SNAP is moving. Not just the dollar amounts—but timing, eligibility, and how shoppers use those dollars. If you sell food and beverages, you’ll feel it. Some of it will be a breeze at your back. Some of it? A headwind.

You’ve got a fantastic product—the DTC store hums. Reviews are glowing. Now you want a spot on a national shelf. Good—know the bar keeps rising. Retailers are fielding more pitches while private label grabs a record share, making differentiation and execution non-negotiable. (In the first half of 2024, store brands hit 20.4% dollar share and 22.9% unit share in the U.S.) And competition for buyer attention is real. Walmart’s 2025 Open Call alone welcomed 500+ entrepreneurs

“Retail deductions” are amounts a retailer withholds from your invoice—usually for shortages, compliance issues, pricing discrepancies, freight/OTIF misses, or after-the-fact (post-audit) claims.

If you’ve ever thought, “We already fixed our deduction issues,” you’re not alone. Many suppliers see deductions as a one-time problem: something to clean up, get under control, and move on.

Imagine this: a food supplier delivers 20 truckloads of salsa to a retailer. Everything looks good—until the next remittance statement. Suddenly, thousands of dollars are missing. The codes? “Shortage,” “labeling error,” and “freight non-compliance.”

Discover how a CPG broker can help your brand grow by bridging the gap between manufacturers and retailers and managing retail relationships