Dunns Food and Drinks

What Dunns Food and Drinks does

Dunns Food and Drinks is a Scottish delivered wholesale distributor of food, beverages, and hospitality products, operating from its Blantyre headquarters with additional branches in East Kilbride and Aberdeen. Founded in 1875 as a soft drinks company, it has evolved into a comprehensive one-stop wholesaler serving pubs, restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, cafes, care homes, schools, and independent retailers across Scotland. The company delivers approximately 1,800 customers daily using its own temperature-controlled and ambient commercial fleet on a 24/7 basis, with ordering channels comprising online portal, mobile app, and telesales.

The product portfolio spans food (frozen, grocery, chilled, fresh), drinks (wines, spirits, craft beers, soft drinks), draught soft drink dispense services using bag-in-box cordials and post-mix systems, and non-food consumables. Heritage own-brands include Red Kola and the Dunns Draught 1875 Cola range, supported by the traditional 'glass cheque' returnable bottle scheme — the last remaining proponent in Scotland. Exclusive and own-label ranges are sourced through consortium memberships with Country Range Group and Society of Vintners, alongside distribution partnerships with Alexander Wines, Brindisa, Funnybones Foodservice, and ROKiT Drinks. Certifications include BRC Global Standard for Storage and Distribution and HACCP.

The business is family-owned under Chairman Jim Rowan, employs approximately 130 staff, and reports turnover of £30 million plus. Revenue is generated through trade credit accounts and cash accounts on transaction-based pricing, with monthly billing on credit terms (payment due before the 15th of the month following invoicing). A direct-to-consumer home delivery service was added during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company is BRC and HACCP accredited and has won Scottish and UK People's Choice categories at the Family Business of the Year Awards.

Name

Dunns Food and Drinks

Legal name

Dunns Food and Drinks Ltd

Website

https://dunnsfoodanddrinks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Dunns Food and Drinks is a family-owned Scottish delivered wholesaler founded in 1875, distributing food, wines, spirits, craft beers, and soft drinks to over 1,800 foodservice, licensed trade, care, and retail customers daily across Scotland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice & Beverage Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beverage Logistics, Warehousing & Cold-Chain Distribution (AFAIAGAM)

Keywords

• Wholesale food distribution
• Beverage wholesale
• Foodservice supply
• Licensed trade supply
• Craft beer distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Food and Drink Distribution: Dunns Food and Drinks generates revenue through the wholesale distribution of food, drinks, and hospitality products to foodservice and licensed trade businesses across Scotland. The company offers thousands of products including craft beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks, and food products from around the world.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dunns Food and Drinks is a Scottish delivered wholesaler that distributes food products (frozen, grocery, chilled, fresh), wines, spirits, craft beers, and soft drinks to foodservice and licensed trade customers across Scotland. The company supplies thousands of products from global suppliers alongside exclusive ranges delivered through partnerships with Society of Vintners, Alexander Wines, Country Range, Brindisa, Funnybones Foodservice, and ROKiT Drinks. It operates own-brand soft drinks (including Red Kola) and draught soft drink dispense services, supported by a 24/7 commercial delivery fleet and multi-channel ordering (online, app, telesales).

Product overview

Dunns Food and Drinks is a wholesale food and drinks supplier operating as a single unified distribution platform rather than a modular architecture. The core offering combines food products (frozen, grocery, chilled, fresh) with an extensive drinks portfolio (wines, spirits, craft beers, soft drinks) through a multi-channel service model comprising online ordering, app-based ordering, and delivery services. Own-brand soft drinks (including Red Kola) with the traditional glass cheque returnable bottle scheme represent a heritage differentiator dating to 1875. The draught soft drink dispense service provides bag-in-box cordials and post-mix solutions. Distribution partnerships with Country Range, Society of Vintners, Alexander Wines, Brindisa, Funnybones Foodservice, and ROKiT Drinks extend the portfolio with exclusive branded ranges in grocery, wine, specialty Spanish foods, and Mexican/American cuisine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flavours: Own brand soft drinks range including bag-in-box cordials and draught beverages under the Dunns Draught brand, featuring flavours like Cola, Apple & Blackcurrant, Blackcurrant, Cranberry Juice, Diet Cola, Energy Drink, Lemonade, Lime, and Orange.
• Red Kola

