Wholesale food and beverage organizations provide an invaluable service to people operating in food and beverage consumption businesses in the United States. Whether you represent a restaurateur with several locations, a chain of hotels, or a bunch of corporate kitchens, having ties with a food distributors organization or a beverage distributors organization will give you an introduction to the business contacts you need to make your business work.

But before you start cold calling, you need a bit of wholesale food and beverage organizations education and training. This will include coming into contact with food and beverage trade organizations and learning about how they operate through educational courses seminars and materials.

1. Take classes or seminars hosted by a wholesale food organization about different aspects of the industry.

2. Seek and obtain materials from a wholesale beverage association that specializes in the sale of beer.

3. Find information on a wholesale beverage organization that specializes in either wine or spirits.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Enroll in courses held by a food wholesalers association

Wholesale food sellers and distribution organizations specialize in outreach to members of the community by holding educational courses and seminars. Attend seminars and informational classes which speak to the specialized area of wholesale food in which your business operates.

I recommend: Check out the NorthEast Wholesale Food Distributors Association website. They offer a training and education center which offers over 4,000 courses dealing with all different aspects of the food industry. Also, the International FoodService Distributors Association offers web seminars in which you can partake covering many aspects of the wholesale food industry.

Find educational material by a wholesale beverage association specializing in beer

There are a multitude of beer organizations which hold educational seminars at yearly conventions as well as webinars and other educational programs. Browse around the websites of the wholesale beer organizations in your area and educate yourself on how you can incorporate their products into your business.

I recommend: Check out the website for Iowa Wholesale Beer Distributors Association. Simply utilize their long list of contacts for further information on everything from server training about beer products to their promotion of responsible drinking within the community. Also visit the website for the National Beer Wholesalers Association. There are several educational links on the site, including "Industry and Technology" and the "Multimedia Resource Center." They also hold a yearly conference with seminars and educational programs.

Locate educational information on a wholesale beverage organization dealing with wine or spirits

The final piece of the wholesale food and beverage consumption industry is wine and spirits. Seek out organizations that offer comprehensive reviews, seminars, courses and trade shows dealing with the wine and spirits industry. Remember that you may be required to join these organizations to access all the available education and training information.

I recommend: Check out the website for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. They hold a yearly conference with educational programs and seminars specializing in wine. Also found on their website are "News and Information" and "Resources" sections. There are a plethora of materials from marketing downloads to the latest news within the industry. Also, check out the website for Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. They offer comprehensive data on the economic contributions of the spirits industry. You may also download the full 2008 industry review.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you own operate a wholesale business, be sure to join the wholesale food and beverage organizations that deal specifically with your business. It will allow you to make business contacts easily with people in the same field. Not to mention membership to a food and beverage industry council is usually a tax deduction.

If you own a company in the wholesale food and beverage industry, you would do well to partner with a food distributors organization to strengthen your business expertise and credibility. Industry organizations bring together professionals with similar goals and challenges. Members of industry organizations come from all company divisions, but all share the same objective of expanding their knowledge.

Becoming a member of the right organization opens the door to a wealth of expertise. You will be exposed to many networking opportunities, information and resources. Additionally, a food distribution association may also provide invaluable services that include new products, education opportunities and industry support. When looking for membership with a food and beverage group, remember the following:

1. Make sure the association you're interested in is credible. Check Better Business Bureau or other industry accreditations.

2. Most organizations charge fees for memberships, so make sure you’re getting your money’s worth before you pay.

3. Many food and beverage trade organizations don’t stipulate membership for certification.

Action Steps
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Become a member of an accredited wholesale beverage organization

Although many organizations offer information, tools and resources to non-members, you can benefit substantially from becoming a member. Membership opens the door to additional service, product and representation. Register as a business rather than as just an individual, if possible, so your employees can benefit from the membership.

I recommend: The Association of Food Industries, Inc. offers three categories of membership for your convenience. The National Beer Wholesalers Association offers networking opportunities and industry recognition as part of its membership benefits package.

Take advantage of training options provided by beverage wholesaler's organizations

Progress stops for no one, and you need to advance as a professional by keeping your industry skills sharp and current. Take advantage of educational programs and tools to assist you and your employees in knowledge development and career advancement. Many organizations offer information on upcoming seminars, conferences, business development courses and other industry-related programs, in addition to industry certifications.

I recommend: The NorthEast Wholesale Food Distributors Association provides the Food Industry Learning Center which offers industry certifications and degree programs. The American Wholesale Marketers Association has scholarships, in addition to the executive strategies and profitability program, as part of its educational offerings.

Join a wholesale food organizations that offer a full schedule of events and conferences

Events and conferences are a boon to any business. They give you an opportunity to network and share issues with industry peers. More importantly, they give your company exposure within the industry, and provide you an opportunity to further your relationships with other businesses. Try and pick organizations with nationally-recognized events.

