Supply
Overview
The beverage industry in the United States generates over $380 billion in sales annually. The industry is comprised of tens of thousands of wholesalers, many selling in exclusive, franchised territories, selling to hundreds of thousands of retailers. Most parties involved in the supply chain are working independently and with out-of-date technologies and processes.
Present
The three-tier system of alcohol distribution separates the manufacturer from the retailer, requiring the retailer to purchase alcoholic beverages from wholesalers who typically carry serval products from numerous manufactures. To fulfill orders, retailers must place multiple orders resulting in an inefficient process with long lead-times, unavailable product, and ineffective order management. Further, sales are often placed through direct-sales methods: face-to-face, phone, email, or facsimile. Such methods are prone to error and data loss.
Solution
Grotto Supply (a patent pending technology) streamlines the beverage sales process and provides value to both retailers and wholesalers.
- Retailers have access to an entire universe of product choices, can place a single order with multiple wholesalers, and gain access to supply chain management software.
- Wholesalers effortlessly generate sales in real time and reduce their reliance on monolithic, direct-sales forces.