Concentric’s Bob Shaw, owner and President, was featured in Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer’s December 2016 issue. “Finding Win-Win,” a cover story by Denise Leathers, included Bob and two other experts discussing the current health of retailer-supplier relationships and what can be done to strengthen them. This issue was also made available as a special early edition for the annual NFRA trade show in November, a show where Bob has spoken at in previous years. In the article, Bob had advice for both retailers and suppliers to make headway in ever-more competitive and difficult waters. One bit of advice for suppliers was to better understand a retailer’s specific needs and market situation:
A more personal approach that takes into consideration the unique challenges and opportunities faced by an individual retailer is the key to creating an authentic partnership.
He also urges retailers to take small manufacturer relationship more seriously and value them in new ways. Small producers are far more nimble and can be more creative and innovative than Fortune 500 suppliers, making their offerings more attractive to local or niche customer segments. Millennial shoppers wanting local products and ingredients, for example, represent demand that retailers can use local suppliers to meet, possibly drawing new shoppers into old, flat categories.
Click on the cover thumbnail to the left to download or view a PDF of this article.
