What wholesale margins should I expect to offer in the soft drinks industry, and how do they vary by customer type?

Soft drinks wholesaler margins typically range from **10% to 30%**, depending heavily on customer size and negotiating power.

- **Large group/national customers**: Expect margins as low as **10–15%** on open-book pricing arrangements. These high-volume buyers have significant leverage. - **Independents and smaller retailers**: List price margins can reach **25–30%**, occasionally higher. - **Mid-range/standard wholesale**: **15–25%** is the typical baseline for general wholesale relationships. - **Partnership/deal-based arrangements**: When working collaboratively on specific deals, margins may compress to **10–15%**.

The wide range reflects that wholesalers negotiate individually based on volume commitments and customer tier—there is no fixed industry standard. Larger customers with volume leverage consistently achieve lower margins, while smaller independents pay higher wholesale prices.