How to make your spirits brand unmissable

Innovation is a key driver of growth and penetration within the spirits category, with over 56% of spend on innovation coming from new brands (MAT to Feb 25, Kantar) compared to 21% for the overall total grocery market. This does pose a challenge for brands in this space – the volume of new brands means standing out at the point of purchase within specific sub-categories will be more challenging. Innovation is also a key motivator for buyer engagement as retailers look to compete for shopper spend vs their peers. Therefore, it is important to maximise your brand and range’s points of difference (POD) to demonstrate the value you are going to bring to the category and win that space potentially. One method of doing this is by targeting certain shopper missions relating to the category – for example,  more spirits are drunk in the evening/post 8 pm than any other alcohol type and significantly less is drunk at lunchtime vs beer, wine etc… this is one route to defining a pathway highlighting points of difference – so for example you could look at positioning, ingredients, customer types when creating your brand and product positioning, focusing on these elements relating to an evening daypart. How do you look for points of difference in your spirits range? We would love to hear your thoughts and explore this further with you. (After all, it could be the difference between winning and not winning a listing!) Join our RESolution webinar to see how we quantify shopper-valued attributes on shelf (Spirits case study). 📅 Thu 18 Sept • 2:00 PM (UK) 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/e4_CjF26 #Spirits #CategoryManagement #Shoppers #Shopperinsights #Retailers #Supermarkets #Alcohol #pointsofdifference #brands #category #NPD #Innovation #pointofpurchase #shoppermission #shopperneeds #penetration Alexis Philippidis RESolution - Range Enhancement Solution

🍫🧆 Aggressive Sampling – The Hidden 📈 Growth Lever in Retail FMCG shop 🛍️💰 In gourmet retail, customers love to experience before they purchase. Unlike mass categories where buying is habitual, gourmet shoppers want to taste, feel, and explore — A customer spend their hard-earned money only when convinced. ✅ Established brands enjoy instant trust because of years of familiarity. ✨ But often, it’s the new brands that surprise customers with superior quality, unique taste, and a refreshing experience. That’s where aggressive in-store sampling plays a game-changing role: 🤝 •Builds first trial and breaks hesitation 😄 •Creates repeat customers through experience, not just marketing 😉 •Generates organic demand as customers spread the word 😎 In today’s competitive FMCG space, especially in gourmet, sampling isn’t just a promotion — it’s a strategy to build brand love and long-term #demand. #Retail #FMCG #Gourmet #SamplingStrategy #CustomerExperience #BrandBuilding #ConsumerBehaviour #SalesGrowth #Innovation

When a shopper picks up a craft beer over a premium whiskey, or switches from wine to ready-to-drink cocktails, what drives that decision? In #alcoholretail, these subtle shifts happen every minute—and the difference between noticing them in real time or weeks later can mean lost sales, wasted #promotions, and missed opportunities. This is where real-time data in #alcoholmerchandising changes the game. Unlike traditional reporting that looks backward, real-time insights give retailers and suppliers the ability to see exactly what’s happening on the shelf, at the display, and in the basket—right now. Here’s why this matters more than ever: 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁 Consumer tastes in alcohol evolve overnight. Hard seltzers spiked in summer, low-ABV beverages are gaining traction, and seasonal launches create sudden demand. Real-time data helps merchandisers pivot instantly—capturing trends as they emerge, not after they’ve passed. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 Shelf space, endcaps, and coolers are expensive battlegrounds. If a promotion isn’t converting, why wait for a post-campaign report? With live tracking, teams can adjust placements, redesign displays, or double down on winning promotions while customers are still engaging. 𝗡𝗼 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 Few things frustrate shoppers more than finding their favorite spirit missing. Real-time alerts mean retailers can replenish stock before customers walk away, protecting both revenue and loyalty. 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿–𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 Alcohol brands pour millions into trade spend. By sharing real-time performance data, both sides can align on what’s working—and cut back on what’s not—maximizing ROI across the board. At #Analyticsmart, we know #Beveragealcohol merchandising is as dynamic as the consumers it serves. Real-time data isn’t just a reporting upgrade; it’s a competitive edge that empowers decisions, drives sales, and ensures every bottle, can, and cocktail mix finds its moment with the shopper. In today’s #alcoholretail landscape, the winners won’t be those who wait for the monthly report. They’ll be the ones who act in the moment. 🍷🍺🥂 Ready to see how real-time insights can transform your alcohol merchandising strategy? Let’s connect.

