When it comes to discovering new flavors, tastes, and textures, nothing beats traveling. There’s something about enjoying a freshly brewed coffee al fresco, surrounded by the early morning bustle of foreign cities…
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From the misty mustiness of Venice to the fragrant piazzas of Tuscany, the smokiness of Málaga’s Calle Larios to the creaky bones of Paris coming to life, trays groaning with heady fragrance make one’s heart scream for just one more rich, dark coffee laced with delight.
Beautiful as tasting one’s way around the globe is, Single Serve Beverages Distribution (SSBD) knows that travel isn’t always possible. So, thanks to this innovative game changer, Americans don’t have to make transatlantic trips to get their hands on top-quality exotic coffees and a host of other beverages. SSBD believes that drinks – like life – are meant to be interesting, exciting and delicious, and it specializes in distributing brands that share this worldview.
That is why this international leader in online wholesale distribution is trusted by beverage manufacturers from around the world to help adapt their brands for the American market, get their products into retail stores, and drive online marketing campaigns with laser-focused precision. With clients as far afield as Iceland, Berlin and Japan, SSBD absolutely rocks its brands’ social media presence across a number of platforms, while taking care of distribution and claiming hearts – and fridge space.
Voted 11th fastest growing company in 2017 by Inc. 5000, Single Serve Beverages Distribution’s creative marketing and distribution expertise gives a voice to the country’s hottest new brands in ways that other distributors simply haven’t thought of. “We’re an innovative marketer and distributor,” says Shlomo Birnbaum, CEO, “and our methods often ‘inspire’ the competition. We’re always developing creative methods to help grow our partners’ businesses, because the major brands spend millions to maintain to their lead by clogging up the shelves. Our results are wonderful – we’ve found consumers prefer our innovative premium products to traditional premium brands.”
Single Serve Beverages Distribution uses data to drive all marketing decisions, with continuous market studies and research that delves into the minds of online shoppers and uncovers the hottest trends in e-commerce. The SSBD team specifically looks in-depth at online shoppers’ behavior, preferences and what really drives sales in order to build brands for the U.S. market. “We’re the fastest growing company in the U.S. beverage market,” says Birnbaum.
Single Serve Beverages Distribution takes a holistic approach to the online marketing of its brands’ products. Of course, people purchase with their eyes first and for this reason, professional photography and copy ensure that products appeal to their target audiences. The company is responsible for all aspects of marketing and distribution including everything from staging to shipping, process tracking, managing client reviews, and engaging on all social media platforms including influencer outreach, video and new product launches. In addition, the company’s sophisticated distribution center is set up with fully compliant electronic data exchange systems (EDI) and drop ship capabilities to fulfill first-party and third-party logistics, ensuring that products are delivered effectively and above all else, quickly.
SSBD combines paid online marketing, organic social media and influencer programs to ensure its brands have the best possible online exposure. These strategically-targeted campaigns increase sales, and free manufacturers up to do what they do best – create fantastic products.
When it comes to client engagement with the brands it represents, reviews and feedback are carefully monitored, as this is a key area for a brand to demonstrate its customer care, market focus, and ultimately, to improve products. Because brand fans can drive rapid increases in sales and market share growth, Single Serve maintains a social department that exclusively deals with building fan bases.
The company’s micro-influencer program focuses on influencers with around 10,000 followers, while macro influencers reach five times as many people. “We find people who are passionate about specific brands and then tap into their networks by running awareness campaigns, holiday and seasonal promotions and more,” explains Birnbaum. We have a dedicated team who manages each brand’s influencer program, which means they get incredible mileage from our marketing efforts.” And there are options for all needs and budgets; it is possible to have specifically dedicated experts for a single brand’s overall marketing account, while smaller brands would typically share a team. “Europe has tons of amazing brands that Americans would love to try, and SSBD is expert at helping brands launch and grow in the competitive U.S. marketplace.”
One of SSBD’s proudest achievements came when it pioneered sampler packs as a way to drive online brand awareness and sales volume. The SSBD team worked with their brands to come up with creative products to put into samplers, and the rest is history. It also created new packaging for the promo weekend to give consumers a chance to sample surprising new products. This program was so successful, other manufacturers adopted this strategy, which spawned sampler packs as an entirely new product category.
One of its top European brands from Italy is a prime example of how the company can open doors to foreign manufacturers. “We’ve given them extensive value commitments to obtain the right to market and distribute their brand in America,” Birnbaum shares. The company has also helped the brand create new product categories, blends and packaging, to adapt their offering to suit American tastes while preserving its artisanal Italian character.
“This is all we do all day. We know our market because we have proprietary analytics to help determine real time trends and keep one step ahead of our consumers and the competition.” It allows us to tailor products to meet the consumer’s needs,” he says. Birnbaum started the company in 2011 and describes himself as a serial entrepreneur who owns multiple companies. He is well-versed in reading markets and is focused on continuing to grow the company into a national giant.
With tastes becoming increasingly more sophisticated and very personal, consumers are tiring of dreary everyday mass-produced. As an inquisitive species, we want to explore and indulge in the new and the fresh now, rather than wade our way through more and more of the same old stuff. Single Serve Beverages Distribution knows just how to bypass the hurdles presented by big corporate beverage brands and give local and international retailers access to a greater, global offering that keeps consumers returning for more.
Birnbaum’s advice to manufacturers who are looking to distribute in America is to be wary of operators who claim to have big companies that deliver a similar service but do not, in reality, do much beyond making the proverbial quick buck. “Most small-time operations like these cause a lot of problems – however unwittingly – because they buy and sell at a minimal markup and do little or nothing to drive their own sales. This damages brands because they cheapen the brand by selling it below its market price or sell it to others who do the same. Additionally, it damages a legitimate distributor like us who invests hugely in driving brand awareness but are undercut by these outfits,” Birnbaum says. “It costs a lot of resources and money to develop a longer term strategy in order to professionally market and distribute online and that is why we only take on long-term, exclusive contracts,” he adds.
With his vast experience in the online market, Birnbaum’s market prediction is pragmatic. “I believe that global giants like Coca-Cola and Nestlé’s traditional distribution and marketing models have already shifted. Over the next ten years, Single Serve Beverages Distribution’s model will become the industry standard and this will overshadow traditional retail’s approach to selling. It will morph into a just-in-time home delivery scenario where products will be delivered to your fridge. This is already happening, and I invite anyone who wants to have a confidential conversation about how this can be set up to get in touch with me,” he adds.
Yes, you read correctly. According to all indications, this futuristic supply chain is already in place and happening in America. This industry visionary sees leveraging new IoT (Internet of Things) fridge technology to assist in just-in-time stock-ups that require minimal consumer involvement. First brands fought over retail shelves, then the battle went online over search results, then to battling over e-tail shelf “search” results and social. “Now that big brands have been losing ground thanks to these new alternative distribution and marketing tools, the next new frontier is a battle over your fridge shelf space,” says Birnbaum.
While this notion may sound outlandish, the reality proves to be true. Single Serve Beverages Distribution’s goals include working with every manufacturing country in the world and to continue adapting products to each country’s unique markets in order to suit their consumers’ tastes. To achieve this, its 2019 goals include adding five or six new countries to its list of export destinations.
With its unrelenting drive and innovation, there is no stopping this team of online sales whizzes. Who knows, their delicious drinks may already be in your fridge.
