BWG Foods UC is an Irish wholesaler and retail grocery franchise operator. BWG is the second largest wholesaler in Ireland in terms of sales, after Musgrave Group, with sales of over €1.7 billion annually. It used to be owned by a consortium run by Leo Crawford, John O'Donnell and John Clohessy. In later years, The Spar Group (TSG) of South Africa acquired an 80% stake in BWG in 2015 for €55 million. In 2021 TSG gained full control over BWG and owns 100% thereof. The company head office is based in Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland. History In 2000, BWG purchased the Mace franchise area in Munster owned by Vantage Wholesale, merging it with its existing franchise area in Leinster. As of 2002, BWG was owned by Pernod Ricard who had acquired the business as part of Irish Distillers, but offered it for sale as it was not core to their business. BWG was sold via a management buyout financed by Electra Partners Europe for 220m euro. The current owners bought out Electra in 2006 through a vehicle called Triode, with a value of 390m euro placed on the firm. BWG bought Tolan's Foodservice based in Galway in July 2003, and renamed it "BWG Foodservice". Also in 2003, BWG sold its Bellevue cash & carry's in Edinburgh and Stirling, Scotland in October, 5 years after buying it. The Northern Ireland subsidiary J&J Haslett, which held the franchise for Mace was sold in December 2003 via a management buy out. (Musgrave Group subsequently bought J&J Haslett). The Bargain Booze off-licence chain in the United Kingdom was sold in 2004. In 2008, BWG bought Mangan Bros Ltd a wholesaler based in Ennis, County Clare. With this purchase BWG took control of Mace franchise throughout Ireland. The business consisted of 8 cash and carries in the West of Ireland, and a distribution centre in Collooney in County Sligo supplying Mace stores. BWG promptly closed the Collooney centre and integrated it into their Ballyshannon facility. Seven Cash & Carry closures follow due to location overlaps and duplication, and all sites are now branded Value Centre. As of September 2010, the company announced the closure of their warehouse in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, with the business transferring into the centre at Walkinstown, Dublin. In May 2012 BWG acquired Morris Bros of Convoy Donegal. Morris Bros operate a Distribution Centre that supply Gala stores and independent retailers in the