B2B Export Negotiation — Selling French wines to a UK importer
E2 · English · CECRL B2 level — Oral production training
Cette capsule te prépare à la partie interaction orale de l'épreuve E2 (compréhension orale + interaction). Le scénario s'inscrit dans la continuité du cas du matin : tu joues le rôle de Mathéo Roussel, responsable commercial du Domaine du Roc d'Avise, qui reçoit un acheteur britannique pour une négociation B2B export.
Read the briefing carefully, then complete the exercises. The first three exercises focus on professional vocabulary. The last exercises put you in the negotiation seat — you'll have to react like you would in front of an examiner. Read your written answers aloud as you go: this is oral training.
Pre-meeting briefing — Roc d'Avise wine estate
The client visit
Tomorrow at 10 a.m. you will be welcoming James Whitaker, Senior Buyer at Crown Cellars Ltd., an established UK importer specialising in mid-to-premium French wines. Crown Cellars supplies around 240 independent wine merchants and 80 boutique hotels across the United Kingdom. James has visited 6 estates in the Northern Rhône Valley this week and the Roc d'Avise is his last stop before flying back to London.
What he is interested in
Based on his initial email, James wants to taste and discuss three of our cuvées:
| Cuvée | Appellation | FOB price (€ / bottle) | MOQ | Annual capacity available for export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roc d'Avise — Tradition | Crozes-Hermitage red | 9.50 | 600 bottles (1 pallet) | 12,000 bottles |
| Roc d'Avise — Les Galets Blancs | Saint-Joseph white | 14.20 | 300 bottles | 3,500 bottles |
| Roc d'Avise — Parcellaire "Le Méal" | Crozes-Hermitage red, single plot, organic | 26.80 | 180 bottles | 1,800 bottles |
(MOQ = minimum order quantity. FOB = free on board, our delivery point is the warehouse in Tain-l'Hermitage.)
Your room for negotiation
- You can grant a volume discount of up to 5% for orders above 3,000 bottles (any cuvée), and up to 8% for orders above 5,000 bottles. Anything beyond requires Élise's approval.
- Your standard payment terms are 50% deposit on order, 50% on shipment. You may accept 30/70 for trusted partners but never go below 30% deposit.
- Standard lead time is 3 weeks from confirmed order. Peak season (October to December) goes up to 5 weeks.
- You are committed to a strict pricing policy: no UK retail price below £19.50 for the Tradition cuvée, to protect the brand and your French distribution network.
What you want from this meeting
Build a long-term partnership, not a one-off sale. Ideally: a first order of 1,500 to 2,500 bottles split across the three cuvées, with a clear roadmap for the next 12 months. Avoid over-discounting in this first round — your wines have just received excellent reviews in Decanter and you have other UK importers showing interest.
Business vocabulary — Pick the right meaning
Pour chaque terme de négociation B2B utilisé dans le briefing, sélectionne la définition correcte. Une seule bonne réponse par question.
1. MOQ (minimum order quantity)
2. Lead time
3. FOB (free on board)
4. Volume discount
5. Payment terms 50/50
1. Réponse B
MOQ = la quantité minimum acceptée par le fournisseur pour traiter une commande. Ce seuil sert à rentabiliser la logistique d'expédition (souvent une palette complète, un carton, etc.). À ne pas confondre avec la quantité maximale.
2. Réponse B
Lead time = délai entre la commande confirmée et la livraison ou l'expédition. Indicateur central de la négociation B2B : un lead time court est un argument commercial fort. À ne pas confondre avec payment terms (délai de paiement) ou cooling-off period (délai de rétractation).
3. Réponse A
FOB est un Incoterm international (Free On Board) : le vendeur livre la marchandise jusqu'à un point d'embarquement convenu (ici, Tain-l'Hermitage), et le risque + les coûts de transport sont transférés à l'acheteur à partir de ce point. Pour mémoire : EXW (ex-works = enlèvement usine), CIF (coût + assurance + fret), DDP (rendu droits acquittés).
4. Réponse B
Volume discount = remise commerciale en échange d'une plus grande quantité commandée. Ici, le briefing autorise jusqu'à 5 % au-delà de 3 000 bouteilles et 8 % au-delà de 5 000.
