Country Range Group
Country Range Group is a UK and Ireland foodservice buying group mutually owned by 18 independent member wholesalers, combining purchasing power, a three-tier own-brand portfolio, and data insights to serve 44,000 monthly caterers through 55 depots and a 1,300-vehicle fleet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersAltham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Country Range Group does
Country Range Group is a UK-based foodservice buying group, mutually owned by its member wholesalers and operated as a private company (The Country Range Group Limited, Company No. 02985881) headquartered in Altham, Lancashire. Founded in 1992, the group combines the volume of 18 independent foodservice wholesalers into a single negotiating entity that, as of 2026, had reached £1 billion of group turnover - a milestone that was hit roughly two years ahead of plan. Members collectively operate 55 depots and a 1,300-vehicle fleet, employing a 450-strong sales force and making 250,000 deliveries per month to 44,000 caterer customers across the UK and Ireland.
CRG's revenue model rests on collective procurement and a three-tier own-brand portfolio (Country Range core range of 700+ SKUs, premium Signature by Country Range, and value-tier Catering Essentials) supplied exclusively through members. Underlying member decision-making is powered by the TWC SmartView data platform, a long-running partnership under which CRG delivers market data, trend insight, category reviews, and joint business planning tools. The group supplements its commercial engine with proprietary events (Annual Exhibition & Conference, twice-yearly Business Development Days, An Evening With awards), editorial assets (Stir it up magazine), sustainability support through ClimatePartner, and talent-pipeline programmes (Country Range Student Chef Challenge with Craft Guild of Chefs, plus Headline Sponsorship of Springboard FutureChef from 2025/2026).
In June 2026 CRG's chief executive Martin Ward unveiled a new five-year strategy with targets of £1.5 billion in group sales and a £250 million own-brand portfolio by 2030, alongside the January 2026 launch of Clean Range Pro into adjacent hygiene categories and the promotion of Dean Pendlebury to Buying Director. The Group is governed by equal-shareholder members with mutual trading status, has no external parent company or institutional investors, and is presently private with no public listing.
Country Range Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Country Range Group
- Legal name
- The Country Range Group Limited
- Website
- https://countryrangegroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Country Range Group is a UK and Ireland foodservice buying group mutually owned by 18 independent member wholesalers, combining purchasing power, a three-tier own-brand portfolio, and data insights to serve 44,000 monthly caterers through 55 depots and a 1,300-vehicle fleet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Country Range Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foodservice Wholesale Distribution
- NAICS
- Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Foodservice & Hospitality Supply Clubs (Restaurants, Catering, Hotels) (CRAEAEAC)
Keywords
Where Country Range Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Altham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Country Range Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Group Purchasing Power / Buying Group Fees: CRG generates value by combining member volumes to achieve collective purchasing scale, providing members with improved supplier agreements, terms, and access to exclusive own-brand products. The Group does not charge customers directly for products; member wholesalers purchase goods from suppliers and resell to caterers.
- Own-Brand Portfolio (Country Range, Signature, Catering Essentials): CRG develops and sells its own-brand product ranges (Country Range, Signature by Country Range, Catering Essentials) exclusively through member wholesalers. Purchasing power cited at £360 million. Own-brand portfolio sales are a core revenue driver.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Country Range Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Country Range Group is a UK and Ireland foodservice buying group owned by its 18 member wholesalers. It combines member volumes to negotiate collective purchasing agreements with global brands and suppliers, and develops a three-tiered own-brand portfolio (Country Range, Signature by Country Range, Catering Essentials) sold exclusively through members. The Group also provides market data insights via the TWC SmartView platform, marketing support, and industry events for its member wholesalers.
Product overview
Country Range Group is a wholesale foodservice buying group owned by its member wholesalers, offering a three-tiered own-brand portfolio consisting of Signature by Country Range (premium), Country Range Brand (core), and Catering Essentials (value). The Group provides member wholesalers with access to buying power, market data analytics via the CRG Insights service powered by TWC SmartView, marketing support, industry events (Annual Exhibition, Business Development Days, An Evening With awards), culinary competitions (Springboard FutureChef sponsorship, Student Chef Challenge), and educational resources including IDDSI and dementia catering guides. The Group also publishes Stir It Up Magazine and offers professional cleaning products through Clean Range Pro.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Signature by Country Range: Premium tier of the three-tiered own brand portfolio featuring exclusive, top-tier products and ingredients from around the world.
- Country Range
- Catering Essentials
- Clean Range Pro
- Stir it up Magazine
Products and services
- Country Range Brand
Quantifiable outcome
- 20% reduction in operational emissions since 2019
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Country Range Group
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Country Range Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Country Range Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered key, minor and core.
- Springboard FutureChefkeyCountry Range became Headline Sponsor of the 2025/2026 Springboard FutureChef competition — the UK's largest school-based cooking competition engaging 25,000+ young people annually. Previously CRG was lead sponsor of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge (2016–2024). The partnership addresses the hospitality skills gap.
- Andy Cullum (IDDSI Consultant)minorCRG collaborated with Andy Cullum, IDDSI Consultant, to create the Country Range Guide to the IDDSI Framework, helping caterers prepare meals for people with dysphagia. Andy Cullum also featured in CRG's 2026 Discovery Kitchen live demo stage at the annual exhibition.
