Service 03 · Distribution & retail listings
Food distribution and retail listings.
We build the route to market for food and beverage brands in the US, UK and EU (the right distributors, brokers and retailers), then prepare the category pitch, present it and negotiate the listing.
What are distribution and retail listings?
Distribution moves the product to the store. A listing gets it onto the shelf. A brand needs both, in the right order, with a price that works at every step.
In the United States, new and growing brands usually reach grocery retailers through distributors, and many also use a retail broker to manage chain relationships and in-store execution. In the UK, grocery retailers buy either direct from the brand or through a UK importer or distributor that delivers to their depots. Across the EU the structure changes country by country. We design the route for your category and price point, then do the selling.
Which channels can a food brand use?
United States
- National distributors, for example KeHE and UNFI in natural, organic and specialty, and C&S Wholesale Grocers in conventional grocery
- Regional, specialty and import-focused distributors
- Retail brokers that manage chain accounts
- Grocery, natural, club and discount retailers
- Foodservice distributors and online channels
United Kingdom and European Union
- Grocery multiples and online grocers
- Discounters, department stores and premium independents
- Importers, distributors, wholesalers and cash-and-carry
- Specialty and world-food channels
Who needs help with distribution and listings?
- Food and beverage brands entering the US, UK or EU that need distribution and first listings.
- Brands with distribution in place that need more retail accounts or a stronger range on shelf.
- Producers whose current distributor is not growing the brand.
- Brands that want an agent to represent them to UK and European retail buyers.
What distribution and listings work covers
- Route-to-market design. Which channels to enter first, which distributor and broker types fit, and how the price structure works in each.
- Target accounts. Named distributors, brokers and retailers, with the category buyers who decide. See market intelligence & buyer outreach.
- Category pitch. A proposal built from the buyer's point of view: category trends, where your product fits, the proposed range, margin, promotional plan and launch support.
- New-vendor set-up. Vendor and new-item forms, specification sheets, price files, certificates and product data in the format each account asks for.
- Listing negotiation. Range, margin, promotional funding, listing support and delivery terms. See brokerage & negotiation.
- Launch and sell-out. Promotional calendar, sell-out reviews, re-orders and range reviews, planned from the first order.
The Functional Brands Group team has prepared category proposals and commercial models for UK grocery multiples and online grocers, and worked through new-vendor and new-item processes with US distributors and natural and specialty retailers. Union Trade is Basilur's agent for UK and European retail, presenting the range to grocery, specialty and department-store buyers. See brands we represent.
What you get from distribution and listings work
- Route-to-market map by market and channel
- Target account list with buyer roles
- Category pitch deck for each priority account
- Commercial model for each account: margin, promotions and listing support
- Completed new-vendor packs
- Promotional plan and sell-out review reports
How does a listings project run?
- Assess. Product, pricing, current distribution and supply capacity.
- Plan. Channels, accounts and the order in which to approach them.
- Prepare. Pitch, commercial model and vendor documents.
- Present. Meetings with distributors, brokers and buyers, and the follow-up.
- List. Terms are negotiated and the listing is set up.
- Review. Sell-out is tracked and the next range review is planned.
FAQ
How do food brands get into US grocery stores?
Most emerging brands go through a distributor, often with a retail broker who manages chain relationships. The retailer has to accept the item, the distributor has to agree to carry it, and the price has to work for both after their margins. We plan that sequence, prepare the new-item submission and the pitch, and present to distributors and buyers together where possible.
Do I need a food broker as well as a distributor?
Not always. A distributor stores and delivers product; a broker sells it into retailers and supports it in store. Many US brands use both, because distributors rarely sell a new brand on their own. In the UK and EU, a brand often works with an importer or distributor and presents to retail buyers directly or through an agent. We recommend the set-up that fits your category.
What do UK grocery buyers expect in a listing pitch?
A clear category argument: why the category is growing or changing, what your product adds, which shoppers it brings and why it deserves space over what is on shelf now. Buyers also expect a commercial offer covering retailer margin, promotional plan, marketing support and supply reliability. We build the pitch around those points and back every category claim with cited data.
Can you guarantee a listing?
No one can honestly guarantee a listing. Retail buyers decide on category fit, price, margin, support and timing, and range reviews follow each retailer's own calendar. What we can do is put your product in front of the right buyer at the right time, with a commercial offer that answers their questions before they ask them.