5. Réponse B
50/50 = 50 % d'acompte à la commande + 50 % à l'expédition. C'est une protection classique pour le vendeur : il sécurise une partie du paiement avant de mobiliser ses stocks. À l'export, plus la confiance avec l'acheteur est grande, plus on peut basculer vers du 30/70 ou même du paiement à 30 jours nets après livraison.
Opening the meeting — True or False?
Voici l'amorce du rendez-vous (les 5 premières minutes). Lis le dialogue et indique si chaque affirmation qui suit est vraie ou fausse.
MATHÉO : Welcome to Roc d'Avise, James. Did you have a smooth journey from Tain-l'Hermitage?
JAMES : Smooth indeed, thank you. Your estate is even more beautiful than the photos suggested. Before we sit down, I have to be upfront with you: I've tasted some excellent wines this week and my purchasing budget for the Northern Rhône is almost fully allocated. So I'll need to be very selective.
MATHÉO : I appreciate the honesty. Let me suggest the following: instead of going straight to the prices, let me pour you the three cuvées you mentioned in your email. Then we'll discuss what fits Crown Cellars' positioning best — and only then will we talk numbers. Does that sound fair?
JAMES : That's actually refreshing. Most producers start with their price list. Let's taste.
MATHÉO : Just one question before we start: what does a successful first-year partnership look like, from your point of view? It will help me focus my proposals later.
JAMES : Good question. For us, it would mean: a wine that our merchants reorder at least twice in twelve months, a clear story we can tell to end customers, and absolutely no parallel imports undercutting our retail price.
1. James implies that he has a very generous budget for the Northern Rhône and is open to placing a large order from any new estate.
2. Mathéo deliberately delays the price discussion until after the tasting and a positioning conversation.
3. Mathéo uses an open question to discover what the buyer values in a successful partnership.
4. James mentions three success criteria, including the protection of the retail price against parallel imports.
1. False
James says the exact opposite : "my purchasing budget for the Northern Rhône is almost fully allocated. So I'll need to be very selective." C'est une tactique d'ouverture classique de l'acheteur : annoncer dès le début un budget contraint pour faire baisser les prétentions du vendeur.
2. True
"instead of going straight to the prices, let me pour you the three cuvées..." C'est une excellente technique commerciale : faire vivre le produit avant de parler prix, pour que la valeur perçue soit maximale au moment de la discussion tarifaire.
3. True
"what does a successful first-year partnership look like, from your point of view?" Question ouverte (commençant par what) qui invite l'acheteur à exprimer ses critères de décision. Mathéo récupère ainsi des informations précieuses pour adapter son argumentaire ensuite.
4. True
Les trois critères de James : (1) "a wine that our merchants reorder at least twice in twelve months", (2) "a clear story we can tell to end customers", (3) "absolutely no parallel imports undercutting our retail price". Le 3e point est crucial : il rejoint la problématique de cohérence tarifaire entre canaux, vue dans le cas du matin.
Find the right English expression
Pour chaque situation, retrouve l'expression anglaise correspondante (issue du briefing ou du dialogue). Écris-la sans accent ni ponctuation. La correction tolère les variantes singulier/pluriel évidentes.
1. La quantité minimum de commande acceptée par le fournisseur (3 mots)
2. Le délai entre la commande confirmée et la livraison (2 mots)
3. L'acompte versé à la commande (1 mot, comme dans le briefing)
4. Une remise accordée pour un volume plus important commandé (2 mots)
5. Les importations parallèles qui cassent le prix de revente public (2 mots, comme dans le dialogue)
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| Quantité minimum de commande | minimum order quantity (MOQ) |
| Délai de livraison après commande | lead time |
| Acompte versé à la commande | deposit |
| Remise pour volume | volume discount |
| Importations parallèles | parallel imports |
À retenir pour ton oral : ces 5 termes sont incontournables dès qu'on parle de B2B export. Bonus à mémoriser : down payment (synonyme de deposit), net 30 (paiement à 30 jours), upon receipt (à réception), FOB / EXW / CIF / DDP (les 4 Incoterms les plus fréquents en BTS NDRC).
