The FMCG partnership model: business development and tangible benefits for both parties
Brand Distribution Group, has been successful in the global distribution market for the last 30 years. The Polish company is an international importer and distributor of FMCG products. It supplies partners with renowned and popular brands. However, it is its ability to discover unique assortments in remote corners of the world that clearly sets it apart from other distribution companies.
Understanding consumers is the key to building an offer that accurately meets the needs of a particular market. The distributor constantly monitors buyer behaviour and current market trends. Every year, it participates in the most important trade fairs, such as Anuga in Cologne, SIAL in Paris, Gulfood in Dubai, Foodex in Tokyo, and the Fancy Food Show in New York. This gives the company an insight into the dynamic market situation.
The analysis covers key product categories, both in Poland and internationally. Consumer expectations, point-of-sale behaviour, financial capabilities, and sensitivity to marketing activities are taken into account. With this unique, continuously updated knowledge, Brand Distribution skilfully translates it into an offer optimally suited to the market – which often is unique and very demanding.
The company is quick to spot trends that overlap across different regions of the world. Its sensitivity, and its ability to keep its finger on the pulse, allows it to offer contractors products that are yet to become popular. This, in turn, enables them to be the first one who markets such goods. In this way, Brand Distribution Group helps to build a competitive advantage for the businesses working with the organisation.
A wealth of products from around the world under one roof
The company currently offers tens of thousands of products from all over the world and is constantly looking for new ones. This task is carried out by a 200-strong team of specialists, speaking 16 languages, employed in branches located in Europe, Asia and the USA. The company operates in 100 markets and supplies products from all over the world. In virtually every country, the distributor has established contacts and, if this is not the case, it can build them quickly and efficiently.
The Brand Distribution Group’s product range includes brands in exclusive distribution for specific markets (including Huggies, Kotex, Dalli, Dash, Ambi Pur, Ariel, Dreft, Itsu, Vitamizu, Triumf and Voll), as well as world-renowned A-brands in both the food and non-food categories, and products from the rapidly growing pet accessories and food segment. This is a major convenience for business partners, who can complete even the most complex order in one place.
Where others end, Brand Distribution Group begins
Wiktor Sawosz built the business by starting out by selling sweets. “I will never forget the shelves in our warehouse, which literally exploded with a fever of colours. A nice change after years of ubiquitous greyness. Then we expanded the range to include cleaning products. Then cosmetics,” he recalls. The founder of the Brand Distribution Group understood that providing the market with interesting novelties – products different from what consumers had been used to for many years – gave him great satisfaction. It is the driving force behind the business. This feeling has survived and accompanies the company and its employees to this day.
The owner’s mindset has naturally turned out to be the company’s differentiator, which is the ability to discover unique assortments in remote corners of the world. To maintain a competitive edge, the distributor invites people with the so-called “explorer gene” into its ranks, those who will not stop until they have found the products that meet the customer’s needs in a particular market. This is why the offer of the distributor is always full of novelties and products not commonly known, such as Chupa Chups drinks, Prime Hydration drinks, San Pellegrino flavoured waters, unusual flavours of popular brands, such as Fanta or Coca Cola, as well as Takis, Celsius and Chipoys products. American sweets, ITSU ready meals, and unique cosmetics generate huge demand among the distributor’s business customers.
This year, Brand Distribution is making its offer more attractive and expands into the alcohol category. It is analysing how markets and consumption are changing. For this purpose, it has attracted producers and suppliers from different regions of the world.
The company’s strategy for the next year is to strengthen its presence in the UK, Spain, Italy, China, and India in order to offer further new and surprising product categories. “We have been maintaining a good growth rate for several years now and we want to fully exploit our commercial potential,” comments Armen Papazjan, Vice President and CEO of Brand Distribution. “We are an increasingly flexible company that responds extremely quickly not only to dynamic changes in the global economy, but also to changing consumer needs and consumption styles. We are extremely proud of this ability. For us, strengthening our presence in a particular market means being able to better identify needs, to diversify our offer, and to provide services to specific local expectations. It is also an opportunity to deepen relationships with our partners, based on trust and common interests to benefit both parties.”
Exceeding expected benefits
The company operates globally and is therefore able to source the expected products at an attractive price in markets that offer the same product at a lower cost. Volume is also important. The more a distributor buys, the more attractive the price it can offer. Price plays an extremely important role, especially today, when it is becoming a major factor affecting purchasing decisions of consumers.
Moreover, Brand Distribution Group offers a whole set of support services that are essential in the FMCG business: product marketing, customs documentation, logistics, or after-sales service. By taking advantage of the full service in one place, customers can significantly reduce transaction costs and save time, thus being able to focus on other key aspects of their business development.
Built on values
As a family-owned company, Brand Distribution Group is focused on long-term operations. It is much more concerned with maintaining quality, a higher level of credibility, and building long-term business relationships. This model worked well during the pandemic. It works in the current political and economic situation in Eastern Europe. “It is very important for us that our partners feel that we are on the same team, that our values, as well as the team definition go well beyond the internal structures of the organisation. Reid Hoffman said: ‘No matter how brilliant your thinking or strategy is, if you play solo, you will always lose to the team.’ I agree with him 100%. Hence our presence at this year’s Anuga. We want to show current and prospective clients that they can gain even more business by working with us and by taking advantage of the opportunities we have to offer,” Armen Papazjan adds.
Trust the experienced.
Aim higher
This year marks the company’s 30th anniversary and is in many ways a milestone year for the company. Brand Distribution is investing in more trade destinations and the offer is constantly being expanded based on the organisation’s unique knowledge of the needs of markets and customers. The company is refining its processes to be even more flexible in its operations. This is required in the current global situation and, consequently, expected by business partners. Brand Distribution has had a reorganisation process that has improved operational efficiency in a short period of time. The structure of the sales departments has been reorganised, the model for working with customers has been amended, and order picking and shipment times have been significantly reduced. We did not have to wait long for the results of the strategic changes. The company has recently seen a significant increase in sales by opening cooperation with new key customers, which is confirmation of the right direction of the organisation’s development and of a thorough understanding of the needs of business partners. “I am convinced that new clients will appreciate our way of working, which is focused on business development and tangible benefits for both parties,” Wiktor Sawosz concludes.
Wiktor Sawosz, Founder and President of the Management and Armen Papazjan, Vice President