Nisbets
{{Short description|Multinational food-service company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nisbets
| logo = Nisbets Logo.jpg
| type = Private
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1983}}
| founder = Andrew Nisbet
| location = Avonmouth, Bristol
| industry = Commercial Catering
| products = Catering equipment, Own-brand goods, Online, Mail order, Retail
| owner = {{ubl|Bunzl {{smaller|(2024–present)}}}}
| num_employees = 1,800
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.nisbets.co.uk}}
}}
File:Nisbets Headquarters, 4th Way, Avonmouth.jpg]]
File:Nisbets new warehouse, Access-18, Avonmouth.jpg]]
File:Photo of the knife display in the Nisbets London store.jpg, London]]
Nisbets is multinational distributor to the food-service sector.{{Cite web |title=Catering equipment supplier's founder cooks up plan for £500m windfall |url=https://news.sky.com/story/catering-equipment-suppliers-founder-cooks-up-plan-for-500m-windfall-12788004 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Sky News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Nisbets to officially open customer showroom in Cork |url=https://www.echolive.ie/business/arid-41157004.html |date=2023-06-08|access-date=2023-08-16 |website=echo live |language=en}} The company develops, retails and distributes commercial kitchen equipment, catering supplies and other hospitality products and services to hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, schools and colleges.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/2011767-europe%E2%80%99s-largest-catering-equipment-supplier-launches-latest-store|title=Europe’s largest catering equipment supplier Nisbets launches latest store|date=18 October 2017|work=Yorkshire|access-date=14 February 2018|language=en-GB}} Nisbets is majority owned by Bunzl.
History
Nisbets was founded by Andrew Nisbet in 1983.{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/southwest/142083-turnover-passes-200m-nisbets|title=Turnover passes £200m at Nisbets|work=Insider Media Ltd|access-date=14 February 2018|language=en-GB}} It started out selling knives, catering clothing and textbooks to catering colleges, building on the business of Nisbet’s father, Peter Nisbet, which provided catering kits to colleges in South West England.
In 1987, the company launched its first mail-order catalogue, selling products to students and trade customers.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cateringinsight.com/nisbets-founder-reveals-secrets-of-success/|title=Nisbets founder reveals secrets of success|date=8 April 2013|work=Catering Insight|access-date=14 February 2018|language=en-US}} Nisbets acquired catering wholesaler Red Ball in 1990, which was rebranded as RB Distributors, and enabled the company to start wholesaling to shops and other retailers for the first time.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cateringinsight.com/catering-for-demand/|title=Catering for demand|date=8 April 2013|work=Catering Insight|access-date=14 February 2018|language=en-US}}
By 1995, the company stocked 8,000 products for next-day delivery. The business opened its first non-UK office in 1996 in Cork, Ireland.
In 2000, Nisbets opened an office in the Netherlands, the company's first physical presence outside of the British Isles. The new office was responsible for mail-order sales of Nisbet products in Holland and Belgium.{{Cite web |title=Our Story |url=https://www.nisbets.co.uk/ourstory |access-date=14 February 2018 |website=www.nisbets.co.uk |language=en}} Nisbets opened offices in France in 2005 and Spain in 2007 with further offices in Germany, Belgium and Portugal.
In 2010, six years after relocating to new, larger premises in Avonmouth, Bristol,{{Cite web|url=http://search.wghproperty.co.uk/dynamic/pdf/47310/47310.pdf|title=Prime freehold warehouse investment|last=|first=|date=|website=WGH Property|access-date=}} the firm acquired Caterers Warehouse, an established Australian catering retailer, and Pages, a catering retail outlet on Shaftesbury Avenue, London - the company's first retail shop.{{Cite web|url=http://www.directcommercemagazine.com/UserContent/doc/12409/Lifetime%20Achievement%20Award.pdf|title=Lifetime Achievement Award: Andrew Nisbet|last=|first=|date=|website=Direct Commerce Magazine|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023830/http://www.directcommercemagazine.com/UserContent/doc/12409/Lifetime%20Achievement%20Award.pdf|archive-date=15 February 2018|url-status=dead}} Between 2010 and 2017, Nisbets opened 29 stores across the UK, focusing on major cities and towns.
