Landmark member United Wholesale Grocers has purchased the A.F. Blakemore depot in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, less than two months after AFB announced its intention to sell its wholesale division.

The deal means all 45 existing members of staff at the site will be retained and the depot will move to new ownership next month. The news of the purchase was announced at the Landmark Wholesale 2018 annual conference.

United Wholesale Grocers managing director Amaan Ramzan said: “At a time of consolidation and change in the sector, we have recognised the need to invest both in our business and the wholesale sector as a whole. We, like other Landmark members, are firmly focused on identifying opportunities for growth and this deal signifies a clear step forward in our plans for expansion.

”We have some incredibly exciting plans for the Gateshead depot which we will share in due course, and we look forward to taking over in June.”

Landmark Wholesale managing director John Mills said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Gateshead depot and all members of staff will remain within the Landmark family. We hope that other Blakemore depots will also be bought as going concerns, preferably by Landmark members or others in the wholesale sector.”