Retail Strategy & Commercial Positioning
For brands & retailers
- Product & category positioning
- Price architecture & margin logic
- Branded vs private label strategy
- Market entry & expansion planning
- Retail health check (Entry Point)
Athens, Greece
Driving clarity.
Delivering value.
VDS Advisory supports founders, investors, and operators with practical strategy across Retail strategy, negotiations, pricing, and systems.
Services built for retail reality.
Practical advisory for brands, retailers, and operators—covering positioning, terms, pricing, systems, and growth.
Buyer, Supplier & Negotiation Advisory
Both sides of the table
- Buyer pitch & listing strategy (for brands)
- Supplier negotiation & term optimization (for retailers)
- Listing fees, rebates, promos, penalties
- Contract review & risk prevention
Costing, Pricing & Margin Engineering
Retail-grade financial reality
- True cost-to-serve modeling
- Promo & rebate impact analysis
- Margin recovery projects
- Price index & competitive benchmarking
Go-to-Market, Roll-Out & Scale
From first listing to real growth
- Pilot launches & regional roll-outs
- Category resets & shelf optimization
- KPI definition (sell-out, promo ROI, sales/m²)
- National & multi-chain expansion
Retail Systems, ERP & Data Enablement
Where most people fail — and you differentiate
- ERP, POS & inventory system advisory
- EDI & supermarket compliance readiness
- Demand forecasting & replenishment logic
- Retail dashboards & reporting structure
CRM & Trade Relationship Management
Professionalizing relationships
- Buyer & supplier CRM setup
- Promo calendars & contract tracking
- Distributor & account management structure
- Internal sales & category workflows
Quick Commerce, E-Commerce & Omnichannel
Built to complement — not destroy — retail
- Q-commerce entry (Wolt, Glovo, efood, dark stores)
- Retail vs DTC pricing & channel conflict control
- Click-&-collect & local delivery strategy
- Digital shelf & app visibility optimization
Franchise Concepts & Investment Advisory
Ideas to roll-out
- Franchise concept development & commercial models
- Financial modelling for franchise and multi-site growth
- Development planning, pilot stores & roll-out support
Total Quality, Food Safety & Hygiene
Safety-first operations
- Integrated Total Quality Framework Design
- HACCP & Food Safety System Mapping
- Certification Standards Benchmarking & Strategic Preparation
- Hygiene & Sanitation Program Design
- Risk Assessment & Traceability Planning
- Technical Documentation & Manuals
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory readiness
- Regulatory Gap Analysis
- EU & National Legislation Mapping
- Compliance Roadmap Development
- Audit Readiness & Inspection Support
- Licensing & Permits Advisory
Import–Export Advisory
Cross-border trade support
- Market Access Regulatory Assessment
- Import / Export Compliance Mapping
- Labeling & Claims Compliance Design
ESG & CSR — Mapping to Development
Sustainable commercial value
- Sustainability & ESG Baseline Mapping
- ESG Strategy & Policy Design
- ESG KPIs & Performance Metrics
- CSR Program Development
- ESG Data Collection & Reporting Support
Retail Data Analysis & Reporting
Turning raw data into structured decisions
- Retail data model design (sales, margin, promos, inventory)
- Standardized KPI definitions & reporting logic
- Store, category & chain-level performance reporting
- Promo & pricing impact analysis
- Reporting for management & buyers
Meet our team.
Focused team with practical retail experience. Download CVs to learn more.
Vasilis Stasinoulias
Founder
Retail and FMCG executive with 30+ years of experience across large-scale retail, franchising, M&A, e-commerce, and business transformation. Former CEO and Vice President of Carrefour in Greece, Cyprus, and Southeast Europe, with a proven track record in market expansion, operational excellence, and value creation. Trusted advisor to international funds and retail groups, and current CEO of the Carrefour Master Franchise in Greece and Bulgaria. Co-founder and managing partner of a leading Greek online supermarket, successfully scaled and exited through acquisition by the country’s largest retail group. Proven expertise in building and scaling large franchise networks across multiple retail formats. INSEAD alumnus, awarded Manager of the Year by the Greek Ministry of Commerce, and Senior Industry Advisor to the EBRD for Retail.
Download CV
Dimitris
Business and Finance Advisor
Experienced business and finance professional with a strong background in procurement, financial analysis, and business planning across retail, consulting, and FMCG sectors. Proven ability to drive data-informed decisions, optimize commercial performance, and support strategic growth initiatives.
Download CV
Nektaria
Total Quality & ESG Expert
Chemist with an MSc in Food Science & Technology and 16 years of experience, specializing in Total Quality Excellence and the strategic integration of ESG criteria within the business ecosystem.
Download CV
Dimitris
Data Engineer/Business Intelligence Analyst
Experienced Data Engineer & Business Intelligence Analyst with a strong background in delivering end-to-end data solutions across multiple sectors, with proven expertise in ETL pipelines, data warehousing, and advanced analytics
Download CVWho we serve.
Clear focus. Two client types where we can create outsized commercial impact.
Food & FMCG Producers and Importers
We help you:
- Enter supermarket chains
- Negotiate better terms
- Scale sustainably
- Build systems that buyers trust
Retail Businesses
We help you:
- Improve margins & category performance
- Negotiate like big chains
- Launch private label profitably
- Implement modern retail systems
- Compete with nationals & q-commerce
Operational Excellence
We help you:
- Optimize store operations and back-office processes
- Reduce shrinkage and improve inventory accuracy
- Increase gross margins through better cost control
- Improve in-store productivity and staff performance
- Implement KPI dashboards for real-time decision making
- Strengthen supply chain and replenishment efficiency
Get in touch.
Prefer to call or email? Use the options below to reach us directly.
VDS Advisory
Quick contact
Call us directly or open your mail client to send an email.