HOW TO GROCERY?

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NO SECRET WAY TO GROW IN GROCERY. YOU HAVE TO EARN EACH FACING.

I believe in beer, you need to create the trust that your brand not only delivers on taste, it needs to give the person holding the can a good experience that they feel happy to share with friends and family

Beer is a social product.?You can push a brand onto any shelf - yet it's the shopper that puts it into their basket. And for a new brand, in a mature (beer) category in a segment (non-alc) most people has traditionally thought was pretty sh*t - you have to earn your stripes and gain some trust - and the fundamentals are:

Availability - you have to be able to buy it (easily)

Affordability - you are willing to buy it over and over

Connection - shared values and beliefs with the brand

In NZ,?State of Play is one of very few new breweries to launch in the past 5 years.? And the only brewery that (from the outset) is mainly sold in grocery (about 25% on line - thank you to all you lovely subscribers!!).? Unusual because it is generally accepted as it's the most difficult channel to get into and even harder to be profitable.

This week I got a facebook memory of the first ever grocery display in New World Newlands.? I was so proud.? This week I took a photo of PNS Petone with a 1/2 pallet display and two off locations of all four 6 packs!!!? Even more proud.

QUALITY IN EQUALS QUALITY OUT

As a new brand it has taken 2 years to grow the availability of?State of Play to 500 stores/venues.? Interestingly an amazing brand like Tiny from Garage Project with 10 years of brand power got to this level of distribution in one week!? And a big brand like Heineken 0.0 into 2000+ accounts.

Thats just they way it works.? I'm OK with this. But Why is it so hard to launch a new brand?

Because?State of Play 2 years ago had nothing to offer.? Just hot air and dreams!?

No sales history, no customers, at least we were in the right segment of non-alc and in the right format (6 pack cans at around $20).

The formula is simple - grow store + store + store.? Increase the rate of sale per store, grow the range, prove the margin story at store level and for each banner.

It?started with New Worlds.? These early stores were and still are my highest performing stores. Thank you!

We were able to become a vendor and get an article number with LR (locally ranged) classification.? This means each store can add the brand to enhance the local connection with their unnique range to meet their shopper needs.?

Once you get to 20 stores you then talk to the category manager and lift your ranging to RR (recommended ranging) This means you can engage with all stores and build a head office promotional plan (and get a yellow ticket!).

Get your brand into 80+ Foodstuffs stores and you are at the table to discuss core ranging.

For Woolworths we did not even feature in the first year, then we got some limited ranging and then last October two SKUs got into the planogram of 150 stores.? OK now we are talking.

This week I met the Woolworths category team in Auckland HQ and presented the?State Of Play 2025 plan.? The proposal would more than double the sales and provide a margin worth doing business.

Plus this is margin that is new to the banner, and it is coming from shoppers that spend more, more regularly.??

let's hope they like the proposal too!!

THE TIPPING POINT

The recent launch of the mix pack has been a real good push for distribution and high rate of sale.? Shoppers are entering this segment every week and a mix pack is a risk free choice.? Best of all each flavour is a winner and this mix pack has become a regular weekly purchase.??

For the stores that have been on the fence this has been a bit of a trojan horse for the brand to prove the success quickly and then extend the range.

Next up the Foodstuffs team commence their range review.? We will hear what SKUs will go into core ranging and get guaranteed ranging across all stores.??

I knew from the outset that this was the game we had to play.? You need a good product, in a growing segment, that is margin positive, able to grow to national distribution.??

With the patience and the sales appetite to get to the tipping point that there is enough distribution for enough fans to grow the brand.

?And each 6 pack in danger of being sold.

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Why reviews matter.? If you have a minute it would be great to hear from you

Here is the link to the review tab for? Nectaron Pale Ale

Here is the link to review Sunbreaker Ale

Here is the link to the review tab for IPA

And if you have a cool photo you can post on one of your favourite social channels and tag @stateofplaybeer? #stateofplaybeer If you want to contact State of Play flick me a note [email protected]

TOGETHER WE ARE BREWING A REBELLION!