Booker Group
Encyclopedia
Booker Group plc is the United Kingdom
's largest food wholesale
operator, offering branded and private-label goods to over 400,000 customers including independent convenience stores, grocers, pubs and restaurants. The firm is listed on the London Stock Exchange
and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
and was the former sponsor of the Booker Prize
for fiction which was established in 1968.
The Company supplies approximately 296,000 catering businesses and 72,000 independent retailers; it also operates from 172 cash and carry branches throughout the United Kingdom and operate a national delivery service.
(British Guiana
before independence in 1966), running five Booker line ships, until it was nationalized circa 1970. After six months Booker was called back to market the sugar. Booker had a long history of exploitation of sugar workers through the indentured labour system during the 19th and 20th centuries. At its peak it controlled 75% of the sugar industry in British Guiana and was so powerful that a common joke was to refer to the country as 'Booker's Guiana'. In 1952 Jock Campbell
took over the Chairmanship of the company and his Fabian
social politics transformed it dramatically into a benevolent force providing major benefits for sugar workers. Jock Campbell was also instrumental in the setting up of the Booker's Author Division, which sponsored the Booker Prize
, now sponsored by the Man Group plc
.
, via its Big Food Group vehicle. Then in 2005 Big Food Group was in turn bought by acquisitive Iceland
ic group Baugur, which split Booker and Iceland again into different companies.
In June 2007 Booker reversed into AIM
-listed wholesaler of groceries Blueheath, to form Booker Group plc.
Baugur sold all its assets in Booker Cash & Carry in June 2008 only weeks after its founder was found guilty of accounting irregularities. Baugur collapsed in February 2009 amidst the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis.
the common name Booker Prize is retained to this day.
The group also held the rights to Agatha Christie's extensive book collection until 1998 when it was sold to Chorion
who bought Bookers' 64% stake in Agatha Christie Ltd for £10million.
In 1991 the company set up a short lived co-venture between the directors of Siriol Animation to created Kalisto Ltd. to develop a show called Space Baby, which eventually became Fantastic Max
and The Little Engine That Could. Kalisto barely lasted a year before Bookers bought the rights back..
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's largest food wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
operator, offering branded and private-label goods to over 400,000 customers including independent convenience stores, grocers, pubs and restaurants. The firm is listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
FTSE 250 Index
The FTSE 250 Index is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions to and demotions from the index take place quarterly in March, June, September and December...
and was the former sponsor of the Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
for fiction which was established in 1968.
The Company supplies approximately 296,000 catering businesses and 72,000 independent retailers; it also operates from 172 cash and carry branches throughout the United Kingdom and operate a national delivery service.
History
The Company was founded by George and Richard Booker in 1835 when they bought their first ship and established the Booker Line. It diversified into the distribution of goods rather than the mere shipping of them and gradually disposed of its fleet of ships: the focus was on food wholesale distribution and by 1978 the Company had over 100 warehouses across the UK and trading as Booker, McConnell LtdSugar Operations
Among other interests, it operated the sugar industry in GuyanaGuyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
(British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
before independence in 1966), running five Booker line ships, until it was nationalized circa 1970. After six months Booker was called back to market the sugar. Booker had a long history of exploitation of sugar workers through the indentured labour system during the 19th and 20th centuries. At its peak it controlled 75% of the sugar industry in British Guiana and was so powerful that a common joke was to refer to the country as 'Booker's Guiana'. In 1952 Jock Campbell
Jock Campbell, Baron Campbell of Eskan
John "Jock" Middleton Campbell, Baron Campbell of Eskan was the Chairman of Booker Brothers, McConnell and Co in British Guiana between 1952 and 1967. He was knighted in 1957 and was created a life peer on the 14 January 1966, taking the title Baron Campbell of Eskan, of Camis Eskan in the...
took over the Chairmanship of the company and his Fabian
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
social politics transformed it dramatically into a benevolent force providing major benefits for sugar workers. Jock Campbell was also instrumental in the setting up of the Booker's Author Division, which sponsored the Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
, now sponsored by the Man Group plc
Man Group
Man Group plc is a British alternative investment management business. It provides a range of funds for institutional and private investors globally. The company manages about US$68 billion and employs around 1,700 people in 15 locations worldwide.Man’s headquarters are at Riverbank House...
.
Big Food Group
In 2000 Booker was purchased by Iceland SupermarketsIceland (supermarket)
Iceland is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Iceland's primary product lines include frozen foods, such as frozen prepared meals and frozen vegetables - hence the name of the company...
, via its Big Food Group vehicle. Then in 2005 Big Food Group was in turn bought by acquisitive Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic group Baugur, which split Booker and Iceland again into different companies.
In June 2007 Booker reversed into AIM
Alternative Investment Market
AIM is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, allowing smaller companies to float shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the main market....
-listed wholesaler of groceries Blueheath, to form Booker Group plc.
Baugur sold all its assets in Booker Cash & Carry in June 2008 only weeks after its founder was found guilty of accounting irregularities. Baugur collapsed in February 2009 amidst the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis.
Non Food operations
Booker began sponsoring the famous Prize for Fiction award in 1968 and although the award is now under different sponsorship and known as the Man Booker PrizeMan Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
the common name Booker Prize is retained to this day.
The group also held the rights to Agatha Christie's extensive book collection until 1998 when it was sold to Chorion
Chorion (company)
Chorion Limited is a major international media production company with offices in London, New York and Sydney. The company produces TV shows and feature films, and is best known for the heritage properties included in its portfolio. These include children's characters such as Paddington Bear, Peter...
who bought Bookers' 64% stake in Agatha Christie Ltd for £10million.
In 1991 the company set up a short lived co-venture between the directors of Siriol Animation to created Kalisto Ltd. to develop a show called Space Baby, which eventually became Fantastic Max
Fantastic Max
Fantastic Max is an animated cartoon series created by Kalisto Ltd. and Hanna-Barbera Productions and in association with S4C. It centres on a diaper-wearing toddler with a mohawk named Max , who has adventures in outer space with two of his toys: FX, a pull string alien doll from a planet called...
and The Little Engine That Could. Kalisto barely lasted a year before Bookers bought the rights back..