Budweiser Brewing Group, the owner of brands such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, has ramped up its support for the convenience channel by developing a field sales team to visit stores around the UK to offer “personalised” advice.
The company noted that rather than relying solely on modern methods, it has gone back to basics and adopted a more personalised approach to work with its retail customers.
In 2021, Budweiser launched a trial with a small field sales team led by McCurrach, a specialist field marketing agency, that visited various convenience stores across the UK. The team provided insights into local product performance and offered inventory management strategies.
Budweiser has now expanded the team with sales experts who all specialise in their own region of the UK.
To enhance its understanding of the market, Budweiser has invested in buying insights data to gain knowledge on what works best in this retail segment, per region. Having seen success by taking a regional approach this year, the brewer revealed that it was broadening its research to encompass a consumer classification view, effectively segmenting the UK by postcode. This regional breakdown is said to highlight what product is working well in certain areas so retailers can match the needs of the shopper.
By integrating this approach with the insights data acquired this year, alongside the information gathered by its field sales team, Budweiser said it aims to tailor its product range and deliver a personalised experience to each individual store and its shoppers. From a category point of view, Budweiser noted that retailers need to recognise that they have different shoppers with different needs and occasions.
“We quickly realised how effective a more personalised approach was in the convenience sector,” said Sunny Mirpuri, Sales Director for Convenience and Wholesale at Budweiser Brewing Group.
“This has allowed us to work with customers and be much more targeted to their consumers. We’re looking to grow the team even further and are excited to continue building on our offerings that meet the needs of our customers. The success of our field team approach has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2021, with the team growing every year since.”
Helen Sheridan, Client Director for McCurrach UK, added: “Budweiser’s commitment to supporting their customers in the right way, has been evident from the outset. Since the team was formed, we’ve continuously evolved our strategy with Budweiser, as we acquire a more informed understanding of this channel and its unique needs. Unlocking the insight and data from our approach has been the key to a smarter and more targeted proposition.
“The shared commitment to agility and responsiveness in this dynamic retail landscape forms the foundation of our successful collaboration. We’re really excited to partner with Budweiser and contribute to the delivery of their plans for the year to come.”
Meanwhile, the brewer revealed that it is set to launch a loyalty programme for convenience stores next year. The programme incentivises retailers to stock and maintain an array of Budweiser Brewing Group’s brands by offering cashback rewards.
The programme is tiered, with rankings from bronze to gold based on the quantity of products and SKUs stocked. The Gold tier programme will allow stores to attain an array of data that gives continuous updates on what product to sell and when, which is targeted to their area. Moreover, participating stores will have the chance to win tickets to events throughout the year.
