What CPG Brands Must Know Before Entering U.S. Retail

For international CPG brands, the East Coast of the United States seems like an obvious target—dense populations, high purchasing power, cultural diversity, and a deep appetite for global food and beverage products. But what many brands underestimate is how difficult it is to actually gain—and sustain—traction in this market.

It’s not enough to ship a container.
It’s not enough to get your product listed.
And it’s definitely not enough to expect a broker or distributor to do all the heavy lifting.

The East Coast is one of the most competitive, fast-moving, and high-pressure retail environments in the U.S. If you’re not investing strategically in market activation, your product will sit on shelves—until it’s delisted.

This article outlines the key realities brands need to understand before entering the East Coast market, and what you must be prepared to do to succeed.

1. Codification ≠ Sell-Through

Getting your product coded by a wholesaler is a major step—but it’s just that: a step. Codification means the product is available for purchase by stores—it doesn’t mean it will be stocked, visible, or sold.

In fact, many stores only reorder products if they notice consistent movement. If your product doesn’t sell quickly, they won’t just ignore it—they’ll remove it. And that signal gets sent back to the wholesaler, who may cut your listing entirely.

To prevent this, your brand needs:

  • Velocity-focused marketing campaigns
  • Clear activation plans by retail zone
  • On-the-ground merchandising support

2. Retailers expect support—they’re not going to market for you

Retailers on the East Coast deal with aggressive competition and limited shelf space. They expect brands to come in prepared to drive their own performance.

That means:

  • Promotions aligned with launch windows
  • Geo-targeted digital campaigns around listed stores
  • In-store merchandising and relationship building with store managers
  • Quick resolution of stock, pricing or planogram issues

If you’re not willing to invest in that, don’t expect sustained support from your retail partner. A broker may help open doors—but the brand has to perform to stay in the game.

3. Distributors are not growth engines—they are logistics partners

Distributors and wholesalers help move product—but they are not your marketing team, your merchandisers, or your brand builders. Their role is to:

  • Handle logistics
  • Offer access to retail channels
  • Manage backend relationships

What they don’t do is:

  • Create consumer demand
  • Guarantee reorders
  • Solve for slow-moving SKUs

Expecting your distributor to “get you sales” without brand-side activation is a recipe for frustration on both sides.

4. The East Coast requires in-market resources

If you’re trying to compete from abroad with no local support, you’re setting yourself up for failure. The brands that win here:

  • Have dedicated sales or merchandising teams in-market
  • Build direct relationships with store owners or managers
  • Conduct field visits to ensure compliance, visibility, and execution
  • Run continuous marketing aligned with store geography

The East Coast is not forgiving to absentee brands. If you’re not present—someone else will be.

5. Marketing isn’t optional. It’s survival.

Many brands treat marketing as a luxury—something to consider after the product is on shelf. But in the U.S. market, marketing is the only way to move product at scale.

Without it:

  • Shoppers won’t recognize your brand
  • Store staff won’t prioritize it
  • Retailers will see poor performance metrics

Launching with no demand-building plan is like renting a billboard in the desert—your message is there, but no one sees it.

Conclusion: Enter the market with a plan—or don’t enter at all

Getting on shelf is only 20% of the challenge. The other 80% is keeping your product there through velocity, visibility, and strategic execution.

At Group MCC, we work with international CPG brands to define the right market entry strategy—not just how to get listed, but how to perform in retail environments like the East Coast, where competition is fierce and execution matters.

Through our proprietary MCC Market Ready Framework, we assess your brand’s readiness across product, pricing, positioning, retail integration, and commercial execution. From there, we help you build the go-to-market plan that aligns with your goals, capacity, and budget.

Before you invest in inventory or distribution, let’s talk. Book a free diagnostic session with our team, and let’s make sure you’re not just entering the U.S. market—you’re ready to win in it.

How CPG Brands from Latin America, Europe, and Asia Can Succeed in the U.S. Market

The U.S. is one of the most attractive but complex markets for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. Every year, companies from Latin America, Europe, and Asia explore expansion opportunities—some succeed and scale, but many fail within the first year.

Why? Because success in the U.S. retail market doesn’t come from exporting a product—it comes from adapting a strategy.

Each region brings its own strengths—and its own blind spots. In this article, we’ll break down the most common mistakes we see from brands across Latin America, Europe, and Asia, and share actionable strategies to help them win shelf space, build demand, and sustain growth in the U.S.

For Latin American brands: Don’t just export—Translate your value

Latin American brands often bring incredible flavor, authenticity, and cultural relevance. But many approach the U.S. market with a “copy and paste” mindset, assuming what works at home will work in retail here.

Common pitfalls:

  • Launching the same hero SKU without adjusting pack size or pricing
  • Assuming cultural familiarity will drive demand, even in non-Hispanic areas
  • Failing to align packaging with U.S. labeling standards and shelf dynamics

What works instead:

  • Adapt your packaging to be bilingual, with clear visual hierarchy and nutritional compliance
  • Position your brand for crossover appeal, not just nostalgia—many Latin-inspired brands have succeeded by framing their products around health, convenience, or bold flavor, not just cultural heritage
  • Start in targeted regions with high Latino population density (e.g. South Florida, Texas, NYC metro area) and use those stores as proof of concept before expanding broadly

🔎 Pro tip: A growing number of Latin brands are winning in Whole Foods and Sprouts not by staying traditional—but by aligning their brand with better-for-you trends and strong retail support.

For European brands: Your story alone isn’t enough

European brands often come with strong credentials: artisanal production, long-standing heritage, high-quality ingredients. But in the U.S. retail environment, that’s only a piece of the puzzle.

