Building your business with distributors

Maggiore’s !Sales & Marketing!

Building your Business Effectively Through Distributors

John Maggiore Maggiore’s Sales & Marketing

Contact: 781-233-5528 [email protected]

Presenter

*  Role of the distributor *  How to decide if you should sell through a distributor *  What distributors look for in taking on new lines *  What information should be included in a distributor presentation *  Distributor marketing programs *  Pricing and margins *  Brief overview of representative distributors in natural and specialty *  Minimizing surprise deductions *  Q&A

Agenda

*  Distributors buy products from suppliers and resell and deliver them to retailers.

*  They usually provide marketing and sales services *  They buy pallets and truckloads and break them into smaller shipments to

retailers. *  They often cut cases and sell half-cases or even single units depending

on the category *  They can provide a variety of services to the retailer ranging from setting

sections, order taking, packing out on the shelf, merchandising programs, sales analysis and flyers to store set up and point of sale systems

*  For the supplier, consolidates shipping and receivables to fewer parties than selling direct to retailers.

Role of the Distributor

*  Guiding principal – make product available how your retail customer wants to buy it.

*  Who are your target retailer’s principal distributor suppliers?

*  Does your product lend itself to direct shipping (weight, perishability, pack-size, etc.?)

*  Does your pricing and margin structure have room for a distributor margin?

*  Can you efficiently scale up your business by going direct?

How to decide if you should sell through a distributor?

*  Understand that some distributors want you to sell only to them but what they don’t tell you is that they don’t service every customer in their market, thus if you don’t sell to others you will not be able to get into some retailers.

*  Know the territory and classes of trade that each of your distributors handle. Some distributors are regional, some national and some are region specific (i.e. NYC)

*  There is no correct answer to this question, all distributors have their strengths and weaknesses you need to understand these and adapt accordingly.

How many distributors do we need?


Pricing and Margins Review So we are all on the same page

*  “Gross margin” is the difference between the costs related to manufacturing the product and the net price at which you sell product to your customers

Gross Margin Defined

What is the difference between “margin” and “mark-up” in terms of defining wholesales or retail pricing?

Retail Margin = selling price - cost selling price Retailer Mark-up = selling price - cost cost In most all cases distributors work on margin not mark-up!

Er…Margin or Markup?

Margin: With a product costing $2.00 and selling for $3.00 ($3.00 - $2.00)/ $3.00 = 33.3% margin Markup: With a product costing $2.00 and selling for $3.00 ($3.00 - $2.00)/ $2.00 = 50% mark-up So in this example if you thought a distributor was marking up your

product 33.3% your belief would be that the price to the retailer would be $2.666 ($2.00 * 1.333%) but in fact they would be charging the retailer $3.00

Example


Keep in Mind Distributors Make Money 3 ways

*  Selling price based on “landed cost” into distributor

*  “List” price in catalog based on a 25% - 30% distributor gross margin

*  Many customers on some kind of volume discount

*  Whole Foods “cost plus”

*  Supermarkets range depending on services offered

Distributor Margins and Selling Prices

*  Catalog/Price Book: . Product name, unit size, distributor code, wholesale and Suggested Retail Pricing (S.R.P.) are included in these listings. Catalogs are usually updated quarterly and are a good advertising vehicle for introducing your products to the retailer community

*  Newsletter/Monthly Specials Bulletin: A listing of new products and monthly specials. Usually printed monthly, insertion of product selling information during the same month that a product is on sale is a great way for your product to get retailer exposure and give an incentive to purchase … a strong one-two punch. Be in contact with the advertising department six to eight weeks before the promotion begins to request that the ad appears adjacent to the product description and/or promotional announcement.

Marketing Programs

*  Consumer Flyer: Distributors will solicit high volume, well-distributed products for participation in these monthly programs. Distributors usually request larger-than-normal discounts for these programs.

