Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What steps should I take to recover money owed when a distributor enters administration?
When a distributor goes into administration, your recovery options depend heavily on whether you have retention of title clauses in your contract. **If you have retention of title:** - Contact the appointed administrator as soon as they become available and raise your retention of title claim immediately - If you have general retention of title (rather than order-specific), you have broader scope to recover goods - Technically, you may be able to collect unpaid goods from the warehouse, though in practice administrators often restrict access - Any stock sold by the distributor after administration that remains unpaid goes into your claim if you can demonstrate you retain title - Gather lot numbers and batch information for all unpaid stock now, before the administrator takes control—this makes your claim easier to substantiate - Push hard to have any retro payments or marketing fees the distributor owes you contra'd against what they owe you for stock; otherwise you may pay full marketing costs but recover only pennies on the stock that generated them **If you don't have retention of title:** - You must wait for the administration process to complete - Expect to recover only a small percentage ("pennies in the pound") as an unsecured creditor - Keep your debtor/creditor ledger clean and well-documented so administrators don't need to spend time wading through unclear records **General preparation:** - Members recommend treating insolvency risk as an ongoing indicator of distributor health; early warning signs like sudden payment delays or stock sell-throughs should prompt review of your terms and exposure - Ensure your contracts include clear retention of title language going forward
What payment terms and credit risks should I be aware of when supplying directly to specialty wine and drinks retailers?
Direct supply to specialty retailers requires careful credit management. Members have flagged significant payment delay risks with certain major retailers: - **Beerhive/BW** — Known for very slow invoice settlement; members report payment delays of 8 months or longer, with multiple complaints from the community about extended payment cycles. The key takeaway: negotiate payment terms carefully upfront and be prepared for extended credit periods with established retail chains. Members recommend treating credit risk as a serious factor in your supply agreements.
What B2B credit checking and financial risk assessment platforms do members recommend?
Members recommend **Dun & Bradstreet** as a go-to solution for B2B credit checks. This is the primary platform mentioned by the community for assessing financial risk and creditworthiness of business counterparties.