Common pitfalls:

  • Relying too heavily on origin as the value proposition
  • Entering with premium pricing without sufficient market education
  • Packaging that feels upscale in Europe but lacks shelf impact in U.S. formats

What works instead:

  • Translate your premium positioning into consumer benefit: Don’t just say “Italian olive oil” or “French jam”—explain what makes it different and relevant for U.S. shoppers
  • Test packaging formats that match local expectations: Some formats (e.g. glass jars, multi-packs) may need to be optimized for U.S. logistics and planogram standards
  • Back up pricing with velocity strategy: Whether through sampling, influencer partnerships, or digital activations, you need to show that your product moves—not just that it’s high-end

🔎 Pro tip: Retail buyers are open to European products—but only if they’re commercially viable and positioned to compete on performance, not just origin.

For Asian brands: Don’t lose the essence—But make it accessible

Asian food and beverage products are increasingly sought after in the U.S., especially among younger consumers. But while demand is growing, many Asian brands struggle to balance authenticity with accessibility.

Common pitfalls:

  • Keeping labeling and formats that make sense in Asia but confuse U.S. shoppers
  • Assuming the product will “speak for itself” without supporting education
  • Entering only through ethnic channels and failing to plan a mainstream strategy

What works instead:

  • Lead with recognizable benefits and use occasions: Instead of saying “herbal jelly,” say “plant-based, gut-friendly snack” and show how it fits a daily wellness routine
  • Invest in retail support, sampling, and education materials: U.S. shoppers often need guidance to try unfamiliar products—great signage and trained merchandisers make a difference
  • Build traction in independent stores, then bridge into mainstream chains once performance is proven

🔎 Pro tip: Brands that succeed in this space make their products easy to understand without watering them down. Think of how ramen, matcha, and kimchi moved from niche to mainstream.

Conclusion: Adaptation is not optional—It’s the strategy

Success in the U.S. isn’t about where your brand comes from—it’s about how well you understand and adapt to the market you’re entering.

Whether your product is rooted in the culinary heritage of Latin America, the craftsmanship of Europe, or the innovation of Asia, winning in U.S. retail requires more than quality—it requires precision.

At Group MCC, we help international CPG brands evaluate their true market readiness through our MCC Market Ready Framework—a proven methodology that assesses your strengths and gaps across five strategic pillars critical to U.S. success:
Product, Pricing, Positioning, Retail Readiness, and Commercial Execution.

Before you invest in distribution, sales, or marketing, the right move is clarity. That’s why we offer a free strategic consultation session to explore your brand’s readiness and define the right next steps—whether that means refining your offer, starting with regional retail, or preparing to scale through brokerage and in-store merchandising.

If you’re considering launching in the U.S., let’s start with a diagnosis. Book a free session and discover what your brand really needs to succeed.

What Buyers Really Want to See in Your Sales Deck (and What They Don’t)

Your product might be innovative. Your brand story might be inspiring. But if your sales deck doesn’t speak directly to what U.S. buyers care about, you’re unlikely to get a second meeting—much less shelf space.

Retail and wholesale buyers see hundreds of product pitches a year, and they all start to look the same. Beautiful slides filled with lifestyle imagery, founder backstories, and aspirational mission statements… But very few that actually address the commercial realities of retail.

If you’re preparing to pitch your product to buyers in the U.S. market—especially in a competitive region like the Northeast—this article will show you:

  • What information buyers actually look for
  • What turns them off
  • And how to build a deck that positions your brand as a serious, ready-to-scale player

What your sales deck must include to be taken seriously

✅ 1. A sharp value proposition tailored to the U.S. market

Buyers don’t want to figure out what makes your brand special—you need to spell it out in the first 60 seconds. That means:

  • A clear category and subcategory definition
  • A 1-liner that defines your unique value in simple terms
  • Specific relevance to U.S. consumers, not just international success

🚫 What not to do:
“Premium product from [Country] using ancestral ingredients and handcrafted processes.”
✔️ What to do instead:
“First-to-market frozen snack that brings Latin American street flavors to U.S. retail in a ready-to-heat format.”

✅ 2. Your hero SKU and unit economics

Buyers aren’t evaluating your brand—they’re evaluating what SKU will sell and how it performs on shelf.

You should include:

  • The hero SKU you’re leading with
  • Case pack, size, MSRP, and all dimensions
  • Suggested retail price and expected margin for the retailer
  • Promotional pricing strategy and calendar

If you don’t show this clearly, you signal that you’re not commercially ready.

🚫 What not to do:
A portfolio dump of 10 SKUs with no explanation of what leads
✔️ What to do:
“One hero SKU with proven traction. 12oz bag. SRP $5.49. Retail margin 40%. TPR scheduled for launch window.”

✅ 3. Velocity proof or traction signals

Buyers want evidence that your product moves. If you’re not yet in U.S. retail, you can use:

  • DTC performance (with regional sales data if possible)
  • Sell-through results from independent or international retail
  • Sampling or pilot program results
  • Consumer testimonials or digital engagement rates

The key is to show that there’s real-world demand, not just potential.

🚫 What not to do:
“High engagement on Instagram” without tying it to behavior
✔️ What to do:
“70% sell-through in 4 weeks at 30 NYC independents. 3.4x reorder rate. 50% of online sales come from NY/NJ zip codes.”

✅ 4. Marketing and retail support plan

Retailers are not your marketing department. They want to know:

  • What are you doing to drive foot traffic and consumer demand?
  • Are you investing in geo-targeted digital or influencer campaigns?
  • Do you have field support for merchandising and store visits?

This is where you prove you’re not just asking for shelf space—you’re investing in performance.

