Bestway Cash and Carry Group has opened the first new Batleys depot for seven years, and the first ever in the south east of England.

A major initiative stressing the environmental benefits of local shops is being planned by the FWD's My Shop is Your Shop campaign.

Booker is planning to roll out its Extra format to more branches following the success of trials at a number of locations.

Wholesalers' cost prices are going up at the fastest rate and greatest volume in decades, and many suppliers are damaging the wholesale sector with the way they are trying to impose increases, and their lack of support. This was the warning from two wholesale conferences in the last month, which called on more suppliers to work in partnership with the sector.

Landmark Wholesale has announced that its next marketing director will be Ian Davidson, senior channel manager cash and carry/wholesale at Whyte & Mackay.

Today's Group will be celebrating its 2008 Trade Event Days with a celebrity theme.

Scotland-based CJ Lang & Son Limited has invested in its Edwards Cash & Carry depot in Aberdeen to refurbish its chilled, frozen and non food categories and transfer its catering equipment division from a mezzanine level to the main depot floor. New office accommodation has also been added.

Budgens is offering a year-round 'entertainment' offer in-store, providing a range of food product lines suitable for many social occasions.

3663 has been named Supplier of the Year at the Co-operative Buying Company (CBC) annual awards.

The Nestlé Rowntree Manager of the Month for October is awarded to Naim Khan, depot manager of Bestway Cash & Carry in Luton.

Schadenfreude, the malicious enjoyment of others' misfortune, is a German word that has no direct translation into English so we adopted it intact. Over recent weeks, I admit to having felt rather a lot of this kind of guilty enjoyment - and all of it at the expense of the multiple supermarkets in general, and Tesco in particular.

The Bestway group has announced its commitment to the FWD Take Home Blueprint scheme for retailers.

Del Monte has announced a major strategic partnership with Jenks which will involve the transfer of all responsibility for the sales, marketing, distribution and administration of its UK foods division to the sales and marketing company.

Batleys has appointed Anton James as the general manager of its new depot in Gillingham.

Jenks, the sales channel and brokerage company, has appointed Des Ewing as sales and marketing director for its new Beers, Wines and Spirits division.

3G Food Service & Seafood Solutions, distributors of chilled and frozen foods to the foodservice sector, has appointed Julie Constable as its new product development manager.

? Job title: senior trading controller

Unilever Foodsolutions is the winner of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors Catersummit Cup 2007

The World Food Market is returning to London for a third year in November.

Roopinder Toor, licensed trade controller of Bestway, collected the certificate of honour from Sam Harrop, co chairman of the IWC, for the company's own label Rossini Bianco.

Spar has been celebrating its 50th birthday with a gala dinner and plans for 50th anniversary birthday parties all over the UK to raise funds for the NSPCC and its sister charity in Scotland, Children 1st. Spar aims to raise £1m nationally for the charities.

== October ==

TRICKS. Cynical market-watchers - a tribe which increases by the day as the Competition Commission (CC) report on the future of the Big Four is delayed - will have more to be cynical about after a new piece of Tesco sponsored research.

Three quarters of retailers bring a shopping list with them when they shop at a cash and carry, latest HIM C&C Retailer research reveals.

Topaz, a developer of financial, payroll and HR software, is offering a 24-hour online ordering system aiming to bring substantial benefits to the wholesale trade.

Serious Food Distribution (SFD), the Slough-based speciality foodservice distributor, has invested in an Accord system from supply chain solutions specialist Business Computer Projects (BCP).

Bellevue Cash & Carry has agreed a deal for an STL technology solutions tilling system.

When the MSYS activity was in the creative stage, deliberations centred on how the consumer, on whom the future of the sector depends, could be engaged and persuaded that independent c-stores, newsagents and rural shops matter. On a limited budget, MSYS needs all the help it can get to attract the attention of shoppers, living in the store's immediate neighbourhood, from whom every penny of available spend needs to be extracted.

You will note the picture of a shopping bag. It's not particularly beautiful or state of the art - but it is fashionable. Fashionable? For the first time (probably ever) the independent sector can get into the "must have" fashion game with a recyclable shopping bag which consumers want.

The FWD Take Home Blueprint is unlike any other similar scheme in the food and drink marketplace. Its basic unique aspect is its unconditional guarantee of increased sales for those retailers who implement it.

Prices from suppliers are rising at a rate that hasn't been seen before, Country Range Group's Annual Conference was told, but nevertheless the group is doing well and is in strong growth.

Premier Foods has launched a premium range of ready-to-use cooking sauces and soups from Loyd Grossman.

Unilever Foodsolutions is running a competition offering caterers and consumers the chance to win fresh fruit and veg

Nestlé FoodServices has launched its final Twist on Classics recipe competition giving chefs the chance to win a trip to Australia.

Seafood supplier Young's has extended its 150-strong range to introduce four seafood products.

Vittles Desserts has a range of products ready for Christmas.

The recent interest in healthy eating and healthier products has had an impact on the snacks category, but snacks manufacturers have responded with healthier versions of old favourites and new products.

In the £2.7bn UK spirits market vodka and whisky dominate with whisky accounting for a third of all spirits volume, but Diageo's Smirnoff taking top spot. Blended whisky accounts for £737m of off trade sales, but is in decline, while sales of vodka total £688m and are growing at a rate of 8.6%.

Cadbury Trebor Bassett has launched a 'Win a Prize and a Half' on-pack promotion.

Birds Eye has launched Omega 3 Fish Fingers.

Butcher's is launching a 'Superior' range made with real meat pieces, to satisfy demand for luxury petfood and gourmet recipes for dogs.

United Biscuits UK is celebrating Penguin's 75th year with a chance to win £1,000.

Heinz is adding to its range with Heinz Bean Meals. Heinz Bean Meals are aimed at young males providing a hearty and convenient meal.

Coca-Cola Enterprises is offering the chance to win a holiday for Christmas.

Northern Foods has announced a new licensing agreement with George Foreman.

Nestlé Rowntree has launched Aero Bubbles Milk.

Unilever has unveiled a new advert for its Marmite brand featuring Paddington Bear.

Independent sugar confectionery firm Tangerine is re-launching its traditional range of Taveners sweets.

Coors has introduced a new look and taste for its flagship beer. The new taste responds to consumer feedback that has identified demand for a lighter tasting beer at an ABV of 4.5%.

Ehrmanns has launched a range lower alcohol wines from the German winery FW Langguth called Light & Fruity.

Pernod Ricard UK has unveiled new packaging for its Tia Maria brand which it says better reflects its status as a modern, mixable spirit.

Global Brands has expanded its drinks portfolio with the launch of a pre-mixed cocktail, Caipirinha.

Its everyday price of £3.19 had been enhanced with a two for a fiver deal.

It's hard to believe the Penguin brand has been around for 75 years, but a £75,000 prize pool should see the product 'fly' off the shelves - even if penguins can't fly.

I'm less sure about its new 'beanz' with hot balls and bangers directed at 'hungry young active males'. What on earth does it mean when it says it is 'aligning the category with modern consumer eating habits and shopping trends.' More nonsensical marketing speak? Who writes this garbage?

As the man from Woolies said: "We're not pretending to be wine experts." Never a truer word was spoken. A cheap PR trick or a genuine attempt to deliver real value to the consumer?

It's not just the success of its 300g, 150g sharing and 40g handy packs through retail outlets but its current drive into foodservice, too. This is a first class brand with great potential.

Landmark Wholesale has announced that it is embarking on a major restructure of its trading department due to an increasing volume of business.