I recommend: The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and the American Beverage Association both provide an extensive events calendar for educational and networking opportunities.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are considering a food wholesalers association for its online resources, look for one with an active forum where you can discuss issues with industry experts in real time.

The success of wholesale food and beverage organizations depends on the quality and integrity of the products they sell. With food safety becoming the No. 1 issue for consumers, wholesale food and beverage organizations must guarantee that the products they market do not present a serious public health risk. Companies are therefore paying more attention than ever before to food inspection programs, sanitation guidelines and quality assurance methods. If you own a wholesale food and beverage organization or do business with one, it pays to learn some key terms that will help you stay informed on events affecting this industry.

Action Steps
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Wholesale distribution industry

The wholesale distribution industry represents an important force in the U.S. economy. A large part of the industry is made up of companies that manufacture, process, package and supply food and beverages.

I recommend: The National Association of Wholesale Distributors reports on the status of the wholesale distribution industry in any given year. Read its State of the Wholesale Distribution Industry to get a sense of the scope of this market, which is lead by grocery and food-service wholesale distributors.

Wholesale Food Protection Program

Relatively new in some states, the Wholesale Food Protection Program is run by a state health department and works to ensure that wholesale foods are clean and safe for consumption.

I recommend: The Indiana State Department of Health has a review of that state's Wholesale Food Protection Program. You'll find out which commodities are covered under this program and how the Health Department's staff works to fulfill their objectives.

Wholesale markets

Wholesale markets are large-scale markets that function chiefly to transfer food from its place of cultivation and manufacture to the places where it is sold to consumers.

I recommend: Go to FAO to learn how the food-marketing system depends on wholesale markets. FAO also explains the operation of the food-marketing system and the impact that wholesale markets have on a country's economy.

Quality guidelines

Since food safety has become the No. 1 concern for consumers, companies are strictly following quality guidelines to ensure that the foods they manufacture, process and sell are clean and safe.

I recommend: Efforts by Sysco to follow quality guidelines are typical of those other wholesale food and beverage organizations are using. Find out the objectives of quality assurance teams and how companies are following strict purchasing policies to ensure product safety.

Fruits and vegetables import requirements

Sometimes referred to as FAVIR, fruits and vegetables import requirements are set by the USDA to ensure that contaminated foods are not sold in the United States.

I recommend: Learn about the searchable FAVIR database that the USDA maintains and how food and beverage wholesale organizations can use it to identify fruits and vegetables barred from importation into the United States.

Licensing and inspections

Licensing and inspections of wholesale food and beverage companies and markets are done in many states to ensure the facilities are clean and safe.

I recommend: Typical of the licensing and inspections done in most states are the ones discussed at Massachusetts Health and Human Services. Find out about the basic application process and the standards food wholesalers are held to during an inspection.

If you sell beverage or food in your business, you may want to follow wholesale food and beverage organizations news and trends. Not only is it a good way to see what’s happening within any beverage and food wholesalers association, it’s also a good way to track changes instituted by a food and beverage council, whether by governmental or voluntary mandate. Since activities of food and beverage trade organizations can impact the cost of wholesale food, their activities can ultimately affect the amount of money you pay for their products.

Wholesale food and beverage organizations exist for a variety of reasons. The news from each institutional food distributors association varies, depending on the focus of that food and beverage group. Regardless of the food and beverage industry council you can find certain trends in all their news reports. These include:

1. Finding new markets for the wholesale food and beverage organizations.

2. Promoting new products.

3. The impact of government regulations.

Action Steps
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Find press releases from wholesale food and beverage organizations

Press releases often will show an association's constituents, as well as the general public, what the wholesale beverage organization or wholesale food organization is doing to promote sales. These are the types of news articles introduce new beverages or food products to potential buyers.

I recommend: America's Beer Distributors offers a complete listing of its press releases. The beverage distributors organization, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, also offers current press releases on its website to help you stay on top of news in beverage wholesalers organizations.

Sign up for newsletters from wholesale food and beverage organizations

When you join a beverage or food wholesalers association, the newsletter subscription may be automatic. With other organizations, you may have to go through a separate process to receive its periodical publications, either in print or online. In some instances, you can receive the newsletters without joining the association.

I recommend: If you belong to the food distributors organization, International Food Service Distributor Association, you can sign up for its daily newsletter. Sign up for the magazine published by the American Wholesale Marketers Association. This leading wholesale food organization offers information to help make your business successful.

Track news from special interest wholesale food and beverage organizations

Whether you have an interest in international wholesale foods or locally grown organics, you can find information on current news and trends. Pick your interest and look for news articles or even blogs.

I recommend: Track news of the International Beverage Network from its website. Follow organic wholesale food and beverage organizations news and trends on the Organic Consumers Association blog. You can easily sign up for the RSS feed to get new information about this food distribution association.