Products and services

• Wholesale Food Products Comprehensive range of wholesale food products including frozen, grocery, chilled, and fresh items sourced from global suppliers, sold to foodservice and licensed trade customers across Scotland.
• Wholesale Drinks (Wines, Spirits, Craft Beers) Extensive portfolio of wines, spirits, and craft beers from around the world, available through partnerships with Society of Vintners and Alexander Wines, supplied wholesale to foodservice and licensed trade customers.
• Own Brand Soft Drinks (including Red Kola) Proprietary soft drink brands including Red Kola, supported by the traditional glass cheque returnable bottle scheme (last remaining proponent in Scotland), supplied wholesale to hospitality customers.
• Draught Soft Drink Dispense Services Bag-in-box cordials and post-mix dispense solutions including Dunns Draught 1875 Cola, regular Cola, Diet Cola, Apple & Blackcurrant, Blackcurrant, Cranberry Juice, Lemonade, Lime, Orange, and Energy Drink supplied wholesale to hospitality operators.
• Non-food Hospitality Consumables Non-food consumables and supplies for foodservice and hospitality businesses, distributed alongside the core food and drinks range.
• Online Ordering Service Simple, quick and convenient online ordering system that allows trade customers to browse and order products from Dunns' wholesale range.
• Order By App Service Mobile app-based ordering solution for convenient on-the-go ordering by trade customers.
• Country Range Branded Products Exclusive grocery and frozen Country Range branded products developed exclusively for professional caterers, distributed in Scotland through Dunns' membership in the Country Range Group.
• Society of Vintners Exclusive Wine Range Exclusive wines from the Society of Vintners purchasing group, hand-selected for quality by an independent Master of Wine, offering over 400 wine options unavailable elsewhere in the Scottish market.
• Alexander Wines Portfolio Hand-selected wine range from Alexander Wines including wine list design, menu design, food matching recommendations, and WSET training services, offered as part of Dunns' combined portfolio to the Scottish licensed trade.
• 24/7 Delivery Service Commercial fleet of temperature-controlled and ambient vehicles (3.5t to 26t) providing 24/7 multi-drop deliveries to over 1,800 customers daily across Scotland.
• Home Delivery Service Consumer-facing home delivery service offering Dunns' food and drinks range direct to individual households across Scotland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 1,800 customers daily
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• The Talbot AssociationminorOthers · 1 January 2026The Talbot Association is Dunns Food and Drinks' new 2026 charity partner. Established in 1970, it is the largest provider of residential services in Glasgow for people experiencing homelessness, providing safe accommodation and support for addiction, mental ill-health, and social isolation.
• Mines Advisory Group (MAG)minorOthers · 1 January 2026MAG is a UK-based charity operating in over 35 countries, working to remove and destroy landmines and unexploded bombs. Dunns Chairman Jim Rowan is participating in the 2026 Cycle Challenge organized by MAG.
• Society of Vintners Wine GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Dunns are proud to be the Scottish members of the exclusive Society of Vintners purchasing group. Established in the early 1970's, the Society is a UK consortium of family-owned businesses who have joined forces to compete in the marketplace and obtain competitive rates for exclusive and high quality wines.
• Country Range GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs Scottish members of Country Range Group, Dunns offers highly competitive pricing structures along with the personal service of a regional wholesaler. Being a member affords exclusivity to stock and sell Country Range branded products including grocery and frozen products developed exclusively for professional caterers.
• Alexander WinesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Alexander Wines (established 1981) providing a stunning combined wine range to the Scottish licensed trade. Alexander Wines has built a range of over 400 wines hand selected for character and individuality, offering services including wine list design, menu design, food matching recommendations, and WSET training.
• Funnybones FoodservicemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFunnybones Foodservice is a market leader and the leading importer and distributor of multi-temp Mexican and American foods in the UK food and catering sectors. Dunns distributes their portfolio including Baby Back Ribs, appetisers, tortillas, and authentic Mexican and American food products.
• BrindisamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrindisa (founded 1988 by Monika Linton) is a specialist Spanish food supplier sourcing quality Spanish cheeses, charcuterie, oils, vinegars, nuts, fruit, vegetables, pulses, fish, spices, honeys and other edible treats. Suppliers to world-renowned emporiums including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Fortnum & Masons.
• ROK DrinksmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorROKiT Drinks supplies premium drinks including ABK beer (brewing since 1306, official beer of Oktoberfest UK), Bogarts spirits range (Gin, Rum, Vodka), Graffiti Wine with distinctive label designs, and UB Real Irish Whiskey. ROKiT Drinks focuses on building mega brands with heritage and quality.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• JW Filshill: JW Filshill is a Glasgow-headquartered delivered foodservice wholesaler supplying hotels, restaurants, pubs, and care homes across Scotland. It is the most directly comparable competitor geographically, with overlapping product categories (wines, spirits, beers, food) and a similar foodservice and licensed trade focus.
• CJ Lang & Son: CJ Lang is a Dundee-headquartered Scottish wholesale and convenience retail group operating the Spar franchise in Scotland. While primarily cash-and-carry and symbol retailer, it overlaps with Dunns in supplying independent retailers and foodservice operators with groceries and drinks in the same geography.
• Inverarity Vaults: Inverarity Vaults is a Scottish wine and spirits specialist distributor serving the licensed trade across Scotland. It competes directly with Dunns' drinks wholesale arm for on-trade wine and spirits accounts, with comparable premium wine range and account-management service model.

