About Confex Wholesale Buying Group

Confex is a Wholesale Buying Group with a turnover of £3.46bn, representing over 12% of the UK wholesale market. Confex negotiates Terms, pricing and promotions on behalf of 221 independent wholesalers, working with over 200 official suppliers and their brands.

Confex has been in operation as a buying group since 1972 and spans the retail and foodservice route to market encompassing ambient, chilled, frozen, alcohol, non-food, health & beauty.

Confex History

Prior to the inauguration of Confex, Julien Loffet owned and managed Standard Confectionery in Birmingham, employing over 100 staff. Having identified a need for a collaborative approach to wholesaling he went into partnership with Birmingham wholesaler, Sidney Lumley, to establish one of the first buying groups in the UK, Confex Ltd, in July 1972.

By the end of the 1980's there were 120 members, of which many are still members of Confex. The membership currently stands at 221. These members range from small van sales operators to multi-outlet franchises.

Mr Lumley retired in 1996 at which point Mr Loffet's daughter, Nicky White, joined Confex and ran the business until her retirement in 2020.

The first office was based at Water Orton, near Birmingham. In 1999 Confex moved its head office to Chipping Norton, and then in September 2013, to modern, more spacious offices in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

Tom Gittins & Jess Douglas joined the business in 2009 and today operate the business as Chief Executive Office and Chief Operating Officer respectively. They initiated a move of the head office to Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire following the pandemic in 2020 and are currently supported by 17 head office staff. 

• 1972 Confex if founded by Julien Loffet & Sidney Lumley with 55 wholesalers and £500m turnover.
• 1982 Confex grows to 92 wholesalers and £1bn Group turnover.
• 1989 Confex grows to 120 wholesalers and £1.2bn Group turnover.
• 1995 Confex sees significant recruitment to encompass 200 wholesalers and £1.7bn Group turnover.
• 1990 The Group diversifies into the Foodservice Category.
• 2000 First website goes live.
• 2001 Confex offices relocate to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
• 2002 Central Payment Scheme for Nestle is established.
• 2005 Member promotions and mail outs are first offered electronically.
• 2006 Central Distribution is launched.
• 2009 Tom Gittins joins as Business Development Manager to further develop the foodservice category.
• 2010 Confex runs its first Trade Show at the Welcombe hotel, Stratford-on-Avon.
• 2013 In August, Confex runs its first Member Incentive with a day at the Goodwood Races. Confex offices relocate to Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
• 2014 Jess Douglas joins as Head of Digital to advance Technology across the Group.
• 2015 First Confex Growth Incentive abroad with a 4 day trip to Villamoura, Portugal.
• 2016 Confex Group turnover hits £2bn.
• 2018 Martin Williams becomes the first Confex Chairman and the first Confex Member Board is inaugurated.
• 2020 Confex moves offices to Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire. Nicky White and James Loffet retire with Jess Douglas & Tom Gittins taking over as Confex Directors.
• 2022 Confex launches CORE own label with sales in the first year £6mm. Confex Group turnover reaches £3bn for the first time.
• 2023 Confex CORE reaches £10mm turnover, Confex Group turnover reaches £3.16bn.
• 2024 Confex Group turnover reaches £3.46bn.

L-R: Ann Smith, Sidney Lumley (Head of W.C.A.), Jean Bellis, Julien Loffet, unknown, unknown