S6 – Chapter 07: Independent Grocery and Retail

06: Sales

Independent Grocery and Retail Stores

You’ve got big dreams of seeing your product in Target or Whole Foods…

…and independents are your stepping stone to get there. They’re where you learn the ropes, test your product in the real world, iron out the kinks, build brand awareness, and prove that your product can fly off the shelves.

So if you’re serious about making it big in retail (and I know you are), you need to get comfortable with the independent retail landscape. It’s not just a nice-to-have for small brands—it’s your lifeline. It’s how you go from “who are you?” to “we need you on our shelves” in the eyes of bigger chains (IMO).

Today, we’re diving deep into the world of independent retail. Let’s get into it →

So, why should you care about independents?

Let me break it down for you:

They’re your training ground. This is where you prove you can build relationships, sell consistently, and deliver on time, every time. These are exactly the things big chain buyers are looking for—so make sure you can build demand and deliver before national placement.
Lower risk, higher reward. Smaller purchase orders mean less financial risk if things don’t work out. But when they do? You’ve got a loyal partner who’ll sing your praises.
Flexibility is the name of the game. Independents are often more willing to try new, innovative products. They’re often small businesses and startups too, just like you!
Build that local love. This is your chance to establish a presence in specific regions or communities. If you’re bootstrapping—or have an education-heavy product or a local value prop—this is especially critical. Build that brand recognition and loyalty from the ground up.

Breaking down the independent landscape

Before you think about approaching a store, you need to understand the landscape and players.

Independent grocery and retail stores are typically locally-owned businesses, often with a single location or small regional presence. Unlike large national chains, these stores have more flexibility in their product selection and purchasing decisions. They tend to focus on serving local communities and often emphasize specialty, natural, or locally-sourced products.

Put simply, independent grocers/retailers place products on shelves within stores with <5 locations and sales are managed through wholesale marketplaces (Faire, Mable, POD Foods, etc.) or directly through the manager or owner of the store—there’s no formal submission/category review process. Some examples:

Natural channel or health food stores like Better Health Markets, PCC Community Markets, Cornucopia Natural Market and Deli—check out more natural grocers or health food stores here.
Co-Ops like Wedge Co-op, Park Slope Food Co-op—find your local co-op here.
Specialty retail like cafes, boutiques, artisan cheese/specialty food shops, natural wellness shops, and more. Shops Around the Corner is great for finding independent retailers nationwide!

How to prepare your brand for independent retail

There’s no point getting onto an independent retail shelf if you can’t sell off it.

You need a product that people will pick up, fall in love with, rave about to their friends, and come back to buy again and again. That means nailing your positioning, packaging, pricing, and the product itself—then communicating that across every single buyer touchpoint. Here’s how:

Get honest feedback. And I mean really honest. Not just from your mom who thinks everything you do is amazing. You need brutally honest opinions from industry pros who know what it takes to succeed in retail.

If you’re a new brand looking to sample your product, check out Product & Prosper’s 400+ industry-person sampling program. It’s built to be affordable for small brands, get you into the industry conversations — and get you the feedback you need to succeed.

Build your Retail Resume™: If you’re deemed a risky investment, you won’t get the buyer to reply. The retail buyer will look at your contact form or outreach email, your website and social media, and your pitch deck and sell sheet, as well as your product and packaging, assessing how your product will perform on shelf and how you’ll be to work with. You’ll have to prove three things:

Credibility
Capability
Cash Flow & Cash Potential

In other words? You need to answer the following questions…before a buyer has to ask it:

Do I trust this founder & team? Do I resonate with what they’re building?
Is their product actually good? Is it a winning product?
How do I get the product? Do I trust them to produce & deliver?
Has anyone else bought in? If so, who & how many?
Will this product and brand sell?
Do they know about my store?

Audit the touchpoints you have with a buyer: your website, your sales materials, the way you speak, and even your email signature.

Are you speaking to, answering, the questions above?

Selling to Buyers

When it comes to building relationships with independents, there is no category review or formal buyer meeting needed—but there is a clear order of operations you need to think about.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the expectations, it’s all about crafting your outreach.

Take the time to understand what makes each store tick. What are their values? Who are their customers? Tailor your pitch to show them why your product is the perfect fit for their unique store.

There are two methods to getting in touch with independent buyers – “front-door” or outbound outreach (you reach out to the buyer) or “back-door” or inbound outreach (the buyer reaches out to you).

For Front-Door/Outbound Outreach: You’ll be reaching out through personalized, targeted direct cold outreach, select trade shows and events (if you can afford them), and door-to-door services (if you can find them).
For Back-Door/Inbound Outreach: You’ll be referred to the buyer by a customer, by current independent retailers, by word of mouth, or by Faire.

