The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
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.