You can maximize your profits by making the most of food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York. These companies may distribute food at wholesale prices to delis, caterers, grocery stores and restaurants.

Food and beverage distributors in New York can deliver foods within a specified delivery area and may also provide cash and carry services that allow you to pick up items directly from the warehouse.

Make the most of food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York by doing the following:

1. Get frequent price checks from food distributors, especially on seasonal items. A distributor that has a surplus of perishables will be more willing to negotiate on the price. You can then use these price breaks to plan promotions or make advance replenishment orders.

2. Use food and beverage distributors in New York that specialize in foods from your customers’ ethnic groups. Many wholesalers also specialize in a particular type of food such as pizza ingredients, snacks or desserts.

3. Select food wholesalers in that provide reliable food delivery. This will allow you to minimize lost sales due to lack of stock and make it easier to determine your optimum re-order point.

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

Join a buying group for food wholesalers in New York

Many small business owners pool their buying power to maximize their savings. A food service buying group can use its leverage to negotiate with distributors for the best possible prices.

I recommend: Performance Food Services is a member of the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) and provides additional benefits besides lowering its members’ food costs. These include a partial reimbursement for the NYSRA, invoice analysis and other consulting services. Unipro Foodservice is a leading foodservice buying group with many members in New York.

Purchase food wholesale in New York through a broker

Foodservice brokers represent manufacturers of food, food equipment and food supplies. They can help you find the best prices for a wide range of food products.

I recommend: Benchmark Sales is a leading foodservice broker in Rochester with sales offices in Albany and Buffalo that serves the upstate New York market. Spectrum Foodservice Brokers has facilities in Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse that include walk-in freezers.

Place orders with local New York beverage distributors

A beverage distributor primarily sells water, soda, beer and sometimes wine. These beverages may not be available from a regular food distributor or wholesaler.

I recommend: Empire Merchants is a leading beverage distributor that sells prestigious wines and spirits to licensed stores and on-premise accounts throughout the New York metropolitan area. Manhattan Beer Distributors is one of the leading beer distributors in New York but also serves a variety of other products to the New York metro area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy perishable foods from local food distributors. New York companies can make deliveries faster and help you make a profit on these items. Prompt deliveries also make it easier to manage your inventory.

Choosing the right food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York is essential for convenience and grocery store owners. Buying food wholesale in New York is a highly competitive business with high customer expectations and complex factors that affect product replenishment.

Food distributors in NY must allow you to implement proper inventory management. This is especially important in maintaining profitability on low-margin items where knowledge of customer buying patterns is critical when choosing food distributors. New York food and beverage distribution can be further complicated by promotions, seasonal availability and the large differences between wholesale and resale purchase units.

When selecting one of the food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York, choose one that will increase your bottom line by allowing you to do the following:

1. Maintain your stock levels to prevent lost sales by minimizing the impact of excessive shrinkage and expiration. Reliable delivery, therefore, is crucial for determining the optimum order quantity and re-order point.

2. Save on shipping costs through advance replenishment, order consolidation and optimized price breaks. This will help you plan promotions and other sales-related events.

3. Increase customer retention and service levels.

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

Buy food and beverage wholesale in New York from major distributors

Some food and beverage wholesalers cover most of the country and usually cater to grocery store chains. However, they also may be able to deliver to regional franchises and independent stores.

I recommend: Sysco is a leading supplier of food, preparation and serving items. A clickable map on Sysco's website displays its locations throughout the United States and Canada. U.S. Foodservice provides food and related products primarily to restaurants. You can select a region of the United States on its website to display specific locations within that region.

Purchase food wholesale in New York from regional distributors

Regional suppliers usually serve smaller businesses in second tier markets. They may also distribute gourmet and other specialty food items.

I recommend: Watertown-based CFM Food Distributors serves hotels, restaurants, resorts, schools and other institutions in the northeastern United States. Rochester-based Jacobstein Food Service is a food wholesaler that serves western New York.

Select local independent New York beverage wholesalers

Local distributors can provide more personalized service to smaller convenience and grocery store owners. This additional time and attention can create a business relationship not found with larger distributors.

I recommend: New York City-based New Beer Distributors is one of the more well-known New York beer distributors and has a warehouse style and service. Brooklyn-based American Beer Distributing Company serves New York City and makes home and business deliveries.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Identify any particular buying habits of your customers. For example, if your store caters to a particular ethnic group, you will want to use food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York that specialize in foods from that ethnic group. Many wholesalers also specialize in a particular type of food such as ice cream, cookies or chips.
• •  Get frequent price checks from food wholesalers in New York. The grocery market can be extremely volatile, especially on seasonal items. Additionally, a distributor that has a surplus of perishables will be more willing to negotiate on price and a regular customer is more likely to get a discount.

