Said NBG executive chairman Allan Durning: "Our ongoing enlargement strategy goes from strength-to-strength, attracting the right calibre of merchant to the partnership, keeping the group focused on being the first independent buying group to hit the billion pound target."

NBG northern regional chairman, Donald Scott, said: "Dundee and Tayside is an area where we have been weak in the past. Rembrand makes the fit all the more beneficial for both parties. We believe this new appointment shows our objective to keep expanding responsibly."