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A catering equipment firm run by one of the richest families in the South West is opening a new base in Plymouth as it bounces back from a Covid crisis which caused hundreds of redundancies.

Nisbets, which is headquartered in Bristol, announced as it sought to slash costs due to 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� market conditions caused by the pandemic and its associated lockdown.

Dubbed an 鈥淎mazon of the cookery business鈥�, the firm mainly supplies catering equipment to restaurants, bars, hotels, cafes, and schools and colleges.

But with many of these closed for lengthy periods during the lockdown it was badly affected and its annual report said: 鈥淐ovid-19 has significantly impacted the core hospitality sector鈥� with a 鈥渟ignificant impact on the group鈥檚 customer base鈥�.

However, 鈥渃areful cash management鈥�, new arrangements with customers and suppliers, furloughing of staff, and a 拢35m loan under the Government鈥檚 Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) meant it could survive.

It made fewer than the initially expected 800 redundancies and now the company, chaired by founder Andrew Nisbet, who with his family is , is bouncing back with new openings.

After what it called 鈥渢he toughest year many can remember鈥� it said chefs, pub landlords, hospitality businesses owners and enthusiastic home chefs now have 鈥渟omething exciting to look forward to鈥� with the opening of a new-format trade counter store in Plymouth.

This will be the second such retail format, following a recent opening in Swansea, serving the hospitality sector. The Nisbets trade counter will offer a 鈥渇ast and easy鈥� order and collect system, similar to those used by retailers such as Argos and Screwfix, that ensures customers can obtain the products they need, 鈥渨henever they need them鈥�, seven days a week.

Employing six people from the Plymouth area, with a mix of skills from both the retail and hospitality sectors, the new store will serve businesses from across the South West.

Nisbets has more than 35 years of experience, a range of 30,000 products available online, and 3,500 products stocked in the trade counter in Plymouth.

Robin White, Nisbets 海角视频 managing director, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to be opening our second trade counter in Plymouth. We鈥檙e very excited about supporting the hospitality and catering trade in the local area after what has been a turbulent year for the industry.

鈥淥ur team look forward to getting to know local business owners and chef鈥檚 from around this wonderful city and supporting them with our industry leading product range and fantastic customer service.鈥�

Nisbets is British omnichannel retailer which has grown to become Europe鈥檚 largest supplier of catering equipment and supplies. Nisbets stocks over 30,000 products online, by phone and through a network of 28 physical retail stores. It now also offers more than 3,500 products available to pick up from the new format trade counters.

Headquartered in Avonmouth, Bristol, Nisbets employs more than 2,000 people worldwide and has offices in the 海角视频, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Australia.

In 2019 it made a gross profit of 拢127m on sales of 拢414m. Its annual financial statement said customer diversification, rapid new product introduction, international coverage and market-leading range allowed it to trade successfully during the pandemic.

Nisbets exports to more than 100 countries and was awarded The Queen鈥檚 Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2017. Its store network receives more than a million customer visits a year.