🚫 What not to do:
“We plan to do social media campaigns.”
✔️ What to do:
“$8K allocated to geo-targeted IG/Meta ads during launch window. Sampling support at priority locations. Weekly merchandising visits across all stores.”

✅ 5. Retail-readiness and operational confidence

Buyers need to know:

  • Are your labels U.S. compliant?
  • Is your UPC registered and scan-ready?
  • Do you have a 3PL partner or distribution strategy in place?
  • Can you fulfill orders on time and in full?

Your deck should signal: we’re ready to ship, support, and scale.

What buyers don’t want to see in your deck

Buyers are short on time and long on options. Avoid these common mistakes:

❌ Overly long founder stories

They care about your product, not your life journey.

❌ 15-slide mission statements

You can talk about values—but keep it relevant to what it means for the shelf.

❌ Vanity metrics without context

“50K followers” means nothing if it doesn’t connect to demand or sell-through.

❌ Unclear asks

If your CTA is vague—“we’re looking for opportunities”—you’ll get vague responses.

Conclusion: Design your deck for the person who has to justify putting you on shelf

Buyers don’t need inspiration. They need confidence. Your deck needs to answer the question:

“Why should I take shelf space away from a proven product to give it to you?”

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands build sales decks and retail narratives that speak the buyer’s language—clear, data-driven, commercially sound, and tailored to the realities of the U.S. market.

If you’re preparing to pitch to retailers or wholesalers and want your sales materials to stand out and convert, contact us. Our consulting team can help you build the strategy and structure that opens doors—and keeps them open.

How to Run a Competitive Audit Before Entering U.S. Retail

The U.S. retail market is one of the most competitive in the world. Every week, new products are launched, but most are delisted within months. The reason? They entered the market without truly understanding the battlefield.

Before you talk to a wholesaler, pitch a retailer, or even finalize your packaging, you need to answer a simple but crucial question:
Who exactly are you competing with—and how are they performing in the spaces you want to enter?

A competitive audit isn’t just about “checking who else sells snacks or sauces.” It’s about deeply analyzing how your category behaves in retail, where there’s room for you, and what it will take to win.

This article will walk you through how to run a competitive audit before investing in the U.S. market—and why skipping this step could cost you shelf space, buyer trust, and ultimately, your business.

Why a competitive audit matters before your launch

Too many brands rely on assumptions like:

  • “Our product is better quality.”
  • “There’s a growing trend in this category.”
  • “No one else is doing this exact thing.”

But none of that matters unless:
✅ Buyers see it as a true differentiator
✅ Consumers understand it at a glance
✅ You can prove it with performance or positioning

A well-run audit helps you:

  • Define your real points of differentiation
  • Identify pricing and margin benchmarks
  • Spot gaps in the shelf (and avoid saturated areas)
  • Prepare smarter sales materials for buyers
  • Avoid the fatal mistake of entering a crowded space unprepared

Step-by-step: How to conduct a retail-focused competitive audit

1. Visit target stores—physically, if possible

Go to the stores where your product would likely be sold:

  • Whole Foods, Wegmans, ShopRite, Sprouts, or regional independents
  • Focus on locations in the region where you’re planning to launch

Walk the aisles, take photos, and answer:

  • What’s the shelf layout in your category?
  • Which brands dominate facings and visibility?
  • What formats, sizes, and claims are most common?
  • What price points are consumers seeing most often?

This gives you real-world insight into what your product would be surrounded by—and what it has to compete against.

2. Analyze product positioning and packaging

Take a hard look at your competitors’ packaging and brand language. Identify:

  • Front-of-pack claims (organic, gluten-free, zero sugar, etc.)
  • Design trends (clean/minimalist, nostalgic, loud colors, etc.)
  • Category tone (playful vs. clinical, traditional vs. functional)
  • Callouts for retailers (promotions, value packs, family size)

Then compare this to your own packaging and messaging:

  • Does your product look like it belongs on that shelf?
  • Or does it risk being misunderstood, ignored, or mispositioned?

This step helps prevent expensive packaging redesigns after buyers give feedback or consumers ignore your product.

3. Map price architecture and margin viability

Build a pricing map based on what’s already in-store:

  • What’s the average MSRP in your subcategory?
  • What are the low-end, mid-range, and premium tiers?
  • How does your pricing (after logistics, duties, and promotions) stack up?

If you find that your product will land significantly above the high end, that’s a red flag—unless your value proposition is crystal clear and justified.

This step is crucial for avoiding rejection from buyers who see your price as out of range or uncompetitive.

4. Evaluate brand velocity signals

In-store presence doesn’t always mean in-store success. Look for signs of real velocity:

  • Multiple facings across stores
  • Secondary placements (endcaps, shippers, cross-merchandising)
  • Promotional tags or TPRs (temporary price reductions)
  • UGC on social media tagged at specific stores

Velocity matters to retailers. If you identify brands that consistently hold space and run activations, you’re seeing who’s performing—not just who’s present.

5. Identify white space opportunities

After your shelf research, ask:

  • Is there a format or consumer profile not being served?
  • Are there claims or narratives missing in the current category?
  • Is there a flavor, pack type, or usage occasion that you can own?

This is where your product can win—not by copying competitors, but by strategically filling the right gap.

Conclusion: Your shelf strategy starts with clarity

Launching in the U.S. without a competitive audit is like entering a battlefield blind. But brands that invest time upfront to study the shelf, the pricing, the messaging, and the gaps—those are the brands that enter prepared.

At Group MCC, we help brands not only understand their competitors but position themselves strategically to outperform them. Our consulting services include full retail audits, category mapping, and launch playbooks tailored to your region and segment.

