- Item type
- Periodical
- Language
- English
- Source
- McKinsey Quarterly. 2003, Issue 1, p66-77. 12p. 3 Color Photographs, 4 Graphs.
- Publication date
- 01/03/2003
- ISSN
- 00475394
The article discusses the European wholesale food and drink market. The article outlines the positive signs in that sector and the complexities of national markets that must be understood. The article presents a snapshot of the nature of wholesaling in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The article notes that many of the traditional retail operations have diverse product needs, whose variety and number is difficult for large wholesalers to carry. They also rely heavily on high quality produce and fast delivery. Yet the market is shifting to more standardized products. The article presents three strategies for addressing the potential market: buying and consolidating small carriers, offering a better value proposition, and integrating the supply chain. INSET: Country variations.
