Tom Slaven takes charge as SWA president

Tom Slaven, the new president of the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), has on Thursday paid tribute to his predecessor Julie Dunn for her leadership over the last seven years in role as he received the president’s chain of office.

Slaven, retail director of Glasgow-based United Wholesale Grocers, was appointed SWA president in June, succeeding Dunn, who is operations director of Blantyre-based Dunns Food and Drinks. It was also announced that Jon Mack, business unit director at Bidfood Scotland, is the new vice-president.

“I am deeply honoured to accept this chain of office to serve as the new president of the Scottish Wholesale Association. I am fully committed to being an active and engaged president who will work diligently to represent, support and champion our members and the Scottish wholesale sector,” Slaven told SWA members and suppliers at an event in Edinburgh.

“Our organisation must remain agile, adapting to the evolving economic and political landscape, as well as changes within our sector – and we have important work ahead. My goal is to nurture the growing confidence of the SWA and provide the tools and support needed to spread this optimism throughout the Scottish wholesale sector and to all our members.”

Pointing to key recent developments within the SWA, he highlighted the launch earlier this week of the new Scottish Wholesale Local Food and Drink Growth Fund which seeks to further support wholesalers and food producers to increase the volume of local Scottish produce being sold through wholesale channels.

SWA has secured £195,000 from the Scottish government to deliver the initiative and will provide match funding of up to £10,000 per business for wholesalers whose applications to the new fund are successful.

Slaven also revealed that the annual SWA conference will return in 2025, taking place at a new venue – Ardoe House Hotel & Spa in Aberdeen – on 5 June.

Tom Slaven (L) and Colin Smith

SWA chief executive Colin Smith, who also thanked Julie Dunn for her sterling contribution to the organisation and wider wholesale sector over many years, discussed the current high levels of confidence among Scottish wholesalers, ahead of a new market overview in September.

“Businesses are facing significant cost pressures from high employee, materials, and energy costs,” he said. “Additionally, an evolving regulatory environment threatens to stymie the sector’s delicate growth, and to navigate these challenges there is a need for strategic investment and growth, a careful review of regulations, and a commitment to a just and sustainable transition.

“Despite these obstacles, there is confidence among members that as economies and the sector show signs of recovery, investments will be made that both support business growth and development or our people.”

SWA will host a webinar on the market overview in partnership with TWC, Kantar and others in September.