In 2016, the firm acquired microwave distributor Bradshaw Microwave,{{Cite news |date=12 August 2016 |title=Nisbets buys out Bradshaw |language=en-US |work=Catering Insight |url=http://www.cateringinsight.com/nisbets-buys-out-bradshaw/ |access-date=14 February 2018}} linen manufacturer Mitre Linen and a stake in commercial fit out and restaurant furniture manufacturer Space Group.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=14 April 2016 |title=Nisbets PLC Take Stake In Space Catering |url=https://www.spacegroupuk.com/blog/nisbets-plc-take-stake-space-catering-uk-ltd/ |access-date=14 February 2018 |website=www.spacegroupuk.com |language=en-GB}} The following year, it was listed as the 58th fastest growing company in the UK.{{Cite news |title=Nisbets - Fast Track |language=en-GB |work=Fast Track |url=http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/nisbets-5/ |access-date=14 February 2018}}
In 2017, the year in which it won The Queen's Award for Enterprise{{Cite news |title=Nisbets Wins Prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise |language=en-GB |work=Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News |url=http://catererlicensee.com/nisbets-wins-prestigious-queens-award-for-enterprise/ |access-date=14 February 2018}} and claimed to have 12 retail outlets in Australia,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nisbets.com.au/stores|title=Nisbets Stores Information|website=www.nisbets.com.au|language=en|access-date=14 February 2018}} In the same year, it opened its flagship store and showroom, the National Catering Equipment Centre (NCEC), the largest of its kind in the UK.{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Insider |date=2017-09-22 |title=Catering equipment centre opens in Bristol |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/south-west/catering-equipment-centre-opens-in-bristol |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Insider Media Ltd |language=en}}
In 2022 Nisbets acquired three companies - UK Engineers, a specialist in the servicing and repair of catering equipment; Jongor Hire, a provider of temporary catering equipment and furniture and Beaumont, a renowned manufacturer & supplier of barware.{{Cite web |last=Arthur |first=Andrew |date=2022-12-02 |title=Catering equipment giant Nisbets to continue expansion overseas |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/catering-equipment-giant-nisbets-target-25651559 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Business Live |language=en}} Also in 2022, Nisbets appointed three independent non-executive directors to its Board.{{Cite web |last=Arthur |first=Andrew |date=2022-09-30 |title=Toolstation and WH Smith bosses appointed to Nisbets board |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/toolstation-wh-smith-bosses-appointed-25136265 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Business Live |language=en}}
On 26 February 2024, the Nisbet family agreed to sell an 80% stake in their catering equipment firm, Nisbets, to Bunzl for £339 million, in a deal valuing the company at over £500 million.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Holly |date=2024-02-26 |title=Nisbet family agrees £339m sale to Bunzl |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/nisbet-family-agrees-ps339m-sale-to-bunzl-b1141453.html |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}} On May 28, 2024, it was announced that Bunzl had completed its acquisition of the firm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajbell.co.uk/articles/latestnews/276477/brief-bunzl-completes-acquisition-catering-distributor-nisbets|title=IN BRIEF: Bunzl completes acquisition of catering distributor Nisbets|work=AJ Bell|date=2024-05-28|access-date=2024-06-11|language=en}}
Operations
In August 2023, Nisbets is an omnichannel, offering for customers globally, with 17 localised websites.{{Cite news |date=7 February 2018 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Online is now Nisbets’ biggest sales channel and growing the fastest - Foodservice Equipment Journal |language=en-US |work=Foodservice Equipment Journal |url=http://www.foodserviceequipmentjournal.com/online-now-nisbets-biggest-sales-channel-growing-fastest/ |access-date=21 February 2018}} The company has its main European distribution centre in Avonmouth, Bristol and Chepstow, UK, with other centres in Cork, Ireland; Auckland, New Zealand, and Campbelltown, Leppington and New South Wales, Australia.{{Cite news |date=27 March 2017 |title=Menzies Distribution signs deal with catering equipment supplier Nisbets |language=en-US |work=Motor Transport |url=http://motortransport.co.uk/blog/2017/03/27/menzies-distribution-signs-deal-with-catering-equipment-supplier-nisbets/ |access-date=21 February 2018}} Nisbets also operates two sourcing centres in India and China. There are also four fulfilment warehouses in Avonmouth.