BHETA’s Meet the Buyer event with Stax Trade Centres which took place last month has been deemed a great success by both buyers and suppliers. A speed networking event, it allowed potential suppliers to meet with a key garden and home improvement / DIY buyers in timed 20-minute appointments.

Simon Wright, Commercial Director at Stax said that this was of the most productive events of its kind and that his buying team were genuinely pleased at the opportunities identified with suppliers. On the supplier side, Nigel Wheeler, Managing Director of Aquaphor described the event as “A great way to witness a refreshing approach to the buyer/seller relationship first hand!”

Robert Winstanley, Director of Sales at Gleener said: “This was a really engaging way of getting our product range in front of a key buyer with no interruptions.  As a relatively new brand to the market the help and support BHETA has given is fantastic and will go such a long way to helping establish Gleener as a new innovative brand in the home categories.  I am pleased to say that our products, strategy and company were well received. I look forward to other events like this!”

Sharon Foster, Head of UK Sales, MPL Home added: “I was really impressed with the “meet the buyer” event. It was a unique way to connect with the buying teams and discuss new and exciting opportunities and it gives the buyers an opportunity to meet new suppliers in a short but informative way.”

Stax was keen to engage with suppliers in the following categories:  Car Care, Housewares, Christmas, Paint, Garden Furniture, Garden Sundries, Doors, Ladders, Plumbing, K.D Furniture, Garden Tools, Garden Chemicals, Building Materials, Appliances, Electrical, Lighting & Batteries, Household Chemicals, Plastics, Cleaning Materials, Hand Tools, Power Tools, Garden Power, Workwear, Hardware, Ironmongery, BBQs, DIY, Interior Decorating, Bird and Pet Care.

Stax is the UK’s biggest non-food cash & carry wholesaler and trade supplier and has been supplying the trade for over 40 years. It turns over £130m per annum. Open only to independent retailers and tradespeople, Stax supplies over 50,000 businesses right across the UK through six cash & carry/delivery hubs. It stocks 45,000 lines from 1,000 trusted brands as well as an own label range. 

Chief Operating Officer of BHETA, Will Jones commented: “This proved a really good opportunity for suppliers not already working with Stax to engage.”

More details of BHETA’s events programme, which includes webinars, Meet The Buyer events and networking forums with leading retailers can also be found on the BHETA website www.bheta.co.uk. To register for any of BHETA’s current or future events, contact Rajni Kaur from the BHETA Member Services Team on 0121 237 1130, or alternatively, email on rk@bheta.co.uk.