Hancocks, the UK’s leading sweets and chocolates wholesaler, has joined the Today’s Group.

With a turnover of more than £130m, Hancocks specialises in the wholesale of confectionery to independent retailers and other businesses, and has more than 5,000 branded and own label products in each of its 20 sites, stretching from Dundee to Portsmouth.

Hancocks executive chairman Mark Watson said: “It was a big decision for us to join a buying group after operating independently for 54 years, however, in Today’s Group we feel we have found a perfect partner to work with in the future to help the whole group benefit from the substantial buying power it will now have.

“The team at Today’s Group are like minded individuals to my team and we look forward to working much closer with the team and the group’s existing wholesaler members.”

In addition to the Cash and Carry business, Hancocks also own a rapidly growing online wholesale business, together with the World of Sweets distribution business.

John Schofield, acting managing director of Today’s Wholesale Services, said: “We welcome Hancocks to the Today’s family. Our buying group was founded by like-minded independent entrepreneurial businesses joining together for the benefit of all. In the current market where consolidation is a fact of life, the benefits of being part of a larger group and leveraging the scale while still being able to deliver the unique proposition and passion that drives independent businesses is more important than ever.”