The end of the year is approaching and you’re still short of the volume you need to reach your annual rebate. Your HORECA clients are already stocked, your sales network is stable, and pushing discounts now would only hurt you: lost margin, damaged image, and a market that takes months to fix afterward.
The truth is: you can close the year well without breaking anything. And you have two clean paths to do it.
1. Add value without touching your prices You don’t need to force product out the door. Build smart proposals: assortments aligned with real consumption, rotation-friendly packs, or punctual incentives that don’t distort your pricing. You maintain your positioning and protect your sales network.
2. And when real volume doesn’t get you there… Red Paralela steps in This is how many distributors close their rebate quietly, cleanly, and with zero consequences.
You need extra volume to reach your rebate.
Another distributor has already achieved theirs and doesn’t want to increase their figure any further (because the supplier will use that figure to set next year’s rebate).
Red Paralela acts as the intermediary:
they buy the stock from the distributor who hasn’t reached the rebate yet,
they resell it to the distributor who already has,
and they ensure neither party is exposed or even knows who is on the other side.
Nobody knows who sells. Nobody knows who buys. Not the supplier, not the sales team, not the competition. No explanations. No uncomfortable calls. No one pulling your ears.
You hit your rebate. The other distributor earns extra margin without risk. And your market stays untouched.
When key products draw a fine line between strategy and conflict
In the HORECA distribution world, some products change everything. We’re talking about key products—high-turnover items, easily recognized by consumers, that can make the difference between winning or losing a client.
These products help you:
✅ Break into new accounts with an irresistible offer ✅ Protect your existing clients from competitor distributors ✅ Offer a complete service to clients who already buy almost everything from you… except that one product they find cheaper elsewhere
the problem: exclusivity that ties your hands 🚧
Many distributors sign exclusive agreements with brands that later become a trap:
The manufacturer itself leaks the product through unofficial channels and breaks the price
That same product shows up on platforms like RED PARALELA at lower prices
If you buy it elsewhere to protect your margin, the brand may accuse you of breaching the contract
is it legal for an exclusive deal to make you lose money? ⚖️
Spain’s Competition Authority (CNMC) and the courts have said it clearly: exclusivity is only valid if it actually benefits the market, not if it restricts it.
Spanish Competition Law (art. 1): bans agreements that limit or distort competition (like forcing you to buy expensive while others sell cheap)
EU Regulation 2022/720 (art. 4): if market share exceeds 30%, blocking sales outside your territory is no longer allowed
Spanish Civil Code (art. 1255): contracts are valid only if they don’t violate the law or public interest
Plain English: if a brand forces you to buy high and at the same time floods the market with lower prices, that clause is likely invalid—or at least renegotiable.
real cases where courts sided with the distributor 📜
STS 317/2017 (Spain’s Supreme Court): the supplier ended deliveries without fair notice; the court granted compensation and forced them to buy back unsold stock
STS 305/2007: the manufacturer sold through cheaper, parallel channels; the court ruled in favor of the distributor for lost profits and client base
CNMC resolution, 6 Feb 2020 (Case S/DC/0630/18): Adidas was forced to remove restrictions that blocked online sales outside the official store
client base compensation: money to cover the value of customers you generated for the brand.
what can you do as a distributor? 🧠
Review your contracts: watch for clauses that restrict you without real benefit
Document leaks: take screenshots, save unofficial offers, collect proof
Track prices: alternative prices can help you show the harm
Negotiate with facts: share the legal precedents and possible risks with the brand
And if you need access to key products without breaking your structure, RED PARALELA offers you a secure and confidential way to do it—backed by legal support.
conclusion: strategy, not submission 🎯
An exclusive agreement should not become a prison. A brand that plays in multiple markets can’t demand blind loyalty. Protect your margins, your client base, and your reputation—with the tools and legal backing already in your corner.
If this situation sounds familiar or you want to discuss your case, get in touch. We’re here to help.
China is quietly advancing with a powerful alternative: the CIPS system
While much of global trade still revolves around the U.S. dollar and the SWIFT system, China is quietly advancing with a powerful alternative: the CIPS system. With near-instant transfer times, minimal fees, and a network that now connects almost 5,000 banks in 186 countries, CIPS is no longer a promise—it’s becoming a strategic reality.
And this isn’t about some distant future. In recent months, key countries have joined, a new version has been launched with digital yuan integration, and the signals are clear: if China decides to require its use for exports, many companies and governments will have to adapt—or be left out.
This article doesn’t aim to cause alarm, but to offer a clear view of what is unfolding. It’s not something that directly affects Red Paralela or most HORECA distributors, except for those who import from or export to Asia. But it is a shift that could redefine the ecosystem in which we all operate.
📊 Clear comparison: CIPS vs. SWIFT
Feature
CIPS (China)
SWIFT (Western consortium)
Year of creation
2015
1973
Main currency
Chinese yuan (RMB)
U.S. dollar (USD) and others
Transfer speed
Near-instant (seconds to minutes)
1 to 3 business days
Costs
Low or symbolic
High, especially with intermediaries
Connected banks
≈ 4,900 in 186 countries
≈ 11,000 in over 200 countries
Messaging system
ISO 20022 (from the start)
ISO 20022 (transition in progress)
Intermediaries
Few or none
Several intermediaries
Geopolitical control
People’s Bank of China
West (U.S. and allies)
Digital currency integration
Yes (digital yuan already tested)
No (still under development)
Strategic goal
Internationalize the yuan
Maintain dollar dominance
🔮 What could happen if CIPS keeps gaining ground?
