B2B Distribution

B2B distribution means selling alcoholic products to trade buyers rather than directly to consumers.

In alcohol, B2B covers all professional trade channels. It includes on-trade, off-trade, online retail, wholesalers, and distributors. The role of B2B distribution is to get products into the trade with the right commercial, operational, and compliance structure behind them.

What B2B distribution means in alcohol

B2B distribution in alcohol is not simply wholesale selling. It is the structured sale of alcoholic products into professional trade channels, each with its own requirements, account types, and route-to-market dynamics.

That includes:

on-trade / on-premise: bars, restaurants, hotels, hospitality groups, and other venues where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises
off-trade / off-premise: independent retailers, chains, supermarkets, and other retail outlets where alcohol is sold for consumption off the premises
online retailers
wholesalers
distributors

This structure matters because each trade channel can involve different order flows, documentation needs, pricing logic, fulfilment expectations, and excise implications.

How this model works

In a B2B model, the brand sells into trade channels rather than directly to the end consumer.

Depending on the market and commercial structure, that can mean supplying hospitality accounts, retail buyers, online retailers, wholesalers, distributors, or a combination of these. The operational model can vary depending on whether products move under bond or duty paid, and on the documentation that must accompany the transaction and delivery.

In practice, B2B alcohol distribution depends on more than winning the account. It also depends on having the right structure to execute those sales correctly across trade channels.

Key requirements and challenges

B2B alcohol distribution is more demanding because brands need to manage both commercial and compliance complexity.

That includes:

correct trade documentation
correct excise treatment and excise payment
under-bond versus duty-paid handling
fulfilment aligned to buyer and channel requirements
invoicing and account administration
reliable delivery coordination

Without the right setup, B2B growth can become operationally difficult, commercially inefficient, and harder to scale across trade channels.

How Lexir enables it

Lexir gives brands the structure needed to serve B2B alcohol channels properly.

That includes the operational layer required to process orders, handle trade documentation, support excise-sensitive flows, coordinate delivery, and manage trade accounts in a compliant and scalable way.

Lexir also adds an important commercial advantage. Its adaptive margin structure helps brands stay competitive when selling to wholesalers and distributors, while still protecting better margins for the brand.

That means Lexir supports B2B not only operationally, but commercially as well.

Why brands use it

Brands use B2B distribution to build reach and scale across professional trade channels.

It allows them to:

serve on-trade and off-trade accounts
work with wholesalers and distributors where useful
support online retail routes
grow sales across professional channels
combine commercial reach with stronger operational and margin control