Expo West 2023 Hosted Education Session (Key Moments)

EXPO WEST 2023

Hosted Education Session - Key Moments

Managing Growth Through Economic Turbulence

I'd Like to Learn More!

SPEAKERS:

Fred Schroeder

President & CEO,
Adesso Solutions

Nicolas McCoy

Managing Director & Co-Founder, Whipstich Capital

Clara Paye

Founder,
UNiTE Food

Tara Burkley

Strategic Business Development Director,
New Hope Network

At this Natural Products Expo West 2023 Hosted Education Session, Adesso’s President & CEO, Fred Schroeder joined Nick McCoy of Whipstitch Capital, Clara Paye of UNiTE Food and New Hope Network’s Tara Burkley for a conversation on how to strategically manage your business and understand your trade spend to grow responsibly.

During this session, moderated by Nancy Coulter-Parker, we shared expert advice and predictions for the future of CPG and outlined top tactics for staying ahead of economic challenges, technology shifts and retail opportunities.

We invite you to pick from key moments of greatest interest to you below.

Watch Full 1:22 Hr Session

Key Moments

Improving Efficiency is Key to Scaling

Nick suggests companies can become more efficient by pulling a few key levers on the P&L, especially trade spend, freight, and COGs (packaging, tolling & ingredients).

Getting Comfortable with Trade Spending and Working With Distributers in the CPG Industry

Tara reviews the New Hope studies, and how newer companies in the industry are scared to leverage trade spending to grow, which is a common pain point for the industry.

Understand the Level of Expense Trade Spending is for Manufacturers

Fred reviews the main expenses on the P&L, including the surprise to many manufacturers who typically  view their trade spending as 15-20% of their gross revenue on trade spending, but often it turns out to be 40% when they look back.

How is Settlement Process of Deductions Similar to "Doing The Dishes"?

Adesso addresses trade spending in a structured process that includes much more than deduction management. Following this process enables analysis, which enables the manufacturer to improve effectiveness and leverage trade to drive more revenue and volume.

What are the Challenges Small Brands Face When Dealing with Distributors?

Clara discusses Off Invoice deals (OIs), as a necessary part of doing business with distributors. But how do you address over-buying? How do you push back if you see they already have excessive inventory in the DC?

Adesso's Trade Spend Strategies for Maximizing Savings and Investing in Customer Relationships

Clara points out that Adesso addresses trade promotion management from a customer-centric perspective, as she and Nick discuss the importance of looking at the pain points of the customer and buyer to help them be better at their jobs.

Quantify Trade at Each Customer to Evaluate SKU Performance & Avoid Losing Money

Fred reviews an example where a company gave away a free case per store, but the product did not sell as quickly as expected. With additional allowances & deductions, this resulted in no revenue with a cost per case of $197 to give product away.

The Challenges of Coupon Accounting for Small Brands

Nick reviews the challenges a small company needs to watch out for from an accounting perspective, as well as what promotions will be effective spending once you add it all up.

The Impact of Covid-19 on Trade Margins for Companies

Nick discusses how smaller vs. larger companies were able adjust trade and pricing during the pandemic. 

How Can We Help You?

If you would like to have a conversation about how we can help make your trade spending more effective through trade planning and deduction management in the Flamingo TPE Solution.

Let's Talk!

Expo West 2023 Hosted Education (Full) Session

EXPO WEST 2023

Full 1:22 Hour Hosted Education Session

Managing Growth Through Economic Turbulence

I'd Like to Learn More!

SPEAKERS:

Fred Schroeder

President & CEO,
Adesso Solutions

Nicolas McCoy

Managing Director & Co-Founder, Whipstich Capital

Clara Paye

Founder,
UNiTE Food

Tara Burkley

Strategic Business Development Director,
New Hope Network

At this Natural Products Expo West 2023 Hosted Education Session, Adesso’s President & CEO, Fred Schroeder joined Nick McCoy of Whipstitch Capital, Clara Paye of UNiTE Food and New Hope Network’s Tara Burkley for a conversation on how to strategically manage your business and understand your trade spend to grow responsibly.

