Must have a partner we can trust

When Orkla Foods has to store and send store and promotional material to thousands of grocery stores throughout the country, they depend on an efficient and reliable distributor. They have found that in 3PL Solutions.

With well-known and beloved brands such as Stabbur mackerel, Toro and Grandiosa, Orkla Foods Norway is present in virtually all of the country’s nearly 4,000 grocery stores. Daily, not only food, but also large quantities of shop material, campaign material, giveaways and the like are transported to shops around the country.

Such material is an important part of the marketing of both new products and old favourites, and is of great importance for the turnover of both Orkla Foods and the grocers.

– That is why we are still dependent on having a solid partner for stock and distribution. If something goes wrong and things are missing, or don’t arrive on time, the merchants get mad at our sellers. Then we lose a lot of goodwill, says Ketil Hansen, Shopper Marketing Manager at Orkla Foods Norway.

– We must be trustworthy, and therefore we must also have a partner we can trust.

– Efficient way to service both the sales machine and the stores

For a long time, this reliable partner has been 3PL Solutions.

– I have worked at Orkla and Stabburet for 15 years, and as long as I have been here we have always used 3PL Solutions for the storage and distribution of shop material and campaign material, says Hansen.

Among other things, the partnership means that Orkla can have material supplied by external partners – for example demo tables, posters, banners and giveaways – sent directly to the store or warehouse. The goods therefore do not have to go to a central warehouse at Orkla, which was the norm in the past.

– The collaboration with 3PL Solutions gives us an efficient way to service both our sales apparatus and the stores. They have good systems, they can turn around quickly and have things in order. We always have a good overview, and can trust that things will be delivered on time.

Customer handlers with a full overview

When asked why he thinks the collaboration works well, Hansen particularly singles out 3PL Solutions’ customer managers.

– We have got a permanent customer manager who has worked with us for a long time, and who therefore knows us well. This customer manager knows our company, our products and has a full overview of our equipment, he says.

– We have over 1,000 articles in stock at all times, and therefore we are completely dependent on those we work with having a good overview, emphasizes Hansen.

Have further developed the service together

Orkla Foods Norway is one of 3PL Solutions’ largest customers, and over the years has helped to influence the development of its partner.

– Because we have worked so closely over such a long time, we have been able to further develop their service together. Among other things, we have been a driving force to build a good, web-based system that the sellers have access to through the tools they use, says Hansen.

Orkla’s Shopper Marketing Manager is now looking forward to further collaboration, new developments and new opportunities in the future.