Wholesalers are encouraged to celebrate their businesses and recognise the efforts of their staff in various roles by entering the Achievers Awards 2024 which are launched this week.

Entries open today for the long-established industry programme, created by the Scottish Wholesale Association, that rewards outstanding performance across the wholesale trade in Scotland and is in its 21^st year.

Returning to the O2 Academy Edinburgh, this landmark event highlights best practice and innovation within the industry and also recognises the dedicated people who keep its wheels moving.

Achievers are the only awards in Scotland dedicated to the wholesale food and drink sector with the gala awards celebration attended by over 500 people from across the wholesale industry and its supply chain each year.

With 13 wholesale category awards and six supplier awards up for grabs, it’s a great opportunity for wholesalers to gain recognition for their innovation and customer service, raise their profile, and celebrate the achievements of the last year.

A new category for 2024, Best Innovation, will recognise an innovation that has made a significant difference to the performance of a wholesaler.

In addition, a second new category will reward Scotland’s top Wholesale Local Food Champion, sponsored by industry organisation Scotland Food & Drink.

Fourteen individuals from across several SWA members have already been named a Wholesale Local Food Champion as part of the SWA’s recently launched training programme, an initiative funded and supported by the Scottish Government.

Other categories include Best Local Supplier, introduced last year to reflect the SWA’s ongoing ‘Delivering Growth Through Wholesale’ programme that aims to forge stronger relationships between wholesalers and local food and drink producers, helping to spark new business opportunities and increase the amount of local sourcing among Scottish wholesalers.

Launching the 2024 Achievers Awards, Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, said: “Last year, Achievers celebrated its 20^th anniversary and continues to go from strength to strength as it evolves to recognise industry innovations, trends and challenges.

“As well as shining a spotlight on the wholesale industry, our suppliers and the people who make it all come together, Achievers celebrates the ongoing innovation and resilience within our industry, and stands proud as a reminder of the importance of wholesale to the Scottish economy.

“Our 2023 Achievers Awards attracted record entries and we will build on that momentum in 2024 as we introduce new categories and change others to reflect our members’ businesses today.”

Supporting suppliers will judge the wholesale categories, supervised by an independent panel of judges with cross-sector experience and knowledge. Any wholesaler with a depot in Scotland may enter the competition and entries will remain open until 31 July, with judging taking place during September and October.

Wholesalers and suppliers can submit their entries online via the Achievers 2024 entry form on our website.

Tables for the gala dinner and awards presentation at the O2 Academy Edinburgh on 22 February 2024 will be available to book from mid-July via the SWA website or can be booked by contacting awards@scottishwholesale.co.uk

For a flavour of this great event, you can look back on the Achievers Awards 2023 – A night in pictures here. Or watch our film of the highlights from the 2023 awards here.

Wholesaler awards:

• Best Cash & Carry (sponsored by Juul Labs)
• Best Delivered Operation – Retail (sponsored by JTI)
• Best Symbol Group (sponsored by Philip Morris)
• Best Delivered Operation – Foodservice (sponsored by Premier Foods)
• Best Licensed Wholesaler (sponsored by AB InBev)
• Best Marketing Initiative (sponsored by Britvic)
• Community Service Award (sponsored by Pernod Ricard)
• Great Place to Work (sponsored by Red Bull)
• Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year (sponsored by Suntory Beverage & Food)
• Employee of the Year (sponsored by AG Barr)
• Rising Star of Wholesale (sponsored by KP Snacks)
• Best Innovation (sponsored by TWC)
• Wholesale Local Food Champion (sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink)
  
  

Supplier awards:

• Best Advertising Campaign (sponsored by swq)
• Supplier Sales Executive of the Year (sponsored by Unitas)
• Project Wholesale (sponsored by Bestway)
• Best Overall Service (sponsored by SWA)
• Best Foodservice Supplier (sponsored by SWA)
• Local Supplier of the Year (sponsored by CJ Lang & Son)