If you’ve ever walked out of a buyer meeting thinking “that went well,” and then never heard back, this is why.
Founders talk about the story. Buyers talk about the shelf. That gap, between how founders see their brand and how buyers evaluate it, is where most early retail pitches fall apart.
Robert Johnson spent years on the buyer side of the table, evaluating new brands as the former Category Manager at New Seasons Market. Today, he runs Astra CPG where he works with sales reps to become the kind of partner buyers actually want to say yes to. He breaks down what buyers look for, what gets ignored, and what earns a spot on shelf.
What do most early founders misunderstand about how buyers evaluate new brands?
We see so many items that are similar to what we currently carry. The founder story alone is not enough to set yourself apart. You need to show that you can provide a point of differentiation or value to the buyer and to the category.
That differentiation usually shows up in one of two ways:
1. The product itself. This could be a specific attribute, unique ingredients, packaging format, or another clear point of difference.
2. The pricing or merchandising strategy. That might mean promoting more often, offering a complementary price point within the category, leaning into demos, providing a higher everyday margin, or thinking differently about how the product shows up on shelf.
Chain retailers are going to focus first on product–market fit, logistics, pricing, promotional plans, and merchandising. The founder story is important, but when you’re working with buyers, especially at the chain level, there are other priorities that come before that.
At what point is a brand objectively too early for retail?
There’s a long list of boxes that should be checked before attempting to sell into retail. Here are the top things to keep in mind:
Packaging
- Meets food safety requirements
- Has a UPC that scans correctly
- Has a completed nutrition label
- Uses a master case that can handle delivery without damaging the product
Logistics
- Production follows food safety rules
- Production can keep up with retail demand
- There’s a clear way to get product to stores
What’s one thing a founder can do before a buyer meeting that can change how they’re perceived?
Visit the store before the meeting and look closely at the category you’re pitching into. Come prepared with a few thoughtful insights or questions you can share during the conversation.
If you can’t visit the store yourself, try to have someone local do it for you. If that’s not possible, spend time on the retailer’s website or on Instacart. Look at:
- What products they carry
- Everyday pricing
- Promotional pricing
- How the category is merchandised
This gives you a much better understanding of the type of retailer you’re working with, and it shows the buyer that you take the account seriously. You want to help them optimize their category, not just sell your product.
How do buyers think about products vs. the way founders think about their product?
Founders always believe their product is the best in the category: best tasting, best ingredients, best value.
Buyers look at products as tools to help hit our goals. If a product doesn’t have the ability to drive those goals, whether that’s velocity, margin, or category growth, it’s hard to justify bringing it in.
What do you wish founders understood before getting into their first retailer?
Getting into the store is just the beginning. The real work starts once you’re on the shelf, and your biggest priority becomes getting your product into customers’ baskets.
Maintaining strong buyer relationships is also critical. Be a good partner who aims to make the buyer’s job easier, not harder.
Anything else founders should know before pitching buyers?
Practice getting your pitch down to about five minutes. That leaves room for questions and real conversation.
Buyers don’t like being talked AT for an entire meeting. Build in intentional pauses for questions and dialogue.
Robert Johnson is the former Category Manager at New Seasons Market. Today, he runs Astra CPG, where he supports sales reps in building strong buyer relationships and becoming the rep buyers actually want to work with.