Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is helping wholesalers drive soft drinks distribution by tripling customer visits and bringing in ‘add to order’ capabilities for its field sales team.
The company will make 750,000 visits to retailers and wholesalers throughout this year to better guide them on offering the right choice to shoppers.
When carrying out calls on retailers, field sales reps for CCEP will have the ability to instantly add products to retailers’ wholesale orders. “It means our reps can go into stores, identify range gaps and instantly add to a retailer’s order,” said Gary Black, CCEP wholesale & convenience sales director, adding that in the past, retailers have been given advice and left to make the changes to orders themselves, which has led to orders not being placed. “It is a real opportunity for wholesalers to partner with us,” he said.
Black pointed to a huge opportunity to increase distribution of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in the impulse sector, with distribution of the 500ml bottle and 330ml can at just 56% and 36%, respectively, considerably behind Coca-Cola distribution of 94% and 91%, respectively.
CCEP also unveiled its brand plans for the year – including £25m of marketing spend behind Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and the biggest investment in Sprite for five years – and launched three new flavours for its zero sugar brands.
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Peach, Diet Coke Exotic Mango and Diet Coke Feisty Cherry are available now.