*  Case-Stack programs: A program available to manufacturers of shelf-stable products is the “case-stack” program. These deals are listed in distributor catalogs and monthly newsletter/specials bulletins. As the name implies, retailers can get increasing discounts by purchasing larger quantities of product

Marketing Programs

*  Promotional programs

*  Incentive Programs

*  Exclusivity Program

*  Distributor Book Line & Ad Promotions

*  Shipper allowances

*  SPIFS

Distributor Programs

*  Off Invoice

*  Bill-back

*  Manufacturer Charge Back (MCB)

*  Case Stack Deals

*  Scan Down

*  Hip Pocket Deal

*  Coupons

*  Incentive Programs

Types of Promotional Discounts

*  Create opportunities for consumers to buy your product

*  Create incentive for the retailer to feature your product

*  Drive Volume

*  Capitalize on high usage occasions, and promote sales during weaker periods

*  Maximize retail placement through distributors

Objectives

•  Supplier In-Site Information Sharing Program

•  MVP Program

•  Supplement Celebration Sale

•  Healthy Clippings

•  Truck Advertising

•  Customized Marketing Program

•  UNF Tabletop Shows

Information Sharing Program and National Marketing Opportunities

*  Ingredients

*  Consumer and retailer demand

*  Pricing and promotional strategy

*  Overall uniqueness and appeal of the product

What a buyer looks for in a new item…

*  What kind of promotional support is being offered? *  What are the frequency and depth of the promotions? *  What is the manufacturer’s plan to tell the consumer about the

product? (demos, advertising, public relation campaigns, etc.) *  Has the manufacturer put a lot of thought into their strategy, and are

they supporting our efforts by participating in our programs? *  Product presented in an attractive and concise way *  Sales effort – both direct and use of brokers *  How much existing distribution is there with our customers

Be prepared to answer:

*  Media Research – Is there compelling information that has already been provided to the public with regard to important health benefits that an ingredient or product will provide to better one’s lifestyle?

*  Shelf life – Are spoils likely to be a problem? Will the vendor stand behind and guarantee any losses?

*  Payment terms – Are we offered discounts for prompt payment? Extended Terms, Distributor requirements

*  Frequency of delivery – What are service levels like, what are lead times, minimum order quantities, pick-up points, and how will the ease of receiving be?

*  Pick-up location – Is it logistically sensible for costs? *  Exclusivity – Is there an advantage to our picking up a new item

before our competition? Is there an opportunity to fill the pipeline and secure initial market share?

*  Category management – New products should always open the opportunity to review a category and weed out the dull, slower volume items, paving the way for new and innovative selections

Be prepared to answer:

Overall similar to standard food distributors *  Set up fees *  Payment Terms *  Sample product *  Intro deals *  Ad programs *  Forward buying *  Participation in distributor shows *  Deductions *  MCB’s – remember they come back at Dist wholesale *  Free fills *  Case stacks, EDV’s, hip pocket deals *  Spoils/returns *  Unauthorized *  Double dipping *  errors

Issues/Costs of Doing Business

*  MCB “audit” – recover unauthorized deductions *  MCB report as data source *  Working with sales force *  Inside sales meetings *  Outside sales meetings *  Spiffs *  Ride with’s *  Send samples, info *  Respond to special requests

*  Key vendor programs *  Growth programs

Upsides

Policies regarding Payment Terms for new vendors has changed dramatically in the past few years before you ship a distributor be sure you know there policies.

-  Many distributors are asking for Terms of 2% 30 Days; Net 60 Days

-  Some distributors will not pay for there first order until they receive their second (or even third order) even if this is 120 days later.

-  Some distributors will take an early payment discount even well after the time period has expired and claim they’ve done so because the invoice submitted was know done according to their requirements or pieces were missing, and thus delayed the processing time.

Payment Terms

* What does a natural distributor typically expect from a new vendor? *  Some level of existing distribution to turn over and/or written

requests by key customers *  Support for their marketing programs *  Promotional programs *  Terms (2%10, net 30) and extended for initial ship *  Intro deal (15% off for 60 days) *  Ongoing sales effort

Summary


Key Distributor Overview

*  United Natural Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: UNFI) is the largest wholesale distributor to the natural and organic industry in the United States. Carrying more than 40,000 SKUs, the Company supplies to over 17,000 customers nationwide and serves a wide variety of retail formats, including supernatural chains, independent natural products retailers, conventional supermarkets and food service customers.

