The Challenge

A fast-growing international cookware brand achieved strong success selling online through major U.S. marketplaces. However, expanding into brick-and-mortar retail presented a fundamentally different set of challenges.

Unlike e-commerce, selling through physical stores requires:

• Rigid compliance with retailer-specific logistics and data standards
• Store-ready packaging that protects the product while presenting well on the shelf
• Flawless item setup, where minor errors can cascade into costly downstream issues
• Deep understanding of legacy retail systems and processes unfamiliar to many manufacturers operating abroad

When a leading U.S. big-box retailer invited the brand to begin selling in stores, the brand was referred to Warefor to support the transition.

The Solution

Warefor partnered with the brand to design and execute a retail-ready distribution operation, drawing on decades of experience supporting major U.S. retailers.

Retail Readiness & Execution

• Advising on store-ready packaging that withstands the logistics environment while maintaining strong in-store presentation
• Managing complex item setup and retail master data, reducing risk of chargebacks and operational friction
• Applying disciplined receiving, storage, and outbound processes to minimize damage, claims, and losses

Systems, EDI & Visibility

• Implementing reliable workflows around electronic data interchange (EDI)—an older but mission-critical retail technology unfamiliar to many international manufacturers
• Providing full remote visibility through Warefor's platform, allowing the brand to monitor inventory levels, inbound and outbound activity, and product movement in real time

Sales & Inventory Support

• Supporting inventory planning and forecasting at the store and network level
• Aligning inbound flows with expected sell-through to support expansion while protecting service levels

The Results

• Rapid retail expansion driven by consistent execution and strong on-time, in-full performance
• Store count growth across multiple national retailers
• Warefor directly handled, stored, and shipped every unit placed in more than 5,000 retail stores across the United States
• In-store performance mirrored the brand's prior online success, enabling continued growth with additional retail partners