It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. Indeed, when times are tough, retail customers typically demand more value and services from beverage distributors. Tension between trading partners often results as more time and added costs are factored in. Today is no exception. "We've become a service-oriented industry," says Dan DeBlock, director of operations at Kohler Distributing Company, a beer and wine distributor based in Hawthorne, N.J., USA. "With the fuel costs we have today, deliveries are getting expensive. Retailers are demanding better service. Many retailers are now asking distributors to send a driver and a helper on a truck instead of just a driver, to complete the delivery process quicker and not clog up their aisles."
展开▼
