When two distributors share the same modern trade key

Modern trade keys look clean on a spreadsheet until two partners both claim the same banner group. In Korea, seasonal resets and joint promotions can quietly duplicate coverage, especially when importers add sub-distributors mid-year.

We start by separating facts from narratives: shipment windows, promo calendars, and who actually visits the buyer. That triangulation usually reveals a narrower conflict than either side assumed — which makes governance fixes cheaper than a courtroom posture.

The second paragraph of work is about language. "Exclusive" means different things in HoReCa contracts than in hypermarket annexes. We publish a one-page glossary before workshops so finance, field, and legal argue about the same words.

Finally, we tie recommendations to cadence. Quick wins belong in the next quarterly business review; structural changes wait for renewal windows. That sequencing keeps momentum without promising overnight harmony.