Employee-owned wholesaler Parfetts has announced the appointment of Graham Barton as general manager of its new Southampton depot, ahead of its highly anticipated opening later this year.
Barton, brings a wealth of experience from more than four decades in the wholesale and retail sector, including a 33-year career at Palmer & Harvey and a recent management role at Bestway’s Fareham depot.
A native of Fareham, Barton is spearheading the launch of Parfetts’ ninth UK depot, which marks the first new cash and carry facility in the region in 25 years.
The 113,000 sq ft site at Hedge End Retail Park will create over 100 jobs, providing a major boost to the local economy and delivering a fresh level of service and support to independent retailers across the South Coast and Greater London.
Graham Barton said, “It’s an honour to be leading such a committed and experienced team at a time of real momentum for Parfetts.
"There’s a huge sense of pride and excitement about what we’re building here, not just bricks and mortar, but a new level of service, support and opportunity for independent retailers.
“We’ve already signed up hundreds of customers, and the enthusiasm from the retail community has been overwhelming. I’m proud and excited to be part of a company that values transparency, invests in its people and is wholly focused on making a difference for colleagues and customers alike.”
Joining Barton at the helm of the Parfetts Southampton depot is a strong senior management team, including Stuart Clark and Glenn Underwood as supply chain managers, Hollie Whitfield as delivered manager, Nigel Drake overseeing goods-in, and Elaine Walker managing front-of-house operations.
Many of the team bring established working relationships and a proven track record of excellence in wholesale, creating a solid foundation for success from day one.
Guy Swindell, joint managing director at Parfetts, said, “Graham’s appointment is a key part of our commitment to bringing Parfetts’ award-winning, employee-owned, wholesale model to the South Coast. His leadership experience and understanding of the industry will ensure Southampton gets off to a flying start.”
Noel Robinson, joint managing director of Parfetts, added, “We’ve assembled an outstanding team that shares our values and vision. This depot is a milestone for Parfetts and a significant step forward for retailers in the region. With demand already strong and customer engagement high, the opening is set to be a landmark moment for independent retail across the South.”
The Southampton depot will support Parfetts’ Go Local, Go Local Extra, The Local and Shop & Go fascia groups and forms part of the business’s wider strategy to strengthen its national network while staying true to its roots as an employee-owned business.
Parfetts is recruiting for various roles at its Southampton depot, at Hedge End Retail Park, Tolbar Way, offering competitive packages and various benefits of employee ownership.
The Southampton site joins Parfetts’ existing depots in Aintree, Anfield, Birmingham, Halifax, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Somercotes, and Stockport, extending its reach to serve more independent retailers nationwide.