Before you invest in shelf space, invest in knowing what you’re walking into. Let us help you turn competitive clarity into a real retail advantage.

Is There Room for Your Product? How to Evaluate Market Opportunity in the U.S. Before You Invest

Launching a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand in the U.S. is a big leap—and an expensive one. Too often, brands make that leap based on intuition, past success in other countries, or assumptions about “market potential.” The result? Poor sell-through, shelf delisting, and money lost.

The truth is, many products that perform well locally fail to find traction in the U.S. simply because the opportunity wasn’t properly validated. Before you invest in export logistics, trade shows, wholesaler negotiations or retail outreach, you need to ask the most important question:

Is there really space for my product in the U.S. market?

This article will walk you through the core areas you need to evaluate to make an informed, data-driven decision—and avoid costly mistakes that can be prevented with strategic foresight.

1. Understand category maturity and shelf saturation

The first and most critical question is: Is your product entering a crowded, mature category, or one that still has room for innovation and differentiation?

✅ What to look for:

  • Number of SKUs in your category in key retailers (e.g., Whole Foods, ShopRite, Wegmans)
  • Dominance of legacy brands vs. emerging ones
  • Shelf space density vs. purchase frequency
  • Innovation rate (how often do new products enter and survive?)

If your category is highly saturated—say, plant-based milks or protein bars—then your brand needs to bring a very sharp and clear differentiation to justify its shelf presence.

🔎 Tip: Go into stores and photograph the category. If you can’t instantly identify where your product fits—or what makes it different—you have a problem.

2. Validate consumer demand at a localized level

Even if a category is growing nationwide, that doesn’t mean there’s demand in the markets you’re targeting. The U.S. is not one homogeneous market—especially in food and beverage.

✅ What to explore:

  • Regional taste preferences (Northeast vs. Southeast vs. West Coast)
  • Cultural or ethnic alignment (Does your product match the local demographic profile?)
  • Retailer assortments in your target region
  • Search trends or social listening for your category keywords

🔹 Example: A tropical fruit beverage may be well-positioned for South Florida, but could struggle in the Northeast unless supported by education and local relevance strategies.

3. Analyze competitive pricing structures

One of the most common reasons brands fail is because they cannot land a viable retail price point, either due to high COGS or unrealistic expectations.

You should reverse-engineer your price starting from the shelf:

  • What is the consumer price point for similar products in the category?
  • Can you reach that number after accounting for wholesaler, retailer, broker, and promo margins?
  • Are you underpricing yourself and devaluing your positioning? Or overpricing and losing competitiveness?

If the numbers don’t work from the shelf backward, you may need to rethink your hero SKU or your entry strategy entirely.

4. Identify whitespace or differentiation opportunities

The most successful brands aren’t the ones that copy what’s already working—they’re the ones that solve a need that others haven’t solved yet, or do it in a way that resonates better with the target audience.

Use this checklist to pressure-test your differentiation:

  • Do you have a functional, emotional or cultural angle that hasn’t been tapped?
  • Is your packaging format truly different or optimized for shelf impact?
  • Are you creating a new use occasion or challenging a legacy brand?

🔹 If your only differentiator is “we use better ingredients,” that’s probably not enough.

5. Talk to the right people before you move

Don’t guess. Talk to experts who know the market from inside the shelf. That includes:

  • Retail buyers (when possible)
  • Brokers who understand category rotation and margins
  • Sales & merchandising teams who see what happens day to day
  • Consultants who have launched similar products and can tell you the truth—even when it’s hard to hear

At MCC, we’ve seen many brands lose time and money because they skipped this step. A single validation conversation early on can save months of effort and thousands of dollars.

Conclusion: Invest only when your opportunity is real

The U.S. market offers enormous potential—but also enormous risk. Brands that succeed here do the homework first. They validate the opportunity, build a product-position-price alignment, and enter with clarity and competitive strength.

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands evaluate the real viability of their product before they invest. Through our strategic consulting services, we analyze your category, pricing, regional potential and differentiation—and help you build the roadmap that turns potential into performance.

If you’re considering launching in the U.S. but want to make sure there’s room for you before you invest, contact us. We’ll help you find the answer—and the strategy behind it.

The Role of Independent Chains in Scaling CPG Brands on the East Coast

When most international CPG brands think about launching in the U.S., their eyes go straight to national retail giants: Whole Foods, Walmart, Costco, Target. And while those names look great on a sales deck, they rarely represent the best first step—especially for emerging brands entering a complex, competitive market like the East Coast.

In cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, independent and regional chains dominate shelf space, consumer loyalty, and local velocity. These stores aren’t just stepping stones—they’re strategic platforms for testing, refining, and scaling your brand.

In this article, we’ll break down why independent grocery chains are key to sustainable growth, how they work, and what successful brands are doing to win in this environment.

Why the East Coast retail landscape demands a different approach

Unlike the more consolidated grocery environments of other regions, the East Coast is a mosaic of small and mid-sized grocery chains. Some are family-owned groups with 10–50 stores. Others are ethnic supermarkets serving highly defined communities. Many operate through regional wholesalers like Krasdale, C&S, or UNFI—but maintain full autonomy in product selection and merchandising decisions.

This makes them:

  • ✅ Accessible to emerging brands that can’t yet meet national volumes.
  • ✅ Flexible in how they merchandise, promote, and price products.
  • ✅ Influential within their communities, creating loyal, repeat consumers.

If you’re building your brand in this region, these chains aren’t just an entry point—they’re a proving ground.