Sales talk — Classify the phrases
Drag each phrase into the negotiation step where it belongs. You can move them as many times as you want before checking your answers.
| Phrase | Step | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "Welcome... did you have a smooth journey?" | Greeting / rapport | Phrase d'accueil classique pour mettre à l'aise |
| "Your wine merchant network must be quite different from what we see in France." | Greeting / rapport | Construction du lien (interest in their world) sans entrer dans la vente |
| "What does a successful partnership look like for you?" | Discovery | Question ouverte, vise à comprendre les critères de l'acheteur |
| "This single-plot cuvée is hand-harvested and aged for 18 months in oak barrels." | Presenting the product | Description factuelle du produit, des caractéristiques |
| "I understand your concern about the price — let me explain what's behind it." | Handling an objection | Reformulation + amorce de réponse à une objection prix |
| "If you could commit to 3,000 bottles..., I could offer you a 5% discount." | Counter-proposal | Structure conditionnelle classique du give-and-take en négociation |
| "So shall we send you a draft contract for 1,800 bottles by Friday?" | Closing the deal | Proposition de passage à l'acte avec deadline |
| "I'll send you the tasting notes and a sample case next week." | Follow-up | Engagement post-réunion pour maintenir le contact |
Your turn — Handle four objections in English
After tasting the three cuvées, James raises four objections. Write your response to each one in English (3 to 6 sentences per response). Read your answer aloud as you write — this is oral production training.
Total expected length: 200 to 300 words. Use professional negotiation vocabulary, stay polite but firm, and follow the briefing's negotiation room (no discount above 8%, deposit always 30% minimum, etc.).
- "Your Tradition cuvée is excellent but at €9.50 FOB it's 20% above what I currently pay for a comparable Crozes-Hermitage. I need you to come closer to €7.80."
- "3 weeks lead time is too long for us. I'd need confirmed delivery within 10 working days, especially for the Christmas season."
- "50% deposit is unusual in my market. My standard with French suppliers is 30 days net after delivery. Can you align with that?"
- "I notice your wines are sold directly on your website. How can I be sure that English customers won't simply order from your website at a lower price than my retail?"
Objection 1 — Price gap of 20%
"I understand the comparison, James, but we're not playing in the same league as the wine you're benchmarking against. Our Tradition cuvée is from a 22-hectare estate in conversion to organic, with hand-harvesting on the steep slopes and 14 months of barrel ageing. The €9.50 FOB price reflects that work and our recent Decanter reviews. What I can offer, however, is a 5% volume discount if you commit to 3,000 bottles or more across our three cuvées — that brings us to €9.02 FOB. I'm afraid €7.80 is simply not a price we can sustain without devaluing the brand for the years to come."
Objection 2 — 10-day lead time required
"Ten working days is challenging for us, especially in peak season. That being said, I can guarantee 10 working days on any order placed before 15 September for the Christmas window — we'll pre-package and pre-allocate stock for you. After that date, our standard 3-week lead time applies. Would that timeline work for your Christmas planning?"
Objection 3 — Payment terms 30 days net
"I hear you, and I understand 30 days net is the UK norm. For a first order though, we need a deposit to secure the bottling and the export documentation. What I can propose is the following: 30% deposit on order, then 70% at 30 days net after delivery. Once we've successfully completed two or three orders together, we can move to full 30 days net. Does that sound like a reasonable starting point?"
Objection 4 — Risk of online direct sales undercutting UK retail
"It's a fair concern and one we take seriously. Our website is geo-restricted: we don't ship outside France, and we will commit to that in writing in our distribution agreement. Moreover, we apply a strict pricing policy — our caveau price will never be below your UK retail equivalent. We've actually just lost a French wine merchant on this exact issue and we've learned from it. We don't want to repeat the mistake with our export partners."
Useful negotiation phrases for your oral exam
- Politely refusing : "I'm afraid that's not something we can do", "I hear you, but...", "That's challenging for us, however..."
