EDLP vs. High-Low: A Tie on Paper, $82K Apart in Practice
Modeled on the same line, EDLP and high-low net the same $3.97M. Running the promotions costs $82K more. The arithmetic the price sheet leaves out.
Slotting Fees: When the Shelf Pays You Back
A 220-store placement costs $68,728 before the first jar scans. The payback math by velocity, and the week the category review lands on top of it.
Which Channel Actually Pays After Every Deduction
Rank a $25M brand's channels by revenue and Walmart wins. Rank them by contribution after every deduction and the order scrambles. An interactive walk from gross revenue to the capital-allocation decision.
channel profitabilitycontribution margincapital allocationretail vs distributiondeductionsCPG finance
Retail Deductions: What You Write Off Without Checking
A $25M food brand writes off ~$67K in invalid retailer deductions a year without opening the file. Where the money hides in the data, and why it decays.
Trade Spend Is Not Marketing Spend. The P&L Proves It.
Book trade spend as marketing and your gross margin reads 52% when it's 44%. Why ASC 606 makes it contra-revenue, and what the misfiling hides.
S&OP Is a Financial Lever, Not a Supply Chain Meeting
A specialty food brand grew revenue 22% while cash declined. S&OP is the reconciliation of demand, production, and cash that most brands skip.
Capital Allocation in CPG: Where the Next Dollar Earns the Most
The same $1M of revenue yields ~$54,000 more contribution through retail than through distribution. Most brands allocate by revenue rank, not contribution rank.
Retail Launch Cost Model: The Five Layers That Turn a $500K Placement Negative
A $500K placement can close year one at negative cash. The five cost layers to model before you commit: slotting, trade, compliance, float, and overhead.
Gross-to-Net: The Margin Analysis CPG Brands Skip
The gross-to-net bridge is built from scan allowances, MCBs, slotting fees, and distributor deductions, none of which appear on a standard P&L.
Trade Spend Benchmarks for Small Food Brands: 15-25% of Revenue, Line by Line
How much trade spend is normal for a specialty food brand, what the money is actually buying, and which components carry no performance link at all.