3 Ways Distributors Discover Products & Help Brands Get on Shelves

Content provided by Naturally Network partner KeHe

Ever wonder how a store discovers and picks up a new brand or product? Naturally Network partner KeHE, works with retailers to distribute new items to stores, while also sharing trends & insights on emerging products. Before Kehe can present new products or distribute them to retailers, they need to discover new brands first.

Here are 3 ways KeHE sources and uncovers emerging natural products brands:

Farmers Market Tours

KeHE’s team of trend and innovation gurus tour the United States, visiting around 30 farmers markets each year to forage and advocate for early-stage brands. Joining local communities at farmers markets each year since 2019, KeHE is searching for new products and trends, cultivates relationships with these brands and communities, and brings many of these products into distribution. Their goal is to help brands navigate distributing their products as well as make them available for retail partners looking to be first-to-market.

Social Media Campaigns powered by RangeMe

KeHE receives all new product submissions through the RangeMe platform, the leading product discovery and sourcing tool. It allows the Category Management team to discover products and review them at no cost to the brand. Additionally, when their team is searching for a specific type of product or a new brand for a category, KeHE joins forces with RangeMe for social media sourcing campaigns.

Industry Events

Attending and exploring national events, like Expo East and Expo West, is another way KeHE discovers brands. But did you know that they also host in-person and virtual sourcing events? Through KeHE’s TRENDfinder™ Events, their Category Management team can meet with hundreds of applicants looking for a distributor partner. The event selects several “Golden Ticket” recipients, indicating they are moving forward with the onboarding process and fast-tracking the brand into their portfolio. The event not only helps brands gain exposure to 30,000 retail locations in KeHE’s distribution network but also allows the companies to receive assistance from KeHE experts on navigating distribution and promotional support, all free of charge.

M/O Austin Alum Fellow Funky Mello was a Golden Ticket recipient this year, learn more here.

Get Started with KeHE

Using RangeMe, brands can submit their products and get started with KeHE today. Learn more here.

Interested in joining as a retail partner, and gaining access to thousands of innovative products? Get started here.

Want more insight before you get started? KeHe joined Naturally Network and Naturally Chicago to share key insights into what they are looking for from brands. Learn more about Growing your Relationship with KeHe here.