---
title: "The Most Comprehensive Guide to Foodservice Channel Operations: Teams, Store Entry, Exclusive Venues, Relationship Building, Promotions, Management, and More!"
description: "The foodservice channel is a key window for brand display and direct consumption, especially for baijiu brands. For high-end products, it builds brand atmosphere and introduces taste; for mid-to-low-end products, it serves as a major sales outlet. This guide details strategies for developing and maintaining foodservice accounts, including team building, store entry methods, exclusive venue selection, relationship management, promotional activities, and management systems."
author: "朱志明"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2017-07-10"
language: "en"
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# The Most Comprehensive Guide to Foodservice Channel Operations: Teams, Store Entry, Exclusive Venues, Relationship Building, Promotions, Management, and More!

> The foodservice channel is a key window for brand display and direct consumption, especially for baijiu brands. For high-end products, it builds brand atmosphere and introduces taste; for mid-to-low-end products, it serves as a major sales outlet. This guide details strategies for developing and maintaining foodservice accounts, including team building, store entry methods, exclusive venue selection, relationship management, promotional activities, and management systems.

Click the image for details.
The foodservice channel is a window for brand display and direct consumption, and is one of the main channels for baijiu brand promotion. For high-end products, the foodservice channel mainly undertakes the basic functions of brand atmosphere creation and taste introduction; for mid-to-low-end baijiu brands with rapid circulation capabilities, it is an important sales outlet directly facing consumers.
In detail, A and B class restaurants are the main venues for consuming high-end baijiu. Among them, the store manager and owner are core elements for high-end products to gain sales momentum in the foodservice channel. Strategies such as tasting events, VIP customer consumption, wedding and birthday banquets, store manager commissions, brand consultant setups, and red tourism packages can be used to turn the store into a partner for group purchase promotion and a customer for group purchase maintenance. Good relationship building with store management is essential to obtain stable, high-quality VIP customer resources.
C and D class restaurants are the main venues for consuming mid-to-low-end baijiu. These stores are numerous and widely covered, with a low rate of customers bringing their own alcohol. Mid-to-low-end baijiu products can quickly gain market popularity through high distribution rates and flexible promotional activities. The operational difficulties for mid-to-low-end products in the foodservice channel are:
1. Mastering the density of promotional activities, while adjusting the intensity of bottle cap fees according to market changes (introduction, growth, maturity, decline stages);
2. The foodservice channel has many management links, and the execution and implementation of marketing plans for each link is key to success.
The development and maintenance of the foodservice channel is a long-term battle. Specific operations include the following key points:
**I. Understand the Basics of the Foodservice Channel**
1. Establish profiles of all restaurants suitable for the operation of each product line.
2. Select 60% of stores as the annual key operation targets in the foodservice channel.
3. Divide the development of target stores into 3-4 time periods.
4. Find out the total entry cost for all target stores (basically accurate).
5. Identify the various effective relationship-building and promotional activities of competing products in target stores.
6. Budget all resources (relationship building and promotions) needed to turn target stores into effective selling stores.
7. Determine the required promotional staff and undercover promoters.
8. Combine with company module resources to formulate an annual foodservice execution plan.
**II. Build a Capable Team**
1. Establish a long-term team with joint participation from manufacturer and distributor personnel.
2. Clearly divide regional responsibilities (each person manages no more than 20 stores).
3. Manufacturer staff do not participate in collecting cash or delivering goods.
4. Foodservice channel staff should mainly be local experienced personnel (mainly male).
5. The distributor team should have a leader with strong social and networking skills.
6. The team should have clear, simple, and feasible reward and punishment systems (completed by the city manager and distributor before operation).
7. The overall income level of the team should be competitive locally.
8. Maintain team vitality—survival of the fittest, eliminate the stale and absorb the fresh.
9. Set achievable goals for the team and individuals, and fulfill them promptly.
**III. Standard Store Entry Methods and Transaction Conditions**
**A. Standard Store Entry Methods**
1. Relationship-based entry: Stores where the distributor's relationship resources can extend, with little or no cost, are the first choice.