1. Changes in the way trade works More international contracts in yuan, more pressure to work with Chinese or Asian banks. 👉 Especially relevant for companies importing from China.
2. Adjustment of international reserves Central banks will start to diversify: fewer dollars, more yuan. 👉 This could affect the dollar’s value and stability.
3. Pressure on banks and payment platforms Financial entities that don’t operate with CIPS could be excluded from some operations. 👉 Opportunity for fintechs, risk for slower traditional banks.
4. New economic alliances CIPS opens the door to trade routes outside the dollar-SWIFT circuit. 👉 Sanctioned countries and China’s partners can boost their independence.
5. Possible Western countermeasures The U.S. and EU could impose barriers on the use of CIPS or fast-track their own systems. 👉 A financial “cold war” may begin, with global implications.
⚠️ What does this mean for you as a distributor?
At this point, if you don’t work directly with China, there’s no immediate concern. This article is not an operational alert—it’s a global perspective on how the game board is shifting.
But it’s worth keeping on your radar. Because if the dollar loses dominance or trade routes change, the rules of the game may shift for you as well—even indirectly.
🧭 Conclusion
CIPS is not just a payment system. It’s a strategic move to redesign how money flows across the world. And if it keeps expanding at this pace, we could soon see a fragmented global financial landscape, with two parallel circuits: the dollar-SWIFT system and the yuan-CIPS system.
At Red Paralela, we’ll keep a close eye on these developments. Because even if we don’t export to China, the global economy is a chessboard we all play on… whether we realize it or not.
Bringing in a new supplier can open doors… or become a major risk. In this article, we highlight the key points to help you determine whether you’re dealing with a reliable business partner—or heading straight into trouble.
⚠️ The Most Common Scams
In recent years, many distributors have fallen victim to scams of all kinds. Let’s name a few:
THE SMALL ADVANCE: A supplier asks you for a “small” upfront payment (say, €2,000) to “guarantee transport” or make sure you won’t back out. Then they vanish. No delivery, no response to calls, emails, or WhatsApp messages. All you’re left with is a bruised ego and the loss of your money.
THE MASTER NEGOTIATOR: A new supplier offers an amazing price for goods that are supposedly in the warehouse of a well-known supplier you may already work with. You send your truck, the goods are there, and you pay the new supplier. But the warehouse doesn’t release the goods—because they haven’t been paid. Complex? Yes. But it’s happened. Twice. In one case, over €30,000 was lost—by a lifelong client who was also upset because we offered a lower price to the scammer than to him. These people know how to play the system.
THE SUPER IMPORTER: Importers or wholesalers with only a couple of days of history offer better prices than seasoned professionals with 25 years in the business. They often cause you tax problems due to VAT fraud, and tax authorities apply the subsidiary liability rule—which affects you, not them. They shut down one company and open another. Some even return to the market after a few years as if nothing ever happened.
THE GREAT EXPERT: Others are more sophisticated, operating fraudulent triangular transactions or misusing customs/fiscal warehouses—especially with excise goods. These operations are much riskier legally. If you’re curious, we’re happy to share real examples privately.
🔍 Tools to Evaluate a New Supplier
If you decide to vet a new supplier, here are tools you should always use:
Start with basic checks to see if the supplier is even worth your time:
A presentable website with a professional domain.
Email addresses using that domain.
A landline number (not just mobile), with different people answering each.
A Google Maps business listing—verify the address and that it’s a real company.
If they pass these checks, continue with:
VIES: to confirm they’re registered as an EU VAT operator (especially for imports).
D&B (international) or Informa (Spain): for solid, detailed commercial reports.
Form 036 in Spain: to verify fiscal activity and address.
Certificate of Good Standing with the Tax Office: essential for confirming they’re current on obligations.
⚠️ You should perform VIES checks and request tax certificates before every transaction if you’re unsure about the supplier’s legitimacy.
📊 What to Look For in a Commercial Report (e.g. D & B)
Incorporation Year: Age suggests stability, but beware—companies can be sold to less trustworthy people.
Credit Opinion: A guideline for your exposure. (We suggest halving the limit, just to be safe.)
Recent Changes in Management: These can signal instability or the transfer of liability to an administrator who may vanish.
These checks require time, access to the right sources, and expertise to interpret.
✅ What RED PARALELA Does for You
At RED PARALELA, we’ve built a network where every supplier is validated. We handle:
✔ Solvency and background checks on every provider. ✔ Detection of risk patterns and red flags. ✔ A secure, legal, and confidential buying environment.
You can operate with peace of mind—because we do the heavy lifting for you.
🧠 Final Thought: Is It Worth Playing a Game with Unknown Rules?
A deal that looks too good can cost you dearly. And when your business and reputation are at stake, the risk is rarely worth it.
If you can access similar products—maybe at the same price, maybe slightly higher—with full guarantees, is it really worth gambling on a supplier who doesn’t play by the rules?
At RED PARALELA, we give you access to real opportunities, without putting your company at risk.
👉 Speak to your agent or access the platform to buy with confidence—risk free.
