Landmark and Today's merger granted board approval
The boards of Landmark Wholesale and Today Group have unanimously agreed to merge in a proposal they will now bring to their members for approval.
The group, who will trade under the name Unitas Wholesale ltd, are on schedule to complete the transaction by November this year. The full membership vote is set to go ahead on 6 September.
Board members believe Unitas will be able to offer a leading sustainable wholesale partner for it's supplier base, arguing their merger will better serve their clients while challenging the growing trend of consolidation in wholesale.
Darren Goldney, managing director of Today's Group, said: "We believe that this consolidation is narrowing the options for suppliers and potentially threatening the future of independent businesses as multiple chains expand into the wholesale channel.
"This merger acts to ensure the sustainable and future success of our members, many of whom have a multi-generation legacy of service to independent businesses, be they convenience stores, catering outlets or many of the other businesses we serve."
The two groups will share a turnover of roughly £9bn, jumping ahead of Booker's £5.3bn. If the deal is approved, Unitas will represent more than 200 depots nationwide.
John Mills, managing director of Landmark Wholesale added: "Our focus now is to maintain the excellent job we already do for our members and their independent customers and, importantly, continue our positive relationships and momentum with our supplier partners."