SoSweet, a confectionery retailer, has announced its plans to launch a wholesale venture. This initiative will grant convenience stores the opportunity to procure a wide array of products imported from both Europe and the Americas.
Presently, SoSweet runs 10 retail outlets catering to the public in the southwest of England, and there are intentions to establish additional locations within the upcoming year. The company’s achievements have been propelled by a diverse collection of over 250 items, including pick’n’mix, novelty, and international products. This inventory encompasses imports from the USA, Mexico, Turkey, and Spain.
According to SoSweet’s director, George Robinson, the achievements of the company have encouraged them to initiate a wholesale division. This new venture will extend the same products found in their retail stores to other retailers, all at “competitive prices”.
Robinson said, “Whether it’s convenience stores or other sweet shops, we’ve had thousands of enquiries that have built up from people wanting to purchase from us in a business-to-business format.
“It’s something in the pipeline. We’ve got a wholesale website built and ready to go. We’ve also got plans to offer an in-person wholesale shopping experience in North Devon, where we’re based, as there’s nothing else locally that can offer that. The opportunity is coming, but we want to make sure we can do it properly first.”
Minimum delivery terms and geographical coverage are still to be determined. Robinson said: “We’re retailers ourselves, and we know how to market and sell the products that customers will be offering. We’re already working with a logistics company, so we can offer a better service delivering to retailers rather than relying on standard couriers. We can work with haulers to do direct drops to specific areas and make sure customers receive their orders.”
Detailing the mechanics of the in-person shopping encounter, Robinson elaborated that both current and prospective customers would receive invitations to a warehouse. Here, they would have the opportunity to explore the company’s array of offerings and receive comprehensive product information. Following this, retailers can proceed to place their stock orders online for subsequent delivery.
Furthermore, the company has garnered a substantial following on the social media platform TikTok, leveraging videos and product sales within the platform’s consumer marketplace. Robinson mentioned that the company intends to leverage its expertise to assist stores in enhancing their TikTok profiles as well.
He added, “I’d like to think we can offer more services and help retailers sell more of our products through marketing on social media.”
When questioned about the company’s most popular products, Robinson pointed out a selection of items, including US-imported beverages like Fanta, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew, along with snacks like Cheetos and Takis. He also highlighted products sourced from Mexico.