With over 25 years navigating the sharp end of buying, marketing and sales, Mark Bottomley has seen wholesale from just about every angle.
Now settling into his newest role as Head of Trading for soft drinks, confectionery, grocery, and CSN (Crisps, Snacks & Nuts) at Parfetts, he brings with him a career that reads like a who's who of UK wholesale.
From nearly 14 years at Batleys to senior roles at Today's and Unitas Wholesale, and a stint at Suntory on the supplier side, he has sat at virtually every seat around the trading table.
Asian Trader caught up with Bottomley to find out more about the wheels of wholesale and what makes a supplier worth backing.
AT: Share with us your journey into wholesale buying.
Bottomley: My route into wholesale was actually quite different to many people in the industry. I originally trained as a chef and studied hotel and catering management, which gave me a strong appreciation for food and drink and sparked a real passion for wine and trading.
That interest eventually led me into the wholesale sector, and Batleys gave me my first opportunity back in 1990. It was a fantastic learning environment and really opened my eyes to the scale and importance of wholesale in supporting independent retailers.
After seven years with Batleys I achieved a big personal goal when I was able to buy wines and spirits for the business. That moment really gave me the buzz for wholesale trading — seeing how the right buying decisions could drive sales and create value for retailers.
From that point on I knew I’d found the industry I wanted to build my career in, and I’ve never looked back. Today I’m fortunate to work across some of the most dynamic categories in wholesale – grocery, crisps & snacks, confectionery and soft drinks- and at Parfetts we’re focused on making sure independent retailers have the right range, value and support to grow in these key areas.
AT: What does a typical day of head of trading of multiple categories look like?
Bottomley: No two days are the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. A typical day starts with reviewing sales performances and checking availability, because making sure products are in stock when retailers need them is absolutely key to driving growth.
At Parfetts, we run a significant promotional programme, including our three-weekly cycles, Go Local activity and one-day specials, so ensuring we have the stock in place to support those promotions is essential.
We’re also now moving into the key planning phase for Parfest, which is one of our biggest trading events of the year and a great opportunity to work closely with suppliers to build strong promotional activity for our retailers
A big part of my role is collaborating with suppliers — discussing new product launches, reviewing promotional plans and looking at ways we can grow categories together. Strong collaborative partnerships are central to what we do at Parfetts, because when suppliers and wholesalers work closely together it ultimately delivers better value and stronger ranges for independent retailers.
AT : What do you consider before listing a new product?
Bottomley: When considering a new listing, the first question is always whether the product will genuinely add value for our retailers and given there are so many similar products in the marketplace what the point of difference is and what will make this one stand out in its peer category!
Then we will look closely at consumer demand, brand strength, price points including is the SKU PMP, pack size, margin opportunity and how the product fits within the existing range.
Supplier support is also important, particularly around marketing and promotions that can help drive awareness and sales.
AT: What causes you to delist a product?
Bottomley: Delisting decisions, as you would expect, usually come down to performance. If a product consistently underperforms or duplicates other items already in the range, we’ll review its place within the category.
Each product has to perform and deliver sales and profit for our retailers.
Supply reliability and supplier engagement can also be factors. Our aim is always to maintain a focused range that works hard for retailers and maximises sales and efficiency within the product mix.
Parfetts
AT: What margins do wholesalers typically operate on?
Bottomley: Margins can vary depending on the category and supplier agreements.
The key is creating a structure that works for everyone in the supply chain – ensuring we can operate sustainably while giving independent retailers the opportunity to make strong margins in store.
Our Symbol Group initiatives are living proof of this, Go Local continues to go from strength to strength and collaborative supplier relationships will support growth within this channel.
Cost pressures across logistics, manufacturing and energy have made this balancing act more challenging in recent years, which is why strong collaboration with suppliers is more important than ever.
AT: What makes a supplier great to work with?
Bottomley: The best suppliers are those who really understand the wholesale and independent retail environment, have a plan and chose the right wholesale partners to execute that plan.
At Parfetts, we are championing retailer execution which ultimately delivers any suppliers objective…..putting their brands into the hands of the consumer and drive consumption.
They recognise that this channel is different to multiples and are willing to collaborate on activity that works specifically for independents – whether that’s tailored promotions, new product launches, or sharing insights that help grow the category.
A great example of this is our Big Ticket activations which are designed to drive sales through C&C, digital and retail channels and generate a huge uplift in rate of sale. Suppliers like AG Barr, BBG CCE to name a few have all benefited from this level of activation.
