Find distributors and sales channels in the Netherlands

Our local teams will do the work

Finding distributors or retail sales channels might be straightforward, but discovering the right one that drives revenue for your business is a real challenge.

With our Scan-Launch-Grow approach we make this task significantly easier for you! Our local teams have a vast network of distributors and retail channels, know what is important to them and can reach out easily.

Let one of our experts contact you!

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    Find the right retail channels in the Netherlands

    The Netherlands is an interesting country to do business in, and can also serve a stepping stone to other European countries

    As of 2024, the Netherlands has a population of approximately 17.67 million people. The country is known for its high population density, with about 524 people per square kilometer. The majority of the population is Dutch, with various other ethnic minorities.

    The Netherlands boasts a robust economy, ranking as the 18th largest in the world. A significant portion of the EU’s natural gas comes from the Netherlands. The country’s GDP per capita is impressively high at around $48,860, reflecting its economic strength.

    Amsterdam, the capital, is the most populous city, followed by Rotterdam and The Hague. The country’s terrain is notably low-lying, with a significant portion below sea level.

    Top 5 supermarkets in the Netherlands

    Albert Heijn: As of 2021, Albert Heijn led the list with a turnover of €16.4 billion. This retailer, owned by Ahold Delhaize, operated 1,733 outlets as of 2022, with various banners including AH to Go, AH.nl, Albert Heijn XL, and others.

    Jumbo: Jumbo secured the second spot with a turnover of €10 billion in 2022. The network of Jumbo included 708 stores.

    Lidl: With an estimated turnover of €4.5 billion in 2020, Lidl held the third position. As of 2022, Lidl operated 441 stores in the Netherlands. Lidl is part of the Schwarz Group and has been present in the Netherlands since 1997.

    Aldi: Aldi, part of the Aldi Nord group, was fourth with an estimated turnover of €3 billion in 2020. They operated around 500 stores in the country as of 2022.

    PLUS: PLUS had an estimated turnover of €5.5 billion in 2022 and operated approximately 550 stores.

    Let us find the right distributors in the Netherlands!

    We know the market from inside-out

    We work with local teams who already know the market, have a great network, speak the language and know the business culture.

    We know how to get the right attention

    We help you to formulate a message specifically for the companies that you want to target, because we know what is important to them.

    You Reduce your risks

    We help you avoid cultural misunderstandings, compliance issues, and other risks associated with entering a new market.

    Our structured approach for finding distributors in the Netherlands

    Alliance experts has a proven methodology to start or increase your sales in a new market. Our local teams in over 30 countries help you define your pitch and to find and convince the right sales channels or clients. The scan phase can be short, but is essential as preparation. The Launch phase may take several months, depending on the country.

    Scan the market

     

    • We learn about your offering and what target group you want to approach
    • You receive a first list of  potential agents, distributors, partners or direct clients
    • Together with you we draft a localised pitch document
    • We discuss recommendations for next steps with you

    Launch your product

     

    • We approach the companies on your list and find the right decision maker
    • We send your pitch and follow-up several times
    • We connect interested parties directly with you and join you in the first call
    • We guide negotiations and support you till your product starts to sell

    Grow your sales

     

    • We help you search for more distribution channels or clients
    • We evaluate existing sales channels on their performance
    • We can do troubleshooting in case of complaints or logistic issues
    • We suggest new markets to expand your business in

    How to draft your distributor pitch?

    We put a lot of emphasis on drafting a good distributor pitch. Even if you already have great sales materials for your end-users, this often does not make clear what the benefits are for a potential agent, distributor or retailer to work with you. 

    If we approach potential sales channels with your standard documentation, chances are high that they are holding of. If we make it crystal clear what are the benefits for them, like in the example presentation, we get a much higher response rate.

    We help you with a format specifically for your product or service that you can fill out and we give you feedback. Once we think it is great, we test it with a first few companies out of your target group.

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    Customer Experiences

    ” Alliance Experts strongly supported our growth in African markets. Innovative, effective strategies, and superb communication. “
    James Martin

    James Martin

    Brabantia

    ” Outstanding service! Found the perfect partners in within a few months. Our international sales skyrocketed thanks to their expertise. “

    Mehmet Aksoy

    RR Engineers

    ” Alliance Experts’ tailored strategies boosted our Europe market presence phenomenally. Exceptional service, highly recommended! “
    Jing Zhang

    Jing Zhang

    Kamtec

    ” Invaluable local insights led to great distributor matches. Their approach revolutionized our market entry strategy. Highly recommend! “
    Francis Huang

    Francis Huang

    Würth

    ” During our cooperation Alliance experts showed an effective approach and tracking, professionalism and provided the services reliably and on time. “
    Nouraldine Banaeinejad

    Nouraldin Banaeinejad

    CAN Home appliances

    ” Alliance experts has helped us with clear insights in a market which was relatively new to us. Even under difficult circumstances they found good dealer candidates. “
    Alliance Expert found distributors for Harley Davidson

    Vitello Benevetti

    Harley Davidson

    Companies we have helped with distributor search

    Harley Davidson
    Wella Professionals
    Draka Polymer Films
    Würth

    Frequently asked questions

    The best way to find a distributor in the Netherlands is to first decide who are the most likely end-users for your product, whether it are consumers or businesses. Then determine where they now buy your product of an alternative. Before starting to push your product, approach a number of them to ask what they find important and for what reasons they would switch supplier. This way you can position and document your product better before you reach out to a broader group.
    First check whether your product normally is sold through an agent in the Netherlands or that other distribution structures are more common. Then determine the characteristics of your ideal agent, and find a number of these, or outsource this search. When you approach the first few, you will learn what they find imporant and who your competitors are, and you can get a feeling of the commissions they want.
    For the major supermarket and drugstore chains in the Netherlands this may be the case, but it always is difficult. You need a very well documented story and preferably a product that is proven to sell in other countries. Working with a distributor who already has relationships may be easier. Smaller chains and independent stores always buy through a distributor.
    As in any country, convincing a distributor or retailer to put your product in his assortment is difficult. Also in the Netherlands distributors look at the rotation of the product, how easy and often they can sell it, and multiply this with the margin they can make on it. The result should be higher than they earn now from any competing product. Only if you have proper sales data, for example from other countries, they will engage in a discussion with you.
    Resellers and dealers mostly not only look at how much margin they can make on your product, but also what additional services they can provide, like installation or maintenance. If you are already active outside the Netherlands and you have data from other dealers or resellers you work with, this will make it easier to convince them. Preferably use a local party like Alliance experts to find and approach any potential resellers or dealers.

    Be well prepared. All retailers expect you to prove why they are going to make more money with your product than with their current assortment. So you must know the competition.

    We are active in over 30 countries