A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is a food retail,

wholesale Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In ...

and distribution company, established in 1917. A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is the largest SPAR distribution centre in the UK. The company's headquarters are in

Willenhall Willenhall is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, Walsall district, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England, with a population taken at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census of 49,587. It is ...

, West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Businesses

A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is divided into several subsidiaries with different emphases and goals. Blakemore Retail, which owns and operates 260+ SPAR stores. Blakemore Trade Partners, which supports A.F. Blakemore's independent SPAR estate. Blakemore Wholesale Distribution, which provides retailers, vending operators and wholesalers with bespoke distribution solutions. Blakemore Foodservice, which delivers catering products to schools, local authorities, public houses and restaurant chains. Blakemore Fresh Foods, which is a meat trading, wholesaling and manufacturing operation that supplies the retail, food service and wholesale sectors. Blakemore Design and Shopfitting, which specialises in the design and refurbishment of SPAR retail stores. Blakemore Property, which deals with company site acquisitions and leasings.

History

A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd was started in 1917 as a counter service grocery store by Arthur Blakemore and his wife. After early success, they branched into supplying other groceries, at first bags and other provisions, later with products for resale. Arthur Blakemore was followed by his son, Frank, who in turn was followed by his son, Peter Blakemore. The company is still owned by the family. A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd was one of the first companies involved in

symbol group A symbol group is a form of Franchising, franchise of convenience shops, found primarily in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They do not own or operate shops, but act as suppliers to independent shops which then trade under a common banner. Unli ...

trading in the 1950s. The current CEO is Carol Welch, who joined the business in April 2023.

References

*M L Cohen, "A. F. Blakemore & Son Ltd" (2008) 90 International Directory of Company Historie
1
to 4 *David Needham and Robert Dransfield. Business Studies. Second Edition. Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd. 1994. p
659
and 660 *Neil Buckley. "Kwik Save sell non-core side for £9.5m". The Financial Times. 6 January 1994. p 19. col 5. *https://companycheck.co.uk/company/00391135/AFBLAKEMORE-AND-SON-LIMITED/companies-house-data *Susan Gilchrist. "Kwik Save sells stores subsidiary". The Times. 6 January 1994. p 25. col 1. {{Reflist Retail companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Wolverhampton