How to De-Risk Your Brand for Distributors скачать в хорошем качестве

How to De-Risk Your Brand for Distributors

One of the fastest ways to lose credibility with a distributor is to ask for buy-in before showing traction. The Pathfinder has taken the opposite route. Before asking distributors to prioritize the brand, they hired people on the ground in key cities and secured 50 to 100 of the toughest on-premise accounts themselves — bars like Death & Company and restaurants like Eleven Madison Park. These are operators who “won’t take you unless they believe in the liquid.” Only after those accounts were pulling cases did they sit down with distributors and say: This is already working. That sequencing helped drive 80% YOY growth in 2025 to 20K cases and made them the No. 1 selling brand in a few major distributor portfolios in key states. When I asked Chris whether case studies alone were enough to win distributor attention, his answer was simple: “I wish we could just take that paper out and show it and it worked… But it doesn’t.” What works is proof that hard accounts are reordering. In emerging categories, distributor teams are assessing risk: Will this move? Will reps be able to place it? Will it reorder? “Just get them to taste it,” Chris said. “Pour it in a glass.” When reps see they can get a yes and make money, behavior shifts. That’s when distribution compounds. Listen to the clip for the full approach. #BusinessOfDrinks #DistributorStrategy #OnPremise #NonAlcoholic #BeverageIndustry #Growth For the latest updates, follow us: Business of Drinks: LinkedIn:   / business-of-drinks   Instagram @bizofdrinks Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. LinkedIn:   / erica-duecy-4a35844   Instagram @ericaduecy Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor. LinkedIn:   / scott-m-rosenbaum   Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor. LinkedIn:   / caroline-bork-lamb   Instagram @borkaline SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/business... If you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!