E-commerce CPG sales: +10%. Physical retail: +2%. The shift is undeniable. The subscription economy is exploding toward $442 billion by 2025, and Canadian food brands have a unique opportunity to capture this growth. Why subscriptions work for food: 📦 Predictable revenue streams 🎯 Direct consumer relationships 📊 Real-time feedback and iteration 💡 Premium positioning opportunities 🚀 Bypass traditional retail barriers The Canadian advantage: Our diverse culinary heritage and quality reputation create natural subscription appeal for: → Artisanal ingredients and spices → Functional foods and supplements → Plant-based foods  → Regional specialties and seasonals Success story: A True Leaves client launched a monthly spice subscription featuring Canadian-sourced botanicals. Result? 2,400 subscribers in 6 months at $34.99/month. The strategy: Start with your most passionate customers. Perfect the experience. Scale systematically. At True Leaves Consulting, we help brands design subscription-ready products with optimal shelf life, packaging, and formulations for direct-to-consumer success. Ready to build recurring revenue while strengthening customer relationships? #foodinnovation #foodscience #Canadianfood #foodindustry #Canadianmarket #CPG #trueleavesconsulting

Nostalgia Marketing in the European FMCG ✨ Some of the most recognizable FMCG brands in Europe are reviving 90s favorites in everything from soft drinks to sweets, demonstrating that nostalgia is a growth tactic rather than just an emotion. Current examples: Throughout Europe, 🥤Pepsi brought back its 1990s logo with beautiful retro-style packaging. 🍫 Cadbury Dairy Milk celebrated legacy by introducing Memory Bars with retro graphics. 🍬Mars relaunched the Marathon Bar and Opal Fruits, nostalgic sweets, as limited editions, mixing nostalgia and innovation. 📊According to research, nostalgia branding can increase sales by 16%, and 68% of Gen Z likes retro packaging, even if it is outdated. At GMALL, we follow these global FMCG trends closely — while building a portfolio that combines heritage brands with modern, in-demand products. Our mission is to connect consumers and businesses with the best of both worlds: trusted icons and new innovations. #FMCG #ConsumerTrends #NostalgiaMarketing #MarketingStrategy #RetailTrends #BrandStrategy #Innovation #GMALL #Ecommerce #FastMovingConsumerGoods #BusinessGrowth

📢 Calling all grocery retail professionals! Take this quick Supermarket News Natural and Organic Survey to ensure your voice is heard before it closes later this week. 👉 This is your chance to contribute to an analysis of natural and organic product trends, consumer preferences, and merchandising strategies for 2025-2026. With natural/organic sales reaching $110.75 billion across retail channels and 75% of shoppers now purchasing these products, your insights are crucial for understanding this rapidly evolving market segment. Take a few minutes to share your expertise and help shape the future of this industry. https://lnkd.in/gHAQsfFZ #supermarketnews #futureoforganic #futureofretail #naturalchannel #consciouscpg

Have you noticed how some products almost jump out at you when you walk through a store? 👀 That’s not an accident — it’s the power of shelf placement strategy in FMCG. - Primary Shelves – where the core category sits (think toothpaste aisle). - Secondary Displays – extra placements away from the aisle to boost visibility. - End-caps – shelves at the end of aisles, catching maximum traffic. - Checkout Counters – the home of impulse buys like chocolates, gums, and beverages. Each of these placements plays a different role in shaping shopper behavior. While the primary shelf builds category presence, it is often the secondary and impulse zones that drive incremental sales. In fact, brands that master the right balance between visibility and accessibility often see a direct lift in conversion rates. Because in retail, it’s not just about being on the shelf but it’s about being at the right place on the shelf. 👉 What’s the most interesting shelf placement tactic you have observed as a shopper? #FMCG #RetailInsights #ShelfPlacement #ShopperMarketing #ConsumerGoods

