Typically, new producers ask us 6, very direct, questions: -

1                     How different is TGBL from other food & drink marketplaces?

2                     Who are TGBL’s target markets & customers?

3                     Does TGBL sell on a local, regional or national basis?

4                     How are products sent out?

5                     Are there other benefits to joining TGBL?

6                     How much does it cost?

All great questions!

1. How are we different?

You are in control; From when you want to sell, to whom and at what price! Do you struggle with different pricing for trade and consumer, setting up different shipping charges or handling fees according to order value, or easily creating and distributing promotions like vouchers & coupons – no problem, TGBL will have it covered!

Our primary aim is to help producers scale their business efficiently, with lower risk. As when you grow, and grow profitably, so do we!

To do this, TGBL provides services and systems such as integrated email marketing, social media management tools, and the training to use them. We also provide access to your customer and product data so you know who you should be talking to!

2. Who are TGBLs target customers?

Initially the UK consumer market. But, end of Q3 2019, we launched full support for “business to business” and “business to distributor” customers as well. What does this mean to you? Well … you can offer totally different pricing, minimum order quantities, shipping & handling and returns policies and even different products and descriptions according to customer type. We have loads of exciting opportunities bubbling that’ll open previously untapped markets. Call and have a chat. We’ll bet by the end you’ll end up as excited as we are!

3. Does TGBL locally, regionally or nationally?

All the above, and more! TGBLs ethos and passion is for local production, local consumption. But, more importantly, we want to help fix the limping British food chain. “Farm to Fork” is more than a buzz phrase with us, and we’re busy helping make local & British the norm!

TGBL is all about reducing food miles, shortening the food chain and reducing cost; putting more cash and higher profit back into producers’ pocket whilst customers get far better quality at a reasonable cost and better condition!

4. How do our products get to the customer?

To start, TGBL are using the same direct ship model used by many other marketplaces; the producer sends their products direct to the customer which ensures freshness, but also means TGBL don’t need to hold stock allowing us to keep our costs low! Unusually, we pass most of these savings back to you.

TGBL has started conversations with shipping & logistics companies, and is collaborating with them to build systems and processes that we think will bring a step change to the cost and ease of delivery across the UK even for fresh and frozen products. Our aim is to provide access to a logistics service that’ll guarantee oysters plucked from the Mull in Scotland can be on customers table in London in peak condition, at a fraction of the current cost. This is a complex, but solvable problem!

5. Do you offer other benefits?

TGBL wants to help create a community of producers who talk, who share their problems and challenges. By sharing TGBL can help by creating systems and processes, and we and the community can help by sharing experience and knowledge from those that have seen, and solved, such problems before. The community forum is a great place to start, allowing private or public questions to be asked of the community or a panel expert. In 2020, we also plan to add training courses and links to helpful and topical information.

As a premium service TGBL also provide access to a world class job tender and project management service. Through this you can directly access vetted and accredited suppliers that TGBL know can deliver your project; be that branding, social media, accounts, photography, website design … you name it ... no more reinventing the wheel or making costly mistakes!

TGBL will also deliver a community purchasing portal, to leverage better pricing through member group purchasing on necessary items such as packaging, print and logistics.

See, we really are different! More of a cooperative, than a simple sales marketplace!

6. So…how much does it cost?

TGBL know some other food and drink marketplaces charge up to 30% commissions, as well as expecting producers to subsidise a low shipping charge! We think this is wrong.

TGBL simply asks for a net commission of between 5% and 15% of any sales made through the marketplace, depending on customer segment and product category. We provide other premium services as optional extras on a subscription basis, typically market-leading software or services that we’ve negotiated a large discount on and simply pass on at cost.