Client: Gourmet Trading

Background

GT is the largest grower-shipper of asparagus in the US and is a major distributor of fresh blueberries. Gourmet wanted to expand its sales both in export markets and to establish direct relationships with specific retailers in the US Europe and Asia. The search process for an appropriate sales team as well as the training period for that team would take too long so GT would lose significant sales opportunities for a season and might not be able to move the volume committed to its contracted growers at an appropriate price.

Approach

• FLG provided an experienced executive to work with GT’s sales team on a contract basis. The FLG contract sales executive understood the sales challenge and worked with the GT sales team to:
  • Quickly come up to speed on the specifics of the global asparagus and blueberry industry
  • Develop a series of appropriate sales programs tailored to each target customer
  • Conduct a rapid set of customer visits with GT principals in the target markets in the US, Europe and in Asia
  • Enabled GT to hire the best possible individuals for the sales position
  At the end of the contract period the FLG executive turned over the management of the accounts and the sales effort to the GT sales team which by then was in a position to maintain and to grow these sales.

Results

FLG’s representative was able to draw on his significant experience with fresh produce exports and his strong relationships with US retailers.  His efforts resulted in a number of new customers to GT and a net increase in annual sales of over $5 million, an Increase in of over 78% in his specific market segments.
 
GT was in full control of the customer relationship in both the short and long term.