- Conditional offers (give-and-take) : "If you could ___, I could ___", "Provided that ___, we would be in a position to ___"
- Buying time / showing you listen : "Let me think about that for a moment", "That's a fair point", "I understand your concern"
- Closing : "Shall we... ?", "Would Friday work for sending the draft contract?", "Let's agree on the principle today and finalise the details next week"
Pronunciation training
Lis ces phrases à voix haute (idéalement enregistre-toi avec ton smartphone et réécoute). Concentre-toi sur les mots en gras qui sont fréquents en B2B export et souvent mal prononcés.
- "Our standard lead time is three weeks." → lead time = /ˈliːd taɪm/ (le 'ea' se prononce comme dans 'leaf')
- "The minimum order quantity is six hundred bottles." → quantity = /ˈkwɒntəti/ (attention au 'qu' = 'kw' et non 'k')
- "We require a 50% deposit on order." → deposit = /dɪˈpɒzɪt/ (accent sur la 2e syllabe)
- "This single-plot wine is hand-harvested and barrel-aged." → harvested = /ˈhɑːvɪstɪd/, aged = /eɪdʒd/ (un seul son, pas 'a-ged')
- "I'm afraid that's not sustainable for us in the long run." → afraid = /əˈfreɪd/, sustainable = /səˈsteɪnəbəl/
- "Let me walk you through our pricing structure." → walk = /wɔːk/ (le 'l' est muet)
- "We've just received excellent reviews in Decanter." → Decanter = /dɪˈkæntə/ (accent sur le 'can')
L'oral d'anglais E2 valorise l'aisance, la fluidité et la capacité à interagir plus que la perfection grammaticale. Pour la négociation : ne te précipite pas pour répondre à une objection, prends une seconde de réflexion (en disant par exemple "That's a fair point" ou "Let me think about that for a moment") et structure ta réponse en 3 temps : reconnaissance de l'objection + nuance + proposition alternative. Cette structure marche dans toutes les langues.
Tu as terminé la première moitié de la séance. Place maintenant à un format proche de l'épreuve E2 NDRC : compréhension écrite approfondie d'un document business et préparation d'une restitution orale structurée. C'est exactement ce qui sera attendu de toi en salle de préparation à l'examen.
Format E2 NDRC : 30 minutes de préparation + 30 minutes d'oral devant le jury. Niveau visé : B2 du CECRL.
Advanced reading comprehension
Read the following article carefully, then answer the 6 questions below. (One correct answer per question.)
"What I really look for in a French winery": a UK importer speaks out
Fictional interview written for this training, in the style of a UK trade magazine — fictitious interviewee: Margaret Holloway, Senior Wine Buyer at Holloway & Sons (London), February 2026
The Brexit dust has finally settled, and after five turbulent years, UK wine importers know exactly what they want from their French suppliers. Margaret Holloway, who has been buying for the family-owned Holloway & Sons for over two decades, sat down with us to share her perspective.
Q: What's the first thing you look at when a French winery contacts you?
"Honestly? Predictability. I get fifteen unsolicited approaches a week from French winemakers. Most of them have great wines. Very few of them can actually deliver on time, in the quantities they promise, with paperwork that won't get stuck at customs. I need a partner who treats logistics as seriously as winemaking."
Q: Beyond logistics, what makes a winery stand out?
"A clear, honest story. The market is saturated with vague claims about 'terroir' and 'passion'. What sells in our shops is specificity: this exact slope, this exact soil, this exact family who has been there for three generations. British customers are well-educated about wine now — they want to know what they're buying. The romanticism of the 1990s doesn't work anymore."
Q: And what about price?
"Price matters, of course, but probably less than people assume. We are not chasing the cheapest bottles — those are a race to the bottom, and frankly, the supermarkets are better at that game than we are. What we want is fair pricing for quality that can be defended in front of a customer. A winery that drops its prices the moment we ask is a worry, not a relief: it usually means the original price was inflated, or that quality will suffer next year."
Q: Any advice for a small French winery wanting to enter the UK market?
"Don't try to be everywhere. Pick three or four importers, study them carefully, and approach them with a proposition tailored to their specific clientele. Don't send a generic brochure. And please — please — answer your emails within 48 hours. You'd be amazed how many doors that simple discipline opens."
