The wholesale trade is one of the toughest in the fresh produce industry but, with some innovation, investment and forward thinking, this has not stopped the very best firms from excelling in this area. The JR Holland Group is one of these businesses, and has succeeded in growing from a two-man family venture to a group of businesses worth £35-40 million, in 25 years.
The foundations of the group were laid by owner John Holland and his father when they set up the business in 1983. The venture started out as more or less a two-man operation, with a handful of staff and an annual turnover of £3m. But in 1991, Holland bought the business from his father’s widow, and has never looked back. He has turned a father-and-son partnership into a group worth £40m, including property developments, which employs a 200-strong team.
The JR Holland Group is now made up of four businesses - JR Holland Produce, JR Holland Flowers, H2H (Produce) Ltd, Leeds, and JR Holland Food Services - and is still wholly owned by John Holland. “I would like to think that we will continue to grow, and we are taking an active role in making this happen,” he says.
The double Re:fresh win was a welcome honour for the business and a boost for the team, Holland says. “I was ecstatic to win two Re:fresh awards,” he explains. “To win the Wholesaler of the Year honour was tremendous, as it was a great recognition of what we have been working on and what we have achieved since the business was set up in 1983. To win the Overall Produce Trader of the Year award was breathtaking.
“It was brilliant for the team and for the North East, as it has helped raise the profile of the business regionally, as well as give staff a boost.
“So often regional businesses or those on markets are looked down on or not given the recognition they deserve.
“We had champagne sent to us by our suppliers, and London knew that the Geordies were in town that night,” he adds.
Holland has entered the Re:fresh awards again this year, this time in the regional foodservice category.
The JR Holland Group has ploughed on with its business since the double triumph at Re:fresh last year, with all four businesses in the fold showing promising growth. “The most important thing is that we keep on with the same principles that we have always had; integrity and honesty first and foremost, alongside innovation,” says Holland. “We strive to maintain integrity and honesty at all levels, both with our customers and our suppliers - this is what the business has been built on.
“The major areas for investment are our people, our brand, and the IT systems and technology we use,” he explains.
The last 12 months have seen all four businesses do anything but stand still, with consolidation, management restructures and investment in IT and technology pushing each one forward.
A merger has seen the two original wholesale businesses in the JR Holland Group - JR Holland & Son and H2H, both on Gateshead market - come together to form JR Holland Produce. The move, in September last year, has already resulted in sales growth, and Holland is determined to keep up that momentum to drive the business forward. “Since the merger, we have focused on continuing to enhance the JR Holland brand,” he says. “It has been a real success. In consolidating two of our businesses, we have modernised the way we work and invested in efficiency. Now we have to concentrate on strengthening and growing the brand.
“The JR Holland brand is now recognised as a strong one, which was reinforced for us when we picked up the Re:fresh awards last year. We went to build on the accolades that the industry has given us.”
The Leeds-based H2H business is still operating under the management of Ian Palfreyman. Holland plans to change the name to JR Holland Produce Leeds within six to 12 months. “They are doing tremendously well and have continued to grow year on year - I have complete confidence in that business,” he says. “Our intention is to change the name, bringing with it another wave of investment in the brand and in the IT systems at the site.
“Leeds is a very important market for us, and we think we can grow that market.”
The foodservice arm of the JR Holland Group has been integral to driving its growth. JR Holland Food Services is based away from Gateshead market on the Team Valley estate and, as such, has carved itself a strong independent identity. The chilled distributor, which delivers fresh produce as well as prepared vegetables and potatoes, meat, dairy, bakery and delicatessen products, has benefited from major investent, including purpose-built facilities and a modern fleet of vehicles.
The next step will be to develop the foodservice business and build on its already strong regional presence, Holland says. “The idea is to focus on our regionality as a strength,” he explains. “The value of local sourcing has been drummed into us by our contracts with Local Education Authorities in the North East and, without a doubt, there has been a colossal groundswell towards locally grown produce.
“This has been reflected in the growth of regional contract caterers,” he adds.
Holland continues to listen to UK market demands and tailor his businesses in response to what is needed. This year, the management structure has been reinforced in order to create a strong foundation for the future. The accounts and administration side of the business was strengthened first, with Hazel Fletcher becoming group financial controller, and Joanne Naisbett taking responsibility for financial control of the market business.
Investments have been made in staff training at all levels, from NVQs for porters and drivers to courses for the sales team, with a view to becoming an Investor in People.
The JR Holland Group is firmly rooted in the North East, both in terms of its customer base and its contracts with the 12 Local Education Authorities in the area, as well as the work it carries out in the local community. The group sponsors the School Cook of the Year prize at the Local School Awards, which recognise the achievements of schools in the area, and supports the Junior Great North Run, as well as the Duchess of Northumberland’s Roots & Shoots project, which encourages people to visit her gardens and see how food is grown.
With so much in the pipeline and investments still set to reap rewards in the future, the JR Holland Group and its 200-strong team have a lot to look forward to. Holland believes the future of the wholesale trade is secure and that, by coming together and gaining in strength, businesses will be able to move forward. “We believe there will be further consolidation, not only in Gateshead, but in markets generally, and we want to be part of that,” he says. “We want to focus on existing business developments, but we know there is more we can do within the markets we are in.
“Our joint aims are to strengthen our regionality and consolidate our brand.”
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