Beverage Trade Network and USA Trade Tasting are launching a new program called “Office Hours” to connect with Importers, Distributors and Retailers and give them direct access to fellow Importers, Distributors and Retailer Experts that will answer their questions in a Q & A format.

USATT's Office Hours effort is led by Sid Patel, Founder and CEO of USA Trade Tasting and Beverage Trade Network and will be moderated by Steve Raye, president of  consulting firm Bevology. Steve has more than two decades of drinks industry experience, beginning with Diageo-predecessor Heublein.

“There’s a ton of interest from importers and distributors on how they can improve their business but there is no platform which caters to small and medium sized importers and distributors in an open format where they can discuss their business issues and seek solutions.

My goal is to help small and medium sized distributors who are the backbone of the US beverage industry and create a live forum where they can improve their business processes allowing suppliers to be part of the sessions, so that suppliers also understand the other side -- how tough it is to sustain an import or a distribution business.

Many suppliers who are new to the ecosystem or US market think that an importer or a distributor working on 40% margins is making more money than they should .The idea is to educate them on how that money is being used by their importer/distributor  in building their brand and why it is needed" - Sid Patel said.

For example Distributors face a constant challenge of maintaining high levels of Inventory.

“It takes a lot of money in this business. In order to be an importer and supply distributors you have to keep a decent inventory. To do that, sometimes you need to carry more in inventory than you can pay for in thirty, sixty or ninety days. Pressure from the suppliers is huge. I’m in a public warehouse, so I pay per month for every case that I store. If I want to keep a huge inventory, each month, my storage bills  will be pretty high. Somehow, I need to incorporate that into my pricing so that I don’t create a price disadvantage for everybody.” To accomplish this, Ms. Debbie Lane, Owner of a boutique wine import company Testa Wines will add a sort of buffer or safety margin to the front line price and offer better, deeper deals on five, ten or greater case drops, especially for volumetric wines.

Above is just one example, USATT's Office Hours sessions give you a chance to talk one-on-one with experts and mentors. We bring in a panel of authorities in the trade so you can get targeted advice on everything from sales and distribution to operations and management.

Who:

Office Hours are for Importers, Distributors, Retailers and Suppliers who want informed feedback on business ideas and challenges. Our experts have real-world expertise in a range of topics.

What:

There will be 4 sessions, each of an hour’s duration. If you are an importer, you are recommended to attend the Import business Office Hour session. If you are a distributor, you are recommended to attend the Distribution business Office Hour session and so on. Each session will have experts from your domain.

For example: The Distributor Office Hour session will have one expert from sales, one from management, one from legal and one from operations. This will allow you to ask questions ranging from sales to operations about your distribution business.

Seats are limited to 200 people per session. You must pre-register and select your Office Hour sessions.

When:

Distributor's Office Hour Session: May 16, 1pm to 2pm.

Importer’s Office Hour Session: May 16, 4pm to 5pm.

Supplier's Office Hour Session: May 17, 9.30am to 10.30am.

Retailer’s Office Hour Session: May 16, 1pm to 2pm.

Set up:

The set up is a mix of class room and chair-only set up. Those who need to work on laptops may sit on the chairs that have desks with them.

What it’s not:

1) We’re committed to creating a lively learning atmosphere, and we require that all participants abide by our code of conduct. These conversations are fun, but Office Hours is not a speed-dating event.

2) It’s also not a pitching event; mentors appreciate your questions, not requests for taking your brand.

3) It's not one to one, you will be in a session room of 200 people and your questions will be open and in public. This is an open session where you will also benefit from other attendees’ questions.

Why:

We’re excited to host this format as a way of helping you learn about solutions for real-world business problems and ask questions related to your business.

Moderator: Steve Raye, President of Bevology Inc.

Join Office Hours at USATT.

About USA Trade Tasting:

USA Trade Tasting (USATT) is an annual trade tasting and business conference, open to trade professionals only, which takes place on May 16-17, 2017, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, in New York City, USA. USATT showcases exciting wines, beers and spirits from all over the world to USA importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and press.

Press Contact:

Malvika Patel
Beverage Trade Network | USA Trade Tasting | BevRoute Magazine | International Bulk Wine and Spirits
E: malvika@beveragetradenetwork.com
P: +1 855 481 1112
T: https://twitter.com/Beveragetrade