1. According to Margaret Holloway, what is the most important quality she looks for in a French supplier?
2. What does Margaret think about vague marketing language like "terroir" and "passion"?
3. Why does Margaret say that a winery dropping its prices immediately is "a worry, not a relief"?
4. The expression "a race to the bottom" in the article means:
5. What is Margaret's main piece of advice for small French wineries entering the UK market?
6. What practical detail does Margaret highlight at the end of the interview as opening "doors" with importers?
1. B — First answer in the interview: "Honestly? Predictability." She develops the idea: deliver on time, in promised quantities, with clean paperwork. Reliability is non-negotiable.
2. B — "The romanticism of the 1990s doesn't work anymore." She wants specificity: exact slope, exact soil, exact family history. British buyers are now well-educated and demand factual content.
3. B — "It usually means the original price was inflated, or that quality will suffer next year." A buyer interprets price discipline as a signal of trustworthiness. Caving in too quickly destroys confidence — a key principle in B2B negotiation.
4. B — A "race to the bottom" is a competitive dynamic where companies keep undercutting each other on price until margins collapse and everyone loses. It is a key concept in business and economics.
5. B — "Don't try to be everywhere. Pick three or four importers, study them carefully, and approach them with a proposition tailored to their specific clientele." Targeted, qualitative approach over volume-based prospecting.
6. B — The very last sentence: "please — answer your emails within 48 hours. You'd be amazed how many doors that simple discipline opens." Often the simplest professional habits make the difference.
Prepare your oral pitch (E2 simulation)
Tu es de retour au Domaine du Roc d'Avise. Élise prépare un déplacement à Londres et te demande de l'accompagner pour rencontrer 3 importateurs potentiels, dont Holloway & Sons (l'interview ci-dessus). Elle te confie l'ouverture du pitch. Voici la question à laquelle tu dois préparer une réponse orale structurée :
"Why should Holloway & Sons consider adding Domaine du Roc d'Avise to their portfolio of French suppliers?"
Rédige le support écrit de ton pitch oral (200 à 250 mots, en anglais). Format attendu :
- Introduction (2-3 phrases) : présente brièvement le domaine et la proposition
- Three differentiators (3 paragraphes courts) : trois éléments distinctifs du domaine, en t'appuyant sur ce que Margaret cherche dans l'interview (prévisibilité logistique, narratif spécifique, politique tarifaire honnête)
- Conclusion (2-3 phrases) : appelle à une étape concrète (échantillons, rendez-vous, visite du domaine)
Introduction. Good morning Margaret, and thank you for taking the time to meet us today. I am here on behalf of Domaine du Roc d'Avise, a 22-hectare family estate in the northern Rhône Valley, currently producing 180,000 bottles per year. We have prepared a proposition specifically tailored to Holloway & Sons, and I would like to share three reasons why we believe we could be a strong addition to your portfolio.
First, logistical reliability. Élise Forestier, who took over the estate in 2019, has personally restructured the export side of the business. We work with two certified UK-based logistics partners, all our paperwork is pre-cleared with British customs, and our on-time delivery rate over the last 18 months stands at 98%. We treat logistics with the same seriousness as winemaking.
Second, a clear and verifiable story. Our two flagship cuvées come from two precisely identified parcels in Mercurol-Veaunes. The estate is currently in the third year of organic conversion, certification expected in 2027. Élise's brother Lucas runs the cellar and has been trained at the Lycée Viticole d'Orange. No vague romanticism — just specific facts your customers can verify and repeat.
Third, disciplined pricing. Our wholesale pricing has not changed in three years, and we have no intention of cutting it during this conversation. We believe in fair value over discount cycles. What we can offer is multi-year supply commitments and protected exclusivity zones for partners who share that view.
Conclusion. I would like to propose two next steps: first, send you a tasting case of our 2024 vintage by next week; and second, invite you to visit the estate in May, during the early-summer tasting week. Could we schedule those two steps today?
Useful expressions for your pitch
- Opening : "Thank you for taking the time…" / "I am here on behalf of…" / "We have prepared a proposition tailored to…"
- Sequencing : "First… Second… Third…" / "Let me start with…" / "Moving on to…"
- Quantifying credibility : "Our on-time delivery rate stands at…" / "We have been working with… for X years"
- Closing with action : "I would like to propose two next steps:…" / "Could we schedule…?" / "Would you be open to…?"
