Food and Drink Wholesale Drive-Through

The Food and Drink Wholesale UK (FWD) held a Christmas “drive-through” in Parliament to discuss supporting a fairer business rates system to protect UK’s food supply chain on the 2 December 2025.  

The FWD is the member organisation for UK wholesalers operating in the grocery and foodservice markets supplying independent retailers and caterers via cash and carry, delivery, and the internet. As well as supplying the hospitality industry, our members are vital suppliers to key public sector infrastructure including schools, care homes, hospitals and prisons. 

The FWD members supply 330,000 food service businesses and 72,000 retail grocery stores, supporting local high streets and small independent businesse4s across the UK. 

In 2023/2024 alone the wholesale sector directly contributed £3.5 billion to national output in gross value added.

In 2023/2024 the wholesale sector employed 77,000 people across the country. 

Wholesale distributors act as the backbone of the value chain, generating £33.6 billion in turnover, almost 1.5 million jobs and a £57 billion annual contribution to the UK economy.