Most FMCG founders think getting shelf space means they’ve won. Then onboarding reality hits hard and fast.
What’s happening: FMCG brands securing major retailer listings face a critical 30-day onboarding period where operational gaps, compliance failures, and inadequate systems destroy promising partnerships before products reach consumers.
Why this matters: Private labels are becoming increasingly influential in the FMCG market, with 53% of retailers projecting them to be their top growth driver in 2024, making it harder for emerging brands to secure and maintain shelf space without flawless execution.
There’s a growing blur between foodservice, grocery, and direct-to-consumer. Products that once lived at the farmers market or on a founder’s Shopify site are now aiming for supermarket shelves. But crossing that retail threshold isn’t just about having a great product; it’s about knowing how to operate in a retail environment from day one.
Which raises the question: what does it actually take to make the leap from “emerging” to “retail-ready”?
The answer, more often than not, comes down to one thing: ease of doing business.
Getting ranged is just the start
Retailers don’t range your products unless they believe in them. So if you’ve made it past the buyer and onto the planogram, you’ve already done something right.
But here’s the catch, getting ranged isn’t the win. Onboarding is the real test.
Think of it like getting your L-plates and being asked to merge onto a freeway. You’re technically allowed to be there, but you’d better know what you’re doing.
Why onboarding exposes the gaps
At Seedlab Australia, we work with hundreds of founders every year, often at the exact moment they’re told “you’re in.”
The biggest barrier we see for FMCG businesses is that they don’t know what they don’t know.
Some assume they’ve got months before their first delivery. Then they find out what distribution centre they’re shipping to just days before the deadline, and panic because they’re not sitting on enough stock.
Others don’t realise what “retail-ready” actually means. Do you have HACCP certification? Are your barcodes GS1 registered? Can your logistics partner get into a distribution centre or meet direct-to-store requirements? These aren’t hypotheticals; they’re hard lines. Miss one, and you’re on the back foot from day one.
Then there’s the promo calendar. Retailers expect a full go-to-market plan before the first unit hits the shelf. Sampling, catalogues, digital, media support – if you don’t have a strategy for all of this, your sales won’t move. And if your sales don’t move, neither will your product.
“Nearly ready” vs “retail ready”
Retailers want partners who can deliver consistently, communicate clearly, and promote strategically. Especially the majors.
Seedlab Australia is in a unique position here. We’re backed by Woolworths, but we’re not bound to them. This allows us to help FMCG founders learn what’s actually required to be successful, without the pressure of the pitch.
Retailers aren’t just assessing your product and brand. They’re assessing your systems. Can you handle a promo rollout? Can you respond to a stock issue? Do you know your cost-to-serve across their network?
The brands that grow are the ones that have thought about this early, before the first purchase order lands.
What scalable brands get right (and what challengers can learn)
Brands that succeed in retail don’t get there by accident. They’ve already nailed the operational fundamentals: logistics, compliance, customer communication, and marketing. Their systems are aligned with the retailer’s expectations before the first unit is even shipped.
Emerging brands can’t always compete on resources, but they can compete on clarity. That means understanding not just your why, but your how. How will you deliver on time? How will you fund your first promo cycle? How will you support your stock once it lands?
The brands that break through are the ones that prepare like they belong there.
Retail clarity is your competitive edge
Onboarding isn’t admin. It’s a litmus test for your entire business.
It shows what you’ve built, and what you haven’t. The founders who do best in Seedlab programs treat onboarding like a strategy sprint. They plan backwards from the shelf. They build stock buffers, put money behind promos and communicate like pros.
Being retail-ready doesn’t mean you have all the answers. It means you’ve built the mindset, systems, and muscle to find them fast.
Getting ranged is exciting. But staying ranged? That’s business.
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
