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

Stay on top of the headlines affecting US-based food and beverage distributors

Find out, for example, which markets have become the most competitive or what are the latest health issues and concerns driving consumer demand. These headlines also relate to companies who currently dominate the market and sales comparisons between American companies and those abroad.

I recommend: The Cygnus Interactive Supply & Demand Chain tracks distribution and wholesale trends nationwide. More than 5,000 companies worldwide depend upon the up to date analyses of market issues reported by Plunkett Research.

Read about news affecting grocery store distributors

Grocery wholesalers must gather news about trends in supermarkets and retail establishments that will help these wholesalers anticipate market demand.

I recommend: Progressive Grocer has been a news source for the retail industry that supermarkets and grocery stores have depended on for more than 80 years. The online trade magazine for retailers, Supermarket News, helps grocery wholesalers project their customers' needs, which will drive sales in the coming months.

Locate the latest industry news and trends for beverage wholesalers in the US

Read more about the topics addressed at the events the major beverage distributors are attending. For example, how does the current economic situation in the United States affect beverage wholesalers, are new mergers between beverage companies anticipated in the future and are the traditional market leaders maintaining their competitive edge?

I recommend: B Net Industries is the trade magazine for any US food and beverage distributor that wants to know how companies respond to headline news in the industry. Access the website for Beer Net Communications for more information on the latest beverage topics from its numerous Beer Business Daily and Beer Distributors Monthly articles.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some of these trade magazines and associations support an online searchable data base that you may subscribe to in order to conduct more detailed research on food and beverage distributors in the US.

Guide to Food and Beverage Distributors in the US

Find experienced wholesale food distributors to stock your grocery or convenience store

By Marianne Moro, Freelance Writer

1. Choose from small independent grocery distributors;
2. Buy from large, nationwide wholesale food distributors;
3. Check out grocery wholesalers who offer specialty foods and beverages; and
4. Purchase food and beverages directly from the manufacturer.

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

Choose from small independent grocery distributors

Small mom-and-pop grocers and convenience stores benefit from using local grocery wholesalers. These small firms offer personalized service, and can give more time and attention to small retailers, fostering business relationship they can't get from larger grocery distributors.

I recommend: Search for regional grocery and convenience store distributors at Local.com or contact local grocery distributors like Merchant Distributors if you live in the Southern US or Unified Grocers
in the Western US.

Buy from large, nationwide wholesale food distributors

Some wholesale food and beverage distributors in the US cover most of the country. They cater to big chain grocery stores that order in high volume, but can also deliver to smaller regional franchises and independent stores.

I recommend: Call C & S Wholesale Grocers to stock your store. C & S operates in most of the 50 states and delivers to nationwide and regional chains. To find other large food and beverage
distributors in the US, go to sites like Careers in Grocery and Wholesale Distributors Net.

Check out grocery wholesalers who offer specialty foods and beverages

Many wholesalers specialize in a particular food type, like ice cream, snack foods or Mexican foods. If your store caters to a particular ethnic group or has customers who buy certain food brands or types of food, consider utilizing these specialty food and beverage distributors.

I recommend: Explore grocery wholesalers and convenience store distributors like Bulk Foods for nuts, healthy snacks, candies and other specialty foods in both bulk and wrapped forms. Find world-class bakery goods, imported candies and unusual soda brands at Gourmet Food Mall.

Purchase food and beverages directly from the manufacturer

If a search for food and beverage distributors in the US still leaves a few products you want unaccounted for, contact manufacturers directly. Manufacturer's sales reps can assist you with advertising and display as well as stock.

I recommend: Look for food and beverage manufacturers by searching Global Sources Contact individual companies that distribute food and beverage lines you’re interested in stocking. For example, Nestle offers a service for grocers to help them stock the most appropriate products for their store. Check the extensive lists of manufacturers from the International Foodservice Manufacturers and the American Beverage Association.

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

Access online journals that report upon the US food distributors industry

A good place to start an American food distributors industry overview is to tap into the national and international news agency reports. These timely reports explain how the food and beverage companies acquire their financing, which geographic markets they intend to expand into and whether or not they plan to restructure their organizations or merge with other concerns.

I recommend: Thomson Reuters offers up to date news stories and economic commentary relating to food distribution and convenience store distributors in the United States. Winthrop publishes Wright Reports, which provides comprehensive business analyses of the food industry. CNET Networks publishes the BNET online magazine, which collects market studies showing how current economic situations affect food and beverage distributors in the US. Hoover's provides a free online searchable database. Search by country and business classification to judge the size of the US food and beverage industry.

Identify the major beverage and wholesale food distributors in the market

In any industry overview, it's essential to know which companies make the Top 100 lists and why. Many reports identifying the key players will also mention which products gave rise to the company's success, the size of the company's nationwide distribution system and the company's enterprise goals.

I recommend: Both Putnam Media and BNP Media publish online magazines which provide lists of the top 100 grocery store distributors and beverage wholesalers in the US. Also, search Research and Markets to locate a comprehensive report of top-ranking US food companies that you can purchase.

Review the SEC filings and annual reports of food and beverage distributors in the US

Access the investor relations pages on each major company's website to review their SEC filings and annual reports. These documents show the companies' actual sales, quarterly results, profits and other key financial data indicating their current market standing.

I recommend: Kraft Foods, Pepsico and Tyson all maintain web pages that disclose significant financial information for their investors. These reports detail the company's products and services, number of employees, number of facilities and offices and the current value of its stock.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A good measure of the success of wholesale food distributors is whether they are expanding capital investments in their equipment purchases and operating facilities.

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

Channel of distribution

The channel of distribution is the path that a food product takes when it is distributed from the grower or manufacturer to the retailer. Food and beverage products typically have multiple channels of distribution.

I recommend: The Food Marketing Institute provides a lengthy glossary of food distribution terms, including channel of distribution.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is a food distribution program that provides food for pregnant and breastfeeding women with low income. It also supplements the diets of these groups with direct funding.

I recommend: The United States Department of Agriculture is responsible for managing a variety of food distribution programs, such as the CSFP.

Commodity foods

Commodity foods are excess foods that the USDA purchases from farmers through price support and surplus removal programs. The USDA distributes commodity foods through a variety of food distribution programs.

I recommend: The National Conference of State Legislatures has a glossary of terms that relate to food and hunger, such as commodity foods.

Soft products

Soft products refer to products with a relatively short shelf life such as cottage cheese, milk and ice cream. Food distributors must consider the perishable nature of these products when transporting them.

I recommend: The California Department of Food and Agriculture defines a variety of terms that have common use in the food and beverage distribution industry, including soft products.

Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) is a federal food distribution program that provides food to low-income households on Indian reservations.

I recommend: The Rural Assistance Center provides more information on the FDPIR.

Broadline distributor

Broadline distributors provide food products to a variety of customers. Other types of distributors may specialize in specific food products, markets or customer types.

I recommend: MonkeyDish has more information about broadline distributors.