During this session, moderated by Nancy Coulter-Parker, we shared expert advice and predictions for the future of CPG and outlined top tactics for staying ahead of economic challenges, technology shifts and retail opportunities.

We invite you to watch the full hour and 22 minute educational session to the right.

Click to Watch Full Session

How Can We Help You?

If you would like to have a conversation about how we can help make your trade spending more effective through trade planning and deduction management in the Flamingo TPE Solution.

Let's Talk!

Getting Ready to Grow

The Neglected Cost Center for a New CPG Manufacturer… 

As you may know, we at Adesso, focus within the emerging area of the natural channel. Many emerging CPG companies enter this complex arena with an understanding on how to address payroll (rather straightforward) and the entire Cost of Goods area, ranging from raw materials, to production costs & planned logistical areas. Seems pretty simple as they enter into what seems to be a rather straightforward sales channel with QuickBooks as a financial system & Excel as their basic analysis platform. 

Then they secure a distributor, gain some distribution in retail stores (many call it ‘doors’), get excited & send an invoice. They have an agreement with the distributor, but it is quite complex – most do not read it nor do they align their GL accordingly. While not looking to be crude, in about 20 or so days, when payment arrives, they hit a bit of a ‘holy shit’ moment. 

They receive 20%, 30% or sometimes even a negative amount in return on the invoice and the challenges & confusion begins – why did they not pay the total amount? Not just that, but they paid next to nothing. Then another order arrives, and another – all with this level of short-payment – and the cycle continues. 

We get calls weekly on this. 

The Reality is as Follows & is Not that Complex

There are 3, not 2 major cost centers for a new CPG manufacturer – COGS, payroll (probably #3) and Trade Spending. 

Trade spending has been a part of the CPG industry for over 40 years. We have a term for this here at Adesso; it’s not terribly clever, but it is accurate. We call it ‘consistent complexity’. It is the same for everyone entering the space & everyone has dealt with it for decades. 

It can be relatively simple to solve, but you need to be open to some change & rely on a solution partner with deep industry experience. Our group has dealt with this for over 10 years as a team here, and we all have countless years (well into the hundreds) in the industry from large sales agencies/brokers, CPG manufactures, experts in trade management technology & infrastructure – and, yes, we have exemplary client service references. That is because our clients drive what we do every day.

What we can tell you is that working with us will reduce your internal admin time, you will know what you are spending & where you are spending it very quickly. Then, if someone owes you $ (yep they do) you will have the information to get it repaid, and as you move forward with us as partners, you will clearly understand what works and what is not working in your trade promotions – we do this better than anyone!

If this sounds like what you may need, please contact us.

Educational Natural-Specialty Trade Spending Webinar

NSWebinar

We Invite You to Join us for a Natural-Specialty Trade Spending Webinar

Trade spending in the Natural-Specialty segment is highly complex. Most emerging manufacturers lack the time to both manage this expense, and then leverage the opportunity to grow their businesses through a sound strategy – based on achieving your KPIs. Today, most manufacturers are using Excel, however, there is a simpler, more effective and cost-efficient approach. It not only manages this significant expense, but enables strategic growth, consistent with your overall company objectives, to drive the rapid and profitable growth you need to scale.

Would You Like to Learn to Leverage Trade for Strategic Growth?

During this webinar, we will share some of the successful practices and approaches our clients have used to grow their business, reduce trade spending on a ‘rate per case’ basis, and achieve repayment for unauthorized deductions/chargebacks. We will also share information we have gathered on trade spending in the Natural-Specialty segment in general and some categorization of trade that clients leverage to manage their business.

Webinar Overview

  • Review the current situation around trade spending today.
  • You’re spending more than you think – understand it, and learn what you’re getting for the investment.
  • Compare ‘working’ vs. ‘non-working’ trade.
  • Discuss how to improve your trade effectiveness in a progressive, structured fashion.
  • Provide real examples of companies addressing trade effectiveness and growing their business.

Cost: Complimentary!

We hope you can make it, and look forward to the opportunity to speak with you soon!

Contact Us or visit us on LinkedIn for info onupcoming sessions!

