The Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund provides grants to Scottish food and drink wholesalers who have been negatively affected by the public health restrictions imposed on the hospitality and on-trade sectors to control COVID-19.

Discretionary grants will be available to food and drink wholesalers impacted by either or both of the following:

1. a) the public health restrictions imposed on hospitality and on-trade during the period from the start of January 2021 to the end of August 2021
2. b) the emergence of the Omicron variant and related public health restrictions on hospitality and the on-trade market that were introduced in December 2021 and continued in January 2022

To apply, read the guidance and criteria on the Scottish Government website carefully. Then return the completed application form, spreadsheet and other supporting documentation to foodanddrinkwholesalefund@gov.scot

Please indicate the name of your business in your email subject title.

This fund will close at 11:59pm on 13 February 2022.

Applicants who fit all of the following criteria will be eligible to apply for both or either time periods outlined in part a) and part b) of the fund.

Those eligible are food and/or drink wholesalers:

• whose business is exclusively or mainly wholesale, equating to 80% or more of business turnover (if other activities not deemed food and drink wholesale make up more than 20% of a business, they will  not  be eligible for this fund)
• who are based in Scotland
• who are classed as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as defined in the EU recommendation 2003/361 – meaning they employ fewer than 250 persons and have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million euros, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million euros
• who have seen a fall in sales of 20% or more in the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 August 2021 compared with the same period pre-pandemic (1 January 2019 to 31 August 2019), or have seen a fall of 20% or more in the period 1 December 2021 to 31 January 2022 compared with the same period pre-pandemic (1 December 2019 to 31 January 2020)
• who have experienced or are experiencing hardship, evidenced by a shortfall in their ability to cover fixed costs, as a result of the fall in sales for either or both of the time periods outlined above

Where an applicant does not meet the definition of an SME, and where funding allows, they may still be able to receive a discretionary payment if they satisfy the following conditions:

• they meet the definition of a wholesaler
• the relief relates to uncovered fixed costs (costs not covered by profits, insurance or similar sources) during the time periods outlined above
• the enterprise has shown a decline in turnover during the eligible periods of at least 30% compared to the same periods starting in 2019

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