European buying groups: what they are and how to access them

🏢 The buying groups that dominate Europe: what they are and how they work

Did you know that many of the large supermarket chains do not negotiate separately, but are part of international purchasing groups?

These groups concentrate the negotiating power of several chains, allowing them to obtain better prices and conditions from suppliers. Understanding how they work can open the door to a wider and more efficient distribution in Europe.

🧩 What is a buying group?

A buying group is an alliance between several supermarket chains that They negotiate jointly with manufacturers and suppliersThis gives them greater leverage over the food industry and allows them to optimize supply costs, especially for private-label products and large volumes.

🛒 The main purchasing groups in Europe

Below, we present the most relevant groups and the chains that comprise them:

🌐 These groups manage international purchases, especially for high-volume or private label products. For gourmet, organic, or innovative products, the best option is usually start directly with the member chains.

📞 Contact with member chains of European purchasing groups

📝 Recommendations for contacting

• Prior preparation: Before initiating contact, make sure you have a complete dossier of your product, including technical specifications, certifications (e.g., organic certifications), production capacity, and packaging examples.

• Language: Conduct your communications in the country's official language or in English if it is a multinational company.

• Personalization: Tailor your message to the specific chain, highlighting how your product aligns with their offering and values.

• Follow-up: If you don't hear back within a reasonable time, please follow up politely to reiterate your interest.​

If you need additional assistance to prepare your presentation or product dossier, in ARC Distribution We are available to help you. You can contact us through our contact page: https://distribucionarc.com/contacto/.

💡 Practical example

Imagine that you produce organic snacks and you contact Eroski (Spain), part of AgeCore. If your product performs well in that chain, it may be proposed to Colruyt (Belgium) either Conad (Italy) through the group.

This would allow you to enter in several countries at once With a single agreement, a very powerful opportunity to grow internationally.

🛠️ Are you ready to serve multiple countries?

This type of agreement involves large-scale production, multilingual labeling and international logistics.

In ARC Distribution we offer you industrial machinery adapted to these challenges, including:

• Multi-format packaging systems

• High-volume food processors

• Multilingual automatic labeling machines

• Advice on processes for international orders

📦 If your product goes far, we'll help your factory grow too.
👉 Get to know us here

🎯 Conclusion

Understanding what European buying groups are and how they work is essential if you're looking to scale your product on the continent. Even if you can't speak directly to the group, you can start with a member chain and open the doors to an entire block of countries.

In ARC DistributionWe don't just sell machinery; we also provide information and support so you can distribute on a large scale with confidence.

📩 Ready to bring your product to Europe? Write to us:
👉 https://distribucionarc.com/contacto/