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 are the standard fees for getting a spirits brand listed at major UK retail chains like Matthew Clark and Alchemist, and what negotiation room exists?
Matthew Clark charges **£500 per SKU per depot** for listings. With approximately 11 depots in their network, a full national listing typically costs around £5,000 total per SKU—though members report this can be negotiated down significantly depending on circumstances. **Key negotiation tactics:** - **Commit to all depots at once** — committing to the full national roll-out gives you negotiating leverage to reduce or waive fees entirely - **Emphasise category need** — if you can argue the product is essential for those depots' ranges, you can push for no fee - **Use existing relationships** — members report obtaining listings "for free" when they had national account status or strong brand recognition (one member cited a Marco Pierre White listing that secured 2 SKUs across all depots with no charge) - **Contact** — Guy Dolden (Guy.dolden@hillsprospect.com) at Hills Prospect was mentioned as a useful contact **Caveats:** Fees appear to be climbing and costs can mount quickly, especially when adding stock incrementally (one member noted Alchemist listings "costing us more and more"). The £500-per-depot figure is current as of the discussion but may have shifted since. Negotiation success seems highly dependent on brand strength and whether you're approaching as a new entrant or existing account holder.
What are the typical listing fees charged by major UK spirit wholesalers, and how do they work?
Major UK wholesalers typically charge **£500 per depot** as a one-off listing fee, though this is negotiable. With approximately 9 depots across the UK network (York, Fosse, Birmingham, Orbital West, Runcorn, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Bedford/Crayford), you should expect around **£4,500–£5,000 total per SKU** to achieve widespread distribution. **Key points from community experience:** - The fee is a **one-off charge**, not annual, though negotiation success varies considerably between members - Members have paid **£5,000 per SKU** in past listings - The depot network includes approximately 9 locations: York, Fosse, Birmingham, Orbital West, Runcorn, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Bedford/Crayford - **Matthew Clarke** is noted as an alternative route for extended range listings (through Master of Malt), though listing doesn't guarantee wide availability—you may pay the fee but find the product only accessible to direct customers - **Master of Malt** has historically listed products readily but delisting for poor sales appears uncommon, even for smaller suppliers moving 20k+ per year **Caveats:** Getting listed is only half the battle; availability at individual depots can vary significantly even after you've paid the listing fee. Negotiation on fees is possible but outcomes differ between suppliers.
What are the typical hurdle rates and listing fee waiver conditions for major multiple retailers like Matthew Clark when launching new products?
Based on recent member experiences, listing fees with major UK wholesalers and retailers are increasingly non-negotiable, and hurdle rates are being enforced as firm conditions rather than negotiable terms. **Key findings from recent listings:** - **Matthew Clark** — currently enforcing non-negotiable hurdle rates and mandatory listing fees as a condition of moving forward; specific hurdle rate figures not disclosed in member discussions, but buyer Roman (Matthew Clark) stated these are firm requirements - **Listing fees are generally payable regardless of pull-through volume** — members report having to pay listing fees even with significant customer confirmations (Turtle Bay, Wetherspoons, British Airways examples cited) - **Pull-through guarantees no longer waive fees** — the traditional route of securing large customer commitments to offset or eliminate listing fees appears to have ended; members confirm fees were charged despite confirmed volume listings **Current context:** Matthew Clark has recently implemented a new ordering system, which may be affecting their operations and buyer flexibility on terms. Members report MC have faced supply constraints and system updates that could impact their negotiating position, though this appears temporary. **Caveat:** Specific hurdle rate percentages and exact fee structures were not disclosed in community discussions. Members are advised to request detailed fee schedules directly from buyers, as terms may vary by product category and supplier relationship.
What listing fees should we expect from major UK retail distributors like Matthew Clark, and should they be charged per depot or per SKU?
Matthew Clark typically charges a one-off listing fee to set up a new product, rather than recurring fees. The fee structure is negotiable. **Fee structure:** - Members report being quoted **£500 per SKU per depot**, which one member described as "punchy" (expensive) - However, another member successfully negotiated their listing fee to be **per SKU only, not per depot**—meaning you don't need to activate or pay for every distribution depot - The fee is a one-time setup cost; members report never being charged again after initial listing **Practical advice:** - Negotiate the fee structure before accepting. The per-depot model can stack costs significantly; pushing for a single per-SKU fee is viable and has been achieved by other members - Matthew Clark can be a valuable long-term customer despite upfront costs—members report being "well worth it" and having strong ongoing relationships - If you're launching multiple SKUs (e.g. a new can range), factor listing fees into your launch budget