SIDES Coffee lands Bestway listing for convenience push

United Food Brands’ SIDES Coffee will be available to more than 2,000 convenience stores through a new listing with Bestway Wholesale.

Created with YouTube collective The Sidemen, the RTD coffee brand will be available through a network of over 70 depots nationwide and access to more than 100,000 retail customers.

This marks the brand’s first major convenience push and will see it land across Costcutter, best-one, Central Convenience and Bargain Booze.

“RTD coffee is no longer just about function, it is about brand, lifestyle and engagement,” says Richard Reeves, CEO of United Food Brands. “Our strategy is to back brands that can win culturally and execute commercially. SIDES Coffee does both.

“Creator led brands are becoming a serious force in FMCG,” says Reeves. “When you combine that level of audience with the right retail execution, you unlock something very powerful.”

Central to the launch strategy is a Bestway-exclusive £2.25 price-marked pack (PMP), giving independent retailers access to a unique proposition not available through other wholesale routes. The exclusive PMP has been specifically designed to drive trial, accelerate rate of sale and provide retailers with a compelling value-led offer that resonates with today’s cost-conscious shoppers. The PMP format sits across three core SKUs, Sub Zero Vanilla, Ice Cold Original and Gold Rush Caramel.

“Convenience is where this category is won or lost,” added Manraaj Rai, head of sales. “The exclusive PMP strategy with Bestway gives retailers confidence, gives shoppers clarity and allows us to drive volume at pace from day one.”

The launch is backed by a £1m marketing investment, delivered by UFB’s marketing partner, COLLAB. Activity will include nationwide sampling, influencer activation and geo-targeted digital campaigns designed to convert The Sidemen’s audience into in-store purchases.

Kenton Burchell, group trading director of Bestway Wholesale, said: “We are proud to leverage Bestway’s position as the UK’s leading independent wholesaler to facilitate this high-impact launch of SIDES Coffee. By utilizing our depots national infrastructure, we are providing United Food Brands with an immediate, large-scale access into the independent trade, ensuring this product is available in volume across every region we serve.

“For our trade customers, the exclusivity of the Price-Marked Pack (PMP) is a critical lever. It allows our depots to offer a product that guarantees margin security and price transparency, giving independent retailers the confidence to drive high-volume turnover from day one.

“Working with a brand that has built a strong consumer following allows us to bring relevant innovation to our wholesale offering. This launch demonstrates how Bestway can help suppliers introduce new brands to the independent retail sector at scale, while giving our customers access to products that reflect evolving consumer demand.”