Impulse categories like news, confectionery and grab-and-go items move fast, with constant turnover and fierce competition for attention. Miss just one day of visibility and you risk losing significant sales. That’s why we focus on the ‘sweet spot’ of impulse. Our retail relationships and on-the-ground expertise ensure your products don’t just make it to the checkout, they stay front of mind for shoppers when it matters most. Capture those crucial last-minute purchase moments, contact Luke Simons at Luke.Simons@instore.co.uk to get started. #FMCGBrands #BeautyBrands #FoodAndNutritionBrands #ImpulseBuys #RetailPlacement #Instore

2025 has been tough for many FMCG brands... poor harvests, ingredient inflation, cost of living crisis, switching down. Shopper media helps you get noticed but is expensive, so why not make your packaging work harder with an on-pack promotion? Activate effectively at the point of purchase and talk directly to shoppers in buying mode. Good on-pack promotions improve value without reducing selling price. Win, FREE, Save... these are powerful messages that resonate with shoppers. Prize partnerships stretch budgets even further and can unlock new audiences. We've seen +45% sales uplifts and 8:1 ROI from on-pack promotions this year. If your brand sales are squeezed, maybe an on-pack promotion can get you back in more baskets? #fmcg #onpackpromotions #addvalue #shoppermarketing

For FMCG brands, shelf space is the battleground. And winning it comes down to one thing: trust. Retailers don’t just want more products. They want partners who help grow the category, not just their own brand. The good news? Smaller and challenger brands can earn that trust, even against the biggest competitors. Here are 5 practical steps to start earning retailer trust and winning at the shelf: 🍏 Know Your Shopper Better Than Anyone Retailers want suppliers who can answer: Who’s buying, why, and how often? Use loyalty data, shopper panels, or in-store observations to uncover real insights. Turn these into actionable recommendations – like filling a family meal gap or boosting impulse purchases. Specific, evidence-based insights build confidence. 📈 Show How You’ll Grow The Category It’s not just about your sales. Show how your brand drives incremental growth: attracting new shoppers, increasing basket size, or boosting repeat purchases. Back it with proof – case studies, trials, or comparable market data. Retailers want partners who expand the pie, not just take share. 🤝 Make It Easy To Do Business With You Reliability is table stakes. Flawless logistics, accurate forecasting, and clear communication matter. Add marketing support, promo plans, and shared KPIs. Think of yourself as an extension of their team – the smoother the process, the more they trust you with premium shelf space. 🚀 Bring Meaningful Innovation Innovation isn’t flashy packaging or token launches. Solve real shopper problems and refresh the category: health-conscious options, convenient meal solutions, eco-friendly packaging. When your NPD makes shopping easier or more enjoyable, retailers see real value beyond novelty. 💡 Play The Long Game Consistency builds trust. Deliver quality, insight, and support year after year. Focus on long-term partnerships, not short-term wins. Think regular business reviews, joint marketing, and measured promotions that grow both your brand and the category sustainably. The brands that win retailer trust aren’t the loudest or cheapest. They make the buyer’s job easier, help categories grow, and show up reliably every single time. 👉 Ask yourself: Is your brand truly adding value to your retailer’s category… or just taking up space? 📩 DM me to discuss how you can win at the shelf 🔁 Share if you believe trust is the ultimate currency with retailers. 👥 Tag a brand you think does this well. #FMCG #RetailerTrust #BrandStrategy #ShelfSpace #Innovation #AustralianRetail #CategoryGrowth #MarketingLeadership