Educational Group & Resources for Emerging Consumer Packaged Goods Companies

Adesso

 

We Invite You to Gain Access to Educational Resources,
and Join Peer & Industry Expert Collaboration

The Consumer Packaged Goods industry is complex, and often leaders and entrepreneurs find themselves struggling with challenges such as managing manufacturer chargebacks, understanding trade spending and expectations, maintaining a sustainable gross margin, and the relationships with retailers and distributors.

Below are two resources that will help you to begin to understand how to navigate the complexity:

1. Join a Discussion Group for Natural & Specialty CPGs:

For individuals looking to learn more about how to navigate the unique, complex CPG industry, where peers and industry experts share best practices to improve the collective trade promotion effectiveness.

Ask to Join Now

2. Sign Up to Receive the Upcoming White Paper:

Our white paper series focuses on topics that arm you with knowledge and recommendations you can implement for immediate process improvement.
Next up: “5 Keys to Competing and Surviving in the Natural-Specialty Segment of the CPG Industry.”

Request Your Copy

 

Imagine…waking up knowing your trade spending is within 1% of what you think it is!

What % of Your Budget is Trade Spending?

To know where your dollars are spent & make them work harder, here are
5 reasons to consider Adesso’s Flamingo Natural-Specialty TPM:

1

 While trade spending may be new to you, we have lived it, collectively, for hundreds of years – it is this experience which has developed our Trade Promotion Management (TPM) system & our supporting services. We have seen it all.

2

 Our client-partners range from $1 million in size to several billion. And through our community, we all learn & grow from each other.

3

 Your pricing would be very affordable; based on your size, with graduated pricing as you grow.

4

 You’ll be up, running & generating results in 4-8 weeks, due to pre-built QuickBooks interfaces & experienced team.

5

 The system is simple for sales & broker partners to use, and evolves with your business growth; immediate results, payback & long-term improved effectiveness.

“Our total lives here are to work with you & your team to measure your trade spending
and help these dollars work harder. We’d love for you to talk to our other client-partners,
and relax about this stressful area like they do.”

Fred Schroeder, President & CEO
(fschroeder@adesso-solutions.com  |  Connect on LinkedIn)

Sustain-inc. Extends Clients’ In-Depth Analysis & Planning with Adesso’s Flamingo Natural-Specialty TPM

Rolling Meadows, IL (September 9, 2016) – Adesso Solutions announced the new partnership with Sustain-inc. of St. Louis, MO; now adding Flamingo Natural-Specialty TPM to their natural product clients as an additional method of controlling costs through in-depth analysis and planning.

Tricia Wagner, CEO at Sustain-inc. said, “We first discovered Adesso Solutions at Expo West in March, and were then able to get to know the team and their system and services better at their annual conference in Disney where we networked with a number of their current clients. We are up and running on the TPM system, and this is an exciting time for us and for our clients.”

“This is a great opportunity for us, as well as a huge value to Sustain-inc.’s natural product clients,” said Fred Schroeder, President & CEO of Adesso Solutions. “Sustain-inc. has been a true pleasure to partner with, and we are extremely pleased to offer a TPM system and services that fit into their business model, which enables easy access to Adesso for their clients to aid in their overall cost reduction and success.”

About Sustain-Inc.
Sustain-inc. assists small and mid-size natural product businesses control their costs through in depth analysis and planning. They are dedicated to saving businesses money while also educating and guiding them to success. For more information, please visit sustain-inc.net.

About Adesso Solutions
Adesso Solutions is a leader in delivering Trade Promotion Effectiveness for small and medium sized Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturers. Adesso leverages their long history and deep expertise in the industry and a unique suite of solutions, including a TPE community for client collaboration, an all-encompassing TPM (Trade Promotion Management) system on a cloud-based SaaS common platform (.Net), and unique consultative services to maximize the trade promotion effectiveness for the whole client community.   

REGISTER NOW: Natural-Specialty TPM Seminar in Rolling Meadows, IL – October 20

 

Do KeHE, UNFI & Other Distributor Deductions
Get You All Twisted?

Our seminar will guide you on your journey to accountability!

Adesso’s Natural TPM can help.

Thank you for your interest in our seminars for Natural & Specialty manufactures. We are excited to be hosting our next seminar in our headquarter office in Rolling Meadows, IL, and below are more details. 

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