Danone

Danone Waters Case Study - Independent Sales Team

Fds launched an Independent Sales Team for Danone Waters, the benefits of which were:

• Direct impact on Danone's sales through independents as recorded by Nielsen vs. previous year
• Direct impact on Danone's Share of Soft Drinks sales as recorded by Nielsen vs. previous year
• Greater relationships between the brands and the retailer through perceived support being provided to them

Operation:

• A team of full time staff visiting independent retailers to raise awareness of the brands, increase distribution and visibility through providing category advice and marketing support
• A loyalty scheme was developed to encourage retailers to take ownership of their range and space
• Stores were graded and time between visits was tested to ensure maximum efficiency and cost reduction, balanced against maintained in store standards and sales results
• Real time reporting and analysis driving the right strategies to achieve the best results

Results:

• Using a 'fast start' methodology, year end targets were achieved in the first six months
• Distribution increased by 211%
• Share of space for Danone products doubled within the soft drinks chiller cabinets
• This work achieved a prestigious internal Danone World Wide Best Practice Award