powered not just by numbers, but by people who truly believe in what they do.
The national wholesaler has seen turnover rise by 110 per cent in six years to reach £800m, and now supports more than 1,650 independent retailers nationwide through its Go Local fascia. The business is now aiming to surpass £1 billion in turnover and 2,000 retailers.
These aren’t empty ambitions. They are underpinned by bold, tangible moves: the opening of a ninth depot in Southampton to push into the South Coast; the launch of a new Shop & Go symbol group for forecourts and transient sites; expansion of own label lines, major digital investment; and the decision to exit the Unitas buying group by the end of 2026 to stand fully independent.
On the very day Asian Trader sat down with joint managing directors Noel Robinson and Guy Swindell for this exclusive interview, Parfetts announced a 14 per cent bonus for all its employees in recognition of a record-breaking year, staying true to its employee-owned model.
It’s a moment that makes both men beam with pride. They light up with a conviction that’s equal parts commercial and personal. After all, they see Parfetts’ employee-owned model as an unbeatable point of difference, the cultural DNA that no competitor can copy.
Swindell said, “We are really focused on delivering the best possible service for our retail customers and working closely with suppliers. Competition from other wholesalers will always be there but it only drives us forward.
“What makes us different in the marketplace is our employee ownership model. We are all collectively invested to make Parfetts a success.
“We, at Parfetts, all work together and have a share in the profit in the form of bonus, just like the one announced today.”
Robinson chimes in, “And remember, it is the same percentage bonus across the board for everyone, be it cleaner or the MD”.
He is equally pumped up about the range and value that Parfetts is able to offer.
“We pride ourselves on our wide and wholesome retail range. So you need to have the right range available, then value and then price.
“We are very competitive on the price aspect. We benchmark it every week. We have a vast range of promotions that cycle every three weeks.
“Retailers buying stock from us are able to pass on better prices to their customers and thus earn their loyalty. That’s where the growth is coming from.
“It is all about right range, right value, right service- that's the winning formula,” Robinson said.
From Reddish to Southampton
Parfetts’ story began in 1980 as a family-run business in Reddish, Stockport, when the late Alan Parfett, his wife Pat, and their son Steve opened a 25,000 sq ft cash & carry.
A fire destroyed the original Reddish depot, but the company rebuilt and reopened in larger premises in central Stockport within 14 weeks.
From that phoenix-uprise, the wholesaler’s footprint tiptoed into Merseyside, then stomped further afield. The map now proudly boasts Aintree, Anfield, Birmingham, Halifax, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Somercotes, and Stockport.
In early September, when the doors of Parfetts’ newest 113,000 sq ft cash and carry in Southampton opened to retail customers, the moment marked a new chapter for the wholesaler.
Parfetts' online sales surpass 50% as retailers embrace digital ordering Parfetts' online sales surpass 50% as retailers embrace digital ordering
Ask the duo about that new Southampton depot and one can hear the sense of achievement ringing clearly.
Swindell said, “The Southampton depot is proving a great pull for retailers. The response that we saw on the opening day was overwhelming.
“It is performing almost as good as Birmingham depot. From day one, the response has been incredible.
“And we’re already seeing interest in our symbol group rising across the region.”
Robinson reinforced, “Right range, right value, right service — those pillars have worked everywhere else in the UK. Now we’re bringing them to Southampton and the South West.”
War of symbols
Southampton isn’t just another depot; rather it is proving to be Parfetts’ Southern stronghold.
By night, it transforms into the “delivered hub for the South”, turbo charging Go Local, Go Local Extra, and The Local symbol groups.
Parfetts’ geography has changed almost overnight, as has its ambition.
“We are seeing retailers’ interest in our symbol group constantly rising in this region,” Swindell affirmed.
“We are glad that we are able to invest in the new stores for their development and facelift.”
For retailers in this region, it is indeed a time to sit and notice what Parfetts has to offer.
“In recent years, we have strengthened our store development team. It assists retailers in every way right from store layout.
“Our retail club is the strongest out there in terms of retailer's margins. With us, retailers can have all that and yet retain their independence,” Swindell added.
Late last year, Parfetts added a fourth fascia Shop & Go, designed for transient, time-sensitive sites. Think forecourts, bus stations, train depots, high-footfall city centres.
First Go Local Extra opens in Milton Keynes as Parfetts continues southern expansion www.asiantrader.biz
This one has a bespoke product range and dedicated promotions designed for such stores and their time-sensitive shoppers. It will service specific shopper missions, emphasising impulse, confectionery, snacks, and soft drinks. It also offers food-to-go, beers, wines, spirits, and specialist ranges, including car care and maintenance. Swindell is upbeat about the new fascia.
