Wholesale is our passion - we live it and we love it
We've walked the walk and we talk the talk!
We understand what works and what doesn't in the channel.

Do you know who your convenience customer is?

Do you know who your convenience customer is?

Convenience retail covers a broad spectrum of outlets but the channel is often mistakenly treated as a whole, when in reality the different sub-channels attract different shoppers. Do you actually know who shops in the unaffiliated/wholesaler fascia groups? The results might surprise you!

Do loyalty schemes need a rethink to engage younger shoppers?

Do loyalty schemes need a rethink to engage younger shoppers?

Whilst a third of those aged 55+ claimed to be a member of a grocery loyalty scheme, just 7% of those aged 18-34 did. Surely this is at odds, with those most in need of cheaper prices, least likely to be able to access them – and a strong rationale for creating a loyalty scheme that resonates with these younger shoppers.

Are fascias the loyalty card of wholesale?

Are fascias the loyalty card of wholesale?

Most wholesalers look to recruit the best retailers into a fascia and lock in a proportion of their spend, but what about those retailers that won’t be limited to a fascia? We believe the answer lies in data, with technology monitoring and rewarding customers for the right behaviour.

The last thing wholesale needs is a race to the bottom on price

The last thing wholesale needs is a race to the bottom on price

The watch out of focussing on the price differential – and arguing it doesn’t exist – is that then we simply drive convenience retail prices down, creating a race to the bottom on RSP which directly squeezes the margin which must be shared between a retailer and a wholesaler.

Are consumers prepared to pay more in convenience?

Are consumers prepared to pay more in convenience?

Are consumers prepared to pay more in convenience? Our conclusion: a 10% price differential continues to exist for Tesco and Sainsbury’s convenience stores, so this is the price point that independent retailers must try to compete with.

Price increases & the impact on shared margin

Price increases & the impact on shared margin

There is a lot of noise about price rises across the supply chain currently but how should this work in the wholesale channel? Nobody expects an independent retailer to sell a product at the same price as a Tesco supermarket, so suppliers need to ensure that revised margin calculations allow indies to compete on price (within convenience) AND make a living.

Levelling the playing field with the mults – Part 2: forecasting and stock management

Levelling the playing field with the mults – Part 2: forecasting and stock management

The challenge of forecasting and the efficiency of the supply chain through wholesale is a thorny issue. Those operating in the channel are often left feeling that stock levels and replenishment requirements play second fiddle to the retail multiples – but this is hardly surprising, argues TWC Director, Tanya Pepin in her latest blog.
Could a more transparent wholesale channel benefit both suppliers and wholesalers?

Can PMPs drive value perception at a time of rising costs?

Can PMPs drive value perception at a time of rising costs?

It is clear that wholesalers still want PMP's and our data from TWC Trends Spring Edition shows consumer demand too, with two-thirds agreeing that they like PMPs. In the context of rising costs, it is an ongoing challenge for the industry to offer consumers value and...

The real and present danger of malware in the Wholesale sector

The real and present danger of malware in the Wholesale sector

Malware and specifically ransomware is a real and present danger for the wholesale sector due to the huge sums of money turned over and the high reliance on systems. This is a timely reminder to our clients that data security is not a drill and needs to be actively managed, including careful selection of data partners.

COUNTING THE COST OF DATA

COUNTING THE COST OF DATA

The launch of TWC’s new product WholeView in the last couple of weeks has driven more conversations than usual with suppliers about the data they purchase.  Through these conversations, it has become very apparent that supplier organisations have varying approaches to data strategy.

TWC Trends – The Rise of Subscription Services

TWC Trends – The Rise of Subscription Services

In the last few weeks, a few headlines have caught my eye. 

Firstly, the UK has officially become the 3rd largest ecommerce economy in the world, behind China, and only just behind South Korea (by only 0.1% of GDP). 

Wholesale – a Channel Ripe for Disruption, but is it?

Wholesale – a Channel Ripe for Disruption, but is it?

A colleague showed me a crowd funding pitch for a digital disruption business, which is aiming to be an online consolidator for retailers to buy direct from suppliers because, and I quote: retailers are “squeezed by middle men who make the vast majority of margins.”

TWC Talks: Adapting your Business to Emerging Trends

TWC Talks: Adapting your Business to Emerging Trends

We are at war, make no mistake about it. This year-long battle with our unknown enemy is long, tedious and with an uncertain timeline.  Our life has changed beyond recognition, yet parts of it remain familiar, like two parallel worlds colliding. Overdramatic? Fast...

20 April 2020 – Tune into TWC’s new sound bites

TWC – the data and digital experts – has today launched TWC Sound Bites.  A series of sizzling interviews with Wholesaler CEO’s and industry influencers that is being hosted on TWC’s own YouTube channel. First in the series features Simon Hannah, managing director of...

17 February 2020 – Next generation Unitas Wholesale Data Service goes live

The UK’s largest buying group, Unitas Wholesale, has launched The Unitas Data Service (UDS), bringing together wholesale shipment data for ex-Landmark and ex-Today’s members into one reporting solution.  The Unitas Data Service allows suppliers to convert sales data into meaningful insights to help them build joint business plans with members.

27 November 2019 – What do our services cover?

One size never fits all and our services are highly personalised to our clients. Additionally, we have our own suite of modular technology applications called Alchemy (look out for the launch of some exciting new features in the next month), that enables users to learn, engage, reward and aid compliance with their customers.

27 November 2019 – About TWC

As a team, we’ve been imbedded in Wholesale, Retail and the Supply Chain for more than a decade (you will have seen us around), but still people say they are not sure what we actually do! We may surprise you…

18 January 2019 – Understanding the oo in Typhoo

Typhoo has appointed insight specialists, TWC, to interpret the wholesale shipment data it purchases and strategically support the brand’s forthcoming relaunch into the Wholesale channel – in order to drive upsell and profitability.

28 September 2018 – TWC’s Tanya Pepin presents at Unitas Conference (Venice)

28 September 2018 – TWC’s Tanya Pepin presents at Unitas Conference (Venice)

TWC’s own insight guru, Tanya Pepin, spoke to over 100 member delegates at the Today’s Group Conference this month in Venice, exciting members on the significant benefits that are now available to them through the new insights system that has been specially developed with Today’s Group, designed to deliver business advantage through the sharing of data.

6 August 2018 – Boutique data specialist, TWC, launches Alchemy into foodservice

Making waves in Foodservice is TWC, which is now offering its unique Alchemy programme and ‘sales out’ data sets, to Foodservice’ distributors and buying consortia to enable them to build their own data-platform and give them unrivalled information and sales data – with which to grow their business and provide transformative advantage to supply partners.

Tanya Pepin: how to… buy wholesale data

Tanya Pepin: how to… buy wholesale data

Data is easy to buy from most accounts and can deliver real value, but there are a few areas to consider and pertinent questions we’d advise you to ask before signing up to what may be a long-term commitment.

The customer is our hero …

The customer is our hero …

Rachel James, TWC’s Consulting Services Director discusses how making the customer your hero brings bonuses for all parties.