Unitas Wholesale has announced the appointment of Gurms Athwal as its new Trading Director, effective from 2nd June.
Athwal has more than 25 years of experience in the industry and has garnered a reputation as one of its most respected Trading Directors. His career spans several Unitas members, including JK Foods, Hyperama and most recently Parfetts, where he served as Trading Director for the past four years.
Unitas stated that Athwal’s long-standing understanding of the buying group’s strategy and operations meant he was ideally placed for the role.
John Kinney, Managing Director of Unitas, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Gurms to the Unitas Wholesale central team. His wealth of experience, strategic thinking and proven ability to deliver commercial value will be a tremendous asset to our members.
“Gurms has a strong track record of negotiating commercial terms and promotional programmes that deliver tangible results for both wholesalers and suppliers.
“Until recently, he was a non-executive director on the Unitas Wholesale Board and his transition to executive director ensures continuity and further strengthens our commitment to driving incremental growth through deeper supplier engagement.
Athwal added: “I am honoured to step into the role of trading director at the UK’s largest wholesale buying group. Having been connected to Unitas for the majority of my career, I have built strong relationships within the team and across the supplier community.
“Unitas’ scale and reach across retail, foodservice and the on-trade offer a unique platform for collaboration, and I’m looking forward to building on the excellent work already underway and driving further value for our members.”
