Andy was born in London just in time to see England win the World Cup, and much later began his career in academia, gaining a PhD in American Literature and lecturing at several universities, including Maryland and Gothenburg in Sweden, and pursuing a sideline in sheep-farming before moving back to London and becoming a literary agent and TV documentary-maker (working for various broadcasters and making series such as the BBC’s Monsoon Railway, set in Bengal).
He has written several biographies, including the Second World War story American Pimpernel, and became the official biographer of India’s Prime Minister (then Chief Minister of Gujarat) publishing Narendra Modi, a Political Biography (Harper Collins).
Andy joined Asian Media Group in 2018, his first “proper” job, and has been there ever since, believing that, while trade journalism might not save the world, it might just save journalism.
Bestway Wholesale has started the year with two very special "Thank You" events to recognise and reward its customer loyalty and supplier partnerships.
Thanking customers for their continued support and loyalty, the Bestway’ team held the events in depots for all retail customers, running over a two-week period which was hugely successful.
With the pizzaz and glamour of a Hollywood opening night, customers were welcomed through a "Thank You" archway before taking to a red-carpet walkway that led to an exciting shopping experience that delivered phenomenal value deals.
The event was supported by 16 big brand suppliers and headlined by Coca-Cola Euro-Pacific Partners, which celebrates a milestone partnership with Bestway – a relationship that continues to go from strength to strength.
Newcomer of the Year
Not only did customers get to enjoy the special theatre in depot, but they also experienced fantastic further savings and the opportunity to purchase top-selling brands at show-stopping prices.
“We know it’s been a tough time for all with immense turbulence in retail," said Managing Director, Dawood Pervez. “This was a great opportunity for us to express our gratitude to our customers for their loyalty and patronage over the past year and we saw the event as a celebration of the partnerships we have built - which we value and appreciate.
“We recognise that our customers have been affected by economic volatility and our aim was to provide the best value savings and deliver relevant support to help them have the best possible start to 2023”.
“We have been extremely pleased with the results of this event and we look forward to running similar activities throughout the year.
Suppliers recognised for outstanding excellence….
And, in recognition of the outstanding contribution that suppliers have made over the past year working in partnership with Bestway’s trading teams, the company held a second major event to thank its key supplier partners.
Marketing Professional of the Year
The special Thank You Lunch was hosted by directors of the business at Bestway’s Head Office in Park Royal on 25 January, and included the launch of the ‘Thank You Supplier Awards’ to recognise the best talent and rising stars in the industry. These key individuals were recognised for having gone above and beyond the call of duty to excel in their roles and in the creation of new and exciting ways of working with Bestway over the past year.
It presented the perfect opportunity for both Dawood Pervez, and Kenton Burchell, Group Trading Director to share their appreciation with key suppliers for their continued support, whilst giving them a glimpse at the latest insight on Bestway’s vision and strategy.
The winners in each award category for the Bestway Thank You Supplier Awards, were announced as follows:
Key Account Manager of the Year: Stuart Griggs (CCEP)
Special Achievers Award: Crispin Newborough (KP Snacks)
Marketing Professional of the Year - JOINT WINNERS: Amy Hall (Diageo)/Kate Frenzel (Diageo)
Newcomer of the Year: Joe Liquorish (Nestle Grocery)
Data & Insight Star of the Year: Keir O’Sullivan, (Heineken)
Digital Innovator of the Year: Kevin Rhodes (Pepsico)
Speaking of the immense contribution that suppliers have made to the business over the past year, Kenton Burchell said:
Data and Insight Star of the Year
“Our special supplier ‘Thank You’ Lunch incorporating our ‘Thank You Supplier Awards’ has been a brilliant way to start the year, and it gave me great pleasure to pay tribute to individuals who have exceeded our expectations with their contribution to Bestway.
“The event was an opportunity to call out the ‘rising stars’ and show our appreciation by recognising their determination to work collaboratively with Bestway to enjoy a successful outcome. It was a great pleasure to celebrate their success and contribution to our business.
Successful businesses are built with great talent, and this makes working together much more rewarding and enjoyable for everyone – and importantly helps us deliver real value to our customers and to the end consumer.”
New rules about how and where foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) can be promoted and displayed in larger shops and online have been passed by the Senedd.
The regulations are designed to prevent impulse purchases and over-consumption and expected to help to tackle the growing problem of obesity in Wales.
The Food (Promotion and Presentation) (Wales) Regulations 2025, which largely mirror rules already in place in England, will:
restrict promotions that can encourage over-consumption, such as multi-buy offers and free refills of sugary drinks
restrict the presentation of foods high in fat, sugar and salt products at prime selling locations such as store entrances, checkouts and website homepages
apply to medium and large businesses with 50 or more employees
The Welsh government said, citing research, up to 83 per cent of purchases made on promotion are impulse buys, with almost half (43%) of food and drink products in prominent store locations promoting sugary foods and drinks.
“These regulations are a key part of our strategy to tackle Wales’ growing obesity problem,” Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles said after the vote in the Senedd.
“We want to make it easier for people to make healthier choices and we’ll achieve this by improving the food environment around them. If we ensure healthier food and drinks are more available, accessible and visible to people in shops and stores, it will support our efforts to reduce obesity rates and improve public health.”
Miles has earlier said that the government will continue to support businesses and local authorities to implement and enforce the requirements introduced by these regulations.
The regulations will come into force in March next year following a 12-month implementation period.
JET New North Road store in Ilford, London is expecting its flower sales to cross £85,000 this year from popular calendar days, including Mother’s Day, International Women’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
Tulips, roses and mixed bunches are among the bouquets expected to sell well this Mother’s Day weekend, with predicted sales of £20-25,000.
