A toast to drinks business

AN Oldham drinks business is cracking open the champagne after winning a top industry award.

Wilds of Oldham has been awarded the “Best of the Best — Wholesaler of the Year” by one of the biggest brewers in the world, Anheuser-Busch.

AB Inbev offers annual “Wholesaler Excellence” awards designed to help wholesale partners to grow and improve.

And though AB Inbev distributes brands such as Stella Artois, Becks and Budweiser and deals with multi-million-pound wholesalers around the UK, it was Wilds — which employs 30 staff and has an annual turnover of around £8 million — that came out on top for overall performance and service.

Delighted Andrew Wild, who runs the firm with his brother Steven, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to be awarded AB Inbev’s Best of the Best award. We are a small company compared with a lot of the wholesalers they work with, but we make up for that with the way we operate.”

Paul Brow, of AB Inbev, said: “Andrew and the team continue to strive for excellence in everything they do and are worthy winners of this year’s award.”

The business, based on the Westwood Industrial Estate, in Arkwright Street, celebrates its 20th anniversary in May.