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 should we expect when pitching products to major wholesale distributors, and what strategies work best for getting listings?
Getting wholesale distributor listings requires meeting high volume forecasts and persistence through a lengthy approval process. **Key requirements and expectations:** - Major national operators now demand immediate volume commitment — distributors view stock as cash and are focused on range rationalisation post-COVID - Expect minimum forecast requirements of 3–5 cases per week per SKU or per site, even for smaller initial listings; some high-profile operators have regional autonomy and still push back on these minimums - **Specialty** is known for requesting particularly high forecasts compared to other wholesalers - The approval process is lengthy — members report 2+ weeks of back-and-forth negotiation just to secure a 3-SKU listing - Even with strong credentials (e.g., 15 sites with 5+ cases minimum per week), distributors may still resist listing **Practical tactics:** - Members recommend doing significant leg work yourself rather than relying solely on distributors' internal processes — some have enlisted their accountants to handle sign-off and final calculations - Networking within the community can help: members share useful contacts via direct message - Be prepared for a protracted negotiation; one member noted "that was tough!" and it took considerable effort to eventually secure listings **Caveats:** Members emphasise that distributor relationships are competitive and unpredictable post-COVID. If a relationship sours, rebuilding trust takes time. The landscape remains volatile — members are watching whether R&D claim structure changes will shift wholesale pricing practices.
What are the practical challenges and steps for getting a product listing with Marstons, especially after their Carlsberg merger?
Members report significant friction in securing Marstons listings, particularly since the Carlsberg merger. The core problem is a circular referral process with no clear owner. **The Marstons/CUK runaround:** Members describe being bounced between Marstons and Carlsberg UK (CUK)—Marstons directs you to CUK to handle the listing request, while CUK says Marstons needs to request the product. This creates a stalled process where neither party takes responsibility, and getting movement has proven difficult over months or years. **Local pub group angle:** One member noted that if your local pub group is tied to Marstons, you cannot get shelf space without a formal listing. Asking the pub group directly to connect you with their Marstons contact may help, but this depends on the relationship. **Contact recommendation:** Members mention **Helen at Hells Belles** as a useful contact for navigating this process, though specific details on her role were not provided in the discussion. **Caveats:** The post-Carlsberg merger appears to have made the process *worse*, not better. Multiple members have been stuck in the circular loop for "a couple of years" with no resolution. There is no clear workaround reported—persistence and a direct contact seem to be the only tactics mentioned.