Parfetts is to rename itself Go Local Wholesale from January 2027, as the employee-owned wholesaler looks to bring the business closer to its retail customers and also push towards a goal of £1bn in turnover.
The transition marks a new chapter for the business, it said, aligning it with “what it represents and the customers it serves”.
The change brings the wholesaler under the same name as its Go Local symbol estate, which includes Go Local Extra, Go Local, The Local and Shop & Go.
The business said its new identity better reflected its growth from a regional cash and carry operator to a national wholesaler and symbol operator.
£1bn turnover
The move comes as the wholesaler targets £1bn turnover within two years, setting its sights on growing its symbol estate from more than 2,000 stores to 3,000 over the same two-year period. It currently operates nine depots, with a further 500 symbol stores in its pipeline.
As the UK’s only employee-owned food and drink wholesaler, Parfetts recorded turnover of £807m in its latest financial year, up 10.6% year-on-year. Following this strong performance, the business will share a 10% bonus with all staff.
Joint MD, Guy Swindell, said of the change: “We’re proud of our Go Local retailers and they’re at the heart of everything we do, so it’s right that the wholesale business carries the same name and is more closely aligned with the customers we serve.
“We have grown strongly in recent years, but this is just the start.
“We’re investing in better value, competitive pricing, availability, delivery and more in-store support…”
“Our ambition to become a £1bn business will be built on the success of our retailers. We’re investing in better value, competitive pricing, availability, delivery and more in-store support, while listening closely to retailers about what they need from us.
“[The name] Go Local Wholesale better reflects who we are today and where we’re going. We want to grow nationally, but we’ll do that by staying close to our customers, strengthening our offer and making it as easy as possible for independent retailers to do business with us.”
Growth plans
The business has also stepped up investment to support its national growth plans. Its 113,000 sq.ft. Southampton depot, the company’s first in southern England, created more than 100 jobs and extended its distribution reach across the south and into London. More than half of orders are now placed online following a significant expansion of the company’s digital platforms.
The name change also puts greater emphasis on Parfetts’ employee-owned structure. Every employee holds a share in the business, with profits shared with staff through its annual bonus scheme. The company said employee ownership allowed it to reinvest in its people, customers and long-term growth, rather than paying dividends to external shareholders.
“Being an employee-owned business is one of the things that makes Go Local Wholesale special,” said Noel Robinson, joint MD. “We’re proud of our history, but we’re no longer family-owned.
“We don’t have any shareholders in the stock market who want to take dividends out of the business. We can invest in our colleagues and customers in a way no other wholesaler can.
“Our colleagues are invested and care greatly about this business, and this is reflected in the phenomenal growth we’ve delivered. We have many exciting projects across new technologies, digital innovations and operational improvements in 2027, and I’m sure this will deliver real value for our customers and colleagues.”
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