Valentine’s Day remains the most popular flower-buying event, with sales of £35,000, while the increasingly popular International Women’s Day celebration recently led to sales of £25,000 for the family-run business.
JET New North Road in Ilford
“We’ve seen our flower sales skyrocket over the years – helped along by calendar days like these,” Kayur Patel, business manager at JET New North Road, said.
“Flowers bring so much joy, and we’re proud to be a part of helping customers bring that joy to their loved ones with a beautiful bouquet!”
Offering high-quality flowers from Amsterdam and Kenya, the Ilford-based service station has become the go-to place for quality flowers in the community - with more than 1,000 customers expected to buy Mother’s Day flowers this weekend.
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Victoria Lockie leaves Unitas for a new adventure.
Unitas Wholesale retail director and executive board member Victoria Lockie is to leave the business in April as she looks to take on a new challenge, the buying group confirmed to Asian Trader today (27).
Lockie joined the business in September 2024.
In a span of six months, she has played a pivotal role in strategically reviewing the Unitas retail proposition and the overall service provided to Unitas members.
Heading up the retail and commercial functions, she has made a significant impact by identifying strategic opportunities, developing her team and revitalising Unitas’ DE&I agenda.
Managing Director John Kinney said, “I would like to thank Victoria for her hard work and commitment in the time that she has worked at Unitas. We all wish her the best of luck with her next opportunity.”
Lockie also oversaw Unitas' Plan for Profit scheme, which is a subscription service offering independent retailers business updates, rewards, and resources to help them succeed in the convenience market, including core range guides and promotional packages.
Prior to Unitas, Lockie spent more than 12 years at NISA.
Joining in 2012 as a sales support manager, Lockie served in positions such as head of retail operations and head of key accounts. Her time at Nisa was transformative, both for herself and the company.
She also led the symbol group’s retail team through significant transitions, including Nisa’s shift from a mutual-style ownership structure to a corporate governance model.
Lockie also became a trustee for MADL (Making A Difference Locally), where she worked to help independent retailers support their local communities.
She is an ambassador for Diversity in Wholesale, Women in Wholesale, GroceryAid, and WiHTL ‘Women to Watch 2024. or many years has heavily supported the Association of Convenience Stores including the more recent Shopkind campaign.
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Brian Eagle Brown with new ShopMate 360 EPoS solution
ShopMate has introduced ShopMate 360, a “streamlined and affordable” EPoS system designed for convenience retailers.
ShopMate said the new solution ihas been developed with small retailers in mind, offering an easy-to-use till interface that requires minimal training. With an intuitive design, even those new to retail technology can quickly get up to speed, ensuring smooth daily operations.
“One thing we often hear is that many EPoS systems come with complex features that small retailers just don’t need. Their tech needs to be smart, but that doesn’t mean loading it up with all the bells and whistles – it actually means the opposite,” Brian Eagle Brown, managing director at ShopMate, told Asian Trader.
The system separates store operations from business management, allowing retailers to focus on till functionality while still having access to key back-office tools like:
Product and category management
Hotkeys and SELs
Wholesaler promotions
User management and reporting
Retailers will benefit from automatic wholesaler pricing and promotions, removing the hassle of manual price updates and ensuring accurate pricing.
Helen and Andrew Wood of Edith Weston Village Store in Edith Weston, Rutland
Additionally, integrated payments with ShopMate Pay simplify payment workflows and reduce overhead costs, offering retailers a single, streamlined solution.
“We understand that convenience retailers need a reliable, easy-to-use solution that helps them run their stores efficiently,” Eagle Brown said. “ShopMate 360 delivers just that – essential functionality without distractions.”
Helen Wood, owner of Edith Weston Village Store, has been among the first to trial ShopMate 360 alongside ShopMate Pay. She praises its intuitive interface: “We’ve found the till interface intuitive and easy to use; everything is precisely where you think it should be. And ShopMate Pay works seamlessly, exactly as you hope it would – it’s just really easy.”
Among the last few tea drinkers, Brits still have profound loyalty for their cup of tea, with Yorkshire Tea standing out as a true favourite, shows a recent survey, also highlighting fall in the popularity of tea among younger generations.
According to a national survey of 6,000 adults by Tracksuit, brand tracking expert for more than 650 consumer labels, those who drink tea, Yorkshire Tea was crowned the favourite brew, surpassing its long-standing rivals PG Tips and Tetley.
Some 24 per cent of tea drinkers said that Yorkshire Tea was their favourite, ahead of PG Tips at 17 per cent and Tetley’s at 15 per cent. Twinings came fourth with 11 per cent, well ahead of Typhoo with 3 per cent.
The survey also found a striking level of loyalty among British tea drinkers, with 39 per cent refusing to switch from their preferred tea brand, which was far higher than the typical 13 per cent loyalty rate across food and drink brands generally.
However, the survey also shows lays bare the rapidly decreasing popularity of tea among younger generations.
Some 37 per cent of people aged under 35 said that they would choose coffee as their favourite hot drink, according to a national survey of 6,000 adults by Tracksuit, brand tracking expert for more than 650 consumer labels.
Tea came third with 25 per cent of those under 35 choosing it as their favourite drink, after hot chocolate in second with 31 per cent.
Analysts said that the figures “suggest [tea’s] popularity could continue to fall in future generations”, raising concerns that beloved cuppa could face extinction as Millennials and Gen Z prefer coffee and hot chocolate to the traditional brew.
Matt Herbert, the author of the report and co-founder of Tracksuit, said, “Our research uncovers the profound loyalty Brits have for their tea, with Yorkshire Tea standing out as a true favourite.
“The data reveals that brand preference goes far beyond taste; it’s an emotional connection. British tea drinkers are weirdly loyal, which speaks to how brands have successfully woven themselves into the fabric of daily life and national identity.”