​M&S ends wholesale deal with Tesco’s Booker after 15 years

Britain’s Marks & Spencer has ended its 15-year wholesale partnership with Tesco’s Booker unit, dropping it as the primary supplier of third-party branded products for its food business, the retailer said on Tuesday.

M&S said it has replaced Booker with AF Blakemore & Son Ltd, signing a “multi-year agreement” with the family-owned business.

M&S predominantly sells own-brand, or private-label, food products, but also offers a small proportion of third-party branded items—usually household names such as Lucozade, Ribena, and Pepsi Max drinks, as well as Lurpak butter.

“Blakemore will be providing an improved wholesale solution with a full seven-day-a-week service that will increase availability for our stores and customers,” said Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food.

The retailer added that the change does not represent a shift toward increasing third-party food brands offered at M&S, emphasizing that its focus remains on its own food ranges.

Reuters has asked Tesco for comment.

Tesco is Britain’s biggest food retailer, with a market share of 28.4%, according to Kantar data.

M&S holds a 3.7% share, according to NielsenIQ data, and is Britain’s second fastest-growing physical food retailer after discounter Lidl.