1998
Store by Store Growth
Growing a business, a brand, and a family all at the same time is incredibly hard work. Suddenly, we found ourselves in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, a world we knew nothing about. We had to learn quickly if we wanted to succeed.
We started by securing direct-to-store listings, which gave us the opportunity to make our mark. We loaded up our old Ford Econovan with cartons of Lavosh and drove store by store, building relationships with each store manager and staff.
Back then, there were six touch points per store: the store manager, grocery manager, biscuit aisle manager, service desk, ticket office, and dock team. We would enter each Coles store, introduce ourselves to the store manager, and shake hands. We worked hard to build relationships at all levels within the store.
After securing an agreement for the store to take our product, we would sign out of the store and head to the dock to sign in two cartons of Lavosh. We would then come back and sign in at the service desk before retrieving our stock from the dock and facing it up on the allocated shelf space.
Next, we would visit the ticket office, print a ticket, hang it up, shake hands, and sign out. Then it was on to the next store, where we would rinse and repeat the entire process.
Looking back, those early days were tough, but they taught us the importance of hard work, persistence, and building strong relationships. We may have been inexperienced in the FMCG industry, but we were determined to make our mark and build a successful business.