BIG INTERVIEW
DAWOOD PERVEZ
56 ASIAN TRADER 17 OCTOBER 2025
every supermarket or discounter.
At Bestway, we’ve invested heavily in our
own label portfolio, with more than 1,300
lines across categories. Ranges like Best-one
Inspired and Honest Value allow our symbol
retailers to compete head-to-head on price
while also offering quality they can be proud
to put their name to.
In the years ahead, own label will be one
of the defining advantages of a symbol
group. It creates loyalty, delivers margin, and
builds trust between retailer and shopper.
That doesn’t mean brands won’t remain
important – they will! Even in tough times,
consumers seek out the larger brands first.
AT: Will wholesale be disintermediated?
DP: We don’t see wholesale being disinter
mediated – quite the opposite. Our role has
never been more important. Wholesalers
like Bestway bring unique value that neither
suppliers nor retailers could replicate alone:
scale, logistics expertise, credit facilities, and
the ability to service tens of thousands of
customers efficiently across the country.
What is changing is how we deliver that
value. Technology, data and digital tools are
helping us work smarter with suppliers and
retailers, from vendor-managed inventory to
real-time sales insight that improves ranging
and availability.
Far from removing wholesale from the
equation, these innovations make us an
even stronger partner in the chain.
Of course, the landscape will continue to
evolve, but the fundamentals don’t change.
Retailers need the breadth, value and service
we provide, and suppliers need the route to
market we deliver. Wholesale isn’t being
bypassed, it’s adapting, investing, and
growing to meet the needs of a fast-changing
market.
AT: What’s the next big thing in convenience
– any surprises for 2026?
DP: If the last few years have taught us
anything, it’s that convenience never stands
still. We don’t believe in crystal-ball
predictions, but there are clear trends
shaping the future. Food-to-go and “on the
move” eating will keep growing. Healthier
ranges, low/no alcohol, and functional
drinks are becoming mainstream, and
technology is making a real difference –
whether that’s AI in forecasting and stock
management, or smarter digital engage
ment with customers.
For 2026, I expect convenience to
continue to blur into foodservice. We’re
already seeing retailers becoming mini hubs
for coffee, bakery, hot food and fresh meals,
and that crossover will accelerate. Sustain
ability will also be a bigger driver: packaging,
supply chains and local sourcing will all
matter more to shoppers.
As for surprises … In convenience, the
surprise is often the pace, not the direction.
What feels like a niche today can become
mass market almost overnight. Energy
drinks, vape, and plant-based have all shown
that. The key is being agile enough to spot the
shift and scale quickly. That’s where Best
way’s strength lies, in helping independents
adapt fast and seize the opportunity.
AT: The next 50 years – what are your
personal plans and ambitions?
DP: When I became MD in 2018, we were
immediately hit with some of the most
turbulent years our sector has ever faced
– Brexit, Covid, inflation, supply chain
shocks, and an unprecedented wave of
regulation.
I’m proud of how we came through those
challenges stronger, with turnover now
around £3bn and four major acquisitions
successfully integrated. Just as important
has been building a senior leadership team
that is now the best in the market.
Looking ahead, my ambition is not to
predict the next 50 years – none of us can!
But to make sure Bestway is fit for the
future, whatever comes. That means
continuing to invest in technology, supply
chain and own-label innovation, supporting
independents to thrive in every part of the
UK, and making ESG and sustainability
central to our strategy.
From reducing emissions in our logistics
to driving energy efficiency in depots, and
from tackling food waste to widening
healthier choices in-store, we want to lead
the way in building a more sustainable
wholesale and retail sector.
The next 50 years won’t look like the last,
but Bestway will remain exactly what Sir
Anwar Pervez intended it to be: a business at
the heart of independent retail, creating
opportunity, supporting communities, and
doing business in the right way.
AT: Do you have a Diwali message for our
readers?
DP: On behalf of everyone at Bestway
Wholesale, I’d like to wish our customers,
colleagues, suppliers and their families a
very Happy Diwali.
Diwali is a time of light, hope and together
ness – values that resonate deeply with us as a
family business rooted in communities across
the UK. We are proud to support independent
retailers who serve those communities every
day, and festivals like Diwali are a reminder of
the diversity and strength that makes our
sector so special.
May this Diwali bring prosperity, good
health and happiness to you and your loved
ones.
At Bestway,
we’ve invested
heavily in our own
label portfolio,
with more than
1,300 lines across
categories