Exploring alternative channels beyond traditional retail can open up new revenue avenues:

An example could be a snack or beverage CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) product looking across non-traditional retail channels to spawn new growth and customer experiences. Here are a few alternative channels you might take into consideration:

E-commerce Platforms

Major eCommerce Website: Selling directly on their site. This gives you a lot of traceability from the end-to-end and allows for full control linked to the customer experience.

Start Selling on Marketplaces: Increase your exposure with additional platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Walmart Marketplace.

Subscription Services: Offer a subscription box service where you deliver the goods regularly, maintain customer convenience.

Social Commerce

Social Media Shops—With platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok enabling direct sales using shopping features in-built within them

Influencer Partners: Team up with influencers to drive sales on their social media.

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)

Pop-Up Shops and Events: pop up shop could also be an occasion or event that help lure in buyers.

Farmers Markets and Local Fairs are a great way to test new products affordably while engaging with local communities.

Subscription & Curated Gift Boxes

Collaborate with subscription box service such as Graze, SnackNation or curated gift box services offering all-incorporated bundles.

Foodservice and Hospitality:

Restaurants and Cafes: Supply goods to local restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

Hotels and Resorts — Spoil your guests under pest control offer snacks, beverages for minibars or welcome packs.

CATERING SERVICES Event and corporate function or even special occasions caterers.

Corporate and Office Sales

Office Pantries: Offer products to be displayed in office break rooms or corporate kitchens.

Business Gifting –Gift snack packs or drink boxes as corporate gifts for customers and employees.

Vending Machine and Automated Retail

Place your products in vending machines often found in high-traffic locations, such as office buildings, schools, gyms or transportation hubs.

Automated retail solutions — Refrigerated smart fridges

Wholesale and B2B

Specialty Retailers – Team up with a niche or specialty store that fits your brand (e.g., health food stores, gourmet shops)

Middle People: Use Food and beverage distributors to reach smaller (and specialized) retailers.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Cross-Promotions: Work in tandem with like-minded brands for joint promotions / packaged product deals.

Collaborative Marketing: Participate in co-branded marketing campaigns with non-competing brands

Events and Sponsorships

Conferences and concerts — Attend or sponsor a conference with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of people who are already actively involved in those sectors.

Sports: Collaborate with a sports team or event where brands can display their product and even make it available for sampling.

Specialty Delivery Services

Meal Kit Services – Get your products to meal planning and prep customers through home delivered meals such as Blue Apron or HelloFresh or local meal kit companies.

Online Grocery Delivery: Work with services like Instacart, FreshDirect or local grocery deliverers.

Testing and learning from these alternative channels will help you broaden your distributions strategy, reduce the reliance on traditional retail, and create one of kind experiences to reach customers at scale in fresh ways.