Transparency, reliability and a willingness to build long-term partnerships go a long way.
AT: What mistakes do retailers sometimes make in your categories?
Bottomley: Retailers can sometimes make the mistake of overcomplicating their range by stocking too many similar products instead of focusing on core best-selling lines. Regular range reviews are essential to identify which products are driving performance and which are underperforming.
To support this, we have recently launched our Go For Growth category initiative, designed to help retailers understand the benefits of focusing on core ranges and implementing category planograms that can ultimately drive increased footfall, sales, and margin.
Another common oversight is underutilising own label. Offering a strong value own-label range is key to complementing branded products and meeting different customer needs, and Parfetts has a credible range to support retailers in delivering this effectively.
Availability is also critical, particularly in impulse-led categories such as soft drinks, snacks, and confectionery. Retailers who maintain strong availability of their top-selling lines and fully leverage promotional opportunities are typically the most successful.
AT: What trends are shaping your categories?
Bottomley: Across grocery, crisps & snacks, confectionery and soft drinks we’re seeing a number of interesting trends.
Value continues to be a major driver as shoppers remain price conscious, but there’s also strong demand for innovation.
In soft drinks we’re seeing continued growth in zero-sugar and functional products, while in snacks and confectionery there’s increasing interest in new flavours and formats.
One of the advantages we have at Parfetts is our ability to react quickly to these trends and bring the right products to market for independent retailers.
AT : Where are you seeing the most meaningful growth signals right now in snacks category?
Bottomley: We’re seeing the strongest growth in sharing formats, driven by big night in missions and shoppers looking for better value.
At the same time, the category is being energised by bold flavour innovation—strong, impactful flavours like Doritos Sriracha are cutting through and attracting younger shoppers in particular.
There’s also real momentum behind fast, high impact NPD and on pack campaigns that create excitement and interaction. Activations like the recent F1 partnership on Doritos have delivered a clear uplift in rate of sale.
From a Parfetts perspective, all of this plays directly into how we support independents: making sure they can access the key growth formats, stay ahead of flavour trends, and benefit from the NPD and brand campaigns that drive footfall and repeat purchase.
AT: Parfetts has been aggressively expanding own label. But the categories you are taking care of are usually brand dominated. How do you balance this?
Bottomley: Expanding own label in brand‑dominated categories is about achieving the right balance. Brands remain absolutely critical in the independent channel, they drive recognition and credibility, as well as that all important impulse purchasing opportunity, and we continue to support them fully. Our goal is not to replace brands, but to complement them.
We use data and shopper insight to identify where own label genuinely adds value, whether that’s giving retailers a stronger margin and offering consumers a sharper price point. The multiples have proven how successful this model can be, and the same principles apply in independent retail.
Crucially, own label drives loyalty at two levels: retailers can only source these products from Parfetts, and consumers can only buy them in our retailers’ stores.
That creates a unique point of difference that brands can’t deliver, while brands continue to lead on familiarity, trust, and big‑campaign impact. So for us it’s not an either/or, it’s about offering a balanced mix of brands and a credible own‑label range that strengthens a retailer’s offer and keeps shoppers coming back.
Parfetts
AT: What are the biggest challenges for buyers today?
Bottomley: One of the biggest challenges for buyers today is balancing innovation with range efficiency.
New products are constantly entering the market, but space is limited, so every SKU must prove its value and earn its space Data is crucial in helping us understand true customer demand, avoid duplication, and make confident decisions.
To support this we utilise our own data as well as teaming up with TWC to incorporate their data platforms to support our day to day decision making.
At the same time, cost pressures and supply chain challenges mean we must remain very focused on availability, pricing and ensuring our retailers can continue to compete effectively.
Unfiltered and Unlisted
Peel back the job title and meet the real Mark Bottomley, the biggest fan of Malteasers.
- Weekend plans: Spending time with my two children, getting outdoors for walking or going for a run in the countryside, which is great way to switch off and recharge.
- Favourite brand in your category: Malteasers, quite happily polish of a share bag without sharing!
- Most underrated product retailers should stock: Bovril – Great on toast!
- Industry figure you admire: Martin Race, who also has been an incredible support throughout my career
- Retail trend that will dominate the next five years: Functional food and drinks
- Best supplier pitch you’ve heard: From Boost Energy - “Championing the independents”
- Industry buzzword you wish to ban: “Stock up now”, especially when it is mentioned without any context
- Comfort food: Curry.
- Comfort watch: Not Going Out