The hidden advantages of independent chains

1. Easier access and shorter sales cycles

Large retailers have long onboarding processes, layers of buyer approvals, and rigid reset calendars. Independent chains, on the other hand:

  • Can often onboard a product in a matter of weeks, not months.
  • May allow store-level or regional-level decision-making, not centralized buyers.
  • Are more likely to give new brands a shot, especially when the product caters to their local consumer base.

This allows your brand to start testing and rotating much faster, gaining valuable data and refining your retail execution.

2. Higher impact from merchandising and store visits

In large chains, store managers often have little say in how your product is stocked or promoted. In independent chains, store-level relationships matter a lot more.

When you invest in:

  • Regular visits from sales reps,
  • Strong relationships with store managers,
  • In-store promotions or demos,

You can directly influence how your product is placed, stocked, and sold. And in markets as competitive as New York or New Jersey, that difference can determine whether your product thrives or disappears.

3. Strategic flexibility for emerging brands

Launching with a major chain typically locks you into:

  • High minimum volumes
  • Aggressive trade spend
  • Strict pricing and promotional commitments

In contrast, independent chains let you:

  • Test different SKUs or pack sizes to see what works best
  • Adjust pricing more easily without a national planogram
  • Pilot promotions at a smaller scale before committing large budgets

For brands still adapting their offer to U.S. consumers, this flexibility is invaluable.

4. Proof of performance for future expansion

One of the best ways to get the attention of major retailers or national distributors is by showing:

  • ✅ Strong sales velocity in real stores
  • ✅ Demonstrated local demand
  • ✅ Operational readiness in retail execution

Independent chains allow you to build this proof organically, so when the time comes to scale, you’re not selling a pitch—you’re showing real data.

Turning small wins into big leverage

One of the most effective ways to build leverage with national distributors or large retail chains is to start by performing exceptionally well in independent channels. These stores offer the opportunity to:

  • Test SKUs and pricing models in real retail environments
  • Capture sell-through data and retail insights
  • Refine logistics, merchandising, and marketing strategies at a manageable scale

When you document strong rotation, reorder consistency, and retail execution in smaller chains, you gain a powerful narrative backed by real results. It shows future buyers that your product doesn’t just look good on paper—it performs under real-world retail conditions.

For many brands, regional chains and independents aren’t just the launchpad—they’re the proving ground that allows you to scale intelligently and sustainably.

Conclusion: Don’t overlook the power of independents

For CPG brands entering the U.S. East Coast market, independent grocery chains aren’t a backup plan—they’re a strategic foundation. They allow you to:

  • Enter faster, with lower risk and more control
  • Build strong retailer relationships from day one
  • Test, learn, and refine before scaling nationally
  • Prove your value in real retail environments

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands develop retail strategies that recognize the full potential of these high-impact, often-overlooked channels. Through consulting and execution, we design your entry roadmap, help you activate merchandising, and build your sales infrastructure for long-term success.

If you’re preparing to launch in the U.S. market, let’s talk about how to turn local chains into your biggest growth advantage.

Pricing for the U.S. Market: How to Build a Structure That Works Across Wholesalers, Brokers, and Retailers

For international CPG brands looking to enter or expand in the U.S. market, one of the most underestimated (and most dangerous) blind spots is pricing.

It’s easy to believe that if your product is priced well in your local market—and if your COGS are relatively low—you’re ready to compete in the U.S. But in reality, the U.S. retail chain adds multiple layers that can destroy your margins if not planned for from the start.

This article will walk you through the core pricing structure you need to understand, break down the margins expected by each player in the chain, and explain how to set your pricing strategy to protect your business, attract buyers, and drive long-term growth.

Why pricing can make or break your U.S. market strategy

Many brands approach the U.S. market with a “what’s left” mindset:

“I have my cost and a target price—let’s see how much is left for everyone else.”

But that’s not how this market works. In the U.S., pricing needs to be built in reverse. You need to start from the shelf price (what the consumer sees), and work backward through the chain to determine:

  • If your margins are viable
  • If you can meet everyone’s expectations (retailers, brokers, distributors)
  • If your product will be priced competitively on shelf

Step-by-step breakdown: How the pricing chain works in the U.S.

Let’s start with a simplified version of the pricing chain. Suppose your product’s MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is $5.00. Here’s what typically happens to that number:

  1. Retailer margin: 30–40%
    • Expected retail margin varies by category, channel, and store type.
    • Let’s assume 35%: that means the retailer expects to pay $3.25 for your product.
  2. Wholesaler margin: 10–15%
    • If the retailer buys through a wholesaler, that wholesaler needs their margin too.
    • With 12% margin: your product must be priced to the wholesaler at $2.90.
  3. Broker fee: 5–8% of wholesale price
    • Brokers typically charge a commission on sales.
    • At 7%, you’re now receiving $2.70 per unit.
  4. Trade spend & discounts: 10–15%
    • Retailers expect promotional support: BOGO, TPRs (temporary price reductions), display incentives.
    • If you allocate 12% for this, your real average revenue per unit drops to $2.38.

Now ask yourself: can you profitably produce, import, and support that product at $2.38 per unit?

If not, you have two choices:
✅ Redesign your cost structure
✅ Rebuild your go-to-market strategy

Key pricing principles for CPG brands in the U.S.

1. Always price for the channel you’re targeting

  • DTC and Amazon can tolerate higher price points.
  • Conventional retail (especially value chains) is highly price sensitive.
  • Premium retail (like Whole Foods or Erewhon) allows for margin, but only if your value proposition justifies it.

🔹 Example: Many international snack brands succeed in Sprouts or Whole Foods at $4.99—but fail in conventional chains like ShopRite or Kroger where that price is too high for the category.

