Ed Bortz

Sampling in Foodservice is Broken — But It Doesn’t Have to Be It still amazes me how many manufacturers either believe they already have the “perfect” sample system or are simply too busy to take a quick call that could save them money and drive incremental sales. The reality? Sampling has changed. Distributors are pulling back. Brokers are consolidating. Liability is growing. And yet — the demand from operators has never been higher. At Taste Specific, we’ve reimagined what sampling looks like in today’s environment: efficient, data-driven, scalable, and profitable. We just published a blog that dives into this shift: Sampling in the Digital Age https://lnkd.in/gyNZuu_c If you’re a manufacturer (foodervice, retail, club, any channel) who wants your products in front of operators without wasting dollars or product, this is a must-read. The game has changed. The question is — has your sampling strategy? #Foodservice #Sampling #TasteSpecific #SalesGrowth #FoodMarketing

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Lot of family owned distributors out there providing exceptional service and transparent communication but I’m particularly proud of our partnerships with Inderbitzin Distributors, Inc. and Troia Foods in the PNW & CA Markets.. Family owned/operated is always an excellent sign that they care about your supplier relationship beyond the standard industry expectations, but Glen Inderbitzin and George Logan Snr & Co. are some of the best in the biz from my DSD experience. Just an appreciation post, but a good reminder that the quality of your regional distribution partners is immensely influential during the early stage growth period in CPG, especially in the products initial introduction to the market.. MERCENARY Teton Valley Brands Snake River Farms — Adam J Louras Joey Murray

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Since the RNDC / Reyes announcement, I’ve received several messages asking the same question: What does this mean for LibDib, LLC? The short answer is this: LibDib was a distributor before we partnered with RNDC, and we continue to be a distributor going forward. RNDC exited California, but LibDib continues to operate in California and other markets. Our business does not hinge on one partner, one market, or one structure. From day one, our model was built to be flexible, compliant, and durable — allowing us to nimbly partner with 3PLs, all distributors, and other fulfillment solutions to ensure brands can get to market legally and efficiently. However. Will there be changes? Yes. Will there be shifts in how business is done? Absolutely. For anyone watching what’s happening in the middle tier right now — this is the new reality. Consolidation, portfolio reshuffling, exits, and strategic pivots are no longer edge cases. They are becoming the de facto operating environment. I don’t make a habit of commenting publicly on our partners’ businesses, but I will say this: RNDC is a good partner to LibDib, and we appreciate the work we will continue to do together. eRNDC and On Demand are two game-changing developments of this partnership. They are incredibly innovative technologies that have created the tools and infrastructure this industry needs to meet this moment right now. In the broader macro environment, these disruptions can be unsettling and are causing many suppliers to reevaluate their go-to-market strategies. The question that should be asked isn’t just where large brands move—but whether those moves meaningfully impact results and grow their businesses. Bigger picture, what’s driving this industry right now isn’t just go-to-market strategy. It’s understanding and staying ahead of the new consumer-based realities we all face. Yes, people are drinking less. Yes, money is tighter. And that shows no signs of abating any time soon. The economic pressure on the next generation of our consumers matters deeply to our category, especially as older generations naturally age out. So here’s where I’ll close: Yes, LibDib is still operating. Yes, there will be changes. No, I don’t have all the answers yet. But I can promise this: LibDib’s distribution mission remains unchanged. Any brand. Any size. Any quantity. Our e-commerce, sales ordering, and data technology is available to both distributors and suppliers, helping lower costs, improve efficiency, and support all of us through the industry changes now shaping our market. That’s why we built this company, to create efficiencies in the three-tier system for all— and that’s not changing. If you want to talk to me/our team about how to navigate with us through all this change, DM me. Even better, I will be at Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Access LIVE, in a few weeks so let’s talk!

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What’s actually on a whiskey label and what does it mean? (PART 1) One of the most common questions I hear is some version of, “What do the words on a whiskey label actually tell you?” Terms like straight bourbon, bottled in bond, single barrel, cask strength, small batch. They sound definitive, but they are doing very different jobs. To make this easier to understand, I’m breaking label language into two categories and two posts. FIRST is legal and regulated language. These are terms defined by law that tell you how the whiskey was made, aged, and bottled. They are enforceable and meant to create transparency. SECOND is descriptive and stylistic language. These terms are less regulated and are used to describe how the whiskey is presented or what kind of experience you might expect. In this first post, I’ll focus on the legal and regulated language: Straight bourbon sets the foundation. It defines the grain requirements, aging rules, and minimum time in barrel. It does not promise flavor, but it does set the boundaries. Bottled in bond is one of the oldest consumer protection standards in American whiskey. One distiller, one distillery, one distillation season, at least four years in a bonded warehouse, bottled at exactly 100 proof. Single barrel means every bottle comes from one specific barrel rather than a blend. That creates more variation and a more transparent connection to the source. Age statements are legally binding. The age listed reflects the youngest whiskey in the bottle, regardless of how much older whiskey may be included. If no age is listed, that means the youngest product is at least 4 years old. “Distilled in..” tells you who actually made the whiskey. “Bottled by..” or “produced by..” can indicate sourcing or contract distilling. This is about disclosure, not quality. These terms matter because they are defined, enforceable, and consistent. They give you real information rather than suggestions.

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I spent years running frozen food companies providing private label and branded products to regional and national retailers and distributors. That business will teach you things about manufacturing discipline that no MBA curriculum covers. One of the most important: the validation stage - which is where most brands lose the game, and almost nobody talks about it openly. Validation, the period between "we have a working concept and a willing customer" and "we have a repeatable, scalable production process”, is expensive, opaque, and full of landmines. ·        Minimum order quantities that force inventory you can't move. ·        Contract packers whose planned capacity changes the week your launch window opens. ·        Capital tied up in equipment and lengthy lead times, all before you've proven demand at retail velocity. I've watched well-funded brands make it to the shelf and run out of runway before they could respond to their own success. The brands that navigated it well had two things in common: ·        A manufacturing partner who understood the early-stage constraints and uncertainties and, ·        A commercialization process that didn't require betting the company on a single production run. That's the problem I've spent the last few years building a solution around. More on that soon, for now I'm curious whether this resonates with others who've been through it.

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