JJ Foodservice : key takeaways from Unitas Wholesale conference 2026

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Source: JJ Foodservice Linkedin post post Unitas Wholesale conference in Istanbul

Great morning at the Unitas Wholesale conference in Istanbul, where our COO Kaan Hendekli joined a panel on the future of foodservice 🔮


Five takeaways from what he shared:

✔️ By 2030, just being in the game will mean you've done something right. But the wholesalers who really win will be the ones solving problems for customers, not just selling to them.

✔️ Everyday value beats short-term deals. That's why we ditched price promotions for Mix More Save More – the price comes down as the basket grows.

✔️ JJ Price Compare AI is changing how we talk to suppliers. Customers can photograph a competitor's invoice and see instantly where we're cheaper, where we're not, and where we don't stock a product at all.

✔️ The Foodservice / Retail / On-trade blur is an opportunity, not a threat.

Independent retailers are strong in ambient but struggle with frozen and chilled – exactly where JJ delivers every day. We're exploring with Unitas how to use that strength to get suppliers' products into more independent stores.

✔️ Speed and scale, not size, is the real edge. Buying power used to be the nationals' advantage – Unitas closes that gap. What's left is everything independents do better: fast decisions and closeness to the customer.


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