How to leverage Faire for independent retail growth

Let’s talk about Faire. Faire is an online order and discovery platform for connecting products at wholesale prices to retail buyers. In other words, Faire is an online B2B/wholesale marketplace…and it’s your secret weapon to succeeding in independents.

To make the most of Faire…

Use it as a CRM and order managing platform for your independents
Create a compelling profile that showcases your brand story and products.
Use high-quality images and detailed, optimized product descriptions.
Do things that don’t scale. Be proactive, reliable, and personable in messaging interested retailers..

While Faire can be a powerful tool, it should be part of a broader strategy that includes direct outbound outreach and relationship building.

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

Lorem

Maximizing success once you’re on shelf

You’ve made it onto the shelves—congrats! But don’t pop the champagne just yet. The real work is just beginning.

Ensuring optimal shelf placement and visibility: Your product’s location in the store is a make-or-break. Work closely with store managers to secure prime—eye-level is buy level. If eye-level isn’t possible, try shelf talkers, end-cap displays, or other point-of-sale materials to make your product stand out. The way to secure better placement? Be an amazing partner.
Organic support: You won’t really have in-store promos to lean on in independents, so make sure you’re referring customers to your retailers through organic channels – plan for demos, post on social media, add to your store locator map, and feature independents in your email marketing. The key? Create value for both the customer and the store.
Get that feedback from the buyer: Your relationship with independents provides a unique opportunity to get direct wholesale customer feedback. Work with store staff to learn about customer reactions, preferences, and purchasing behaviors—then use this info to refine your product, packaging, pricing, or marketing strategy.

Success with independents pays it forward for chain retail:

No more empty store locator. Chain retail buyers love seeing you’re already killing it elsewhere.
You have a base of cash flow without promo dependency. This gives you negotiating power with bigger chains.
You’ve got real data to back up your pitch—sales velocity, customer demographics, seasonal trends, and more.
You’ve built credibility and relationships—AKA valuable referrals and testimonials.
You’re not a newbie anymore. With retail experience under your belt, you can develop efficient systems for inventory management, distribution, and customer service—all imperative for big chains.

Working with a Retailer’s Preferred Distributor

Many large grocery stores work with preferred distributors to streamline their supply chain.

Choosing a Distributor: Retailers will have a list of preferred distributors, including National and Regional options. If you’re not in one of their preferred distributors, ask if they can make an introduction to their account manager to help you get onboarded. Ahold Delhaize USA is an example that prefers to use UNFI as a distributor for their great local brands.

Onboarding with the Distributor: You’ll need to establish a relationship with the distributor, which involves additional contracts and compliance checks. Make sure you understand their requirements and processes. Ask your buyer for an introduction to the distributor if you don’t already have a relationship with them. If you’re new to distribution, be sure to read our Distribution section of the guide that goes through all the details, as there are specific things you should know going into these agreements.

Coordination: Maintain clear communication between you, the distributor, and the retailer to ensure smooth operations. This includes managing inventory levels, delivery schedules, and addressing any issues that arise.

About Product & Prosper
(Sponsored)

Most brands have big retail dreams. We have the playbook to get them there. At Product & Prosper, we help promising CPG brands build the strategic foundation to succeed at retail—then work with them to get on shelves and in carts nationwide.

Our comprehensive suite of services is designed to support brands at every stage of their retail journey – from product, independents, and chain retail:

Retail Growth:
Sampling Program: Get honest, actionable feedback on your product from over 400+ industry professionals. This sampling helps you refine your offering before facing the competitive retail landscape.
Go-To-Retail Incubator: Our 12-week, fully customized, collaborative consulting program transforms your brand from the inside out. We fine-tune every aspect of your product, positioning, pitch, and plan—then build your sales pipeline and strategy, setting you up for retail success. We ensure you’re not just ready for retail, but primed to thrive in it.
Retail Growth Team: As your dedicated growth team, we don’t just help you knock on doors—we make retailers eager to open them for you. Instead of solely relying on direct pitches to buyers, we focus on building brand visibility, credibility, and demand beyond traditional retail channels, finding “backdoor” opportunities for your brand to be discovered and sought after by retailers.

Faire Growth:
Faire Audit: We conduct a comprehensive review of your Faire presence, identifying areas for improvement and optimization.
Faire Build: Our team builds or rebuilds your Faire profile, fully optimizing it to get you more traffic + sales.
Faire Manage: We provide ongoing management of your Faire account, ensuring you’re maximizing the platform’s potential for connecting with independent retailers.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your retail presence, Product & Prosper has the expertise, playbook, and tools to help you get to retail + thrive in it.