Regency Purchasing Group grows by 500 new customers as recovery begins from Covid shutdowns
One of the UK’s leading procurement businesses is set for its busiest summer ever - as it supports leisure businesses as they reopen, rebuild and recover from the ongoing effects of Covid-19.
Weston-super-Mare-based Regency Purchasing Group continues to grow and has already won more than 500 new customers so far this year, providing vital support at a difficult time.
With the UK’s largest network of field-based procurement managers, Regency works with more than 3,500 leisure businesses throughout the UK, including some of Britain’s biggest and best-known attractions, hundreds of golf clubs, plus pubs, hotels, zoos, farm attractions and many others.
The firm specialises in sourcing products, supplies and services from various markets, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Managing director Alex Demetriou says the coronavirus pandemic and the UK’s exit from the EU constitute a ‘double whammy’ for its customers but Regency has continued to grow as its services are more vital than ever.
He said: “Leisure businesses are increasingly attracted to working with buying groups and it comes down to two principal factors: money and time.
“The benefits have always been there in terms of the margins and the stable terms involved, i.e. being able to fix pricing medium to long term, but now the net is broader because of operational issues, which has resulted in us acquiring more than 500 new customers so far this year.
“Leisure businesses are finding they have less and less time to negotiate with and manage suppliers because they are spending more time ‘in’ the business primarily due to staff shortages caused by the ‘pingdemic’ and Brexit.
“The result is that, with events taking place outdoors, this summer will be the busiest we’ve ever had, and we are way ahead of previous years. Winter is likely to be more of an unknown quantity as there is still a nervousness around booking indoor events.”
Carl Hickinbottom, executive chef at Drayton Manor Theme Park & Hotel, who are new customers of Regency, said: “The staffing challenges facing our industry have been unprecedented following the return from lockdown. You then add the additional stress of staff self-isolating and staff being pinged by the NHS app and you start to fear the worst even though you have put all the right control measures in place to protect your team and your business.
“Regency have helped us deliver efficiencies by reducing the amount of time we spend on tendering and purchasing, enabling us to focus on operating the business. Not only did they help with pricing and controls, but their support and advice, both in person and via their newsletters, gave all the latest information from produce availability all the way to rules and guidance around self-isolation which helped us decide which staff members had to isolate and those who didn’t.”
For further information on Regency Purchasing Group: www.regencypurchasing.co.uk
