A new member-owned buying group called the National Buying Consortium (NBC) is set to officially launch at the beginning of next month. NBC stated that it will be partnering with FMCG wholesalers and suppliers to offer a “forward-thinking and unified delivered wholesale solution to the UK market.”
As a member-owned operation, NBC claims it will provide complete transparency across all operations, with every member being given the opportunity to influence the development and management of the group. This approach is said to offer a “united partnership between members, suppliers and the buying group, meaning everybody has access to the best opportunities.”
NBC is led by Chairman Stuart Lane, the current Sales Director at Lansdell Soft Drinks who has over 30 years’ experience in the FMCG market. He is supported by Deputy Chairman Jason Langmead, Managing Director at V.W.T. Wholesalers & Distributors.
The organisation’s day-to-day operations will be overseen by Managing Director David Lunt. He has over 35 years’ experience in the wholesale and cash & carry trade, notably as Wholesale National Account Manager for Wrigley and most recently Senior Business Development Director at Confex.
Lane commented: “We are excited about this new venture and creating a group that is solely owned by the members. We look forward to working closely with all suppliers that will be affiliated to National Buying Consortium. NBC and our members are keen to support these suppliers and the brands they represent to develop strong working relationships that are mutually beneficial.”
In addition to NBC, the group is launching National Distribution Network (NDN). This described as being a flexible warehousing and logistics service that supports members’ businesses who cannot meet Supplier Direct Account criteria by offering lower minimum orders at net pricing across a wide range of products.
Lunt said: “The creation of NBC and NDN has been extremely well-received by the industry. We already have over 20 high-profile independent wholesalers on board across a wide variety of sectors and this number is growing weekly. We have also had very positive feedback from market-leading suppliers. I am keen to speak to other like-minded companies that are interested in joining our unique collaboration.”