*  $4.0B in sales *  Primary supplier to Whole Foods, many

supermarkets *  In 2008 purchased Millbrook Distribution

Services (renamed it UNFI SDS) and so they are now in the Specialty business as well

Classes of Trade (Natural Food Division) *  Supernaturals (32%) –Whole Foods

Market, Inc., the only national natural product supermarket chain

*  Independents (43%) -Range from “mom and pop”to regional chains. Examples include Earth Fare, Mrs. Greens, Westerly Health and Fairway Markets

*  SuperMarkets (20%) -Includes conventional supermarkets, mass merchandisers, club stores, and convenience stores such as Wegman’s, Stop & Shop and Hannaford

*  Food service (3%) -Includes Sodexho, Aramark, Med Assets and the Compass Group

*  Other (2%) –International and non-distribution divisions

UNFI

*  KeHE Food Distributors is a leading U.S. distributor of natural and specialty food products that fit the lifestyle of today's consumer. They distribute more than 40,000 products - including natural and organic, international, specialty, perishable, Kosher, and Latin American food items - to more than 15,000 retail outlets in 49 states, Mexico and the Caribbean.

*  On-Trend Category Expertise—Ethnic/International, Natural & Organic, Deli/Dairy & Perishable, Kosher, Gourmet & Specialty, Data Driven

*  9 Distribution Center Nationally *  Key Customers – SuperValu (Nationally), Meijer, Target *  Programs *  Shows – Annually every July in Chicago, every January (different location

each year) *  Kehe Tabletop Shows – held throughout the year in each market

KeHE Foods

*  Purchased by Kehe in 2010 now called Tree of Life a KeHE Company

*  Tree of Life was a leading marketer and distributor of natural, organic, gourmet, specialty, and multicultural food products to supermarket chains, independent grocers, natural/health food stores, and specialty/ethnic stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

*  Kehe has done a great job of folding in the supermarket business into their model and has left the Natural Food business under the Tree of Life banner. They run separate promotional programs at Tree of Life which only their “Natural” class of trade can partake in.

*  Tree of Life has three distribution centers in Canada. Product ships from

KeHE, though certain warehouses are still referred to as TOL warehouses, since they were initially a TOL warehouse.

Tree of Life

*  Haddon House Food Products is a leading wholesale grocery distributor that specializes in ethnic food, gourmet ingredients, and organic products. It supplies more than 15,000 items covering more than 1,000 brands, including such in-house brands as Asian Gourmet, Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Seasonings, Medford Farms, and Twin Tree Gardens. Haddon House serves specialty food retailers and other retail grocers nationwide.

*  Distribution centers: New Jersey, North Carolina

*  Sales $138M

*  Key Customers: A&P, Fresh Market, Harris Teeter

Haddon House

*  Serves natural food stores in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

*  Ocean-going container ships serve Nature’s Best’s customers in Hawaii, Alaska, and Asia.

*  Our Product Categories include a full selection of Certified Organic and Natural Lines in Grocery, Refrigerated, Frozen, Bulk, Supplements, Personal Care, Herbs, Medicinal, and Pet Products Sales & Retail Marketing Support:

*  Consumer driven promotional programs *  Merchandising Tools *  Field Sales Consultants *  Retail Service Merchandisers *  Category Management Assistance

