The Conglom team takes us through essential steps to keeping a lid on costs, in such a challenging financial environment.
BREADTH & RELIABILITY
It’s undoubtedly a challenging economic climate right now, with convenience remaining an absolute priority – but expectations are still higher than ever.
Alongside this, the food to go sector continues to show impressive resilience and momentum. As Fern Timmins, sales manager at Conglom International, explained: “Customers want quality, speed, value and sustainability delivered in one seamless experience.”
From our perspective, we’re seeing strong demand across retail, foodservice, cash & carry, catering and QSR markets. Operators are refining their ranges, strengthening brand presentation and placing greater emphasis on packaging performance and compliance. It remains a competitive space but it’s also highly active and innovative.
However, packaging is more complex than ever. Legislative changes, sustainability expectations and cost pressures, particularly with pEPR firmly in focus, have raised the bar across the industry.
At Conglom International, our differentiation comes down to breadth, reliability and service. We offer an extensive range of catering disposables, alongside hygiene and workplace consumables, enabling customers to source efficiently across multiple categories.
Operational strength is critical in today’s market. “Stock availability, compliance confidence and supply chain stability are non-negotiables in 2026,” continued Timmins.
With pEPR influencing material decisions and cost structures, customers need a supplier who understands the implications and can provide clear, commercially informed guidance. We see ourselves as a long-term partner, supporting with specification reviews, sustainable material transitions and forward planning, rather than simply supplying product.
OPTIMAL GAINS
With operators under huge financial pressure, the key is optimisation rather than compromise.
“Small specification adjustments can have a meaningful impact, particularly when factoring in pEPR-related costs,” said Timmins.
Specification reviews can identify opportunities to ensure packaging is fit for purpose without being over-engineered. Small adjustments to material weight, format or composition can have a meaningful impact.
Supplier alignment is another important consideration. Working with a distributor that can supply food packaging and hygiene and workplace consumables can simplify procurement, reduce administrative burden and strengthen commercial efficiency.
Cost control is about making informed decisions, balancing performance, compliance and margin protection in a way that supports long-term sustainability.
And in terms of the rest of 2026, it’s certainly a milestone year for Conglom International.
In autumn, we relocate to a new purpose-built, larger warehouse and office facility in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, to support continued expansion. The move will significantly increase storage capacity, enhance operational efficiencies and allow us to broaden our product offering across the sectors we serve.
“This investment reflects both our growth trajectory and long-term commitment to the market. It positions us to support customers at scale, while maintaining the service standards and responsiveness that define our business,” concluded Timmins.
It’s an exciting next chapter and one that underlines our ambition within the UK FTG and catering sectors.