Supplying sales success

Sales, distribution and marketing agencies can add genuine value for brand owners and retailers by providing the industry expertise needed to deliver operational efficiencies and drive sales forwards.

Brand Central

14 March 2013

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The right sales and distribution agency can provide a valuable function for both brand owners and retailers alike.

One major advantage for retailers is that distributors with a large product range can provide them with consolidated mixed deliveries. This subsequently allows retailers to order exactly what they need, without incurring any waste.

While an agency can use its connections within the industry to a brand owner’s benefit, namely by bringing it to the attention of supermarket and grocery buyers, this can also prove advantageous for the retailer. Through an agency, a store can be introduced to NPD that has the research and brand credentials behind it to prove a real sales success and regenerate consumer interest within a particular category.

From a brand owner’s perspective, agencies are also much more than just effective middlemen. Instead they can provide a whole host of added-value services, including warehousing, supply chain management, credit control, category management, marketing and widespread sales coverage.

This provides smaller brands that would be unable to afford their own infrastructure on such a scale, with a cost-effective solution that can significantly grow their business. It also allows more established businesses to achieve greater penetration within a particular category.

Allegro

ALLEGRO

Proven capability to deliver

DETAILS
Allegro Ltd
Jamestown Business Park
Finglas, Dublin 11
Tel: 00 353 1 8580824
Fax: 00 353 1 8580656

KEY BRANDS
Nivea
Colgate-Palmolive
Sanex
Glade
Mr Muscle
Philips Electrical
Philips Avent
Bord na Mona
Del Monte
Douwe Egberts
Lillets
Simple
Blistex
Symprove

Allegro is one of the largest and longest established sales, marketing and distribution companies operating on the island of Ireland. The company is a full service distributor and marketing partner to the grocery, pharmacy, departmental, optical, health food, garden and leisure and petrol forecourt sectors. Allegro states its proven capability to deliver varied yet cost effective solutions to brand owners is achieved through a clear focus on the distinct needs of individual clients to accomplish quality driven results.

Allegro’s ability to forge sustainable strategic long term relationships with its clients and key service providers is critical in creating sustainable competitive advantage in both the FMCG and other sectors. The dynamic management and sales teams are performance focussed, committed and have significant expertise in representing diverse client portfolios of premium blue chip international brands.

An ongoing strategy of significant financial investment in information technology and systems development is vital to Allegro in providing a full menu based service option for all clients. Systems and processes are extremely flexible with an ability to interface with both principals and customers’ systems.

The critical mass and financial security that Allegro enjoys enables the company to offer innovative and cost effective solutions to all prospective customers regardless of the scale or nature of their request.

Why choose Allegro?
• Ireland’s premier distributor
• 77 years of outstanding sales performance and marketing support in the Irish grocery market
• State of the art distribution facility
• Expertise in all trade sectors
• A complete understanding of supply chain
• Strong relationships with buyers / key decision makers
• Ready to go call database
• Skilled experienced employees are its biggest asset, so Allegro employs the best
• Proven record of achievement throughout the organisation

Sales

SHS SALES & MARKETING

Experience and expertise to improve sales and performance

DETAILS

SHS Sales & Marketing
Unit 1
Aerodrome Business Park
Rathcoole
Co Dublin

Tel: 00353 1 457 7580
www.shs-sales.ie

Sales

KEY BRANDS

Askeys
Cricket
Deep Heat
J&J
Jordans
Juvela
Maguire & Paterson
Marigold
Orangina
Snapple
Ryvita
Savlon
Tommee Tippee
Twinings
Tyrrells
Shell International
WKD
Shloer
Bottlegreen
Cara

Sales

SHS Sales & Marketing is one of the most successful full service sales and marketing operations on the island of Ireland and has been a dominant player within the FMCG marketplace for more than 30 years.

