JJ Foodservice has achieved the highest sales in its 33-year history, up 13% in May 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.
The business – one of the UK’s largest grocery wholesalers – has remained open throughout the coronavirus pandemic, including the country’s three lockdowns.
One of the key strategies it adopted was diversifying its business to cater for consumers alongside the catering sector, helping it to offset potential losses from trade customers that remained closed.
The wholesaler launched JJ Home to cater for consumers struggling to get supermarket delivery slots. JJ also worked hard to ensure its supply chains weren’t affected, which attracted new trade customers.
Head of Operations, Kaan Hendekli, said: “Our team worked day and night to keep service levels and product availability high throughout the pandemic.”
“As a result, we managed to win the trust and support of more customers than ever before. Our figures are the best they’ve ever been,” he added.
The company saw sales for May 2021 rise to a record £21.3 million, nearly £3.5 million more than the £18.9 million sales it achieved in May 2019.
The 13% sales increase on pre-pandemic levels has been driven in part by a growth in new shoppers that came through during lockdown and who have remained loyal to JJs. The company says its total number of customers in May 2021 was up by 45% compared with May 2019.
“The hard work of our team and suppliers has paid off and helped us to deliver every time,” Mr Hendekli added.
“We are delighted with the results and will continue to work hard to support the hospitality sector.”
Last month, JJ launched a recruitment campaign and invested more than a million pounds in 20 new delivery vehicles to support its continued growth.
Launched by Turkish Cypriot businessman Mustafa Kiamil in 1988, JJ Foodservice is an award-winning nationwide business with an annual turnover of over £200 million and nearly 1,000 staff from 40 different ethnic backgrounds.
Headquartered in Enfield, North London, the company operates eleven branches, offering food, drink, packaging and cleaning products to businesses and the general public. Customers are able to place orders online via the JJ website or App for collection or delivery seven days a week.
