1. Taking drinks to market – a start up guide
Mark Hopper
June 2019

2. Agenda Drinks 2 Market Solutions – Credentials
Route to Market – Channels
15 hints & tips for brand owners
Summary:- My top 4

3. Drinks 2 Market Solutions
Over 20 years of Drinks experience across all channels inc buying, sales, innovation
Strategic help and practical implementation to ambitious, fledgling brand owners who have a fabulous idea who require guidance to realise their full potential.

4. Drinks 2 Market Solutions
Provide the complete end to end solution to take you from concept to market so you see your brand on shelf
Relationships and extensive network within the drinks industry to deliver pace and results
Last 12 months delivered distribution with retailers including, Waitrose, Morrison’s, WH Smith, SSP Travel, Bidfood, Brakes, Virgin Active, Planet Organic…to name a few

5. Route to Market:– Context & definitions
Complex, big picture & very dynamic environment…focussed on headlines
- What are the channels,
- What are the headlines / dynamics of each channel
- I’m also going to touch on how to talk to the Retailers as ‘pull’ not ‘push’ is key

6. FMCG routes to market - overview
From brand owners to end users (whether shoppers & consumers) there are 2 sources of Retailers;
Food & Grocery Retail &
Out of home
& there are 2 routes in which to supply these Retailers
Routes including;
1. Direct route to the Grocery retailers
2. A variety of wholesalers – some who supply Grocery channel, some who supply convenience channel, others who supply the Out of home channel & to keep it simple some of these wholesalers supply both channels & some are both wholesalers & Retailers – clear as mud!

7. RTM Flow - Worked example
Brand ‘X’

8. Key considerations for brand owners
15 hints & tips

9. Divided into 2 categories
Consumer & Brand
Retailer / Customer

10. 2. Focus on the consumer /shopper & ‘pull through’ – not ‘push’
1. Ensure your products, packs and formats are relevant – be prepared to pivot
2. Focus on the consumer /shopper & ‘pull through’ – not ‘push’
“I’ve got the listing with the wholesaler and we’ve sold nothing!”
“we don’t stock glass for health and safety!”

11. 4. Create a testimonial / case study
3. Phase distribution build that meets range windows & illustrate ambition
4. Create a testimonial / case study
“What’s been the impact in other retailers?”
“where do you want to be in 12 months, 3 years times?”
10. What does success look like

12. 5. Deliver an ‘omni-channel’ approach
6. Demonstrate how your brand adds value to the Retailer
“Do we sell to one channel or to everyone?”
“they said they loved the taste?”

13. “what role do you play in my fixture?”
8. Understand where you want to be merchandised
7. Know the Business you are talking to & their customers
“what role do you play in my fixture?”
“why will it work here?”

14. 9. Target your investment
10. Break the norm
9. Target your investment
“How do we stand out from the crowd?”
“Do we support ATL or BTL? We can’t afford to do both”
11. Whether big or small budgets…target where your audience is
12. Stand out from the crowd…how you present or where…

15. “We didn’t realise there were 3 links in the chain!”
11. Be prepared to invest
12. Know the margin chain
“We didn’t realise there were 3 links in the chain!”
“What margin can we expect?”

16. 13. Own the relationship with the retailer 14. Create trial, awareness
& have a business plan
“The account managers aren’t selling my brand!”
“We’re on shelf but not selling”

17. “We’ve sent out 200 emails and not had a response”
15. Phone, not –
relationships count!

18. Summary: My top 4 hints and tips

19. e: mh@drinks2market.com / www.drinks2market.com
Thank you
Complex & dynamic, I’m happy to pick up any individual questions on your specific products during the course of the day…
Thanks to Soft Drinks International for putting on the event
Thank you
e: /
Mark Hopper +44 (0)