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Suppliers only get one chance to make a great first impression during a buyer meeting, so preparation is key to ensuring that the meeting is a success. To help suppliers prep, I’ve assembled a list of six key questions which every supplier should be prepared to answer when meeting with buyers.

These six questions were originally identified in CatMan 2.0, a 330-page document that I co-wrote a few years ago. CatMan 2.0 was created by a blue-ribbon consortium of companies and solution providers. It was a comprehensive update of the original category management industry approach that I co-developed in the early 1990’s.

In the CatMan 2.0 chapter on space and assortment, the consortium identified the six questions retailers are likely to expect a manufacturer to answer when a brand introduces a new item and asks for shelf space. Following are are the six questions, which I’ll expand on in detail below:

Where does the new item fit in the Category Decision Tree (CDT)? How is the new item different from the competition? To which target shopper does the new item appeal? How much incremental volume will your item generate? What’s the effect of your item on category profit?  What’s your…
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Graham Firrell is a visionary entrepreneur who has carved a niche for himself in the health and wellness industry. As the founder and CEO of GoWild Australia, he has introduced the world to the Kakadu Plum (aka gubinge), a superfood native to the coastal outback of Northern and Western Australia. Under his leadership, GoWild Australia has become a global supplier of the gubinge fruit and has developed all-natural liquid extracts, whole fruit powders, and process solutions from Indigenous Australian traditions.

The ‘Koala-fications’ of the Kakadu Plum

For over 60,000 years, Indigenous Australian communities have wild-harvested and used the Kakadu Plum as a medicinal, nutritious, and tasty food source. Today, this amazing superfood is recognized not only as the world’s richest source of natural Vitamin C, but also for containing over 50 various identified nutritive compounds. GoWild Australia sources the Kakadu Plum exclusively from native communities and cooperatives across Northern and Western Australia. These communities grow and supply this special ‘super fruit’ from sustainably managed and naturally wild forests or semi-wild plantations under their direct control. 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

GoWild Australia’s product applications can include foods, supplements, medicinals, nutraceuticals, skin care, hair care, body care products, and beverages …

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In: Retailing Tips|Last Updated:

Graham Firrell is a visionary entrepreneur who has carved a niche for himself in the health and wellness industry. As the founder and CEO of GoWild Australia, he has introduced the world to the Kakadu Plum (aka gubinge), a superfood native to the coastal outback of Northern and Western Australia. Under his leadership, GoWild Australia has become a global supplier of the gubinge fruit and has developed all-natural liquid extracts, whole fruit powders, and process solutions from Indigenous Australian traditions.

The ‘Koala-fications’ of the Kakadu Plum

For over 60,000 years, Indigenous Australian communities have wild-harvested and used the Kakadu Plum as a medicinal, nutritious, and tasty food source. Today, this amazing superfood is recognized not only as the world’s richest source of natural Vitamin C, but also for containing over 50 various identified nutritive compounds. GoWild Australia sources the Kakadu Plum exclusively from native communities and cooperatives across Northern and Western Australia. These communities grow and supply this special ‘super fruit’ from sustainably managed and naturally wild forests or semi-wild plantations under their direct control. 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

GoWild Australia’s product applications can include foods, supplements, medicinals, nutraceuticals, skin care, hair care, body care products, and beverages …

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Finding the Right Public Relations Firm for Your Brand

If you want to be the brand that everyone is talking about, you need solid public relations, or PR. PR is essentially the communication of your brand’s message to the public. It gets people talking about your brand and products. It’s peer-to-peer word of mouth marketing.

PR is an effective form of marketing because consumers purchase products that other people are talking about. I’m sure you’ve seen this before – someone sees a product getting a lot of media attention and tells everyone they were using it before it became popular. Good PR builds that kind of hype. 

People get their information from the media, which includes everything from morning television shows and magazines to daily newspapers, blogs or your favorite podcast. That news is then boosted constantly on social media into Tik Tok videos, Instagram reels, Twitter feeds, Facebook posts and YouTube shows.  

Since everyone typically gets their information from various sources, there is a lot of clutter out there, so not only does your message need to stand out, it needs to stand out in many places. How many times have you heard something before but can’t remember where you heard it? Was it The New York Times? …

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Maazah: From Farmers’ Markets to Kroger Shelves

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You gotta be in it to win it,” which has long been associated with the New York Lottery and is often credited to Bob Brown, who hosted Lotto drawings for years. 

Well, the phrase is just as true for RangeMe’s retailer summits and sourcing campaigns. There are dozens held throughout the year across various categories and themes (such as sustainability and supplier diversity) and RangeMe Premium members have the opportunity to participate by submitting their products via a special link. 

This is just what startup brand Maazah did for Kroger’s 2021 Go Fresh & Local Supplier Accelerator. Following a several-stage selection process on RangeMe, virtual meetings on ECRM Connect, and an in-person pitch at Kroger HQ, Maazah became one of five brands selected to receive product placement, marketing assistance and education.

Like I said, you gotta be in it to win it. 

It all started in the kitchen

Maazah’s story begins in the kitchen. CEO & Co-Founder Yasameen Sajady and her sisters come from a big Afghan family that immigrated to the U.S., and they often worked together preparing meals. One day her mom added fresh ginger to her already delicious cilantro, vinegar, and lemon …

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6 Ways Rising Costs are Impacting Consumer Behavior

Consumers have struggled with rising inflation concerns for well over a year, and the uncertainty has profoundly impacted family spending decisions.

 As the economic downturn stretches into the second quarter of 2023, consumer confidence is still on shaky ground, even as inflation shows signs of slowing down. 

According to a study by Deloitte, consumer concern for rising prices did not fall below 70% at any point in 2022, a trend that has continued during the first few months of 2023.

As a valued partner of ECRM & RangeMe, Parent Tested Parent Approved, a leader in brand trust strategies and home to one of North America’s most influential consumer product awards, did a deep dive into consumer behavior and spending habits. Engaging select members of our parenting community of over 250,000 members, we surveyed over 2,000 parents about their purchasing trends in recent months. Following are some of our findings.

1. Consumers are struggling to budget for recurring living expenses.

As inflation climbed to its highest rate in decades, it’s no secret that discretionary spending is down, with the majority of consumers feeling the pinch on everyday necessities. With rising inflation sending prices skyrocketing right into 2023, more than 75% of …

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