Market entry and route to market
For brands that want to sell in South-East Europe, and for brands already here that need a better distributor or model. One process in three phases, with a decision point after each.
Enter
Your brand is new to the region. The questions are usually these:
- Which markets first, and in what order?
- What shelf price can we hold, and what is left for us?
- Distributor, wholesaler or direct to the retail chains?
- What will it cost before it pays back?
Reset
You already sell here, but results have stalled. The usual signs:
- Your distributor misses targets or loses listings.
- Shelf prices are out of line between markets.
- Trade spend keeps rising while share stays flat.
- You can’t tell whether to renegotiate, switch partner or go direct.
How it works
You decide after each phase whether to continue.
Phase 1
Analyse
- Market and category analysis for each country: size, trends, channels, competitors.
- Price positioning and a pricing proposal, from shelf price back to your net price.
- Route-to-market options: exclusive distributor, full-service distributor, or direct to key retail chains.
- A three-year P&L per market, with the investment and the payback.
- A go or no-go recommendation, market by market.
For a reset: a diagnosis of your current partner and model, and a clear comparison of renegotiating, switching and going direct.
Phase 2
Agree
- A shortlist of partners, checked against clear criteria: financial fit, portfolio conflicts, coverage, customer relationships, and the people you will work with.
- The terms: margins, targets, investment, reporting and exit clauses.
- The negotiation with the distributor or customer: prepared together with you and, where needed, led together with you at the table.
- A launch plan with the key retail chains.
For a reset: a transition in which customers keep at least the terms they have today, so no listings or share are lost in the switch.
Phase 3
Confidence bridge
- A monthly review of sell-in, sell-out, distribution, shelf prices and promotions against the plan.
- A scorecard for your distributor and quarterly business reviews with them.
- Early warnings and corrective action, on the ground.
- It ends when the business performs on its own.
Markets
All over the Balkans, from Slovenia to Greece. Beyond the region: distributor discussions, route-to-market validation and trade terms in France and Benelux.
The Balkans
- Serbia
- Croatia
- Slovenia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Greece
Western Europe
- France
- Benelux
Distributor discussions, route-to-market validation and trade terms
Why brands choose Consult1 for this
Contracts signed from both sides
As a brand owner at P&G and SSL International (Reckitt Benckiser), and as vice president of Nelt Group, a regional distribution and manufacturing group with €1 billion in turnover.
Every recommendation comes with a P&L
A background in finance: you see what each option costs and earns before you choose it.
Known faces across the table
Two decades of working relationships with distributors and retail chains across the region.
Independent of distributors
Paid by you, never by the distributors recommended to you. The advice follows your interest, not a commission.
Questions brands ask
Which products do you work with?
Fast-moving consumer goods, over-the-counter medicines and food supplements, and other consumer goods sold through retail.
Can we start with one country?
Yes. Phase 1 can cover one market or several, and the P&L shows which order makes sense.
Is this only about finding a distributor?
No. A distributor is one option. For some brands, going direct to the key retail chains, or a mix of both, works better. Phase 1 compares them.
What does it cost?
Phase 1 is a fixed fee agreed before we start. Phase 2 is paid as a percentage of your shipments in an agreed start-up period, so the fee follows your first sales. The confidence bridge is a percentage of revenue, or a fixed part for the activities you ask for plus a percentage. The intro call costs nothing.
Related reading
Guide for FMCG, FS, OTC brands entering West Balkans
Six steps for consumer goods, food supplement and OTC brands entering the Western Balkans: commitment, consumers, regulation, distributors, customers and the value chain.
Distributor’s tips for principle choosing
What to understand before you put your signature on a distribution contract.
Where do you want your business to be in twelve months?
In a 30-minute call we look at your situation, and you get an honest answer on whether and how Consult1 can help.