A couple of months ago, I was delighted to get a tour of the local Rochester depot for Hancock’s Cash and Carry and meet its staff, as well as the Chief Executive of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD), James Bielby.
Hancock’s Cash and Carry has been a well-established business in the constituency for a number of years and is a large local employer. Hancock’s is also an example of an employer which gives employee training, celebrates employee talent and contributes to the local economy.
Hancock’s is also a member of the FWD who wider membership provides food and associated products to over 400,000 retail and catering businesses, either by direct delivery or via cash and carry depots. Their customers range from small independent stores to large restaurant chains, and from local coffee shops to hospitals and schools.
Not only are these food distributors crucial to our daily lives, business and our public services, but they ensure our retail and high streets remain strong and well-supplied and provides employment to hundreds of thousands of people across the UK.
I am always pleased to support our local businesses, all of which are essential to our local Medway economy, and I will continue to meet these entrepreneurs and their valued employees to understand what more we in Westminster can do to help them grow.
