Landing a national distributor feels like the win. Then the remittance shows up and the check is a fraction of what you invoiced.
Gross-to-Net Without the Distributor Mythology
Gross-to-net is the path from your invoice down to what you actually keep after promotional discounts, chargebacks, shortages, fees, and the other clips. If gross shipments are still the scoreboard, the brand can look like it's breaking out while the cash underneath gets thinner.
Takeaways
A "10% MCB" is often calculated on the distributor's price to the retailer, not on your case price, so you fund a discount on their markup too.
Off-invoice windows can get forward-bought, so a lot of the year's cases quietly run at the promo rate.
Track deductions by type (off-invoice, MCBs, scan-backs, shortages, fees) so planned promo and junk don't live in the same P&L line.
Read the full piece: Gross-to-Net Without the Distributor Mythology
Remittance gate
Can you map this remittance from invoice down to cash by deduction type, not one lump "sales discount"?
Does the MCB percent match the base you thought you agreed to, or the distributor's price to the retailer?
Did any off-invoice window get forward-bought so promo volume is still hitting after the deal ended?
Market pulse
Protein bolt-on: Hormel Foods signed a definitive agreement to acquire Brakebush Brothers, a family-owned value-added chicken and foodservice company (~$1.2B LTM sales; five plants), for about $1.055B cash. Close targeted for Hormel's fiscal Q1 2027; EPS accretion expected from fiscal 2028. Hard-priced poultry M&A and channel-mix comps for CPG CFOs. Hormel Foods
Distributor as partner, not just exit: Vestar-backed Roland Foods agreed to buy Savor Brands from Dot Foods; Dot takes equity in Roland and will distribute Roland and Savor through its national network starting early 2027. Terms undisclosed; not yet closed. A structure where the seller rolls equity and becomes the go-to-market channel. Worth knowing if you're weighing a redistributor as buyer or partner. PR Newswire / Roland Foods
Client spotlight: Tano
Proud of our partners at Tano Skincare, celebrating two years and a line that's grown from two products to five. In a founders' reflection posted in September, they say they've gone from selling one Age Well Face Cream every 10 hours at launch to one every 45 minutes. Worth a look if you watch clean beauty or early retail cadence.
Also worth a read
If the MCB line on the remittance is the piece that never quite adds up, the companion walks that math: Why Trade Deductions From a 10% MCB Are Not 10% of the Case Price.
If you want a second set of eyes on a remittance before the dispute window closes, reply to this email, book a Teicor intro, or reach out on the contact page.
Teicor
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for CPG, Food & Bev brands.