Bestway Wholesale this week announced the launch of the Good Food Retail Network, in collaboration with Impact on Urban Health and Rice Marketing.
The main goal is to improve access to healthier, affordable and culturally relevant food in independent convenience stores and represents a first-of-its-kind national programme.
For millions of families in the UK - particularly in lower-income communities - the convenience store is the store that they use and rely on. When healthier choices are missing, communities are left with limited options.
The Good Food Retail Network is tackling this head-on by enabling independent retailers to stock and promote healthier ranges that customers trust and can afford.
This launch comes at a pivotal moment, as the Government develops its health plans and considers extending the High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) restrictions in the convenience sector.
The initiative has already attracted Government interest as a practical model for driving change at store level.
The Good Food Retail Network builds on a pioneering project launched in 2019 by Rice Marketing and Impact on Urban Health, with Bestway as its wholesale partner. A successful 2020 pilot, run through selected depots, proved that retailers could increase sales and sustainability by stocking healthier options.
The pilot saw over 100 healthier lines across chilled, frozen, grocery, bakery, confectionery, soft drinks and snacks promoted in two London Bestway depots, supported by POS, promotional activity and stronger shelf-labelling.
Results showed simple changes in pricing, placement and promotions can have a measurable impact on purchasing behaviour - and ultimately on health outcomes.
Now, Bestway is launching a scalable model that already includes more than 220 engaged retailers across Costcutter, Best-one, Londis, Nisa, Premier and Spar stores, with backing from brands such as Danone, Kind Snacks, KP Snacks, Mars and Nestle and the support of 13 local authorities.
Research partners, including the University of Oxford’s Healthy Sustainable Places team, have also shown interest in the model.
Kenton Burchell, group trading director at Bestway, said: “Bestway is proud to be the first national wholesaler to implement this model. We’ve proven that healthier products can drive sales through smarter placement and promotion – and this is a blueprint that can be scaled across the industry.
“This work is central to our ESG commitments. We recognise our responsibility to support public health, anticipate Government policy and help independent retailers grow sustainably. By leading this collective movement, we can make a real difference to families who need access to affordable, nutritious food the most.”
The launch event yesterday (3 September), hosted by Peter Babudu (above), Executive Director of Impact on Urban Health, brought together wholesalers, suppliers, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD), councils and retailers.
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