Broad incumbents

• Bidfood: Bidfood (part of Bidcorp) is the UK's largest delivered foodservice wholesaler, supplying caterers, pubs, restaurants, and care homes nationally. It competes directly with Dunns for Scottish hospitality accounts but operates at vastly larger scale across the UK with broader product breadth and category management.
• Brakes Group: Brakes (now part of Sysco UK) is a major UK delivered foodservice wholesaler covering the same foodservice and licensed trade segments as Dunns, including significant Scotland operations. Comparable on customer type, scale of distribution, and broad-line grocery plus drinks offering.
• Booker Group: Booker, owned by Tesco, is the UK's largest cash and carry and delivered wholesaler serving independent retailers, caterers, and licensed trade. It overlaps with Dunns in supplying pubs, restaurants, and small hospitality businesses with food and drinks, and competes for the same end customers across Scotland.
• Molson Coors UK: Molson Coors is one of the UK's largest brewers and a major player in beer distribution to the on-trade. Its wholesale and distribution arm overlaps with Dunns' beer business, and Molson Coors would be among the key supplier partners for any Scottish delivered wholesaler.
• Tennent's (C&C Group): Tennent's, owned by C&C Group, is Scotland's largest brewer and dominant on-trade beer supplier. It overlaps with Dunns in the Scottish licensed trade drinks channel and is both a major supplier to and indirect competitor of delivered drinks wholesalers in Scotland.

Direct peers

• Matthew Clark Wholesale: Matthew Clark (now part of C&C Group) is the UK's largest delivered drinks wholesaler, specialising in beers, wines, and spirits to the on-trade. It is a direct peer for Dunns' drinks wholesale business, operating a similar delivered-to-premises model with comparable customer base of pubs, restaurants, and hotels.

Others

• William Grant & Sons: William Grant & Sons is a Scottish spirits producer (Glenfiddich, Grant's, Hendrick's) supplying the UK on-trade through delivered wholesalers. While not a direct competitor to Dunns, it is a relevant adjacent peer as a Scotland-based premium drinks supplier dependent on the same on-trade wholesale channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DunnsFoodAndDrinks
• Xx.com/dunnswholesale

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Dunns Food and Drinks