Britain's M&S drops Tesco's Booker as wholesale partner

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Marks & Spencer has ended its 15-year wholesale partnership with Tesco's Booker unit, dropping it as the primary supplier of third-party branded products for its food business, the retailer said on Tuesday.

M&S said it has replaced Booker with AF Blakemore & Son Ltd, signing a "multi-year agreement" with the family owned business.

M&S predominantly sells own brand, or private label, food products but does sell a small proportion of third-party branded products - usually household names such as Lucozade, Ribena and Pepsi Max drinks and Lurpak butter.

"Blakemore will be providing an improved wholesale solution with a full seven days a week service that will increase availability for our stores and customers," Alex Freudmann, Managing Director of M&S Food, said.

The retailer said the change does not represent a move to increase third-party food brands offered at M&S, with its focus remaining on own brand food ranges.

Reuters has asked Tesco for comment.

Tesco is Britain's biggest food retailer with a market share of 28.4%, according to Kantar data.

M&S has a share of 3.7%, according to NielsenIQ data, and is Britain's second fastest growing physical food retailer after discounter Lidl.

(Reporting by James Davey, Editing by Paul Sandle)