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The move to national buying at Woolworths has caused many vendors to reassess their approach to the trade from July 2000 onwards.

Brokers have already assessed the likely effects of the three major chains now operating at a national level and this is reflected in the moves over the past 12 months as they move into strategic alliances or purchase other brokers.

On the takeover front the major news of 1999 was the acquisition of Superbrokers by Nationwide Brokers. This resulted in Nationwide gaining a Tasmanian office to give full national coverage, additional business and account managers and an impressive list of former Superbroker clients to add to Nationwide's portfolio.

The combining of the Nationwide and Superbroker operations has led to a more efficient field coverage by an expanded sales force.

"Our field team travel very short distances to get to their stores and can therefore put maximum effort into doing what they get paid for which is selling" said Nationwide NSW Director Warwick Ritchard.

Also on the acquisition trail Orchard Broking Services has branched out yet again, this time into the Queensland market where it has bought the client-base of Celect Brokerage which now plans to concentrate on its training business.

Offering a three State service has led to Capilano Honey which was previously with Orchard in Victoria now switching to the company in New South Wales and Queensland.

Merchandisers Plus is a new national merchandising service formed by a group of existing brokers. Terry Downes of Downes Sales Brokerage came up with the concept and invited brokers in each State to join Mr Downes who is based in Victoria and is opening a joint venture office in NSW in conjunction with Dave Jewry Marketing, owners and developers of the NatLink Field Reporting system which is being used by the groups.

Counterpoint Marketing Services, which pioneered national brokerage, recently has appointed a category analyst to assist National Business Managers with presentation data. It is also offering full warehousing and distribution options in each State.

Alliance Marketing Corporation has proven the worth of effective field reporting systems by picking up the recently consolidated Henry Jones Foods business. AMC Victorian Director Adrian Luxford believes that their national merchandising philosophy is the key to gaining Henry Jones and maintaining high profile clients Campbells Soups and Novartis. "AMC's commitment to the most sophisticated technology coupled with our centralised administration and reporting functions is what impresses our clients the most," he told AFBD.

On the national level Strategic National Group has consolidated its position with official name changes in each State to Strategic National. the group represents high profile clients, S.C. Johnson, Wella and.....