“Our Shop & Go format is seeing a good response and is on the way to20 odd stores now.
“This format brings great offering, not just for forecourts, for any transient sites, whether it's bus depots or busy high streets, or even around parkings for time sensitive consumers. It is starting to pick up pace now.
“One of the first Shop & Go is coming up out of the new Southampton depot as well. Overall, we are really pleased with the response and also in terms of kind of supplier response,” he said.
When it comes to symbol groups, Parfetts is laser-focused on its target which is surpassing 2,000 retailers at the earliest.
Swindell said, “In recent years, we've been recruiting as many as 300 stores. So I would suspect certainly within, 18 months to just under two years, we will be surpassing the 2,000 mark.
“However, I won’t get hung up on the numbers. I am more proud of the kind and the level of our stores. As long as we do a good job, retailers will want to always join us. Performance of the store also improves once the place gets a lift.
“Our support and service continue to serve the retailers. We are focused on increasing our retail development advisors on the ground that assist and drive retailers.
“After all, we love and value close relationships with retailers whether in our cash and carry depots or in their own stores.”
The conviction here is clearly reflected in a recent annual benchmarking study where Parfetts’ Go Local fascia emerged as a standout performer across multiple categories.
It earned the highest customer satisfaction rating among retailers, measured by Net Promoter Score, the industry standard for gauging satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
Own Label range
Another key area where Parfetts is aggressive and clearly expanding is the own label range, a major differentiating factor that is further luring retailers in Parfetts’ cash and carries and symbol group formats.
Robinson broke it down, “It again comes back to right value and right range. Our high quality own label range gives our retailers an edge and an extra avenue to make better margins that somewhere eases their ever-increasing cost of doing business.
“Our impulse, soft drinks and grocery categories are doing really well. Even our everyday cider sells really well.
“In most lines, particularly soft drinks, the price gap between our own label and the branded ones is huge. Also, I would say people are now getting used to the value that our range of product brings.
“We have a solid distribution system in place. The fact that we are able to put our own label range in front of customers consistently also helps in creating such habits.”
And just in case one is wondering if brands feel threatened, Swindell sets the record straight, “It’s the need of the time. Retailers want both ranges on their shelves and it is happening everywhere. That is what consumers have come to expect.
“We are only looking at plugging a gap that's missing rather than replacing brands. We are still very much the home of brands.”
Paracetamol 500mg Tablets and Ibuprofen 200mg tablets www.asiantrader.biz
Earlier in August this year, Parfetts launched Go Local Paracetamol Tablets, following the successful debut of its Go Local Ibuprofen line in January. Available in 16-pack tablets, the new SKU is positioned to give retailers industry-leading returns, with a POR of 62.1% at a £1.00 RRP, which is more than double the average achieved on branded equivalents.
The move clearly reflected Parfetts’ growing ambitions in own label. Its range has now surpassed 250 lines, accounting for 22 per cent of total sales, and has a pipeline of more than 35 new products scheduled for this year across impulse, grocery, and bakery categories.
Innovation isn’t optional.
Robinson pointed out, “We're just about to launch nappies. Not just any kind but Aldi level high quality with a value range for the independent retailer. We basically keep looking at all avenues that we can just add to the range.
“We are now trying to expand into own range of biscuits. Still looking for a manufacturer for that!”
Empowering indies
As the UK steps into the golden quarter, the country’s multiples and discounters are warming up to the price wars that are seen around Christmas and New Year’s eve every year.
Parfetts is also ready to help indies clash with the big guns.
Swindell said, “This time of the year gets really competitive, but we also see it as a great opportunity.
“Christmas time is the busiest time but it is true also for convenience stores. In fact, it is convenience stores where people run for quick errands a day or two before Christmas.
“With all the footfall coming in, it is a great time to capture the customer attention with great range and that too well-priced.
“During this time, we support all our stores with free POS, shelf talkers, leaflets and posters.”
Not to forget the Parfetts’ famous Parfests!
Now in its fourth year, Parfest is a week-long celebration of the cash and carry sector, combining promotional deals with music, food, competitions, and a festival atmosphere that brings thousands of retail customers through the doors.
This year, Parfest held in July is touted as their largest to date, with over 500 brand activations across depots nationwide, attracting a record footfall of over 12,000 retailers and featuring over 1,000 deals across all categories.
Swindell is unapologetically enthusiastic, “Parfest is a great opportunity even for our delivered retail customers to come in, experience the best of Parfetts, meet the managers, meet members of our team.
