The buying group Unitas has announced a major overhaul of its services to wholesalers and suppliers to provide "execution at scale" across retail and foodservice.
Sharing the news of a raft of new initiatives at connect26, the group’s annual trade show in Liverpool, Unitas Chief Operating Officer David Cooke explained how the group was evolving to drive execution. He said: “At the start of the year we asked suppliers and members to join us in thinking bigger to win together and this mindset is creating a brand new strategic partnership model as we move from the joint business plan to a brand building partnership.
“We know that measurable execution is our suppliers’ priority for the wholesale channel and this is Unitas’ priority too. We know what works well, such as link deals, bulk deals and NPD activation, and we are building on those foundation blocks, driven by innovation and our members’ expertise. The new services we are launching will build stronger engagement platforms to drive execution all the way to the consumer.”
The new services include One Week Special promotions, exclusive pack formats for NPD, price-marked-pack promotions and bespoke core range guides for out-of-home channels. A new supplier forum has been created to explore strategic growth opportunities, alongside the launch of Winning with Unitas, a brand-builder playbook to help suppliers navigate activation opportunities right across the group.
Virtual brand days will provide suppliers with the opportunity to present brand plans to all Unitas members at once. And, following the successful launch of the Supplier Marketing Clinic in November, this initiative will be extended to wholesale members in April.
The group is also transforming Plan for Profit, the toolkit for independent retailers, based on Unitas’ biggest-ever research project which is currently underway with wholesalers, suppliers and more than 300 independent retailers.
“We are the UK’s largest buying group and we are performing better than the wholesale market,” continued Cooke. “We have scale and reach, and critically, we have member engagement. Our members are investing more into their businesses than ever before, which means we can give your brands the attention and support they deserve. Our agility, pace and collective strength is what sets us apart, so work with us to win together.”
Connect26 (March 11-12) is Unitas’s biggest trade show to date with 170 exhibitor stands including 48 suppliers making their first appearance at the Liverpool event. In addition to the exhibitor stands and exclusive event-only deals, attendees will also benefit from a series of seminars and panel sessions providing updates on the latest legislative changes, market developments, challenges and opportunities. The Unitas Support Centre team will also be hosting specific zones for Plan for Profit, on trade, new products and AI opportunities.