Nature’s Best

Small to Medium Sized Regional Distributors

DISTRIBUTOR NAME REGION ADDRESS CITY STATE Zip PHONE NUMBERCONTACT NAMEAll Star Distributing MW 5425 #108 Perry Drive Waterford MI 48329 248-618-7746Associated Buyers NE P.O. Box 399, 5 Commerce Way Barrington NH 3825 603-664-2424 Karta Owens - ownerAvenue Gourmet Mid Atl 11445 Cronridge Drive, Suite Q Owings Mills MD 21117 410-902-5701 Patricia Lobel & Lee CohenAzure Standard San Antonio TXBear Creek Fine Foods NW-N.CA 14660 NE N Woodinville Way - Box 1836 Woodinville WA 98072 888-912-7335 Sharon & Mike ChittickChex Finer Foods NE 39 F.R. McKay Drive Attleboro MA 2703 508-226-0660 Jeremy IsenbergGarden Spot Distributors NE/Mid.Atl 438 White Oak Road New Holland PA 1755-9778 800-829-5100 John Clough - PresidentGlobal Specialty Foods SE 5305 Peachtree Industrial Blvd./Dock H Ste.1Chamblee GA 30341 770-399-0414 John Magnuson, Founder CEOGourmet Merchants S. CA 16511 S. Main St. Gardena CA 90248 310-808-0960 Bob ChavelleJerusalem MI 6470 Miller Road Dearborn MI 48126 313-846-1701Kehe Foods MW 800 N Schmidt Rd. Romeoville IL 60446 815-886-3700 Chris BucklerMcMahon's Farm NE NY 305 Jackson Road Hopewell Junction NY 12533 845-227-0120 Tom & Colette McMahonMidland Foods OH 4540 Commerce Ave. Cleveland OH 44103 800-853-4460 David GellinNatural Farms Wisconsin 2077 S. Stoughton Rd. Madison WI 53716 608-663-1060 Jeff BarnhartNature's Best CA, SW, NW 105 S. Puente Street Brea CA 92821 800-765-3141 Russell ParkerNeshaminy Valley NE/Mid Atl. 5 Louise Drive Ivyland PA 18974-1525 215-443-5545 Phil MargolisRegional Access, Inc. Upstate NY? 125 Gayuga St. Trumansburg NY 14886 607-319-5150 Gary Redmond, PresidentReinhart Food Service WI 1500 St. James Street La Crosse WI 54602 800-827-4010Renaissance Specialty Fds N. CA 310 S. Maple Ave. So. San Francisco CA 94080 650-873-5400 Glenn Seymour, PresidentRock Island Foods N. CA 38 Hamilton Drive Ignacio CA 94949 415-883-2375 Peter MelloSoderholm Wholesale Fds WI 1100 Wilburn Road Sun Prairie WI 53590 608-834-9850 Dave GuelzowSteiner Foods NE 510 North Avenue New Rochelle NY 10801 914-235-2300 Peteer SteinerTrudeau Distributors MN 25 West Cliff Road, Suite 115 Burnsville MN 55337 952-882-8295 Mike ReineckUnique Food Atlanta GAWythe-Will VA 3612 La Grange Parkway Toano VA 23168 7575665360 David Mastricola, Dir. Sales


Handling Deductions Based on the NASFT’s White Paper on Deductions

*  INVOICE DEDUCTIONS (also called chargebacks): The difference between a supplier’s invoice amount and the payment remitted by a distributor.

*  Typical examples: *  Slotting/free goods *  Unsaleables *  Advertising *  TPR’s *  Scan downs and their admin fees *  Demos *  Cut case charges *  Damaged cases and short shipment

*  Deductions happen…we want to minimize unauthorized deductions *  Huge amount of time, effort, money devoted to clearing these up – makes

sales process highly inefficient

What are we talking about?

*  Clarity about the sale terms is paramount and may be the single best piece of advice for minimizing deductions.

Key

*  Be realistic and think through the costs that will be necessary to support sales in each class of trade in which you compete.

*  Understand the customer’s sales policies and clarify your own.

*  Make it clear that you are top of these and mill be closely monitoring them

Steps

*  Make sure broker understands your policies and is clear on what they can commit to on your behalf.

*  All commitments must be documented (as in the SEA form described earlier.)

Steps

*  Understand common trade spending and likely deductions for each class of trade before you begin.

*  Your leverage: *  Consumer demand *  Saying “no” *  Stop shipping

Do your homework!

1. During the initial sale, ask for the distributor’s written policies. 2. Have your own standard procedures policy. 3. Determine together what is negotiable, what the retailer requires, and

what may be systemic for that distributor. 4. Do not leave the meeting without clarity of the terms of sale, particularly

the: • pricing list • delivery and shipping policy • the specific number of store placements versus store authorizations.

5. State in your policy what your broker is authorized to determine and that all promotional agreements or offers must be documented.

5 steps towards minimizing surprise deductions

1.  Build your brand.

2.  Research the retail segment.

3.  Talk to your peers.

Before Entering the Distribution Network:

• Miscommunication – make sure broker is clear on policies, also “zealousness to make sale, weak on details” • Human Error • Inadequate Order Management – not rotating, ordering too much • Orders on Promotional Allowance • Delayed Chargebacks – makes it difficult to track • Post-Audit Claims • Transitional Charges – buying out the line you are replacing • Over Shipping for Promotions • Delivery/Shipping Discrepancies (you are in the system at FOB and buyer asks

you to ship product) • Payment Terms • Distributor Fees or Administrative Charges – warehouse set up fees, ‘C&S

crossroads” • “Creative” Deductions – if excessive, ultimately do you stay or walk • Unsubstantiated Deductions – says it all

