10 Signs Your Deductions Process Needs a Makeover (And How CPG Brands Can Fix It)
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

10 Signs Your Deductions Process Needs a Makeover (And How CPG Brands Can Fix It)

Think your deductions process is running smoothly? Let’s put that to the test.

Deductions can quietly eat away at profitability, especially when your team is stuck in manual workflows or misaligned across departments. If any of the signs below sound a little too familiar, it might be time to take a hard look at your process—and more importantly, rework it for efficiency, clarity, and control.

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Why Manual Deductions Management Is Costing You More Than You Think
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Why Manual Deductions Management Is Costing You More Than You Think

In today’s fast-moving CPG landscape, deductions management remains one of the most painful—and most overlooked—areas for emerging brands. Despite growing complexity in retail and distributor relationships, many teams are still managing deductions manually, with inconsistent processes across sales, accounting, and operations.

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How the Best CPG Teams Unlock Retailer-Specific Trade Spend Insights—Without the Guesswork
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

How the Best CPG Teams Unlock Retailer-Specific Trade Spend Insights—Without the Guesswork

If you’ve ever felt like you’re throwing trade dollars into a black hole, you’re not alone. Trade spend is one of the largest budget items for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, yet many sales and finance teams still struggle to answer basic questions like: Are we spending in the right places? Which accounts are driving the most ROI? Where are we wasting money?

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Zero-Based Trade: A Smarter Way to Make Every Trade Dollar Count
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Zero-Based Trade: A Smarter Way to Make Every Trade Dollar Count

Trade spend is one of the biggest investments CPG companies make—second only to the cost of goods sold. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: a big chunk of that budget might not be pulling its weight. Are those dollars truly driving growth, or just getting lost in the shuffle?

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The Ultimate Guide to Trade Spend Visibility: Why It Matters More Than Ever
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

The Ultimate Guide to Trade Spend Visibility: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Let’s start with the basics: What is trade spend visibility—and why does it matter so much? For many CPG brands, this term can feel abstract. But the truth is, trade spend visibility is the foundation for sustainable growth. Without it, brands are essentially flying blind, making critical decisions based on gut feel rather than real data

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10 Signs You’re in the Dark About Your Trade Spend
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

10 Signs You’re in the Dark About Your Trade Spend

For many consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, trade spend is one of the largest budget items—but also one of the easiest to mismanage. Without clear visibility and control, promotions can quickly turn into a black hole of inefficiency, eating into margins without delivering measurable results.

If you’re wondering whether your company is managing trade spend effectively, here are 10 key warning signs that your trade dollars may be going to waste—along with real-world examples of how companies have tackled these challenges.

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Optimizing Trade Spend: The Final Step in the Trade Spend Maximizer Framework
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Optimizing Trade Spend: The Final Step in the Trade Spend Maximizer Framework

Let’s dive into the final and most crucial step in the Trade Spend Maximizer Framework. If you’re not actively optimizing your trade spend, you’re leaving money on the table while your competitors reinvest their dollars into strategies that fuel their growth. With one-third of trade spend wasted every year, the brands that fine-tune their approach are the ones dominating their categories. Are you making the most of your trade spend—or are inefficiencies holding you back?

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Unlocking Growth: Why Top CPGs Are Winning with Trade Spend Data
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Unlocking Growth: Why Top CPGs Are Winning with Trade Spend Data

If you're not optimizing your trade spend, you're leaving money on the table—money that your competitors are reinvesting to dominate the market. Trade spend is the second-largest expense on your P&L, yet one-third of these dollars are wasted annually. The best-performing CPG brands have already figured out how to take control of their trade spend and turn it into a growth engine. The question is: are you keeping up?

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Taking a Deep Dive into Trade Spend - All About Sales Data
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Taking a Deep Dive into Trade Spend - All About Sales Data

In today’s hyper-competitive Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) landscape, the best brands are no longer guessing when it comes to trade spend—they're optimizing every dollar. Trade spend is the second-largest line item on the P&L after the cost of goods sold, yet one-third of all trade dollars are wasted annually. The brands leading the market aren’t letting that happen. They’re implementing data-driven frameworks that eliminate waste, boost profitability, and accelerate growth—and if you’re not doing the same, you’re already behind.

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Product Updates: January 2025
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Product Updates: January 2025

At TrewUp, we’re always looking for ways to make managing your deductions and trade spend easier. This month, we’re excited to roll out several new features designed to improve your experience and give you even more control over your data.

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Maximizing Trade Spend Insights with TrewUp: Common Questions Answered
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Maximizing Trade Spend Insights with TrewUp: Common Questions Answered

When it comes to managing trade deductions and optimizing trade spend, TrewUp stands out as a powerful solution. During our demos, we’ve heard a wide range of questions and concerns from emerging and established brands. In this article, we’ll address the most frequently asked questions to help you understand how TrewUp can transform your trade spend management.

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TrewUp CEO Kyle Barnholt Honored with GenNext Award from Progressive Grocer
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

TrewUp CEO Kyle Barnholt Honored with GenNext Award from Progressive Grocer

TrewUp, a leading provider of trade spend insights and optimization solutions for the CPG industry, is thrilled to announce that its CEO and Co-Founder, Kyle Barnholt, has been named a GenNext Award winner by Progressive Grocer. This prestigious award honors leaders under 40 who are setting new standards and making significant contributions to the food and CPG industries.

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The Final Step in the Deduction Mastery Framework
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

The Final Step in the Deduction Mastery Framework

Welcome to the final installment of our Deduction Mastery Framework series! If you’ve been following along, you already know that managing deductions can be a complex and daunting task. Today, we’re diving into the crucial final step: Action.

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A Guide to TrewUp's Deductions Management Platform
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

A Guide to TrewUp's Deductions Management Platform

TrewUp's deductions management platform is specifically designed for natural, organic, and specialty brands, offering innovative features that streamline financial processes, reduce disputes, and improve overall efficiency. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through each aspect of the software and show you how it can revolutionize your brand's financial processes.

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Best Practices for Managing Deductions: A Five-Step Guide
Brandy Baker Brandy Baker

Best Practices for Managing Deductions: A Five-Step Guide

Managing deductions in the realm of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) can often feel like navigating a maze. The intricate processes involved and the sheer volume of data can be overwhelming. However, with a strategic approach and innovative tools like TrewUp, this task can be made more manageable. Here's a smooth five-step guide on how to optimally manage deductions.

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