2. Mixed stores where the distributor already handles other products: The manufacturer bears part of the cost.
3. Combined product entry: Bear part of the cost (led by the manufacturer's office).
4. Selected target stores: Negotiate entry individually.
**B. Negotiation and Preparation**
1. Identify the actual decision-maker in the restaurant.
2. Before negotiation, find out the actual entry price.
3. Assess the restaurant's credibility and customer base.
4. Build relationships first, negotiate later. Never negotiate unprepared.
**C. Agreement and Transaction Conditions**
1. Healthy payment collection: 1 month is the standard payment period, with rolling settlement. Over 2 months indicates major problems. For small and medium restaurants, do not accumulate large amounts. Healthy payment collection is more important than any other transaction condition.
2. Product display and clear pricing: Place bottles prominently at the bar. In the restaurant's self-service supermarket, display in a prominent central location, and if possible, stack boxes.
3. For larger stores with good business, try to arrange on-site promotional staff.
4. Allow 3-4 stage promotional activities per year, with high cooperation.
5. Provide accurate sales figures and inventory status.
**IV. Selection and Transaction Conditions for Core Exclusive Venues**
In core operating cities, mid-range products must have exclusive venues as support points.
**A. Quantity Requirements**
1. Provincial capitals: no fewer than 10-20 stores.
2. Prefecture-level cities and top 100 counties: no fewer than 3-5 stores.
3. County-level markets: no fewer than 1-2 stores.
**B. Exclusive Venue Restaurants Must Meet Several Rigid Conditions**
1. High customer traffic and good business.
2. High credibility and timely payment.
3. Good relationship with the restaurant, basically controllable by the distributor.
4. Cooperate with our various activities.
5. Ideally, can guarantee sales volume.
**C. Forms of Exclusive Venues**
1. Exclusive product entry: Sign an agreement to limit entry of targeted products and also limit competitor on-site promotions. After entry, there is a relaxed promotion environment, setting a model. Target sales for such restaurants are 20-40 boxes/month, with annual sales no less than 250 boxes. Cost standards vary greatly by region, but the principle is to control exclusive venue costs at around 40% (factory price).
2. Exclusive promotion: Sign an agreement to allow some targeted products to enter, but not allow competitor promotions. The cost investment for such restaurants is much lower than the previous type. Monthly sales for such restaurants should be no less than 10-20 boxes, with exclusive venue costs controlled at around 30% (factory price).
**D. Image Packaging for Exclusive Venues**
In the exclusive venue agreement, stipulate permission for image decoration inside and outside the restaurant, such as brand-named private rooms. Hanging paintings in rooms, elevator paintings, seat covers, etc., and equip with corresponding materials like ashtrays, wine pourers, drink menus, etc.
**E. Mastering the Operational Steps**
1. Order: First do exclusive and core stores, then general stores;
2. Operational steps for exclusive and core stores: Detailed investigation → Exclusive venue negotiation → Relationship activities → Image decoration, promotional materials → Free small bottle tasting activities → Regular promotion → Sales-boosting activities (consumer promotions, waiter incentive activities, activities targeting store owners) → Payment collection and long-term maintenance.
**V. Effective Relationship Communication**
Who does the relationship building: In operating the foodservice channel, relationship building is the foundation for sales momentum, promotions, and payment collection. It is a joint effort, but the distributor should play a greater role. If relying primarily on the manufacturer's reputation, costs will be higher.
**A. Restaurant Owners**
1. Tangible benefits: Rebates, interior and exterior decoration, waiter uniforms, joint promotions to attract business, empty bottle exchange for wine, etc.;
2. Friendship: The distributor's friendship with the restaurant owner, providing some tasting wine for the owner's friends or regular customers (similar to small tasting events).
