irexchange

IRExchange, founded in Australia in 2016, operated as a digital marketplace aiming to restructure the wholesale-to-retail supply chain. The company was established to create a more direct and transparent connection between suppliers and independent retailers, a segment that had seen little technological advancement in its supply chain. Spearheaded by a board with deep experience in fast-moving consumer goods, including Chairman Andrew Reeves, a former managing director at Coca-Cola Amatil and Lion Dairy and Drinks, the company sought to challenge the dominance of established wholesalers. Additional leadership included CEO Brett Charlton, formerly of Fonterra and PepsiCo, and Clive Yoxall, who headed the company in its earlier stages.

The firm's core offering was a cloud-based B2B trading platform that enabled independent grocery, liquor, and eventually pharmacy retailers to purchase inventory directly from a wide range of suppliers. This model was designed to bypass traditional intermediaries like Metcash, thereby reducing operational costs for retailers and providing greater price transparency. By commencing trade in January 2017, irexchange onboarded major suppliers such as Kraft Heinz, Unilever, and Carlton & United Breweries, and signed up hundreds of independent retailers. The business model was based on a 2% service fee and a fixed per-case distribution fee, with freight costs billed separately. For order fulfillment, the company established strategic partnerships with logistics providers like DHL and Emergent Cold to consolidate and deliver orders.

Despite initial traction and ambitious revenue forecasts, irexchange faced significant hurdles. The company pursued a $17.5 million initial public offering in early 2019 to fund national expansion and technology development but had to withdraw the offer following a legal dispute with a major investor over alleged misrepresentation of customer numbers. Although the legal claim was resolved, the company struggled financially, reporting significant losses. By October 2019, after failing to secure a necessary recapitalization, irexchange entered voluntary administration, and PitchBook later listed its status as 'Out of Business'.

Keywords: wholesale marketplace, B2B e-commerce, FMCG supply chain, independent retailers, grocery wholesale, liquor distribution, digital trading platform, retail logistics, Metcash competitor, Australian wholesale, supplier portal, direct-to-retail, supply chain disruption, online grocery, pharmacy wholesale, order consolidation, Andrew Reeves, Brett Charlton, Clive Yoxall, Australian startup