Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

JW Filshill bolsters commercial team with two new appointments

JW Filshill bolsters commercial team with two new appointments

Glasgow-based wholesaler JW Filshill has restructured and strengthened its commercial team with the appointments of two category buyers to newly created positions.

Kyle Byers joins Filshill as category buyer for non-food and pet categories while Stuart Auld fills the role of category buyer for food and third-party supply. Both Kyle and Stuart report to Stuart Harrison, the wholesaler’s category manager for grocery and third party supply.


Meanwhile, Rory Galbraith, category buyer, will take responsibility for the confectionery category reporting to Ed Bentley, the category manager for Impulse. Derek Cowan, category manager will now be responsible solely for the Tobacco & Vape categories.

Chris Miller, chief commercial officer at JW Filshill, said: “The restructuring of our commercial team comes at a time when Filshill is growing and reflects changes in the marketplace, in particular tobacco/vaping which has become such a big part of our business and is a category with fast-moving trends/legislation that requires increased focus.

“Both Kyle Byers and Stuart Auld bring with them a wealth of experience in the wholesale sector and we are delighted to welcome them to the Filshill family as we expand our KeyStore estate and seek out the best deals for our customers across Scotland and the north of England.

“We are ambitious for the future as we grow our business on the back of a significant increase in our operational capacity, along with efficiency and productivity improvements, following our relocation to our purpose-built depot last year. Kyle and Stuart will play a key role in helping us achieve those ambitions.”

Stuart AuldStuart Auld

Among their previous roles, Kyle and Stuart worked together at Southeast Traders, a Cumbernauld-based wholesaler, distributor, exporter and brand owner where both dealt with Stuart Harrison on a regular basis. Kyle commented: “We were both familiar with Filshill as a business and our experiences with the company were positive.

“When the opportunity to join Filshill came up, I jumped at the chance to be part of a business that has people at its core – its staff, customers and suppliers. It’s refreshing, too, that the company pushes the importance of a good work-life balance and involves staff in a wide range of issues including charity work and the community, health, wellbeing and mental health, and provides ongoing training.”

Kyle, who also previously worked for Fife-based confectionery specialist Rose Marketing, added: “I am to keen work with my colleagues in the commercial team to grow the business and see our customers and suppliers benefit from Filshill’s exceptional warehouse capabilities in the coming months and years.”

For Stuart, whose past experience includes running his own RS McColl store and several years working with Palmer & Harvey, said: “For me, it’s important that my employer has a strong family focus and encourages teamwork as well as empowering staff to take decisions, make suggestions and speak up.”

Filshill, one of Scotland’s oldest independent food and drink wholesalers which marks its 150th anniversary in 2025, relocated from Hillington to Westway Park near Glasgow Airport in March 2023.

The business features in accountancy firm Grant Thornton’s recently published Top 100 Scottish private companies report. The top 100 have reported total annual revenues of nearly £40 billion, representing average growth of 26% over the last year and employ about 136,000 people.

More for you

Bacup Wine and Convenience shop, 34 Burnley Road, Bacup.

Bacup Wine and Convenience shop, 34 Burnley Road, Bacup.

Robbie MacDonald via LDRS

Shop’s licence bid rejected over illegal vapes and ‘no regard’ for children’s safety

A Rossendale shop has had a licence bid rejected after repeatedly selling vapes to children and having illegal products on its premises.

Management at the Ibra Superstore at 34 Burnley Road, Bacup, have shown ‘no regard’ for children’s protection and safety, and have insufficient controls for licensing, Rossendale councillors have ruled.

Keep ReadingShow less
SPAR retailer hits target to secure £100,000 free stock from James Hall

SPAR retailer hits target to secure £100,000 free stock from James Hall

SPAR North of England retailer Dara Singh Randhawa’s family store has been awarded £100,000 of free stock after hitting all his targets since moving to the symbol.

Dara and his family, who have their SPAR store in Patrington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, joined SPAR through its association with James Hall & Co. Ltd in August 2023 having taken the decision to maximise the store’s potential.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pound Sterling bank notes
iStock

National Living Wage to increase to £12.21 in April 2025

The government has on Wednesday announced its acceptance of the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations on the rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW).

The rates which will apply from 1 April 2025 are as follows:

Keep ReadingShow less
Michael Fletcher

Michael Fletcher

Former Nisa chief Michael Fletcher appointed SPAR UK managing director

SPAR UK has announced the appointment of Michael Fletcher as its new managing director.

Fletcher spent 22 years at Tesco plc, where he held numerous senior commercial roles in the UK, Ireland and Asia. He joined Co-op Retail in 2013 where he held the position of chief commercial officer before moving on to become CEO of Nisa Wholesale, a role he held until 2022.

Keep ReadingShow less
Food inflation eases as retailers treat customers to spooky season deals

iStock image

Food inflation eases as retailers treat customers to spooky season deals

October saw shop prices fall marginally further into deflation for the third consecutive month with food inflation eased, particularly for meat, fish and tea along with chocolate and sweets as retailers treated customers to spooky season deals, shows industry data released today (29).

According to British Retail Consortium (BRC), shop price deflation was at 0.8 per cent in October, down from deflation of 0.6 per cent in the previous month. This is below the 3-month average rate of -0.6 per cent. Shop price annual growth was at its lowest rate since August 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less