Causes for Unexpected Chargebacks:

1. Get documentation. 2. Have a tracking system in place. 3. Be vigilant. 4. Highly “perishable” – try to resolve quickly, older they are, more difficult to

recover 5. Ideally have one person dedicated to managing this (preferably in

accounting) 6. Sales should get involved especially if good relationship with buyer, but be

wary of time sink and developing unwarranted adversarial relationship with customer

Disputing and Reimbursement

*  Spoilage allowance *  Flat rate programs such as “C&S Crossroads’ *  One national supplier instituted an innovative program that has

helped the company avoid unauthorized deductions. Two years ago, it established a Funding Fee program under which it will annually pay each of its distributors 5 percent of gross sales. When it receives a deduction other than those approved in its set policies, the company takes it out of that distributor’s Funding Fee. Calculations are done monthly by invoice, so a distributor knows when a charge has been posted against his fee.

Some alternative solutions

*  When faced with a surprise deduction, you can reject it, or note that any unauthorized deductions may result in an administrative hold being placed on the account.

*  One national supplier’s guidelines state: “Unauthorized deductions that are not repaid within seven working days will be subject to a penalty fee, administrative hold on orders, reclassification to wholesaler pricing and loss of credit terms. Penalty fees can range from $100 - $1,000 and must be paid before future shipments can be allowed to ship.”

*  Obviously so much depends on how much leverage you have

Your recourse


Training and Networking Seminar for Companies in the Natural & Specialty Industry

*  Presented by: John Maggiore and Bob Burke

*  Tuesday May 17th and Wednesday May 18th

*  Where: Hilton Garden Inn, San Mateo, California

*  Day 1 – Sales Planning, Trade Promotions, Working with Distributors, Working with Brokers and more!

*  Day 2 – Trade Spending, Navigating Whole Foods, Understanding Syndicated Data, Social Marketing and more!

*  Special Guest Speakers include Tim Sperry (former Whole Foods buyer), Matt Koch (TurnTree Solutions) and others.

*  Come for either day or both days (special discount for attending both days).

*  For more information visit www.naturalconsulting.com or e-mail John Maggiore at [email protected]

Two-Day Seminar

*  Do your homework *  Have a policy in place *  Set the tone early…you are on top of this *  Choose your fights *  Act quickly with well documented response *  Network with your peers

Summary

*  What haven’t we answered that you hoped we would cover?

*  What pressing questions do you have about your business that you would like to put out to the room?

Q & A

*  Wholesale Catalogs *  Monthly Specials Catalogs *  Foodservice Advertising *  Table Top Shows

Distributor Marketing Programs & Advertising – UNFI example

Wholesale Catalog Eastern Region

Use catalog advertising to develop brand recognition and loyalty, and to educate retailers on your products’ key selling points. *  Catalogs are the primary reference and

ordering tool for Retailers –catalogs are spiral bound with scannable barcodes.

*  Color inserts and black & white ads are positioned with your product listing and bound into the book.

*  Organized by major category, then Brand. Major categories are: Bulk, Frozen, Perishable, Grocery, Personal Care and Supplements. Tab Pages separate major categories.

*  Published 3 times per year (Jan-Apr; May- Aug; Sep-Dec).

*  6 Editions printed for the Eastern Region, corresponding to United’s Eastern Region Distribution Centers: Chesterfield/Dayville, New Oxford, Atlanta, Iowa, Greenwood, Sarasota.

*  2 Volumes printed for each publication: *  Volume 1 (Bulk/Foodservice, Frozen, Perishable,

Grocery) *  Volume 2 (Personal Care, Supplements)

For more information contact your United Natural Foods® Buyer

Monthly Specials Catalog Eastern Region

Focus Retailers’ attention on your promotions, displays and new product introductions with Monthly Specials Catalog Advertising. *  The Monthly Specials Catalog is the Retailer’s

primary source of information about monthly promotions, new products, case stack deals and displays.

*  Got a good story to tell? Contact us to propose an article. Each month we publish several articles focusing on sustainable practices, fair trade and environmental initiatives.

*  Color inserts and black & white ads are positioned within and bound into the book. Introduce new items & educate retailers about your products and promotions.

*  Contains special sections for New Products, Case Stacks, Displays and monthly specials listings for each major category.