Extended international trade vocabulary
Find the English business term that matches each definition. Type your answer in lowercase, no punctuation.
1. Three-letter Incoterm where the seller delivers the goods on board the ship at the named port of shipment, and the buyer assumes risk and cost from there. (Three letters)
2. Three-letter Incoterm where the seller pays for cost, insurance and freight up to the named port of destination. (Three letters)
3. A bank-issued document guaranteeing payment to a seller, widely used in international trade to reduce risk. (Three words)
4. A contract where two parties agree today on the price for a transaction that will take place at a future date — used to hedge against currency fluctuations. (Two words)
5. The process of finding and qualifying suppliers for a product or service. (One word, ending in -ing)
6. The amount of stock kept in reserve to cover unexpected demand spikes or supply delays. (Two words)
7. The legal name in English for the act of dispatching goods from the seller to the buyer (often used in shipping confirmations). (One word)
| Question | Answer | Use in context |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | FOB (Free On Board) | "Our quoted price is FOB Marseille — transport and insurance from Marseille onwards are at your charge." |
| 2. | CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) | "We can also offer CIF Felixstowe pricing if you prefer all-inclusive logistics." |
| 3. | Letter of credit | "For new clients, we typically work with a confirmed letter of credit issued by a major UK bank." |
| 4. | Forward contract | "Given current EUR/GBP volatility, I'd recommend we set up a forward contract on the next two shipments." |
| 5. | Sourcing | "Our sourcing strategy focuses on long-term partnerships with two or three reliable suppliers per region." |
| 6. | Safety stock | "We maintain six weeks of safety stock in our UK warehouse to absorb any disruption." |
| 7. | Shipment | "Your shipment will leave Marseille on the 15th and clear UK customs by the 22nd." |
Bonus métier · Write a follow-up email after the negotiation
Cet exercice est hors référentiel E2 (l'épreuve E2 du BTS NDRC est un oral). En revanche, savoir rédiger un email professionnel en anglais est indispensable en alternance et en poste, particulièrement après un rendez-vous client international où chaque mot compte. Donc même si ce n'est pas évalué à l'examen, c'est un skill qui te servira dès ta prochaine mission export.
Situation : the negotiation meeting with James Whitaker (Senior Buyer at Crown Cellars Ltd, the case from earlier) ended an hour ago. He agreed in principle to a first trial order of 2,000 bottles of your "Le Méal" cuvée, with an option to scale up to 8,000 bottles in the autumn if the trial sells well. He still needs to confirm the dispatch date and payment terms (50% upfront, 50% on receipt).
Write a short professional follow-up email (60 to 90 words) to James, summarising the agreement points, confirming next steps, and keeping the relational tone warm but professional.
Subject: Crown Cellars × Roc d'Avise — recap of today's meeting and next steps
Dear James,
Thank you for a very productive meeting today. To recap: a trial order of 2,000 bottles of "Le Méal" 2024, with the option to extend to 8,000 bottles in autumn 2026, subject to sell-through. Payment terms: 50% on order confirmation, 50% on receipt.
I will send you the formal pro forma invoice within 48 hours. Could you confirm your preferred dispatch window for the trial order?
Looking forward to working with you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Domaine du Roc d'Avise
Key writing principles for follow-up emails
- Recap the agreement explicitly — never assume the other party remembers the same numbers as you. Stating them in writing creates a shared reference and avoids future misunderstandings.
- Use a clear "subject" line — a buyer receives 100+ emails a day. Make sure yours is identifiable in 2 seconds.
- Commit to a concrete next action with a timeframe — "I will send you the formal pro forma invoice within 48 hours". This shows professionalism and pre-empts the "where is the document?" follow-up.
- End with a forward-looking note — "Looking forward to working with you" sets a collaborative tone for the next exchanges.
- British English nuances — for a UK importer, prefer "dispatch" over "ship", "favourable" over "favorable", "organisation" over "organization". Subtle but noticed.
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