2. Build your hero SKU with U.S. pricing realities in mind

Sometimes the issue isn’t your brand—it’s the specific product format or size you’re trying to launch.

Ask yourself:

  • Can we build a retail hero with better margin structure?
  • Would adjusting pack size or ingredients improve pricing viability?
  • Can we create a product that’s optimized for velocity AND margin?

🔹 Example: A frozen Latin American brand we worked with couldn’t make margin on their core empanada SKUs, so we helped them develop a smaller “snack size” 3-pack that allowed for a $5.49 retail with better unit economics. That SKU became their U.S. retail lead.

3. Treat promotional spend as part of your pricing structure

Retailers in the U.S. expect regular, aggressive promotions—especially during launch periods.

If you don’t budget for it, you either:

  • Can’t support the promotion when it matters, or
  • You do it anyway and hurt your margins.

🔹 Best practice: Create a “net net” pricing model that includes your base price and your promotional burn. That’s your real revenue per unit.

4. Don’t forget hidden costs in logistics and compliance

Your landed cost doesn’t stop at freight. It includes:

  • Customs, duties, and port fees
  • 3PL or warehouse costs
  • Distributor fees
  • Regulatory compliance costs (e.g. relabeling, certifications)

If your pricing model doesn’t account for these, your margin is already gone before you start selling.

Conclusion: Price with precision or risk your entire launch

Pricing isn’t just a finance issue—it’s a strategic pillar of market entry. Brands that succeed in the U.S. are those who:
✅ Understand the economics of the full retail chain
✅ Build products and portfolios around viable price points
✅ Support pricing with the right promotional and trade strategies

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands analyze, structure, and validate their pricing models to ensure they’re not just exciting for consumers—but viable for the U.S. market.

If you’re planning your launch and want to ensure your product is priced for long-term success, contact us to learn how our consulting services can help you get it right from the start.

Shelf or Obscurity: How In-Store Merchandising Defines the Fate of Your Brand in U.S. Retail

Getting your product into a retailer is a milestone—but keeping it there, growing your share of shelf, and accelerating sales velocity? That’s where the real game begins. In the U.S. retail landscape—especially in fragmented, competitive regions like the Northeast—the difference between a product that scales and one that disappears quietly often comes down to in-store execution.

Yet many brands still treat merchandising as an afterthought.

They focus heavily on sales, logistics, and marketing, assuming that once their product reaches the shelf, it will sell itself. The reality? Even a great product with strong marketing support can fail at retail if it’s not merchandised properly.

In this article, we’ll unpack:

  • Why merchandising matters more than ever in retail,
  • What strategies top-performing brands use to succeed in-store,
  • And how your brand can avoid becoming just another SKU that didn’t make it.

Why merchandising makes or breaks retail success

Let’s be clear: Retailers don’t sell your product—you do.

Their role is to provide the shelf. Yours is to ensure the product moves. And if it doesn’t, they will replace you.

Here’s what happens when merchandising is weak:

  • Your product is placed too low, too high, or behind a competitor.
  • Promotions go unnoticed or are executed incorrectly.
  • Stock levels drop, and no one notices until it’s too late.
  • Consumers walk past your product—because nothing calls their attention.

Without visibility and strategic placement, your product becomes invisible, regardless of its quality or marketing budget.

Now flip that: a product that is consistently restocked, faced properly, supported by signage or cross-merchandising, and has a strong in-store story—that product gets reordered.

In-store realities you can’t afford to ignore

Many international CPG brands are surprised by how operationally brutal U.S. retail is. Some of the key realities you must plan for:

1. Shelf resets are frequent

Chains reorganize aisles based on seasonality, category performance, or new buyer decisions. If you’re not there to advocate for your product, you risk being displaced overnight.

2. Category captains dominate space

In many categories, one or two large players influence planograms. You need field support to defend your space and fight for promotional or secondary placement.

3. Managers have autonomy

Even if your product is in the system, store-level execution varies wildly. Relationships matter. If no one is visiting the store, checking the shelf, and asking the right questions, you will lose ground.

What smart CPG brands do differently: Execution strategies that work

Here are the merchandising strategies we see working for brands that are scaling successfully:

1. Own your shelf presence

Your team—or your partner’s team—should be in stores regularly:

  • Checking that SKUs are properly stocked and faced.
  • Ensuring pricing labels and promotions are in place.
  • Speaking with store managers and solving issues in real time.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential.

2. Go beyond the shelf

Endcaps, shippers, clip strips, refrigerated bunker spots—these secondary placements drive trial and visibility.

Even small placements in high-traffic areas can outperform a poorly placed shelf spot. Smart brands negotiate and earn these spaces through retail support and activation planning.

3. Sync field teams with marketing

It’s not just about physical presence. The brands that win are the ones whose merchandising execution is aligned with:

  • Digital campaigns targeting the zip codes of their stores.
  • In-store promotions that match online messaging.
  • Launch calendars that prepare stores before the traffic hits.

This creates cohesion between what consumers see online and what they find in the store.

4. Capture data and respond fast

Field reps should report real-time data: OOS alerts, competitor placements, promo execution. This feedback allows you to:

  • Adjust your trade marketing quickly.
  • Target stores that are underperforming or at risk.
  • Spot expansion opportunities where sales velocity is high.

The difference between surviving and scaling

Plenty of brands get on shelves. Only some stay.

And even fewer scale, gaining new placements, increased facings, and stronger relationships with buyers. The difference isn’t luck. It’s execution.

Merchandising isn’t just logistics—it’s strategy. It’s what makes your marketing visible, your sales sustainable, and your investment worthwhile.

