Abstract:
Grocery retailing is a big business that impacts every American. Retailers at the end of the food distribution channel greatly influence the food manufacturers at its beginning. Grocery retailers often are the only face that consumers see in the food distribution channel; thus, they are the most powerful gatekeepers between food manufacturers and consumers. One of the greatest challenges for food manufacturers is to sell new products to retailers. This publication covers how retailers work, what they look for in new products, and how they select new products. It highlights retailers in the Northwest and offers words of wisdom from several of them. This information will help new food manufacturers as they begin distributing to retailers or expand distribution to larger retailers.
