Some of these benefits are succinctly presented below: The American brewery would face limited risks and these would be shared between franchisor and franchisee

Historical data on franchising operations reveal significant rates of success, explained primarily by the mutual interest of both parties franchise owner will be more inclined to promote the Redhook Ale beer than an average wholesale distributor

Disadvantages are also incurred in the process and some of them are presented below:

Redhook Ale Brewery would have to offer support to its Nigerian partners in the form of training or even funding

The American brand would be handled by foreigners and a negative result of the operations in Nigeria could materialize in a damaged reputation for Redhook Ale Brewery

Both cases of wholesale distribution and franchise operations present advantages as well as limitations. Their ultimate purpose however remains that of selling as many Redhook Ale beers as possible. The difference between the two distribution channels however remains the nature of the goal. While the wholesale distributor will primarily focus on simply selling the beers, the franchisee will place an increased emphasis on creating a stable and loyal customer base. He will therefore focus more on promoting the products through various channels, making the best informed logistics decisions and creating a campaign that adequately reveals the Redhook Ale values.

Transportation and other logistics decisions generally vary from one partner to the other and are established based on negotiations between the Nigerian entrepreneur and the representative of the American brewery. Each agreement is notified in a contract. In some cases, the transport of the merchandise from the U.S. To Nigeria would be covered by the brewery, whereas in other instances, it would be paid by the wholesale distributor or by the franchisee.

The specific channels used by the Nigerian entrepreneurs to actually ensure that the product reaches the ultimate customer are various. Franchisees generally use their own facilities as retail locations, where the customer is invited to purchase and enjoy the beer. In the case of wholesale retailers on the other hand, they generally sell larger quantities...

Each Nigerian entrepreneur is asked to comply with the internal regulations and the overall company values relative to the treatment of employees, the offering of high quality products and the generation of increased customer satisfaction.
4. Conclusions

Redhook Ale Brewery was established in 1981 in Seattle, Washington and it has since undergone major changes. Today, the organization is still headquartered in Seattle, but has come to operate in nearly 50 countries across the globe. In Nigeria for instance, they registered major success as beer is a favourite beverage among the local population.

Their success has been due to the increase in the Nigerian beer market throughout the past recent years, but also to the proper strategies implemented by the organization in distributing their beverages. In doing so, they chose wholesale retailers, and lately, they have even commenced operations to launch franchises. Each channel presents Redhook Ale Brewery with both advantages as well as disadvantages. Regardless of these however, the American brewery, through its Nigerian distribution partners strives to continue its strategy of global growth, while respecting the needs of their stakeholders.