As you scale your brand, really think about your channel strategy. Think about where your core customer is shopping and how you are going to get the product to the retailer. Both of these pieces need to be considered as you scale your business. Every category will need a unique strategy on where to go and how to get there. I have sold into health and wellness for five years. Grocery and frozen for at least a decade. Maybe more. Even regenerative grains into retail, bulk, and foodservice and this was before regenerative was on trend... I guess that means I am a fire starter. All of these categories will find success by partnering with different distributors or in some cases direct. I have been gifted the opportunity to work with some amazing retail partners like Kroger, Target, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods Market, Wegmans Food Markets, Thrivemarket Ltd, INFRA and National Co+op Grocers. Every retailer listed will require a different strategy to gain lift off shelf. There is no cookie cutter formula to growing. I challenge you to dive deep and partner as best you can as you grow. Get support along the way so that you can get oriented to the natural products system and begin to make decisions based on profitable growth. #strategy #sales #Ihavenevergrownabrandthesamewaytwice
Amen. Hoook that right to these veins. I handle calls all the time where we help develop a velocity strategy. I cannot say how many times I implore a brand to refuse national distribution when they don’t have the capital to keep it, or the brand awareness to sustain it. It can be an absolute death blow to scale to meet the needs of a national retailer, only to get cut six months later. Great post.
That hashtag!!! “I have never grown a brand the same way twice.” So true - part of what makes this industry so challenging and also so fun to work in.
Thank you for the sound advice. This is extremely helpful for up-and-coming brands.
Well said, Kate! Right on!!
When selling a product, you need to talk about it differently depending on who you’re speaking to. Just like you’d explain something differently to a friend, a parent, or a younger sibling, you tailor your words to match what each person or store cares about most. The way you describe your product can make a big difference in convincing someone to buy it, so it’s important to choose your words carefully based on your audience.
Great insight into going-to-market. Makes so much sense ! ! !
Valid point
This is so spot on! I tell something similar to brands that want to grow on Faire - you need to catch the attention of the buyer on Faire. Don’t copy your DTC graphics and copy and call it done. Instead, get to know that buyer deeply and come up with an angle that will make them notice you and will get them easily to a “yes!” And then infuse that angle into everything on Faire.