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.
Is it worth paying for marketing partnerships and inclusion in materials with major retail platforms like Matthew Clark?
Members' consensus is clear: **skip paid retail media partnerships and reinvest elsewhere**. Multiple members advised against it, with the reasoning that budget is better spent on direct relationship-building. - **Matthew Clark marketing rate cards** — Not recommended. Members consistently advised declining paid placement and marketing material inclusion. - **Build relationships with account managers instead** — The preferred approach. Members suggested direct investment in managing and nurturing your contacts within the distributor rather than paying for promotional placements. **Caveat:** One member has specific experience and learnings from having done this before and is willing to share details directly (DM basis). If you're seriously considering it, ask them—but the general sentiment is that the ROI doesn't justify the cost.
What are the requirements and process for getting listed with major national wholesalers like Matthew Clark?
Getting listed with national wholesalers, particularly **Matthew Clark**, has a high bar and requires significant groundwork before approaching them. **Matthew Clark listing requirements:** - **Minimum threshold**: You need to have already won business with a large national group (50+ venues minimum) before approaching them for a listing. - **Per-depot listing fees**: Expect to pay approximately £500 per depot per SKU, though this is somewhat negotiable. These fees can be prohibitive depending on how geographically spread your won business is. - **Timeline**: Minimum 6 weeks to set up once approved. - **Fifi Liddar** is the buyer to contact, typically accessed through your distributor rather than directly. - **Key requirement**: You must demonstrate you have already won the business before they'll list you—winning a tender alone is not sufficient. **Alternative route via Master of Malt:** - **Master of Malt (MoM)** operates as an "Extended Range" fulfillment partner for Matthew Clark with a much lower bar to entry. - This route is significantly quicker than direct MC listing and can help you reach MC-dependent venues. - **Note**: MoM is currently reducing their range and being more selective; some operators dislike purchasing through the extended range. - Some product categories face stock rotation issues—if your RoS (rate of sale) is weak, MoM may ask you to reapply later. **Market reality:** - Many retailers and chains will *only* purchase through Matthew Clark and won't buy direct from suppliers, even if you approach them independently. - Direct supply to a few MC venues can be a stepping stone to eventual listing, depending on regional setup (MC operates as a blend with Tennents in some areas). - Members report the process is "a bit of a mare" and the bar remains high even with regional connections.
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