Kentucky is one of four states that bear the name commonwealth, and its full title is the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky. Lexington-Fayette is the largest city, and Louisville is the center of the state’s largest metropolitan area. Kentucky is famous for the horse breeding climate and the horse races that go on there.

Beverages account for nearly one-fourth of the income generated by food-processing industries located in the state. The single most important beverage produced is bourbon, a whiskey that has been called Kentucky’s most distinctive product. Kentucky produces more whiskey than any other state. Whiskey distilling is carried on in many places, but the principal center is the Louisville area. Other centers are Owensboro, Frankfort, Lawrenceburg, and Bardstown.

There are about 4.4 million people in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This is a good number for retail distribution as it signals constant supply to retail outlets.

Just like every other American state, there are essentials that are needed daily by Americans. Food, shelter, toiletries, clothes, electronic gadgets, transportation, and a whole lot of essentials are needed by the average human being for existence in the 21^stcentury world.

The retail trade is one that connects directly to the consumers. It is the trade that lays emphasis on how to get the consumer to get the product from a particular retailer and to establish a relationship with that retailer. However, a retailer, most times, does not get the goods directly from the manufacturers or get the goods produced herself. There is the existence of the retail distributor in the supply chain.

Retail distributors are essential links in the supply chain. When manufacturers produce their products, they need distribution for the product. There are several situations where the manufacturer does the distribution to retailers. This is direct store delivery. However, not all manufacturers have the capacity to do their own distribution to retail outlets. For instance, a new brand still seeking market recognition does not have a name in the market and will need to be significantly promoted and pushed. A retail distributor can do a better job of getting the product to several hundred or even thousands of stores.

With about 20% of the working population in the commonwealth of Kentucky into retail and wholesale trade, there is an impressive amount working in the supply chain. However, there is more to the supply chain than the number involved. There are general goods everyone is interested in but there are specialized products like adult goods, sports goods, smoking goods, and some others.

Laurel Grocery Company is a retail distributor that has been serving retail outlets since 1922. This company has an extensive network of family-owned retail stores and can distribute products extensively.

Retail associations are very helpful in creating the platform for players in the supply to network and see ways of doing business together. In Kentucky, we have the Kentucky Grocers and Convenience Stores Association. This association has been serving the Kentucky food and grocery industry since the 1940s.