"Like Manchester Utd and Manchester City, there aren't many players who cross the great divide," a wholesale source told The Grocer when Elbrook C&C switched from Landmark to Today's last week.
In fact, Elbrook's defection was the second of 2010 for the rival buying groups. In January 2010, Raj Krishan, Landmark Wholesale's influential senior retail controller, also crossed "the great divide" to take up the newly created role of retail development director at Today's.
These defections have brought to the surface a natural rivalry between Today's and Landmark as they move to gain new members and increase sales. Both have been pretty good at the latter. Landmark's sales were up 10.5% in the year to December, while Today's Group was only just behind with 10% growth. A key battleground is also the groups' symbol fascias. With Krishan, Today's is planning a massive expansion of its symbol group, with new fascias and a major recruitment drive.
Landmark, meanwhile, launched a three-year plan for its Lifestyle Express format in May, led by Krishan's replacement Stuart Johnson. But it's with new members where Today's Group has excelled. In the past three weeks alone it has signed up Elbrook as well as Gold Star and Botl. Landmark gained four new members in 2010 Drinks Inc, Hi-Line, Camelot and Broadways and this week signed CPT International but it has had a run of bad luck with some of its key players.
As well as Elbrook's defection, it lost Premier Wholesale to administration in October. And Bellevue and Martex both exited Landmark when they were acquired by Bestway ironically a former Landmark member. Last month the wholesaler was also forced to release a statement on behalf of another member, Hyperama, that it was not for sale following persistent rumours it could be Bestway's next acquisition target.
Rumours persist that acquisition-hungry Bestway is running a slide rule over Landmark's members. But MD Martin Williams says more members are expected to join the group this year and the future remains bright.
Laird is equally confident: "IGD's view that convenience retail will continue to grow in 2011 and beyond underlines our members' confidence that there is still much to go for despite pressure from major multiples and mainstream symbol groups."
In fact, Elbrook's defection was the second of 2010 for the rival buying groups. In January 2010, Raj Krishan, Landmark Wholesale's influential senior retail controller, also crossed "the great divide" to take up the newly created role of retail development director at Today's.
These defections have brought to the surface a natural rivalry between Today's and Landmark as they move to gain new members and increase sales. Both have been pretty good at the latter. Landmark's sales were up 10.5% in the year to December, while Today's Group was only just behind with 10% growth. A key battleground is also the groups' symbol fascias. With Krishan, Today's is planning a massive expansion of its symbol group, with new fascias and a major recruitment drive.
Landmark, meanwhile, launched a three-year plan for its Lifestyle Express format in May, led by Krishan's replacement Stuart Johnson. But it's with new members where Today's Group has excelled. In the past three weeks alone it has signed up Elbrook as well as Gold Star and Botl. Landmark gained four new members in 2010 Drinks Inc, Hi-Line, Camelot and Broadways and this week signed CPT International but it has had a run of bad luck with some of its key players.
As well as Elbrook's defection, it lost Premier Wholesale to administration in October. And Bellevue and Martex both exited Landmark when they were acquired by Bestway ironically a former Landmark member. Last month the wholesaler was also forced to release a statement on behalf of another member, Hyperama, that it was not for sale following persistent rumours it could be Bestway's next acquisition target.
Rumours persist that acquisition-hungry Bestway is running a slide rule over Landmark's members. But MD Martin Williams says more members are expected to join the group this year and the future remains bright.
Laird is equally confident: "IGD's view that convenience retail will continue to grow in 2011 and beyond underlines our members' confidence that there is still much to go for despite pressure from major multiples and mainstream symbol groups."
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