The marketing channel of distribution that C&C is part of is formed of the growers, Calyx & Corolla and Federal Express. Let's describe the role each plays in the distribution process.

The growers were located generally in California, Florida and Hawaii and ranged net sales from under $1 million to $100 million. They worked only with C&C, as the contracts specified that they were not allowed to supply any other mail order retailers. As the growers provided the flowers, C&C provided the shipping boxes that were needed, with cards, labels, vases, etc. basically anything that was needed to ensure the concept of gift flowers.

The coordination between C&C and its suppliers was essential. Indeed, demand forecasts were generally sent to the growers in order to ensure that the company would be able to cover any request in the future. The account manager provided from C&C to each grower would ensure and supervise the selection and packing of flowers, as well as the additional features involved, such as gift messages.

The second important part of the distribution channel was Federal Express. Federal Express would provide the trucks at each grower in part and would replace them when full. The relationship with Federal Express had improved over the years and now included Saturday deliveries and an extra attention and care when delivering the flowers to the customers. The computer terminals that C&C used permitted the tracking of each...

Indeed, it ensures the connection between the florists and growers and the end consumers, which would be a partial definition of the middle man in a distribution chain. C&C's role as a middleman is quite simple to describe: finding the right customers, people who like there flowers delivered at home or at someone else's home, and connecting them to the initial producer in the chain, the florist and grower. Federal Express is the basic delivery company within the distribution chain. Referring to the retail and wholesale function, in this case, the initial producer/grower is performing the wholesale function, although the case study mentions the fact that C&C pays up to retailing prices for the services provided. Additionally, C&C performs the retailing function, as it delivers to the end customer.
The development and introduction of new products relies, first of all, on a well identified and well managed supply chain. In this sense, the exact position of the company in the supply and distribution chain is important in order to decide how the product will be launched and how it will perform.

In this case, for example, C&C used an excellent distribution chain in order to promote an idea in which it plays the middle man part successfully. As a retailer, it ensures the connectivity between the end customer and the producers.