Which Sales Channel Is Right for My Business?

The choice of the right sales channel is crucial to your success and depends on various factors, such as your product portfolio, brand awareness, target audience in the respective market, and available resources (e.g., production capacity, logistics, marketing budget).

Potential sales channels include:

  • Grocery retail and wholesale markets
    • Further distinction: independent supermarkets (owner-operated) vs. corporate-run stores (centrally managed branches)
  • Specialty stores, gastronomy, sports & leisure facilities
  • Online shops / platforms

The largest customer reach is achieved through grocery retail chains. Whether this is the right choice for your business is something I analyze with you based on factual data.

Arrange a free and non-binding initial meeting for your sales consultation now. 

Listing – How Do I Get My Products on the Shelf?

Securing a listing in grocery retail (LEH) remains the most significant gateway to consumers, making shelf space highly desirable.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Our shelves aren’t made of rubber” before. That’s why you need the right arguments on your side.

Knowing your products and numbers is a given. But how well do you know your buyer and their decision-making criteria? Put yourself in their shoes and consider the negotiation from a different perspective.

Key Questions for Your Buyer Meeting:

  • What makes your product unique?
  • Does your target audience align with the retailer’s customers?
  • What is the product’s revenue potential (in €, the retailer’s key unit)?
  • What added value does your listing offer the retailer?

To help you prepare professionally for your next listing meeting and negotiate on equal footing, I offer you the opportunity to shift perspectives with me.

Arrange a free and non-binding initial meeting for your sales consultation now. 

Negotiations – Preparing for Annual Meetings

Collaboration with retailers is based on mutual agreements, which are formalized in contracts during annual meetings. These negotiations, usually held once a year, are crucial in determining the level of investments and, consequently, the profitability of a sales channel for the manufacturer.

Therefore, nothing should be left to chance in those negotiations. Manufacturers should also keep the following topics in mind:

  • USP of their product assortment (both for the retailer and their customers)
  • Alignment between the manufacturer’s strategy and the retailer’s strategy
  • Retailer integration in the marketing plan – Is the retailer sufficiently considered in the launch of new products?
  • Investment readiness – How much am I willing to invest?
    • Clear definition of “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves”
    • Plan B: What compromises are acceptable, and which are not?

Here too, the key to success lies in thorough preparation. Benefit from my insider knowledge to make your next negotiation even more successful.

Arrange a free and non-binding initial meeting for your sales consultation now.

Internationalization – Does My Product Fit the Target Market?

Language barriers and unfamiliar business practices should not deter you from considering international expansion.

This applies to German manufacturers looking to market their products in other European countries, as well as international manufacturers aiming to leverage the economies of scale offered by the German market.

Key Aspects to Analyze in Advance:

  • Local/regional customer needs
  • Product and packaging acceptance in the target market
  • Sales potential and competitive landscape
  • Sales channels and distribution management

Before thinking about exports, you should assess your assortment’s compatibility with the target market.

I am happy to analyze the opportunities and potential of your product range—whether abroad or in Germany—together with you.

Arrange a free and non-binding initial meeting for your sales consultation now.

STARTUPs – Hurdles to successful market entry and what you should bear in mind!

Food STARTUPs and their enthusiastic founders regularly encounter a different world when they make contact with food retailers. Accordingly, a variety of new challenges arise on the way to scaling their product portfolio, especially via the central purchasing department of a retail organisation:

How …

… does the retail trade tick?

… do I prepare myself professionally for a dialogue with a buyer?

… do I negotiate at eye level?

… do I keep successfully my products on shelf?

If you are facing these challenges, I can offer you my many years of practical experience in the form of food retail coaching. These insights will help you achieve your goals more effectively.