*  Printed on environmentally friendly 100% recycled newsprint with high post consumer waste component.

*  6 Editions published monthly for the Eastern Region: Chesterfield/Dayville, New Oxford, Atlanta, Iowa, Greenwood, Sarasota.


Foodservice Advertising Eastern Region

Reach the rapidly growing and influential foodservice market with Foodservice Pricelist advertising. As consumer demand for natural and organic items increases, United is working with foodservice professionals such as Sodexho and ARAMARK to meet the growing needs of this market segment. *  Used by restaurants, cafes, convenience

stores, schools and institutions providing meals, snacks, grab-and-go, etc.

*  Published monthly. *  Flexible advertising programs help you build

brand loyalty in this growing market. *  Organized by Product Subcategory (such as

Snack Bars, Cereal, Beverages, etc.) then by Brand.

*  The monthly pricelist includes all Bulk, Frozen, Perishable and Grocery items, with monthly specials where applicable.

*  Feature educational material and/or large batch recipes to promote usage of your products.

For more information contact Valarie Rozokat at 1-603-256-3000 x42409

Table Top Shows National

Meet retailers and write orders at these cost-effective events! United’s Table Top Shows provide an opportunity for you to showcase new items, build sales, promote seasonal items and meet Retail buyers face-to-face. *  2008 Table Top Show Locations:

*  Jacksonville, FL *  Denver, CO *  Hawaii *  Ledyard, CT (Foxwoods) *  Northern California *  Chicago, IL

*  Opportunity to network with a large number of Retailers at one time.

*  Shows are cost-effective compared to larger, multi-day shows.

*  Concise Show format. *  Opportunity to generate large number of sales/

orders. *  A great way to introduce new-to-UNF products

to multiple customers.

For more information contact Len Lynch at 1-603-256-3000 x42202

Supplier of the Month National Builds brand recognition and increases sales by highlighting Suppliers as leaders in

their category. *  National, monthly program. *  Three non-competing food suppliers (grocery,

frozen and/or perishable) and four non-competing, non-food suppliers (general merchandise, personal care and/or supplements) featured each month.

*  Participation includes special promotion to Retailers and to United’s sales and marketing teams.

*  Benefits include publication of your logo and selling points on the cover of the Monthly Specials Catalog, a full-page black & white advertisement in the front of the catalog and publication of your promotions.

*  Your participation is highlighted in the News You Can Use – United’s internal publication for the sales and marketing teams.

*  Color posters are available for retailers.

For more information contact Alana J. Mahdalik at 1-860-779-2800 x32205

Truckload Deal National

Volume sales and marketing program for top selling products encourages case stacking and price point driven promotions at retail. *  National, monthly program. *  Limited to six non-competing food suppliers

(grocery, frozen and/or perishable) and four non-competing non-food suppliers (general merchandise, personal care and/or supplements) each month.

*  Full color case-stack/end-cap signage and shelf talkers are available to retailers to maximize program impact and effectiveness.

*  Benefits include publication of your logo and selling points on the cover of the Monthly Specials Catalog, a full-page black & white advertisement in the front of the catalog and publication of your promotions.

*  Your participation is highlighted in the News You Can Use – United’s internal publication for the sales and marketing teams.


*  Consumer Circular Program *  Customized Marketing Program (CMP) *  Healthy Clippings Program *  Celebration Programs *  Truck Advertising Program *  Buying Club Advertising Program *  Grocery Bag Advertising Program

Consumer Marketing & Advertising

Consumer Circulars Eastern Region The United Natural Foods® Consumer Circular Programs – the Natural Connection and Healthy Advantage – drive sales for Suppliers and Retailers, providing significant lift and visibility

to consumers. Promote your items and educate consumers through circular distribution in hundreds of retail locations throughout United’s Eastern Region. *  Regional, monthly program. *  A proven track record of driving volume sales

through to consumers! *  Exceptional market penetration with our

Independent Retailers – hundreds of participating retailers and over 1 million copies printed and distributed monthly!

*  Appealing new design features eye-catching graphics and enhanced product visibility.

*  Customized with the retailer’s store logo. *  Produced monthly with seasonal themes,

products, articles and recipes.


