Introduction
Hubert is a “one stop shop” with more than 25,000 products in-stock, supported by excellent customer service and the latest in customer conveniences such as on-line ordering; electronic billing, and special labeling. Our diverse customer base offers manufacturers the ability to extend a variety of products into multiple markets in the U.S. and Canada: retail, foodservice, supermarkets, restaurants, schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, hotels, and government commissaries.
Hubert leads the merchandising and supply industry in getting your new products into the market. Our extensive assortment offering is reviewed and updated semi-annually in January and July. By working closely with suppliers to ensure that viable new products get to market quickly, more than 5,000 items are introduced to the market each year. A fresh, updated assortment and targeted marketing are key components to our success. Our in-house Advertising Department produces more than 3,000 pages each year for our corporate catalogs, as well as customer-specific materials.
Our Center for Creative Merchandising provides a unique interactive experience designed for customers to develop effective presentations for site openings, major remodels or new programs aimed at increasing sales. Visiting customers can select from the newest, most innovative products when developing exciting fresh presentations to meet their customers’ needs.
The Merchandising Department consists of Merchandise Managers and Category Managers who actively manage the assortment. With combined industry experience of more than a century, the Merchandising group decides which new products will be added and which products will be discontinued from Hubert’s assortment. More than 50% of their time is spent travelling to shows and suppliers to source and develop new products. The Merchandising group develops the marketing content for our product lines and supports our sales team with technical expertise and customer presentations.
The Purchasing Department oversees inventory management and product cost control. Buyers work with vendors to ensure products are set up accurately and then place purchase orders via auto fax to maintain established service level objectives. We work closely with suppliers to monitor purchase order delivery dates that ensure optimal customer service.
Sourcing Agents work with new suppliers to negotiate pricing and terms and communicate Hubert’s operational requirements. Suppliers are contacted semi-annually during the catalog update process. Hubert guarantees catalog prices for the duration of the catalog and, therefore, expects suppliers to hold their costs for these catalog cycles. Suppliers are notified by email when costs can be updated and changes are executed electronically during this contract period. Failure to comply with this process will result in loss of marketing exposure.
Nine hundred vendors support Hubert’s broad product offering of commodities, hard-to-find products and unique items. A key component of our Vendor Management program involves monitoring performance. Each supplier is measured on one cohesive set of statistical criteria that includes product cost, delivery, and service. The scorecard identifies opportunities for process improvement and we partner with suppliers to optimize efficiency and profitability based on this data.
As part of a billion-dollar company, we are financially sound and pay net invoices within 45 days. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to offer discount terms for prompt payment.
|