Conclusion: Retail is won in the field

If you’re aiming to scale in the U.S. retail market—especially in the competitive Northeast—your product can’t just sit on a shelf and hope for the best.

You need a strategy. You need people on the ground. And you need to treat in-store execution with the same seriousness as your pricing or product development.

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands not only get listed, but stay listed. Our consulting services guide you in designing a merchandising strategy that fits your stage, your budget, and your market. And when you’re ready, our in-field sales & merchandising teams ensure your product performs where it matters most: at the point of sale.

If you’re preparing to scale in the U.S. and want to make sure your product doesn’t end up in obscurity, talk to us. We can help you turn your shelf space into real sales.

Is Your Product Truly Competitive for the U.S. Northeast Market?

Breaking into the U.S. market is already a challenge—but succeeding in the Northeast corridor, one of the most dynamic and competitive regions in the country, requires more than just having a good product. It demands precision, preparation, and strategic adaptation.

Many international brands make the mistake of thinking that it’s enough to have a product that performs well in their home country. They assume that a distributor or wholesaler will take care of everything. In reality, those that thrive in the Northeast U.S. market are the ones who take a hard look at their competitiveness and adapt for this context.

This article will walk you through the critical questions your brand must answer before entering the region—and how failing to address them could cost you your opportunity.

1. Does your pricing model survive U.S. market realities?

Let’s start with a brutal truth: if your price doesn’t leave enough room for the full cost structure of the U.S. market, you’re not ready.

You need to calculate, with absolute clarity:

  • Freight and inland logistics
  • Duties and import-related costs
  • Wholesale and retail margins
  • Promotional spending
  • Broker and merchandising fees

We’ve seen brands price themselves out of the market before even landing on a shelf, simply because they underestimated these layers. In this region, retailers expect margins. Wholesalers won’t push a product that isn’t financially viable. If your margins only work in theory—or only in your country of origin—you’re starting off on the wrong foot.

2. Is your packaging built to win and comply?

In a place like the Northeast—where stores are densely packed with high-quality products—packaging must do two things simultaneously:

  1. Stand out on shelf
  2. Meet every U.S. regulatory requirement

A visually stunning product might still be a no-go if it lacks:

  • English-only or bilingual labeling
  • U.S. nutrition panel formats
  • FDA-compliant ingredient declarations
  • Allergen and handling disclosures

But even if your labeling is perfect, you still need a packaging strategy that reflects category norms and outpaces them. This means studying how your competitors present themselves in Whole Foods, ShopRite, Wegmans, or Key Food—and then going one step further.

📌 Design matters—but compliance is non-negotiable. If you skip this step, your product may never even make it past the wholesaler’s first meeting.

3. Are you pushing your retail hero, not just your best local seller?

One of the most common mistakes we see in consulting sessions is this:
Brands try to launch in the U.S. with the product that’s sold best in their home market—not the one that’s strategically built for retail success in the U.S.

A successful Northeast retail strategy often begins with one hero SKU that is:

  • Visually striking and instantly understandable
  • Tailored to local taste or trend preferences
  • Operationally simple (e.g. fewer logistics challenges)
  • Priced to move, with a high margin and high velocity

The idea is simple: prove performance with one product, then expand. Spreading your bets across a dozen SKUs might dilute your focus and stretch your operations thin in a region where velocity is everything.

🔎 Winning brands enter with a sharp, simplified value proposition—and scale once traction is proven.

4. Do you have real knowledge of your competitive set in retail?

Another blind spot: many brands don’t know who they’re really competing with in-store. They know their direct competitors in their home country, but not the ones on the same shelf in ShopRite or Whole Foods.

To succeed, you must:

  • Walk retail stores in the target region
  • Analyze how top-performing brands are priced, promoted, and merchandised
  • Understand how U.S. consumers navigate the category
  • Map out gaps and overlaps between your offer and what’s already available

Retail buyers will always ask:

“What makes this different from the four similar products I already carry?”

If you can’t answer that question with data and clarity, you’re not yet ready to pitch.

Conclusion: Pressure-test your competitiveness before you pitch

Entering the Northeast U.S. retail market is not a game of improvisation. It’s a game of preparation, precision, and positioning.

Before you talk to a wholesaler, before you show up at a trade show, and before you pitch your dream of being in Whole Foods—you need to be honest about whether your product is truly competitive for this region.

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands like yours pressure-test their readiness, optimize their retail strategy, and build the foundations for a successful U.S. launch. Through our consulting services, we guide you in adapting your pricing, packaging, portfolio, and competitive positioning to meet the real demands of this market.

If you’re serious about making it in the Northeast—and not just appearing briefly on a shelf—contact us to start building your market-ready strategy.

How Social Media Drives Retail Sales for CPG Brands

For consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands looking to succeed in the U.S. market, social media is more than just a branding tool—it’s a direct driver of retail demand. Many brands mistakenly view social media as a secondary priority, focusing solely on traditional retail strategies. However, in today’s competitive market, a strong digital presence can significantly impact retail velocity, wholesaler interest, and overall market penetration.

The key is understanding how social media can be leveraged to generate demand before a product even hits shelves, create urgency for retailers to stock it, and drive continuous in-store sell-through. In this article, we’ll break down the real impact of social media on retail sales and highlight case studies of CPG brands that have used digital strategies to secure and sustain retail success.

Why social media is a game-changer for CPG retail sales

1. Retailers and wholesalers want brands with built-in demand

One of the biggest challenges in getting a product placed in retail is convincing buyers that it will sell. Retailers and wholesalers take on a financial risk when they list a new product, and their primary concern is whether it will move off shelves quickly.

