Courses designed by Industry Experts
M. Learning Academy courses are taught exclusively by current and former executives who have led wine and spirits businesses at the C-Suite or senior executive level. Built using proven instructional frameworks, such as PDSA and group learning systems that have been employed by both universities and corporations, M. Learning Academy courses bring real-world lessons into frameworks and exercises that guarantee student success.
MASTERING THE WHOLESALE CHANNEL COURSE
Access Individual Chapters:
Have you ever felt like the three-tier system of wine distribution is a big secret that nobody’s explained to you? Mastering the Wholesale Channel is the course that addresses this head-on and provides winery owners, executives and future leaders the tools needed to succeed in the critical wholesale channel. Wine businesses of any size can be profitable in wholesale; the trick is understanding how distributors actually operate, mastering your competitive set, and having the proper tools for success.
This course contains six core chapters and twenty one focused lessons. Students engage in real-world exercise and receive a Tool Kit of advanced pricing calculators, goal planners, and comp set analyses that take the mystery out of distributed sales and lead to mastery.
THREE DISTINCT LEARNING OPTIONS
Self-Paced Learning: Enjoy ultimate flexibility with 24/7 access to the system anytime, anywhere. Learn More.
Choose Your Content: Select the Chapters that are the most important to you based on your business needs, each chapter is available individually.
Small-Group Cohorts: Train alongside a tight-knit group (12 people or fewer) in an accountable, collaborative environment where peers review and discuss each chapter together, email info@mlearningacademy.com for more information.
The proprietary Tool Kit for this course contains:
-
An advanced pricing and margin calculator designed to bring transparency and structure to complex wholesale pricing.
-
A strategic positioning tool to define competitive context and sharpen distributor and trade messaging.
-
Structured decision-maker profiles to better understand buyer psychology and purchasing drivers.
-
A market-based goal and accountability system aligned to depletion reality, not production assumptions.
-
A simple and downloadable inventory management calculator that helps forecast OOS rates.
Chapter 1: The Strategic Landscape Understand the three-tier system, distributor expectations, key terminology, and market dynamics that drive wholesale success. Includes the Vocabulary & Terminology Guide.
Chapter 2: The Fundamentals of Customer-Centric Marketing Learn how distributors evaluate brands, conduct competitive set analysis, and identify market opportunities that strengthen your position. Includes the Competitive Set Organizer.
Chapter 3: Introduction to Wholesale Pricing Master margins, markups, COGS, and wholesale economics to build profitable pricing strategies that work across all tiers. Includes the Wholesale Pricing Calculator.
Chapter 4: Understanding Points of Distribution Learn how PODs, inventory management, depletion trends, and seasonality impact distribution success and long-term growth. Includes the POD Calculator.
Chapter 5: Introduction to the Five Buyer Types Discover how different buyer personalities make decisions and learn to tailor your sales approach for greater influence and results. Includes the Buyer Type Sales Guide.
Chapter 6: Advanced Financial Management Master contribution margins, forecasting, inventory planning, and key financial metrics needed to scale a profitable wine brand. Includes the Simple Inventory Spreadsheet.