The future is looking bright for one of the UK’s leading procurement businesses, with a 20 per cent growth in its customer base and two prestigious business award wins.

That’s on the back of the hospitality industry being one of the hardest hit by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But Regency Purchasing Group, based in the South West, worked extremely hard not only to survive but to support other businesses during the incredibly challenging past two years.

Now those efforts are paying off.

The group has won over 600 new customers during the past 12 months, and took the Large Business of the Year title at the Somerset Business Awards as well as being presented with the Rebuild and Thrive accolade in recognition of its resilience and support for the Leisure and Hospitality sector throughout the pandemic, resulting in continuing growth as the UK emerged from lockdown.

With the UK’s largest network of field-based procurement managers, Regency works with 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.

Regency specialises in sourcing products, supplies and services from various markets, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Managing Director Alex Demetriou says Regency is also providing additional career opportunities, with five new recruits joining since the middle of last year and five more due to join in the coming weeks.

He said: “Leisure businesses are increasingly attracted to working with Regency and it comes down to three principal factors: Time, Money and Trust.

“Businesses in our industry have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic but we are doing our utmost to help support increasing numbers of them to survive, thrive and grow, with membership having grown from 3,000 pre-pandemic to over 3,600 currently.

“The current landscape for the industry is potentially the most challenging we have ever seen with the cost of goods increasing, as well as VAT and minimum wage also on the up. Controlling, and indeed reducing costs where possible has become ever more important and we have continued to invest in our team to ensure that we can continue to deliver the same high standards to all of our members.

“Since May last year we have taken on an additional five Procurement Managers, with a further five joining us by the end of the summer. There has also been growth in the admin, support and customer service teams with three new office-based team members to support our increased membership base.

“A big part of our success is down to the experience and longevity of our team, which boasts an average length of service of nine years, with many having surpassed a decade with us, including National Account Manager Sian Collins, who joined us more than 16 years ago.

“All of this has been achieved against the background of the pandemic, during which we have retained our full team to ensure that we were ever present to support our members.

“It is extremely gratifying to have our success recognised by our peers in the form of two awards at the Somerset Business Awards.”

For further information on Regency Purchasing Group: www.regencypurchasing.co.uk