You will need to stock your grocery store or restaurant by using food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York. Local suppliers can make it easier to implement proper inventory management since they can make deliveries faster. This is especially important when trying to make a profit on low-margin or persishable items.

Choosing the right food and beverage distributors in New York is especially important for convenience and grocery store owners. These businesses are highly competitive and the best choice can also change rapidly due to dynamic factors like promotions and seasonal availability.

Use food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in New York to do the following for your business:

1. Retain your customers by maintaining the service level they have come to expect of you.

2. Plan promotions and save money by taking advantage of advance replenishment, price breaks and order consolidation.

3. Maintain your stock levels by minimizing excessive food shrinkage and expiration. Food wholesalers in New York can provide reliable food delivery to prevent lost sales and the right distributor can help you determine the best re-order point and order quantity.

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

Buy food and beverage wholesale in New York from major distributors

Many wholesalers have locations in many different states that deliver primarily to major grocery store chains. However, they may also serve smaller franchises and independent stores.

I recommend: Performance Food Group has locations in New York and distributes a range of brand name food and related products. It has broadline and customized divisions throughout the United States that it lists by city and state. C&S Wholesale Grocers has distribution centers in New York and lists the warehouse locations by city.

Purchase food wholesale in New York from regional distributors

These companies frequently serve smaller businesses in second-tier markets. Many regional suppliers also specialize in gourmet and other specialty food items.

I recommend: Dicarlo Food Service has its headquarters in Holtsville and is a large independent food distributor in the Tri-State area. White Rose is a major wholesaler in the New York market and supplies dairy, groceries and frozen food from its distribution centers.

Place orders with local New York beverage wholesalers

You may be able to get more personalized service with smaller New York beverage distributors. These distributors are frequently able to serve smaller grocery stores and convenience stores.

I recommend: The Good-O Beverage Company is located in the Bronx and offers 24 hour delivery through New York City and parts of upstate New York. The Beverage Works serves Red Bull Energy Drink to the Greater New York metropolitan area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Get frequent price checks from food distributors. New York can be an extremely volatile market, especially on seasonal items. Additionally, a distributor that has a surplus of perishables will be more willing to negotiate on price and a regular customer is more likely to get a discount.

Food and beverage wholesalers and distributors in New York are responsible for connecting food manufacturers with retailers such as convenience stores, grocery stores and restaurants. There are a variety of complex factors that affect food replenishment, food handling, food storage and food transportation. Proper inventory management is especially important when it comes to perishable foods and products with a low profit margin. Food distributors allow retailers to accurately determine their ideal price breaks and re-order points by providing reliable transportation for food products that frequently require refrigeration.

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

SLA

The SLA, or State Liquor Authority, is the New York state liquor and alcoholic beverage licensing and compliance agency. The SLA issues liquor licenses and creates policies for alcoholic beverages in New York.

I recommend: Find more information from the State Liquor Authority website. Visit SYS-CON for more information about the SLA.

DFSI

The DFSI is also called the Division of Food Safety and Inspection. The DFSI is the food safety and inspection agency for New York state. This agency handles regulation for food safety for wholesalers, distributors and retailers.

I recommend: Browse the Division of Food Safety and Inspection website for more about the organization. Find details about the DFSI at FoodHACCP.com.

NYSDAM

The NYSDAM is the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. This state government agency oversees food production and sales in New York state. The NYSDAM sets policies and regulation throughout the state.

I recommend: Visit the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets' website to find more information about the agency. ReadMedia also provides information about the NYSDAM.

NYSEFC

NYSEFC, or New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, is a state organization for environmental safety. This organization regulates the manufacturing and production of food in New York.

I recommend: Browse the NYSEFC website to find out more about their organization. Read more about the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation reports at Alacra.

BFLP

Beginning Farmer Loan Program, or BFLP, is a loan program for people wishing to start a farming business in New York. This program provides start up capital for land and equipment.

I recommend: Visit the NYSEFC for more information about the Beginning Farmer Loan Program. The NYSDAM website also provides details about BFLP.

Division of Food Laboratory

The New York Division of Food Laboratory is a department within the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. The New York Division of Food Laboratory tests and analyzes food products and provides safe and nutritious food.

I recommend: Visit the New York Division of Food Laboratory website to learn more about their tests and procedures.