Customized Marketing Program (CMP) National

The CMP is an exciting web-based tool for retailers. Drawing from a library of

product images from participating suppliers, retailers can customize the Natural Connection circular and create handbills and store signage to promote products and educate consumers. *  A low cost, pay-for-performance

opportunity for Suppliers! *  A great way for Suppliers to partner with

leading independent natural product retailers for effective consumer promotions and new product launches!

*  Retailers work with your existing promotions.

*  Participating Suppliers receive valuable reports of advertising activity and list of participating Retailers.

*  Ongoing, national program.


Healthy Clippings® Coupon Book National

Coupons for a Natural Way of Life! Promote your items and build brand recognition with consumer coupons. This exciting addition to United Natural Foods® Marketing Programs has proven to be very successful for both suppliers and retailers, providing them an opportunity to promote top selling products by offering coupon-based discounts to consumers. *  National, thematic/seasonal program, 5 issues/

year – Winter (Jan-Mar); Spring (Mar-Apr); Summer (Jun-Aug); Fall (Sept-Oct); Holiday (Nov-Dec).

*  Each coupon booklet includes a maximum of 44 value-savings coupons.

*  Booklets also include product/brand education and consumer information.

*  Published on 100% recycled paper! *  Complimentary color posters and shelf talkers

are available to retailers for increased program impact.


Celebrations Program National

The Supplement and Body Care Celebration programs offer you an unique opportunity to connect with and educate consumers about your products. *  Current Editions:

*  Supplement Celebration – January & September Editions

*  Natural Body Care Celebration – May Edition

*  The Celebration booklets focus on consumer education in an attractive, educational booklet.

*  The Celebrations are a unique opportunity to provide in-depth information to help consumers understand, appreciate and adopt your products.

*  Complimentary poster and shelf talkers increase visibility and effectiveness at retail.

*  Booklets customized with store logos build loyal participation by Retailers.


Truck Advertising Program National

A billboard on wheels, a moving advertisement that can’t be missed in target markets of your choosing. According to the American Trucking Association, the average truck-based advertisement generates over 10 million impressions per year. *  Customize your campaign – select number of

trailers, target market by United distribution center and time frame.

*  Graphics by 3M – large, bold design with limited usage of copy are highly effective. The United logo will be featured on a small portion of the ad.

*  High quality color graphics, full coverage on both sides of 48-foot trailers, top quality application.

*  Made to be long lasting and great looking! 5 year limited warranty – graphics guaranteed against color fading, peeling, chipping, cracking, loss of adhesion or shrinkage.


Buying Club Advertising Program Eastern Region

Advertise directly to over 40,000 end consumers as they shop the monthly Buying Club Pricelist. Increase sales, build your brand, educate consumers and draw attention to your items through this flexible and effective program. *  Monthly, Eastern Region. *  Contains all items, listing monthly

specials as applicable. *  Flexible program lets you mix and

match ad types. *  Got a good story to tell? Contact us

to propose an article. Each month we publish several articles about our suppliers.


Grocery Bag Advertising Program National

An effective and affordable way to promote your brand and message to natural product consumers – where they shop! Promote your brand or advertise your products on these grocery bags used by independent retailers. *  Annual program with national and

regional options. *  Limited to 1 ad per product category per

bag – let it be yours! *  Over 22,500,000 bags printed annually –

low cost per impression. *  3 varieties of bags available – Grocery,

Vitamin and Product Bags. Each bag has a limited number of Advertising slots.

*  Annual contracts available – sign up and lock in your ad for an entire year!


* Retailers are waiting for your new products! *  Through the Speed to Market program you can get your new products

placed in about 70 Eastern Region A & B accounts. *  “A” accounts receive a free fill and “B” accounts get 50% off their first

case. *  These accounts have signed agreements to place the product for 3

months. *  To qualify a product must be slotted in all 6 Eastern Region DC’s and

the ingredients must be clean. *  Cost $750, plus an additional 30 day introductory discount. *  Contact your Eastern Region Buyer for additional information.

Speed to Market Program

*  Supplier In-Site (SIS) is designed for UNFI suppliers as a web based reporting tool, providing sku specific, store specific detail for UNFI’s top 500 independent retailers (the Top 500 represent 60% of independent channel sales).

*  Reports are highly actionable, specific to a supplier’s territories and sales reps.

Supplier In-Site

Building your business with distributors

Business

Transcript of Building your business with distributors