East N West joins b2b.store to “stay ahead’ of competition

The Wholesale Group member bolsters digital services by signing up to use ProConnect

East N West Cash & Carry Ltd has partnered with b2b.store as part of its national growth plans to double turnover and expand beyond its London base.

The East London wholesaler has made digital transformation a core pillar of its five-year expansion roadmap, investing in advanced ordering, communication and payments technology to strengthen customer engagement and scale operations across the UK.

As part of its search for a new digital partner, East N West identified b2b.store’s ProConnect platform as the perfect way to realise their ambitions, a decision Director Jateen Lakhani says is part of a long-term vision to future-proof the business.

“Our focus is simple, continuous improvement,” said Lakhani. “We want to double our turnover and increase our coverage nationwide. To achieve that, we have to evolve faster than the market and stay ahead of competitors who are investing in technology.”

With customer buying behaviour shifting rapidly, East N West has already seen approximately 50% of delivered sales move to online ordering, which is a clear signal that wholesale purchasing is becoming increasingly digital.

Recognising this shift, the company has implemented a multi-channel ordering platform, integrated WhatsApp Business communication and introduced AI-powered payment processing to streamline bank transfers and improve customer experience.

East N West are an Aptean ERP customer, so the first port of call was to ensure ProConnect was integrated with their existing technology – a task that required a migration process managed by b2b.store’s technical teams.

The business has also positioned itself to adopt emerging technologies, including automated messaging and AI-driven sales support tools, as part of its broader commitment to operational efficiency and scalable growth.

Rather than reacting to industry change, East N West is proactively building the infrastructure required to compete at a national level.

“The way customers buy from us has changed significantly,” Lakhani added. “Online ordering is no longer optional, it’s essential. While picking will always remain manual in wholesale, everything else must become more efficient, more automated and more customer focused.

“We’re not just investing in systems, we’re investing in the future of our business. The wholesale market is evolving, and we intend to lead from the front.”