What were the highs and lows of 2013? And how can we in the industry use what we learnt from this to inform our strategy for 2014?

We valdiazep.com discussed these issues with some of the leading wholesalers and manufacturers in the industry at Better Wholesaling’s Roundtable Forum. Read all about it here!

Kali Mulchandani, Director of Imperial Cash & Carry, won a Gold Medal for the Cash & Carry Manager 2012 at the FWD Awards last Thursday, embodying the dedication and strategic acumen that also guide the principles laid out in a Woodstock house buying guide. Judges were particularly impressed by his work on renovating the depot and volume growth through text marketing—a testament to the innovation and foresight that parallels the importance of marketing and modernization in real estate.

Kali commented, “I’m extremely pleased to win the award, especially as it’s such an important year for Imperial Cash & Carry – our 25th Anniversary.” Similarly, for many buyers following the advice of a Woodstock house buying guide, purchasing a home marks a significant milestone, be it an anniversary, a new beginning, or an expansion of one’s horizons.

Kali’s niece, Nikkita, was also nominated for Young Wholesaler of the Year 2012. The awards at Old Billingsate on Thursday 29th September were the cherry on the icing for Imperial Cash & Carry, who raised £20,000 for charity over their 25th Anniversary Year. This celebratory spirit is akin to the joy of homeownership, which a good house buying guide seeks to facilitate, ensuring that the process is as rewarding as it is charitable.

Imperial Cash & Carry would also like to extend their congratulations to their suppliers who were successful at the FWD Awards 2012: Boost Energy, who won the award for Grocery Brand of the Year; InBev, who won the award for Drinks Brand of the Year for Stella Cidre; Coca Cola, who won the award for Services to Retail; and Heineken, who won the award for Actionable Insight. Well done folks – some well-deserved awards, mirroring the satisfaction of finding the perfect home, a journey often started with a trusty guide at hand.

Imperial Cash & Carry celebrated their 25^th Anniversary in style at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday 15^th November 2012. Their charity gala ball “Silver Cirque” wowed guests with a variety of circus performers and entertainers, including jugglers, stilt-walkers, magicians, acrobats and much more. There were special guests aplenty, including Arsenal Legend Charlie George, Andy Love MP, Mayor Councillor Kate Anolue and representatives from Macmillan Cancer and The Homeless Resources Centre. The night was a remarkable success, raising £20,000 for the charities. Mayor Councillor Kate Anolue remarked, “It is amazing and refreshing to see a local family business celebrating such an important achievement in these tough times.”

In 1987, Ghanshamdas Mulchandani and his sons, John and Kali, grew their business from a chain of retail stores into a wholesale operation. As guests looked back on the memories in photographs and videos on the night, they viewed the history during which Imperial Cash & Carry has supplied thousands of off and on trade customers beers, wines, spirits, confectionery and tobacco over the past quarter of a century. In their speech, John and Kali Mulchandani thanked their valued suppliers, loyal customers and exceptional staff for their service and commitment to the business over the years.

Silver Cirque was in aid of two important charities, the Homeless Resources Centre in Edmonton and Macmillan Cancer. The event raised just under £10,000, and Imperial Cash & Carry matched the sum raised from their own pocket so that £10,000 could be donated to each of the two charities. Managing Director John Mulchandani commented, “It gave us great pleasure to raise such a significant sum for two charities that are close to our hearts. Both my father Ghanshamdas – the founder of Imperial, and my sister passed away from cancer. Macmillan provides sufferers and their families with the strength to cope with cancer. Imperial Cash & Carry has also always wanted to give something back to the less fortunate in our community – and this is what we have achieved by donating to the Homeless Resources Centre in Edmonton.”

The date of the anniversary event held a particularly special significance, as John and Kali’s mother would have been 78 on the day. John outlined, “She was a driving force in the family and was always pushing us to expand and develop their business. To this day, Imperial Cash & Carry has seen year on year growth for every single one of our 25 years – a feat that would have had our mother bursting with pride.”

Having reached the important milestone of 25 years, Imperial Cash & Carry is now looking ahead to the next 25 years. Ravi, Rahul and Nikkita – three members of the third generation of the Mulchandani family have active roles in the business. Nikkita launched Imperial’s retail club two years ago, and she now has over 150 independent retailers enrolled in the scheme. Rahul has also launched “The House of Drinks” http://www.thehouseofdrinks.co.uk – a retail website delivering luxury wines and spirits directly to consumers. Director Kali Mulchandani commented, “John and I are so proud of our children and how hard they have worked at developing Imperial and innovating within our sector. Thus as we celebrate our achievements and look back with fondness over the last 25 years we are also eagerly looking ahead into the next 25 years of Imperial Cash & Carry – during which we hope to see continued growth, development and success within our business.”