Stephen Higgins Email and Phone Number

HBClark are now part of the Kitwave group but are still running very much in an independent manner, we are a delivered alcohol & Sundries wholesaler to the on-trade (pubs, clubs & restaurants) along with the rest of our trade, Brewers - distillers - manufactures - importers and our C 3,500 registered customers we have come through some very difficult times, it is still very hard work and the issues are still ongoing but we are really glad to be back, looking forward to a return to 'normality' as soon as possible.C £85m T/O with around 300 suppliers in total, 100 or so with closer trading relationships, based in Wakefield but supplying the whole of the north of England via 9 Depots.I am Group Buyer, reporting in to Trading Director, purchasing across Beers & Spirits, Snacks & Sundries.Annually re-negotiating Joint Business Plans (developed by myself), working closely with suppliers in order to fulfil the ambition within those plans - building our main promotional tool (Rewards Brochure 5x periods PA) along with suppliers but developing many initiatives ourselves, maintaining a high quality and degree of accuracy, building associated actions to put in place - telesales drives / web site initiatives / field sales engagement. daily management of supply - pricing - promotional issues. regular in-person supplier meetings to discuss progress and agree actions. Range Management. Attending sales meetings to discuss current activity and trading issues.Anyone who says that ON-trade is 'different' to any other trade is i think correct, almost 6 years and i am still learning, it is vibrant and interesting, my heart is still in Grocery though Wholesale or Retail i think.

Responsibility for the key grocery categories within this thriving delivered wholesale business (soft drinks / confectionary / snacks). Development & management of joint business plans & strategies to increase sales as well as develop profit. creation of promotional and marketing initiatives. All stock control, pricing, local & national promotions. support of business related social functions & trade shows.working both independently and as part of a successful buying group, sourcing from and supplying diverse markets. Dealing directly with small & large independents - fascia stores & retail groups as well as the licenced trade. Working closely every day with Directors, Operations, Office & Field based sales teams.Personal. this was a big step to get me back in to core Grocery, 90 miles to Grimsby from Halifax 5 days! eventually we moved to Epworth to alleviate the travelling which has been great for the kids. amazing to still see the same faces around the trade and wonderful to be back in the 'cut & thrust' where i feel that i belong. great also to be reconnected with many of my old friends at Today's (now unitas) meaning that the social occasions were superb! it was one of the 'old team' who was leaving HBClark and asked me if he should put me forward, this sounded like a great chance to return to a more senior role so it was with regret and a few tears that i had to leave DeeBee.

Retail services are a Group of Modern and ultra efficient companies, using the very latest technologies in all areas. Providing independent services as well as working in synergy to provide tailored retail display solutions. There is an (Engineering) Company focusing on Metal Fabrications & components, a (Powder Coating) company providing a professional bespoke finish, a (Printing) company putting creative design into practice, an experienced (Design) consultancy, developing ideas into practical models. All under the heading of Retail Services, providing (Project Management, Merchandising Solutions & Installation Services). With a handpicked team of over 70 and a turnover of more than £8m, delivering top quality comprehensive services for national & global brands from concept to reality, combining Design, Engineering & Retail skills to create powerful solutions that command attention & deliver enduring results.The Role, to integrate purchasing procedures with a systematic Manufacturing process. liaise with all parts of the business re. cost / requirements / availability for prototypes & new projects, pricing & specking major contracts. Tendering for outsourced operations, looking for new suppliers & examining suitability of new & existing suppliers. Working with production planning to ensure to ensure all materials & systems are in line with supply deadlines. Examination of drawings to ensure adequate details, obtaining & negotiating tender submissions, project feasibility studies, involvement with every part of a project as it is being developed. To bring more retail / wholesale experience into the team.Personal. i learned from the 'king of procurement' Jason, what a great guy who the business relied upon for so much more than procurement! manufacturing was indeed a steep learning curve but with great support from Jason and the team allied with the principles that i had studied with CIPS we made a great team for a while. i left in order to return to Grocery...

