Getting into mainstream retail is an uphill battle no matter where a brand is in its journey, but there’s no doubt that the earlier you are, the harder it is.
So what’s a startup beverage company to do? In this panel discussion at BevNET Live Summer 2025, a group of industry leaders break down the most important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to getting products on shelf and in front of consumers in national chains, from supply chain management to marketing strategies to brand differentiation.
The panel features Couche-Tard (Circle K) VP of Merchandising for the U.S. Kurt Fraschetti, retailer broker Welcome Beverage Partnerships’ principal partner Rob Welcome, and an emerging brand founder, Slate Milk’s Manny Lubin, who tackle the dos and don’ts from multiple perspectives, and offer fair warning to brands who overextend themselves too early.
“I look at [a brand’s] team,” Welcome said of the companies he partners with. “I look at their capacity, production, warehousing, logistics – but most of it [it’s if] there’s a vibe with the team. Are they smart? Are they organized? Are they capable?”
Watch the full discussion in the video above now.