Country Range Group

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.

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

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

• Foodservice buying group
• Wholesale food supply
• Own-brand food products
• Catering distribution
• Member-owned wholesalers

Headquarters

HQ city

Altham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered key, minor and core.

• Springboard FutureChefkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Country 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)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2024CRG 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 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2023CRG 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.
• ClimatePartnercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2023CRG 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)coreTechnology or IntegrationCRG 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 ChefskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRG 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 CharityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe 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)keyOthersCRG 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/countryrangeuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/CountryRangeUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-country-range-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Country Range Group