3. Leverage: The distributor's network may include people who can influence the restaurant owner, but this method should only be used during entry negotiations. After entry, business conduct should prevail; otherwise, the owner may become more resistant.
4. Face: Colleagues in the foodservice channel or key distributor leaders should frequently visit the restaurant owner or dine at the restaurant, give gifts, and establish a familiar or recognized relationship.
**B. Lobby (Marketing) Managers, Head Waiters**
1. Tangible benefits: A one-time relationship gift or cash of 1500-2000 yuan every six months, not linked to sales.
2. Friendship and socializing: Periodically (twice a year) give wine or gifts.
**C. Core Waiters, Order Takers**
1. Tangible benefits: Monthly salary subsidy of about 200-300 yuan, tied to a certain monthly basic sales volume, cumulative bottle cap rewards, etc.
2. Care: Give wine to their parents once or twice a year, and hold small social gatherings.
**D. Relationship Building with Logistics Support**
1. Finance: Mainly handled by the distributor. The method depends on the financial personnel's identity. If not a confidant (relative) of the owner, use some gifts and a small amount of cash. If a relative, use small gifts and meals to build rapport.
2. Front desk (bar), warehouse: Rely on diligence in communication and movement, plus some practical small gifts.
Do not use excessive relationship-building efforts in the above two areas.
1. The above lists various relationship-building aspects, but in practice, you cannot cover everything. The key is to find breakthroughs and priorities.
2. For more important relationship targets, brand specialists or key distributor personnel should participate to prevent wasted effort due to personnel turnover.
3. The distributor's relationship activities should dominate.
**VI. Selection and Implementation of Promotional Activities**
**A. Regular Promotions After Store Entry**
1. Use 100ml small bottles, choose 7-15 days, give one small bottle tasting per table in private rooms (after guests are seated, give a brief recommendation, emphasizing the price).
2. Breakthrough promotions: After the tasting activity ends, use limited-time buy-wine-get-XX activities. The gifts should be exquisite, practical, or have some brand recognition, such as high-end cigarette holders or popular local cigarettes, or famous cigarettes. After this wave, consider placing prize coupons in the wine box to reduce promotion costs.
3. Targeted promotions: For frequent customers familiar with waiters or lobby managers, offer free tasting of a full bottle (unboxed).
**B. Promotions to Boost Sales**
1. Targeting store owners or key personnel
★ Also, within 1 month, exchange several empty bottles for one bottle of our product.
★ After entering the restaurant, if all parties cooperate well and there is a certain base sales volume (monthly sales of 30 bottles or more), within 1-2 months, if sales exceed the previous month, the entire bill is waived. This motivates the owner to fully encourage waiters to promote.
★ Cumulative rewards: Within a certain period, if the store reaches a certain number of bottle openings, reward with an iPhone or computer.
★ Travel rewards.
2. Targeting store owners and consumers: Joint promotions for wedding and birthday banquets, holidays, store anniversaries, etc. If consumption at the restaurant reaches a certain amount, give one bottle of wine free.
3. Promotions to use cautiously: Buy wine get food, buy wine get our product. These have low perceived value and poor taste, and are promotions for the sake of promotion.
**Tips**
1. When formulating promotional activities in a city, always consider effectiveness and sustainability, and ensure alignment with brand positioning. Do not set policies just to use up the budget!
2. The specific forms of promotional activities can be innovative locally; otherwise, when consumers feel no novelty, the effectiveness will be greatly reduced.
3. Once a promotion plan is determined, those involved in execution must understand it clearly before implementing. Brand specialists should conduct spot checks at restaurants and evaluate results. If effective, promote widely; if not, find the reasons and adjust promptly.
**VII. Promotion Publicity and In-Store Publicity**
**A. Promotion Publicity**
1. All consumer promotions conducted in restaurants should be publicized using X-stands or other forms. Promotions without publicity are wasteful.