Brands that have strong social media engagement, digital hype, and a loyal online audience have a huge advantage when pitching to retail buyers.

🔹 Case study: How Olipop used social media to dominate grocery sales
Olipop, the prebiotic soda brand, didn’t just enter retail through traditional sales efforts. Instead, they:

  • Built massive digital hype on Instagram and TikTok before launching in grocery stores.
  • Created a social-first brand identity that made their product aspirational for health-conscious consumers.
  • Used influencer collaborations to generate viral demand, making retailers more eager to carry their product.

By the time Olipop secured placements in Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts, there was already consumer demand in place—ensuring strong retail performance from day one.

Lesson for CPG brands:
✅ Retailers want products that already have a consumer following.
✅ If consumers are actively asking for a product in stores, retailers are more likely to stock it.
✅ Social media allows brands to generate demand BEFORE retail placement.

2. Social media accelerates product sell-through and retailer retention

Getting into retail is one thing. Staying on shelves is another. Many brands fail in retail because they don’t actively support their product’s performance, leading to poor sales velocity and eventual delisting.

A well-executed social media strategy ensures that:

  • Consumers are consistently reminded to look for the product in stores.
  • Retailers see strong movement and continue reordering.
  • New retail partners become interested in carrying the brand.

🔹 Case study: How Magic Spoon turned digital hype into retail sales
Magic Spoon started as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) cereal brand, but when they expanded into retail, they:

  • Ran geo-targeted digital campaigns around stores carrying their products.
  • Leveraged their online community to create demand at specific retailers.
  • Activated influencers to promote in-store purchases.

Because Magic Spoon’s audience was already familiar and engaged with the brand, their retail launch was an instant success. Stores saw high velocity, leading to rapid expansion across more locations.

Lesson for CPG brands:
✅ Retail success isn’t just about getting listed—it’s about driving continued sales.
✅ Brands that actively support their retail presence through social media outperform those that don’t.
✅ Digital and in-store strategies must work together to maximize sell-through.

3. Social media creates direct consumer engagement that boosts retail sales

One of the biggest advantages of social media is that it allows brands to interact directly with consumers, something that traditional retail marketing cannot do as effectively.

Consumers today trust recommendations from peers and influencers more than traditional ads, meaning that user-generated content (UGC), influencer partnerships, and direct engagement drive purchase decisions.

🔹 Case study: How Mid-Day Squares built retail demand through personal storytelling
Mid-Day Squares, a protein snack brand, didn’t rely on traditional advertising to grow in retail. Instead, they:

  • Turned their social media into a reality show, sharing raw, behind-the-scenes moments of their brand journey.
  • Built an engaged community that felt emotionally invested in their success.
  • Encouraged their audience to request their product in stores and post about their purchases.

This led to higher in-store engagement, retailer demand, and viral consumer advocacy, propelling them into national retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts.

Lesson for CPG brands:
✅ Consumers want to connect with brands on a personal level.
✅ Storytelling on social media makes consumers more likely to choose your product in-store.
✅ Encouraging user-generated content builds credibility and increases sales.

How CPG brands can maximize social media to drive retail success

1. Use geo-targeted campaigns to push retail traffic

Once a product is available in retail, brands should run geo-targeted digital ads that:

  • Alert local consumers that the product is available nearby.
  • Provide limited-time incentives (coupons, discounts) to drive trial.
  • Encourage foot traffic to specific retailers.

🔹 Example: How Chobani launched new flavors with geo-targeting
When Chobani introduced new Greek yogurt flavors, they:

  • Ran Instagram and Facebook ads targeting consumers near specific grocery stores.
  • Integrated a “Find Us in Stores” feature to drive local discovery.
  • Tracked retail performance based on digital ad engagement.

This approach ensured high trial rates and strong retailer demand for new product SKUs.

2. Activate influencers to drive in-store purchases

Influencer marketing isn’t just for online sales. Strategic partnerships can directly impact retail sell-through by:

  • Driving awareness for new retail placements.
  • Encouraging fans to try the product in-store.
  • Providing credibility and social proof.

🔹 Example: How Poppi turned influencer hype into retail success
Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand, leveraged TikTok influencers to drive mass awareness before expanding into retail. Their strategy:

  • Partnered with micro-influencers to create authentic product reviews.
  • Ran “store check” challenges, encouraging users to post photos when they found Poppi in retail.
  • Used influencer discount codes to track in-store impact.

This helped Poppi quickly expand its retail footprint and maintain strong sell-through.

3. Encourage user-generated content (UGC) to boost organic sales

Consumers trust real people over brands. Encouraging UGC:
✅ Creates free, authentic brand advocacy.
✅ Provides retailers with proof of demand.
✅ Increases consumer confidence and trial.

🔹 Example: How Halo Top used UGC to dominate the ice cream aisle
Halo Top built its brand through social sharing, encouraging consumers to post about their low-calorie ice cream flavors. They:

  • Created viral challenges (“Post your Halo Top flavor of the week”).
  • Rewarded fans who shared their in-store purchases.
  • Integrated UGC into their official social content.

This organic approach boosted trial, in-store purchases, and long-term loyalty.

Conclusion: Why social media is essential for retail success

Social media is no longer just a branding tool—it’s a critical driver of retail demand.

✅ Retailers prefer brands with built-in consumer engagement.
✅ A strong digital presence accelerates in-store sell-through.
✅ Direct consumer interaction increases purchase intent and loyalty.

At Group MCC, we help CPG brands build strategies that align digital and retail efforts, ensuring that once your product is on shelves, it stays there.

If your brand is ready to scale and needs expert guidance on retail execution, contact us today to learn how we can help you win in the U.S. market.