Our Story
A van, a driver & brothers Joe and Nick…
Smith & Brock was founded in 2016 by brothers Joe and Nick. It is a fresh fruit and vegetable, dairy, dried, and fine foods wholesale business that works with some of the finest restaurants, hotels, pubs, caterers, and schools in the country.
Having worked in the industry from a young age, Joe and Nick grew frustrated with the corporate way of looking after customers and procuring produce, leading them to start Smith & Brock with a simple purpose and philosophy: to have the best people supplying the best product with the best service at the right price to customers who value these attributes in a supplier.
They have searched far and wide to ensure they work with the best; from the Marché International de Rungis, growers from the coast of Italy, the mountains of Spain, to the Kent countryside, they work with growers who produce the best quality products and have a passion for what they do.
They also have a skilled team offering freshly prepared produce and juices. By having an in-house team, this ensures that they have absolute control over the quality and supply.
No ivory towers at Smith & Brock.
Lots of companies wax lyrical about how important people are to the business, so they won’t; they prefer to walk the walk. For Joe and Nick, it was critical to create a business and culture that attracts the best people and empowers the team to grow, develop, and flourish—a nice place to work, put simply.
If you speak to any of their team members, you will hopefully hear that the business is akin to a family. It’s a very flat structure, but they have a clear strategy and direction; everyone mucks in and is proud to do so. Here at Smith & Brock, they are incredibly proud of just how diverse the team has become.
Growing together
Since 2016, they’ve grown and are now one of the largest wholesalers in the country. The Smith & Brock family now has over 180 team members and a turnover of £30 million per year, supplying some of the best addresses in London. From Michelin-starred restaurants to award-winning hotels, they supply some of the best addresses in London, such as Waterside Inn, Raymond Blanc-Le Manoir, Tom Sellers-Restaurant Story, Clare Smyth-Core by Clare, Tom Aikens-Muse, and the Wolseley Group.
Their continued growth saw them rank 2nd in “The Grocer’s fast 50” companies to watch in 2021.
So who’s who? Nick’s wife’s maiden name was Amanda Smith’, and Joe’s wife was formerly known as Hayley Brock’. A big thank you to both of them for their constant support and, of course, free use of their maiden names!
