The SWA Delivering Growth Through Wholesale Programme (DGTW) was launched in 2021 to educate and engage with producers on the opportunities provided by the wholesale sector. Designed in conjunction with SAOS and Scotland Food & Drink, and supported by the Scottish Government, the initiative equips local Scottish producers with the insights and strategies needed to successfully navigate the landscape of the Scottish wholesale channel. Read more about how the programme, and doing business with wholesale as a result, has benefitted Loch Lost Spirits.
Pete Dignan’s interest in the Delivering Growth Through Wholesale Programme (DGTW) was piqued after an approach from the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) as he had already been planning to explore more opportunities in the wholesale channel. “I thought it was a good opportunity,” he explains. “We had some business wholesale through Huffmans, the Perth-based drinks supplier, who we still work with, but we were keen to develop new routes to market.”
Pete completed DGTW in January 2022 and has since started trading with two new wholesalers, achieved four new product listings, and increased total sales through wholesale by £10,000. “The workshop gave me insight into what wholesalers require from suppliers,” he points out. “We made good contacts which is important because there are a lot of spirit brands on the market but only a limited number of distribution routes in Scotland. We now research our wholesalers to make sure they are correct for our brands.” “We need to make a margin but so does the wholesaler and the retailer.”
“I learned what the distributor/wholesaler expects and wants from suppliers,” Pete continues. “We got an understanding of margins so we now know at what price point we should be pitching at and our product positioning in the market. Another thing we’ve learned is the importance of marketing, point of sale material, and a good bank of product images and sample packs for wholesalers to utilise.”
Download the Lost Loch Spirits- Delivering Growth Through Wholesale Case Study here.
