Whether it’s trail mix, walnuts, raw almonds, or roasted chestnuts, there are thousands of nut products out there on the market. If you’ve got a product that you’re sure is going to be killer in the retail space, there’s nothing better than acquiring that wholesale distribution deal.
Getting to a wholesale deal is a whole endeavour on its own, however, and if you’re a small business, it becomes even trickier. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to sell your nut product wholesale.
Focus on Ingredients
It may be obvious, but focusing on ingredients should be the most vital step in creating, producing, and selling your food product. If you’ve sourced your ingredients to ensure your product is certified organic, it’s important that you tout that characteristic when you can.
The food market is competitive and more than ever, there’s a high demand for organic and GMO-free products. The nut product you have to offer, whether it’s a type of trail mix or raw batch, needs to stand out from the competition in its own unique way.
If you have a specialty product, Melissa Sontag at Repsly recommends finding a specialty distributor for wholesale:
“If you sell a specialty food item that requires unique handling or is only meant to be sold in certain locations, a specialty food distributor may be right for you. Specialty distributors have experience dealing with products similar to yours, and thus will ease your mind of any worries you may have about your product not being taken care of properly.”
Look into B2B Marketplaces
To get your product to sell wholesale, you need distribution businesses that you can reach out to. You may be able to offer your product at wholesale rates, but an external business is often the best way to go, since they handle distribution to a wide market.
To look for these businesses, check out B2B marketplaces online or in person. There are plenty of opportunities across the country or right in your area, from networking to annual conventions and trade shows. Grow your professional network to see who may be interested in your product.
The Balance Small Business highlights the importance of building your professional network:
“More experienced small business owners in your industry or niche are often the best source of information about wholesalers. However, other retailers likely will not be eager to share supplier information with competitors. Invest time in networking to build the trust and connections that will help you find the best possible wholesale suppliers for your small business.”
Contact a Food Consultant
You may have used a food consultancy for their services before, perhaps on the pre-production side of things or finding the right ingredient supplier. However, a food consultant can also help you secure a wholesale deal in more ways than one. The first being that consultants have plenty of industry connections and can get you in touch with one that will suit your product’s needs.
With this industry knowledge, a food consultant can help oversee the wholesale process from beginning to end. They can make sure the deal runs smoothly and you’re satisfied with the negotiations and costs. In the end, your product’s performance may end up on big-box retail shelves.
Check out our client case study with Luisella, and how we helped this business source the best ingredients and connected them with an international broker.
At The Greater Goods, we specialize in organic food like nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, cocoa and chocolate. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation with our expert food industry consultants and food brokers.
Getting to a wholesale deal is a whole endeavour on its own, however, and if you’re a small business, it becomes even trickier. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to sell your nut product wholesale.