Pictured: Michael Holdsworth

Food service distributor Holdsworth has secured a deal to supply the retail estate of 84 pubs and bars in the McMullen brewery group.

The three-year contract is worth approximately £3.5 million a year to the company, which delivers a wide range of frozen, chilled and ambient goods to caterers.

The independent Hertfordshire-based brewer and pub operator operates in the south of England, from central London to Chelmsford in the east, to Fleet in the west and to Milton Keynes in the north.

"We are very pleased to have won the contract to supply to McMullen," said Holdsworth Chairman Michael Holdsworth. "Over the past 42 years we have grown to become a respected food service distributor in the UK as a result of our commitment to offering customers a competitive package with the best quality, value for money products and excellent service.

"We are delighted to forge a partnership with McMullen, which is a company that shares our values."

Paul Robbins, Food Development Manager at McMullen, said: "Holdsworth supports our vision whole heartedly. The team is committed and experienced, and we are very pleased to be working with them over the next three years."

Holdsworth, founded in 1969 by current Chairman Michael Holdsworth, employs 269 members of staff across seven depots in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire and Powys.

The privately-owned company, which is based in Tideswell, Derbyshire, stocks around 5,000 lines, and runs a fleet of 62 multi-temperature lorries and 12 vans which are routed electronically to ensure maximum cost efficiency by reducing unnecessary mileage and fuel consumption.

Three members of the Holdsworth family work for the business, which has grown both organically and through acquisition to reach an annual turnover of approximately £49 million for the last financial year - a 7.4% increase on the previous year.

Holdsworth's total market share of the £5.5 billion* UK delivered wholesale market is 0.9%. (*Figure provided by Horizons FS Limited)

"We endeavour to develop long-term working partnerships with both suppliers and customers and are proud to have earned our reputation within the industry," said Michael Holdsworth. "When we redesigned our corporate logo we added the line 'Your Partner in Restauration' which encompasses our willingness to work in partnership with both customers and suppliers, and recognises the importance of each other's role in the supply chain."

In recent years, Holdsworth has completed an investment of more than £1 million on a new freezer and dry goods store at its Evesham depot and taken delivery of 26 new multi-temperature lorries, with another 14 lorries and two new vans ordered for 2011. A further £1 million was invested in a new 15,000 sq ft unit in Derbyshire to cater for the company's growing range of chilled and ambient goods.

Last year the firm acquired four new businesses in Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire, including specialist catering butchers, which has greatly increased the range and diversity of products that Holdsworth offers. The company hopes that these new additions will increase supply to existing customers and also to new markets.