The firm delivers total sales and marketing support for a wide portfolio of brands in the household, healthcare, grocery, soft drinks, alcohol and lubricant categories. It also manages brands owned by its parent company SHS Group, including WKD, Shloer, Bottlegreen and Cara matches.

According to managing director, David O’Neill, the company’s strengths have been in its people, relationships with key buyers, category-focused approach and flexible tailored solutions.

"We know that the FMCG sector is under greater pressure than ever. That’s why we invest time working closely with buyers and brand owners to develop bespoke insightful solutions that make brands stand out from the crowd, increase sales and deliver value for money," he says.

Tougher competition for each metre of shelf space means brand owners are being challenged to invest more to maximise product visibility and, according to O’Neill, outsourcing is proving to be a smarter option for many brand owners.

"More and more businesses are moving from a fixed cost model to a variable cost model by outsourcing their business to sales and marketing companies which have significant dedicated channel expertise that can improve performance and free up senior resources to concentrate on critical activities such as NPD.

"We give decision-makers confidence in their marketing by effectively and efficiently increasing the visibility and selection of products at the point of purchase."

A number of blue-chip companies already trust SHS Sales & Marketing with priority brands including those shown on the left.

Part of the SHS Group, SHS Sales & Marketing has access to centralised resources and a strong financial backing which streamline brand owners’ processes.

"Working capital management is critical to current business surviva,l" says O’Neill, "and we are able to provide brand owners with confidence and support through efficient order management and cash col¬lection, ensuring clients receive payment on time, every time."

With offices in Belfast and Dublin, the company covers retail multiples, wholesale, cash and carry, forecourt and convenience, independent and impulse channels.

Flanagans

FLANAGAN’S FOODS

Doing ordinary things extraordinarily well

DETAILS
Flanagan’s Foods
D3 Riverview Business Park
Nangor Road
Dublin 12
Tel: 01 450 6100
Fax: 01 408 0230

KEY BRANDS
Burton’s Biscuits
Cadbury Biscuits
Thorntons Chocolates
Holy Molys
Balconi

Sales

Donal Flanagan and Company trading as Flanagan’s Foods is an Irish family run business with over 40 years’ experience in sales and marketing covering the island of Ireland. Established in 1968, its core objective is to sell and market household names across selected sectors of the grocery trade. With a particular focus in the biscuit and confectionery category, Flanagan’s Foods strives to support and grow market positions for all of the brands it represents.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience in today’s market and trading conditions, Flanagan’s Foods has a unique position to identify and create opportunities in the retail sector for its principals.

Flanagan’s Foods takes a partnership approach for every step of the process to bring a product to market. The company is equipped with the most advanced order capture technology and up to the minute market information. Its services guarantee a rapid turnaround of orders with a well-positioned merchandising team to implement agreed marketing initiatives and strategies.

Biscuits

Representing brands from all over Europe, Flanagan’s Foods constantly strives to introduce new international brands and categories to the ever evolving Irish market.

The shortest route to market in the most economical way

Flanagan’s Foods removes cost from the supply chain by managing consignments from Europe and the UK direct to retailers in Ireland. The company uses local relationships with store managers to implement shelf and merchandising plans and execute brand plans for its principals.

Flanagan’s Foods can micro-manage the business and meet the challenges at store level to ensure its brands get excellent representation and distribution. Where necessary, the company can cross-dock manufacturers’ products through a third party distributor when required.

Michael Flanagan, managing director, says: "Over the last five years, Flanagan’s Foods has managed to take significant costs out of the business by managing our principals’ route to market. We have achieved this by moving away from the traditional Irish model of warehouse and distribution. We arrange deliveries from our principals’ factories or CDCs direct to our customers in Ireland. By taking this approach it removes considerable costs from the supply chain and the necessity to have a permanent warehousing and distribution set up in Ireland. This frees up our time and yours to concentrate on what matters most, growing your brands and market share on the Island of Ireland. Therefore, driving more efficiency through your business with less complexity and cost."