Category Buyer for all of Chilled & Frozen, 220 stores, 2 RDC,S, £120m turnover on my categories. Sales, Profit & Waste targets. Short & long term Category plans, weekly response & report to directors regarding recent performance / actions.retail price checking, standard price maintenance, management of long-term 2 for & 3 for deals, 2 promotion brochures per week requiring 8x 'market leading' deals from me per brochure (achieving a minimum of 25% margin, and with a maximum waste of 10% of profit).analyse range efficiency, develop & grow sales. Manage Own Label & commitments. Work closely with operations & stock control in relation to the gradually reducing size of the business, as stores were converted to Asda Local. training undertaken in GSCOP & Trading Within The Law.Personal. i did see this as my chance to get back in to Grocery and to really prove what i was capable of on a busy retail environment, this was a difficult time for Netto with the takeover by Asda having been announced resulting in a 'kick back' from previously loyal customers. trade in general was declining and supplier confidence waning yet i grasped a hold of the nettle and against the businesses way of working began to invite suppliers in for face to face meetings, i soon developed both a long term fixed plan as well as some great contacts for short notice volume deals (which Netto thrived on), my categories were all in growth (sales & margin) so i received an 'Asda thank you' (like a special mention!) for the work i was doing. due to the routine agenda i had been working to with all of my suppliers i had also uncovered an historic accounting anomaly wherein the whole business had not been claiming promo retro's in the 'buy-in' period (but only for their 'sell-out' period),when they finally accepted that i was correct the first two invoices i raised (only for the recent trading year) totalled £96k and more then followed....

Worked closely with Sales & Technical staff in preparation of quotations for service & supply. Auditing hardware throughout the customer estate in order to plan stock requirements, and move away from reacting to each situation. Source new suppliers & develop a comprehensive supplier / product database.Developed a separate trading arm of the business (worth £500k), purchasing 2nd user hardware from auctions / business closures, for stock or re-sale. Managed compliance with WEE & ROHS. Left to join Netto at the forefront of Grocery Retail Trading (a testing but exciting environment!).

in recognition of the effort that i had put in to working within my team to help achieve over all team targets and goals as well as my own by constantly asking questions and confronting the difficult tasks, trying to prove myself as a key part of the team, i was promoted to Senior Buyer above some of the friends that had been senior to me not long before. this spurred me on even more and allowed me to share my learnings and help others in the team on a daily basis. Now responsible for a team Advertising revenue target (£8.2m) and Team overrider target, as well as personal targets. Communications between My team & Buying Controller, liaison with 2 other team seniors, various committees / Groups. Attend all ORD meetings & any 'difficult' meetings where other buyers needed support.i never stopped being motivated to improve myself and my categories and grew within the company to now be able to contribute help across the other teams within our head office.unfortunately after a total of 28 years with a proud company we are taken over by Bestway and with me being responsible for the core of Grocery (which they knew inside out), i was made redundant.we are all still great friends and keep in touch all of the time, we now look back and really appreciate that Batleys was a great training ground to give us the skills and standards that we all carry today (thanks Bruce, Len & Ian, Boogey!).

Full Category Management, ownership of P&L on £27m sales, sales and category development, pricing, promotions, negotiations, listings, Supplier relationship development & JBP,s, analysis, projection, marketing, proofing, NPD & Own Label Development, planning & initiatives/projects.Comment: this was the role that i had always wanted so i was like a child in a sweet shop, although there was a steep learning curve in terms of balancing the needs of the business with my ambition to grow sales and develop relationships i worked very hard and soon found that i was able to easily achieve all of the targets i was given. most of all i really enjoyed feeling like a valued part of such a great team.National store visits, customer visits, communication (store managers, store buyers, accounts, customers)great results achieved and promoted after 2.5 yrs.

A brand new 'flagships' store, Keyholder, opening & closing the store, alarm calls, wages, employment & interviews, store standards, customer relations, Health & Safety (qualified), Cap-ex projects to negotiate & agree national service contracts. Undertook CIPS part time (after work) study.