“We get working on it for weeks. Year on year, they've been incredibly successful. It feels so good to see our retail customers flocking to the depots during Parfests and making the best of the deals.
“It is also a great way of bringing the suppliers in front of the retailers. It is a win-win for everyone.”
Parfetts unveils major update to its app to boost retailers Parfetts
When it comes to new age tactics, there’s no shortage of bytes and bots in Parfetts these days.
Half of its turnover is now ordered online, whether through apps or desktops, Swindell revealed with a hint of pride.
“We are consistently investing on our digital side to make the retail customer journeys on our ordering platform as smooth as possible, almost similar to the journey when they visit our depots.
“We also strive to give them similar service levels, the relationship, and the promotions and even education pieces on the digital front.
“We have a whole department now around digital, constantly evolving and developing, whether it's the ordering platform or our digital communications.
“All our literature now is sent out digitally, whether it's via WhatsApp or notifications through the app. Our app is open to all customers, whether they order online or not.
“The retail customers are made aware of new lines on the platform, sometimes through digital takeovers as well. This gives an opportunity for suppliers to get brands in front of the retail customers, even though they're just online.
“So yes, a lot is happening in terms of engaging customers online with non-stop developments really and lot of investments,” he said.
Parfetts is one of the leading wholesalers to be using artificial intelligence (AI) in its system as well.
“We have intuitive bits and pieces on our platform in terms of a user ordering history so that they can find what they want quickly.
“We are looking at prompting around regional lines, like what one should be stocking depending on their area. So yes, we have started introducing bits and pieces of AI around our systems.
“We are using some bits in our system too around data analysis. However, we're still really passionate about putting people's welfare above anything. So we are definitely not looking to replace any human and utliise AI instead,” he said.
Challenges and future
Even the best feels the strain of rising costs and shifting regulation. With economy in not-so-bubbly phase, the pressure on the wholesaler is rising. Every player is feeling it, so is Parfetts.
Robinson spelled it out, “Our cost of doing business is constantly rising. Additionally, the government legislations that have been passed in the last couple of years are not very friendly.
“We are holding our breath to see what this budget is going to bring for us. I know all our retailers and wholesalers are in the same boat.
“Labour cost is also huge for us because we are a low margin business. The rise in minimum wage was an eye watering increase when it is a low-margin business.
“We don’t cut on efficiency and quality to save on costs so the rise in overheads is hitting us. It is getting harder and harder every year.”
Swindell chipped in, “Card processing fee is also a real challenge. We were just speaking to the bank this morning about this issue to find common ground. We are paying a lot of money as the fee.
“This issue is affecting all wholesalers. And it doesn't seem that the governments is listening to us or even acknowledge this issue.”
On being asked their one wish which they can get granted from the government, both Swindell and Robinson agreed on going easy with the policies.
Swindell said, “We need to grow, don't we? If business is just staring into additional costs, it's going to make them think twice for growth plans and where to invest and where not to.”
Growth is essential indeed and Parfetts is clearly on a rapid growth trajectory.
This conversation also coincided with the announcement of the wholesaler’s plan to exit Unitas, UK’s largest buying group, something which the duo called a natural progression.
“Clearly the business has enjoyed substantial growth over the last few years and particularly around the symbol estate.
“Go Local has always been an independent strategy of ours. Our digital strategies have always been independent. Our own label strategy, which we began in recent years, is obviously independent of that. Our promotional strategies are independent. Our sales force is independent.
“So, over the years, we've had our own independent strategies that have been incredibly successful and continue to be so. Our relationship with suppliers is great.
“I've enjoyed the relationships we've built up with Unitas throughout this time. But as we move now to being a national operator with the symbol estate and the depot expansion and the number of symbol stores, we have outgrown a buying group.
"For us, it's all about delivering return on investment for suppliers. We can showcase that within our business. We just felt this is the right time,” Swindell said.
Robinson added, “We have got so much more to offer. We have great equation with our suppliers and our customers.
“We now need to maximise the opportunity for everyone. I believe we are better on an independent footing alone. So we can negotiate our terms, packages and promotional patterns for the years based on having a single group of 2,000 retailers plus, which is a very exciting place to be."
As the session came to a wrap, it became clear that Parfetts is in no mood to slow down.
“We are thundering towards £1 billion turnover, 2,000 plus symbol groups, world class digital experience for retailers, suppliers and colleagues.
“And possibly a location for a new cash and carry as well,” Robinson quipped with a classic grin.
And if this story so far is anything to go by, the best at Parfetts is still very much to come.