Food and Beverage Distributors and Wholesalers in Arizona Key Terms

Learn about terms associated with food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in Arizona

Food and beverage distributors and wholesalers within the state of Arizona help stock everything from restaurant kitchens to hospital cafeterias to supermarket shelves. These distributors and wholesalers literally bring food and beverage products to the people of Arizona.

Take the time to learn some of the terms commonly used when doing business with Arizona food and beverage distributors and wholesalers so that you can understand the process and negotiate the best prices. Here are a few of those terms along with some resourceful links to get you started.

 

Agricultural sustainability

Agricultural sustainability refers to the process of responsibly planting and harvesting crops from the earth. Food wholesalers often implement practices such as rotating farm land, adding special fertilizers and planting only as many seeds as the soil can handle so that the same piece of land replenishes itself and can produce crops year after year.
Try: Visit the website for Sysco for additional information on agricultural sustainability. Sysco has locations all over the United States of America, including Arizona.

Category management

Category management in terms of Arizona beverage distributors and wholesalers refers to the process of understanding the entire process of distributing the beverage. This includes the cost of making it, delivering it and storing it through the point of sale. Many food and beverage wholesalers will assist in category management so areas where profits can be increased are highlighted.
Try: Go to the website for Alliance Beverage to learn more about category management services and what they entail.

Brand portfolio

The term brand portfolio is commonly found on beverage wholesaler and distributor websites in Arizona and refers to the company names they carry. As an example, a beer distributor will list all of the brands they carry that the client may order. That list of beer brands makes up the portfolio.
Try: Go to the website for Finely Beer for an example on what a brand portfolio looks like in terms of beverage wholesalers and distributors in Arizona.

Suppliers

Suppliers, in terms of food and beverage wholesalers and distributors in Arizona, refer to the companies that "supply" food to the distributor. For instance, a distributor may have meat products from one wholesaler and bread products from another. They then send both of those products to a restaurant they distribute to on a regular basis. In this way, many distributors list the suppliers.
Try: Visit the website for Golbon Food Services for a list of suppliers they work with, as an example of the "suppliers" a food distributor interacts with on a business level.

Third party supply chain management

Third party supply chain management refers to the process of allowing the food distributor to handle your company's supply chain. They keep track of everything from inventory to sales so that they know what products you need in your commercial kitchens.
Try: Visit the website for the McLane Company for additional information on what a third party supply chain management program entails. They have a location in Goodyear, Arizona.

Market updates, market reports

Market updates refers to a report that is published each week by the American Restaurant Association that details everything from price to quality to quantity of various food categories such as beef, poultry, dairy and more. Wholesalers and distributors use this information to set prices and engage with their clients over what items they will be purchasing.
Try: Go the website for US Food Service for more information on market updates and how food and beverage distributors and wholesalers in Arizona use them in conjunction with their clients. US Food Service has two locations in Arizona.

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