CATEGORY SOLUTIONS

Finding the best solution

DETAILS
Category Solutions and Management Ltd
Need More Space Building
Santry
Old Airport Road
Dublin 9

Tel: 086 106 2909

www.categorysolutions.ie

Pyramid

Category Management is now an integral part of a retailer and supplier’s way of working; born in the multiples, in more recent years we have seen wider channels embrace and engage.

With spend and footfall an ongoing challenge, driving increased weight of purchase and value remains an essential focus.
Through Initiatives such as shopping mission research, the consumer and shopper Journey (ECR) and macro store planning, Category Solutions has driven strong, positive growth for both suppliers and retailers.

Category Solutions prides itself on its flexibility, working and integrating into a business to drive objectives and strategies. Whether it is project based, medium to long term support; through the company’s expertise and experience, it can work to drive category and store focus and growth.

Benefits:

Team with over 15 years of experience
Account / Channel experience – Across all national accounts
Working knowledge of all information sources
Innovative Approach – New way of working and thinking
Payback – Ensuring value and business benefit is delivered

Over the past six years, Category Solutions has evolved and grown, seeking to drive value for clients. Whilst the fundamentals have remained unchanged, the company’s approach ensures a client / category specific bespoke process.

Focusing on all the key fundamentals will ensure a category / consumer and shopper delivery for your business.

GM Marketing

Taking products places

DETAILS
GM Marketing
5th Floor
Lesley House
25 Wellington Place
Belfast

Tel: 00 4428 90267080
Fax: 00 4428 90 434466

www.gmmarketing.ie

KEY BRANDS
Nestlé Cereals
Butcher’s Pet Care
Guinness Crisps and Nuts
Tilda
Typhoo

Nestle As the retail industry in Ireland continues to become more competitive and challenging, the role of the distributor has never been more important to brands. Relationships, experience, market knowledge, cost effectiveness and results are key factors considered by brand owners who are looking to outsource this responsibility.

Leading Irish sales and distribution company GM Marketing offers all of the above and much more. The company’s approach to its brands is that not only does it pride itself in ‘taking products places’, but it can also remove the complexity for them while operating as an extension of their company, tailoring services to fit their individual needs. GM Marketing offers a direct route to market and provides a total solution that includes everything from sales, order capture, distribution, promotions, marketing, market analysis, merchandising and much more. Principals can avail of all services the company offers or it can create bespoke strategies to meet their needs.

Tilda

GM Marketing managing director, Gerard McAdorey, says: ‘‘I think more and more brands are seeing the benefits of using a distributor to service the island of Ireland. They realise it’s all about the strength of your relationships, knowledge of the market place and ability to adapt to change quickly. We have been taking products places and developing brands in Ireland for years, so we know what’s required to succeed but we realise that we can’t stand still and must continue to be creative and innovative. We have made significant investment to grow the business over the last few years, primarily in people and technology to ensure we stay ahead of competitors.”

People

We have a highly skilled and experienced team in place and have just recently strengthened this with the addition of five new people including a national account manager, buyer, marketing executive and two telesales operatives. Our team has the right blend of youth and experience and have strong relationships at both head office and store level.

Typhoo

Technology

The company’s investment in technology has included adopting an all in one IT tablet solution; this has seen its reps move from their traditional paper based sales presenter and order capture process to a slick mobile technology solution. To support this, GM Marketing is also in the process of implementing a customer relationship management system and e-commerce website, which will allow customers to order online 24/7 and will help the company to improve the service it offers.

GM Marketing states it is bucking the current trend, by expanding while its competitors are downsizing. The company is committed to working with brands and growing their business, which is why it has increased its impressive brand portfolio with the addition of leading brands such as Nestlé Cereals, Butcher’s Pet Care and Guinness Crisps & Nuts and many more.

For more information on GM Marketing or if you would like them to take your products places, visit www.gmmarketing.ie or call 0044 2890 267080.

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