Bestway Wholesale has bought Dee Bee Wholesale in a move that underlines the ongoing consolidation of the UK’s independent wholesale sector. According to The Grocer, the deal is part of Bestway’s wider growth strategy and is intended to strengthen its reach in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, while bolstering support for independent retailers and on-trade operators.

Dee Bee brings more than 65 years of trading history to the table and reported annual sales of about £57m in its last financial year. The business serves 1,400 retail and on-trade customers from depots in Hull and Grimsby, and employs 87 people. Bestway said the regional knowledge built up by Dee Bee over decades would complement its own network and give it a stronger proposition in the area.

Bestway Wholesale managing director Dawood Pervez described Dee Bee as a long-established family business with deep customer relationships, while Dee Bee managing director Nick Ramsden said the transaction marked a new stage for the company. He told The Grocer that day-to-day trading would continue as normal, with existing staff and local relationships remaining in place, but said customers would eventually gain access to Bestway’s pricing, promotions and broader product range.

The purchase also means Dee Bee is leaving Unitas Wholesale, where it had been a longstanding member. Unitas chief executive John Kinney said the group respected the decision, thanked the Ramsden family and colleagues for their contribution, and said the organisation remained focused on helping independent wholesalers compete effectively. The move follows earlier Bestway expansion, including the 2020 acquisition of Costcutter Supermarkets Group, which significantly widened its retail estate and reinforced its position as one of the UK’s largest independent wholesalers. Bestway says it now operates dozens of depots and serves tens of thousands of retailers and caterers nationwide.

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