Fero's latest webinar tackled a question every drinks brand eventually faces. How do you actually get listed in UK retail? Once you're in, how do you stay there?
Moderated by Olly Lawson, the session brought together two speakers with opposite views of the same negotiating table. Barry Dick MW, with senior experience across major FMCG wine producers and UK multiple retail, including managing global importation and UK packing for Waitrose's drinks buying team. He brings the buyer's eye view of what makes a brand retail ready. Helen Barugh has spent years leading grocery channels within distributors, selling into every major UK grocer including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op and Booths, as well as wholesalers and convenience customers. She brings the supplier side view of building and scaling a listing commercially.
Between them, the session covered seven pillars: the basics, category fit, product proposition, consumer engagement, route to market, operational and commercial readiness and finally the honest pros and cons of retail as a channel.
