Pick partners who understand premium on-trade

The average distributor/wholesaler has mostly access to mainstream outlets and modern trade so, there are usually a lot of aspects to be taken into consideration on the efforts that will be required to train a distributor on a “change management” journey to understand and master premium brands.

Most distributors are mainstream. It is a matter of numbers; there is nothing wrong with that. It is just that to build volume going mainstream, and it means that a lot of value gets swallowed by significant marketing investments and sales promotions. To create a brand in a premium way, it takes a long time, and it takes a distributor that has access to the top venues in a city and has the capabilities in their marketing and sales teams to be effective in their marketing spend requirements. Not always premium means better; you may end up with a big spend but little volume if the player doesn’t act effectively.