About us
We’re a family business with a proud history and a bold future. We’re powered by people, rooted in values, and driven by purpose, which enables us to be a market-leading retailer, wholesaler and distributor of food and drink.
With a passion for service excellence, together, we form one inclusive team where everyone plays a part. We act with honesty and integrity. We’re always striving to improve – looking ahead while delivering today. We work collectively to achieve great things, because that’s The Blakemore Way.
Who we are.
From a single Wolverhampton grocery store in 1917 to a £1.2 billion food and drink business, our growth has always been fuelled by purpose.
We’re a family business that balances profit with what’s right for our colleagues, our customers, and the communities we serve. Because our aim is simple: to build a sustainable, people-first business that makes a positive difference.
Our Journey: Building on Purpose Since 1917
First store opened.
It all began with Arthur and Harriet Blakemore opening a small grocery store in Wolverhampton – laying the foundations for a business built on family values.
Wholesale begins.
Arthur buys paper bags and sells them to retailers and the wholesale adventure begins.
Family business grows.
Frank Blakemore and his wife , Mary, join the family business.
Join VIVO.
We join the Family Grocers Alliance, relaunched as VIVO.
Peter joins business.
Frank’s son, Peter Blakemore joins the business. Or as we call Peter today, the Chairman!
Join SPAR.
We proudly join UK family favourite SPAR.
New headquarters open.
New Headquarters open in Willenhall, serving our growing estate.
The Blakemore Foundation launches.
The Blakemore Foundation is launched to pay good causes across our trading area.
Expansion continues.
We enter a new era of expansion, acquiring new convenience store chains and becoming the UK’s largest SPAR wholesaler and entering new markets, like shop fitting, foodservice, meat wholesale.
The Blakemore Way launches & new sales reached.
Sales reached £815m. We launched ‘The Blakemore Way’, embedding our values into every part of the business, and supported this with our ‘Leading The Blakemore Way’ leadership development programme.
Acquire Capper & Co.
We acquire SPAR wholesaler Capper & Co.
Acquire Philpotts.
We acquire the Philpotts chain of prepared food stores.
We open our new Bedford depot.
A new dispatch point is added to the business with the opening of our £15m Bedford depot. We launch the first SPAR market store. We also extend our Too Good To Go contract.
Carol Welch becomes CEO.
Carol Welch becomes the new CEO of A.F. Blakemore & Son. The company records big contract wins in Foodservice and growth in retail with more SPAR market store openings. The company acquires Hockmeyer Motors Limited and Insomnia Coffee.
Launch electric delivery fleet.
The future is electric – literally. We’re currently participating in a consortium project trial, investing in the electrification of selected vehicles in our fleet, to explore deepening our commitment to a better, more sustainable tomorrow.
Board of Directors.
People are at the heart of everything we do. Let us introduce you to some of the passionate individuals who help shape AF Blakemore’s ongoing success.
Peter Blakemore
Carol Welch
Steven Nuttall
Caoire Blakemore
Tomas Blakemore
Charles Blakemore
Employer of choice statement.
