South-west retailers benefitting from Parfetts' delivery service

Stores across the south-west can now use free delivery and value-for-money promotions as wholesaler Parfetts widens its national footprint.

Kajan Palakumar owns and operates two convenience stores, one in Gloucester and another in Somerset.

He said, “I operated a Go Local store in Sheffield for over two years before moving south, so I was used to using Parfetts regularly for delivery and visiting the nearby Sheffield depot. I have always been impressed with Parfetts' stock availability and offers.

“Now, with my store in Gloucester, I like the convenience and freedom of ordering online rather than having to visit my nearest depot, in Birmingham.

“I order online every Monday for a Wednesday delivery and spend on average £2-£3k weekly on a range of items. I’m impressed with the efficiency of the delivery service, and as everything is done online, this means I don’t have to take time out of my day to visit the depot as much, which, as a busy retailer with two stores to run, makes life much easier.

“It’s great to have access to outstanding online offers and receive free delivery, but I also like to visit the depot occasionally to see what other offers are available.”

Over the past 18 months, Parfetts has continued to invest in its operations with the expansion of its delivered service and improvements to IT infrastructure, alongside a proactive approach to stock procurement and stock availability.

Independent retailer Saisanth Nagrathinam runs the Dursley Local Store and Post Office in Gloucester.

He said, “I’ve been a customer of Parfetts since the Birmingham depot opened last year and have increasingly been using the online delivery service, which I find reliable and convenient. I tend to place two online orders per month with a total spend of around £6k on various produce ranging from core groceries to alcohol.

“Solid promotions are important to me, as is stock variety, and I find Parfetts has both. The free delivery service is much better than my previous wholesaler, and I always get good value for money. It’s particularly strong for alcohol offers and general groceries, which suit the needs of my customers.

“I like the flexibility of being able to order the bulk of my items for free and have easy delivery directly to my store, and then visit my local depot to take advantage of some of the other offers available. It really is a great service that saves me lots of time during my working week.”

Employee-owned business Parfetts operates depots in Aintree, Anfield, Birmingham, Halifax, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Somercotes and Stockport. Its operations cover Northumberland, Wales, the Midlands, and Northamptonshire. It opened its eighth depot in Birmingham in March 2023, creating over 100 new jobs and helping thousands of retailers across the Midlands and beyond access great value offers.

Steve Moore, head of retail at Parfetts, said, “Extending our reach into the south-west brings strong promotions and Parfetts service to a new audience of convenience retailers who may not have been previously aware of the strength of our value and service offering.

“Retailers need the flexibility to trade in the way, and at the times they want. They value working with a wholesaler that invests in improving the support it provides. Our delivery service gives customers cash and carry prices, delivered for free. This order day one for day two delivery service gives retailers extra flexibility and, when coupled with our online order system, enables us to service retailers over a much wider geographical area.”