Landmark Wholesale has posted a 6.3% year-on-year increase in sales for the year to December 2009.

Categories that saw the biggest rises in 2009 were: soft drinks with a 24.2% year-on-year rise in sales; cider, up 18.9%; cigarettes, with a growth of 13.8%; and spirits, which saw sales rise 9.2%.

Landmark managing director Martin Williams said that these figures showed that the industry was stable, despite the difficult economic climate.

"While you cannot deny that the past 12 months have been hard for businesses in general, these results confirm that Landmark Wholesale and the independent sector as a whole is still performing strongly and is, in the majority of categories, in growth," said Williams. "These results show that Landmark Wholesale is in a healthy and solid position to build future success as the UK turns the corner out of the recession."

Williams added that the figures put Landmark in a strong position on the eve of the relaunch of its retail arm, Lifestyle Express.

"We are delighted to be able to announce such strong sales growth at the start of the new year, which can be used as a platform to drive the group forward in what will be a significant period for us," he said.

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