Beverage Business: Top Tips For Getting Your Drink On Store Shelves

If you’ve got a great idea for a new drink product or you have already developed one, getting it onto store shelves is imperative to make money. Stores shelves are more crowded than ever. The retail industry has consolidated into a few nationwide chains. The number of independent supermarkets is on the decline. Nevertheless, consumers are on the prowl for quality products with a compelling story. You can take advantage of this and get your new drink on retail shelves.

Focus on Branding

Your brand is what will set you apart. The beverage industry is worth nearly $1 trillion worldwide so it’s clear there is a lot of competition along with opportunity. Branding isn’t just the name of your drink, but it’s the story of your drink. It tells customers why your drink is unique. It tells the story of why your drink better and why customers should buy your drink instead of another beverage. Significant time should be spent on developing your story so that it clicks with consumers.

Research the Local Market

Visit your local stores and check out the products that they have on the shelves. Do they have a lot of local products? If you do see local products on the shelves, reach out to the makers of those products and ask them how they got onto the shelves. That may sound counterintuitive, but since they aren’t direct competitors, they might be very happy to share some of their knowledge. Make sure you visit both the chain stores and the local stores. After visiting the stores, talk with store managers to see what you can do to get on their shelves. Sometimes all you need to do is to ask. Other times you will need to share your story.

Package It Right

Packaging is extremely important for your drink. You want the packaging to be high quality. You also want it to minimize the space you need on a crowded store shelf. Quality packaging also shows that your drink company is professional. Furthermore, by packaging in-house, you can better control quality. While packaging equipment can be expensive, you can save a significant amount by finding used packaging machinery from a company like Ferguson Packaging Machinery. You’ll get the quality packaging that you need to have a top quality product.

Don’t Forget Online Selling

It’s hard to have a hit drink without retail exposure. If you can develop some retail exposure, you can also begin offering online sales that can help increase sales and profits. Many regional beverages will sell online to customers out of their local markets. Online beverage selling can also serve to open up markets in new areas. If you already are finding some success in your local area, showing online sales in other cities can provide out of town stores with a compelling reason to make your drink available to their customers.

Go to Community Events

This may sound counterintuitive but go to community events to increase awareness about your product. If people love your product, they will ask for stores to carry it. Selling the product at a good price is key to opening these doors. Consumers love to find a new product and if you have a compelling story to share, then they want to feel like they are a part of that story. A dedicated drink fan club can be grown through community events.

If you still need more tips on getting your drink onto store shelves, Entrepreneur has a slideshow of ideas on how to get your product on shelves. Once you do get on the shelves, the real work begins. You can make your drink a success. Just remember to focus on your branding, your packaging, and your sales avenues.