2. Placement of promotional materials: At stairwells, elevator entrances, and other places consumers must pass.
3. Production requirements: Highlight one key element; do not use multiple descriptions or add extra sentences.
**B. Image Publicity**
Mainly for specialty stores with good business, large-scale image painting can be done inside the store or along the windows. For some B-class stores, consider seat covers for image publicity. Always make a small sample to check the effect before mass production.
**VIII. Use and Management of Promotional Items**
**1. Several Practical Gifts**
Wine pourers, ashtrays, ballpoint pens, lighters, 100ml small bottles, high-end cigarette holders, etc. Except for lighters, all are produced at the company headquarters and uniformly requested by each business area.
**2. Management of Promotional Items**
The brand specialist is responsible. They should establish files for use, and create usage procedures and verification forms to prevent loss at each stage. For lost items, the brand specialist bears partial financial responsibility.
**IX. Main Work and Key Points for Promoters**
**A. Main Work**
Promoters mainly build good relationships with waiters and lobby managers. Secondary tasks include direct sales or conducting promotional activities, maintaining product and promotional material displays, mastering real-time inventory information, and reporting competitor dynamics.
**B. Stabilizing Long-Term Promoters**
An excellent promoter is half a salesperson. Excellent promoters are usually discovered by salespeople during store visits and recruited. Then create a good working atmosphere and more human care. Relatively stable and good income is a prerequisite. The presence and quality of promoters depend on the frequency of salesperson visits and communication skills. Frequent loss and turnover of promotional staff indicate major team problems.
**C. Targeted Training**
Professional training (promotion skills, product knowledge, and selling points) is part of it. Use a few simple, easy-to-remember sentences that everyone can memorize and recite fluently. Additionally, it is important to train skills in dealing with people and the degree of dedication to work.
**D. Selection of Undercover Promoters**
For some restaurants that do not allow promoters, or where the restaurant is large and one promoter cannot cover it, consider selecting undercover promoters within the restaurant. Undercover promoters must have worked at the restaurant for a relatively long time, have good overall qualities, and maintain confidentiality.
**E. Use of Undercover Promoters**
1. Monthly subsidy: 200-300 yuan, plus normal bottle cap fee income.
2. The monthly subsidy should be tied to a certain base sales volume. If the base is not met, only the bottle cap fee is given. If the base is met, both are given. Business colleagues should take time to train undercover promoters on Langjiu knowledge.
**X. Determine Detailed Goals and Timetable**
**1. Determine Achievable Monthly Work Goals**
Work Content | Work Goals
Shipment volume |
Number of stores entered |
Number of bottle openings |
Promotional activities |
Personnel recruitment |
Distributor establishment |
Promotional material production |
Others |
**2. Break Down Goals**
Break down the above specific goals to each person, each time period, with clear division of labor and time requirements.
**3. Develop Executable Plans:**
After determining specific goals, jointly discuss and formulate executable monthly detailed plans. Be sure to solicit merchant opinions. After the plan is formed (and approved by the company), take time to have the executors present the plan to stimulate enthusiasm and ensure everyone knows it.
**4. Promotion and Inspection:**
The city manager should conduct on-site inspections of the promoted plans and goals at least once a week to ensure progress and quality, and promptly find solutions to problems. Brand specialists should work in the foodservice channel at least 2 days per week.
**XI. Effective Meetings**
**1. Morning Meetings:**
Use every morning (must be completed before 9:30) to check the previous day's work and arrange the day's specific tasks.
**2. Weekly Meetings:**
Use weekends or evenings to address the progress of last week's work deployment and goal achievement. The theme should be clear, brand specialists should prepare in advance, and the meeting should have results and clear instructions.
**3. Monthly Meetings:**
Review last month's various work indicators and achievements, discuss this month's specific work content and methods, determine the promotion timeline, specific responsible persons, and achievement indicators. Suitable for team dinners and boosting team morale.
-END-


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