- The Natasha Allergy Research FoundationcoreCRG entered a three-year partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation — the UK's only charity dedicated to scientific and medical research into allergy. CRG is the first foodservice buying group to be a partner. The partnership supports the Natasha Clinical Trial (a £2.5m oral immunotherapy trial), raises funds, and includes editorial partnership with Stir it up magazine.
- ClimatePartnercoreCRG partnered with ClimatePartner to support its sustainability goals. Working in partnership with ClimatePartner, CRG proactively works with members to improve collective sustainability. Since 2019, CRG members have reduced operational emissions by 20% and carbon intensity by 40%.
- TWC (The Weather Company)coreCRG maintains a long-running partnership with TWC, the UK's leading data and digital consultancy for the wholesale foodservice industry. CRG uses the TWC SmartView platform to deliver market data, trend insights, category reviews, and customer intelligence to members. CRG was the first independent foodservice buying group to invest in a data platform and data partner to share insights with suppliers.
- Craft Guild of ChefskeyCRG runs the Country Range Student Chef Challenge in collaboration with the Craft Guild of Chefs, who provide competition-standard judging, vital feedback to students, and industry credibility. The Challenge has been running for over 25 years as a key part of developing culinary talent.
- The Clink CharityminorThe Clink Charity provides catering training to offenders. Clink Events provided catering for CRG's 'An Evening With' events (e.g., at St Paul's Cathedral 2022 and Abbey Road Studios 2023). Prisoners gain real event catering experience while CRG supports the charity.
- Mines Advisory Group (MAG)keyCRG participates in MAG's annual 'Bikes Against Bombs' cycling challenge to raise funds for landmine clearance. CRG's representatives have raised over £40,000 for MAG across multiple challenges. CRG Impact initiative aims to raise £1 million for MAG and other worthy causes over the five-year strategy period.
Scale indicators17 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Country Range Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AF Blakemore: Family-owned UK wholesale and foodservice operator with SPAR franchise and foodservice distribution. Comparable independent operator competing with CRG members across multi-channel foodservice and retail supply.
- Kitwave Group plc: AIM-listed wholesale group whose foodservice division (Millers, M.J. Baker, Total Foodservice, WestCountry Fruit Sales, £126M turnover) is a CRG member. Kitwave operates competing direct wholesale infrastructure while also benefiting from CRG membership.
- Bidfood: The UK's largest foodservice wholesaler, part of South African-listed Bidcorp. Bidfood competes directly with CRG members across UK foodservice accounts and represents the most significant competitive threat to CRG's member wholesalers.
- Today's Group: UK foodservice buying group operating as a competitor cooperative model — closest direct peer to CRG. Today's Group aggregates independent wholesaler volumes for collective purchasing power in the same foodservice sector.
- JJ Foodservice: Independent foodservice wholesaler operating multi-temperature depots across the UK, serving similar caterer customers (pubs, restaurants, schools). Comparable in scale and customer profile to several CRG member wholesalers.
- Confex: UK foodservice buying group serving independent wholesalers. Operates a similar collective-purchasing model to CRG and is the most direct competitive analogue in the buying group category.
Broad incumbents
- Booker Group: Tesco-owned wholesale and cash & carry operator serving independent caterers and retailers. Booker competes with CRG members in cash & carry and foodservice channels and is led by a former CRG chairman (Philip de Ternant).
- Bestway Wholesale: One of the UK's largest independent wholesalers operating cash & carry and delivered wholesale. Bestway competes directly with CRG members in foodservice and retail catering supply, including own-brand ranges.
- Brakes Group: A Sysco-owned (NYSE-listed) foodservice distributor and one of the UK's largest. Brakes competes with CRG members across all major foodservice verticals and benefits from Sysco's global scale and capital access.
- Sysco Corporation: NYSE-listed global foodservice distribution leader and parent of Brakes Group. Sysco's capital scale, technology investment, and global procurement represent the strategic ceiling for any UK foodservice wholesaler including CRG members.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Country Range Group social profiles
Digital presenceCountry Range Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Country Range Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Country Range Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Country Range Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Country Range Group
What does Country Range Group do?
Country Range Group is a UK and Ireland foodservice buying group owned by its 18 member wholesalers. It combines member volumes to negotiate collective purchasing agreements with global brands and suppliers, and develops a three-tiered own-brand portfolio (Country Range, Signature by Country Range, Catering Essentials) sold exclusively through members. The Group also provides market data insights via the TWC SmartView platform, marketing support, and industry events for its member wholesalers.
Is Country Range Group a public or private company?
Country Range Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Country Range Group founded?
Country Range Group was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Country Range Group based?
Country Range Group is headquartered in Altham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Country Range Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Group Purchasing Power / Buying Group Fees are the primary driver. The others are own-Brand Portfolio (Country Range, Signature, Catering Essentials).
Who are Country Range Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AF Blakemore, Kitwave Group plc, Bidfood, Today's Group, JJ Foodservice and Confex. Broad incumbents are Booker Group, Bestway Wholesale, Brakes Group and Sysco Corporation.
Does Country Range Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Country Range Group.
What industry is Country Range Group in?
Country Range Group's product category is Foodservice Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEAEAC, Foodservice & Hospitality Supply Clubs (Restaurants, Catering, Hotels). Its NAICS code is 4251.