- This event has passed.
Top Shelf Retail Cohort | Application Deadline
March 23
Top Shelf Retail: High Volume Retail Growth Insights is an eight-week, curriculum based virtual cohort program designed to help established retail businesses access procurement opportunities in the mass retail market. Participants will learn how to build effect pricing, branding, and marketing strategies, work with category managers and will have the opportunity to pitch their products to a select group of corporate representatives who will provide valuable feedback during the Vendor Showcase. The Top Shelf program is sponsored by Walgreens and bp.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The goal is to provide capacity building training to help diverse-owned established businesses grow into the mass retail market. Upon competition of the program, participants will have successfully completed educational training and interactive learning opportunities in the following areas:
- Capacity building to scale businesses to compete in the retail marketplace
- Technical assistance and financial support to help manage cash-flow
- Pricing analysis
- Business capability statement
- Branding and marketing
- Certification benefits
- Preparation of a pitch presentation
- How to work with category managers
- Risk management and Cybersecurity
- Opportunity to pitch to corporate evaluators
COHORT DETAILS
Ideal Candidates:
- Be a consumer product company that sells (or wishes to sell) to mass retailers
- Two or more years in business
- Average revenues of $50,000 or greater
- Committed to 8-weeks of virtual learning and participation (more than one person may attend)
- Committed to attending 3 supplemental Pitch training sessions outside of weekly classes
- The program is open to all recognized diverse business owners, male and/or female
- The business does not need to be certified to participate
When:
Every Thursday, April 27-June 15, 2023
9:00 am – 12:00 pm, CST
Where:
Virtual Zoom Meetings
Application Deadline:
March 23, 2023
Lead Corporate Sponsor
Collaborating Corporate Sponsor
For more information, contact Cynthia Johnson | cjohnson@wbdc.org
