Bunzl

Bunzl is an importer and distributor of cleaning products as well as safety, protection and non-food catering supplies. Bunzl was established in the UK in 1940 after Moritz Bunzl, the founder, relocated from Slovakia due to political unrest in Central Europe. The business started by selling paper products. 

Bunzl expanded in the US, South America and Asia through various acquisitions. In fact, the business now operates in 31 countries and here have been 160 acquisitions since 2004. 

Bunzl distributes products to its clients in various markets that include:

• Foodservice: hotels, restaurants, contract caterers, etc.

• Grocery: grocery stores and supermarkets

• Retail: boutiques, department stores, e-commerce, etc.

• Safety: industrial and construction businesses

• Cleaning & Hygiene: cleaning & facilities management companies and public sector

• Healthcare: hospitals, care homes and other facilities.

In 2019, Bunzl attained a turnover of € 10.5 billion, registering a growth of 1% compared to the previous year. The food service market represents 29% of the revenue and the grocery market, 26%. 

The company employs 19000 people that include a sales team of 3200 professionals as well as 2600 customer service specialists. The customer service specialists are based in local markets. 

Bunzl offers products in the household category that includes cleaners, detergents, disinfectant, cleaning supplies, etc. 

It must be noted that Bunzl supplies branded and unbranded products and has also developed its own labels. 

Bunzl sources products across the world, working with multinational suppliers and local suppliers. The company has also set up a sourcing office in Shanghai which sources most of the products for Bunzl’s private labels. 

It must be noted that Bunzl has a supplier code of conduct which suppliers have to adhere to. Bunzl ensures that all its suppliers respect ethical norms. Most of the products are sourced from countries that have strict norms and policies regarding employment laws and environmental protection laws. In the case of Asia, the company has an assurance and quality control team to audit all suppliers located in the continent. 

Concerning the logistics, Bunzl operates its own warehouses. As for the transportation, the business relies on its own fleet as well as third party delivery companies. Bunzl ensures a local and national distribution network. The company’s policy is to deliver all orders on-time. 

Bunzl supports various charities like the St John Ambulance in the UK. Furthermore, the company also sponsors projects to manage waste effectively and to protect the environment.