Increase sales and grow strategically…at any phase of your product life cycle.
Whether preparing for Costco’s buying process, preparing supply chain, forecasting, procurement and production planning, or creating buying documents, vendor setup forms, and Food Safety and Social Compliance audits…we are your dedicated partner so that you can do business with Costco.
From Limited Regional to Recurring National Distribution in 5 years.
After starting small with 2 regional rotations CBC helped grow this grilled protein manufacturer from 2 small regional rotations to annually recurring national distribution in 5 years with relentless pursuit of item improvement and innovation and reinvesting back into the business.
Development
All of our insights are backed by competitive market knowledge and interaction with Costco buyers identifying trends, gaps, seasonal opportunities, and potential competitor shortfalls through every phase of item development.
From your capabilities white space to artwork, packaging, pallet build, costing, marketing support and presenting to the Costco buyers, CBC is your Costco Acceleration Team.
A proven partnership based approach to
developing your items with Costco!
Costco is an item business. CBC drives new item success through a relentless focus on item development aligned with Costco’s strategies:
- Innovation
- Highest quality possible / sustainable / clean ingredient decks
- Items designed for Costco’s rotational strategy
- Keeping current with Regional / national / ethnic correct preferences
- Intimate involvement with Product Development (quality) & Supply chain
- Packaging innovations / renovations
- Sustainable item support programs
- Costco’s 6 rights of merchandising (merchandise, placement, time, quantity, condition, price)
We have a long successful track record of selling products to Costco. Together we help you increase sales and grow strategically bringing solid returns for your company and your stakeholders/shareholders. By growing sales strategically at Costco most of our manufactures experience better success and profitability in other channels of trade retail, food service, ecommerce.
We know how to effectively capture buyer’s attention by focusing on key metrics and specifics of the item. Consider that almost every food manufacturer in the US and many across the globe are competing for Costco’s limited SKU space (roughly 4,000 SKUs total per club).
Costco buyers have very limited time. Costco is an item business and presentations to Costco buyers should always start from the item. We will prepare you for Costco's buying process from meeting preparation, item presentation, follow up, and finally rotational commitment.
Growing your Costco sales!
It is our job to help discover, develop, sell, & support items that build sales for you and Costco Wholesale.
Our sales managers are seasoned veterans of the club segment. Our team is comprised of former PriceClub and Costco Wholesale employees, Senior VP’s in Sales and Marketing, and former Manufacturers. Our team is diverse with experience in Costco buying and operations.
We offer:- Extensive knowledge of Costco Wholesale business strategies
- Ability to formulate successful sales and marketing programs that meet both vendor & buyer needs
- Guidance on proper vendor procedures and administration
- Understanding of Costco Wholesale buying structure Corporate, National, International, and Regionally
- Sales offices strategically located to cover all Costco buying offices
We have an extensive understanding of Costco’s promotional programs, merchandising programs, and third party audit process. We will guide you in building and presenting the most effective promotional programs for your item so that sales can be maximized. Additionally, we will help steer you away from post promotion audit risk and unnecessary grey area and keep detailed and orderly record and accounting of all fiscal year promotion activity with our in house accrual management program.
We help you succeed with Costco’s just in time inventory management, warehousing and merchandising model.
- Strategic guidance in merchandising and promotional programs to grow sales on your item
- Schedule and tracking of all demos, TPDs, MVMs, Endcaps, and all other Costco promotion activity
- Limit post audit liability and avoid gray area through detailed accounting and record of communication
- Focus on fair & equitable marketing approach to Costco regional business model
- Constant review of items and programs to generate highest chance of sales success and repeat purchase
- Focus on growing the Costco metrics that matter ($/bld/week) with your item specific promotion plan
Customer Service
Our in-house and experienced support team will complete and maintain all Costco-related buying documents, vendor setup forms, and help you stay up to date on Food Safety and Social Compliance audits so that you can do business with Costco. We regularly update and maintain all forms for accuracy and keep you updated on Costco personnel changes within the buying office.
Our experienced team of account managers review all Purchase Orders with scrupulous care ensuring all pricing, terms, discounts, order lead times and all the minute details are taken care of. We work hand in hand with the Costco buying office and your team to ensure any issues are resolved immediately. Resolve issues regarding deliveries, spoils, accounting, demos, unauthorized deductions, allowances, etc.
We are an extension of your team. We review all orders for pricing accuracy, provide weekly accounting and audit review of all marketing programs, along with EDI capabilities, Costco specific IRI data analysis and reporting, and a Demo Management suite that mirrors Costco’s auditing process. We act as an extension of your company and support our manufacturer's items from development through to the members' cart.
Items supported from planning, selling, all
the way to the members cart!
- Track and process purchase orders: Manually, via email, or EDI
- Schedule demos and source co-demo partners to limit liability and reduce demo costs
- Guide vendors on proper completion of: Vendor agreements, new item forms, invoicing, demo scheduling, distribution, logistics, etc.
- Depot delivery appointments and scheduling of demos.
Strategy
We regularly meet/conference, review, and plan through item development and future selling opportunities at Costco.
We provide a monthly competitive market survey along with insights from communications with the Costco buyers, floor walks, and our long history of selling to Costco we can guide your strategy so that together we put our best foot forward and increase the chance of item acceptance and success of your Costco business.
It is our job to help discover, develop, sell,
& support items that build sales for you
and
Costco Wholesale.
- Offering products that show exceptional quality and value
- Become a source of new & “treasure hunt” items
- Deliver products that offer differentiation along with innovation and/or renovations
Don’t just take our word for it.
CBC’s insights, knowledge and guidance proved to be invaluable in creating successful value driven items for the Costco Members.
They’ve also got a great supportive Team, experienced and enjoyable to work with – I would recommend CBC for any Brand wanting their item to live in the Costco world.