The backbone of the food industry is undoubtedly the food distributors. Whether you are a small food business or a large chain, a reliable food distributor can help you get your products to the right consumers and help you manage your inventory. Let’s review how commercial food distributors help your business in some very critical ways.
What Do Food Distributors Do?
Food distributors play an important role in the food industry by helping to get products to the right businesses, and ultimately consumers. They work to get products to foodservice operators, who then provide food to the public, whether in restaurants or markets. Distributors can also help manage inventory, ensuring that the right products are available at the right time.
Commercial food distributors provide numerous benefits including:
- Access to a large network of suppliers.
- Ability to quickly and easily distribute products.
- Efficient inventory management.
- Better pricing.
Types of Food Distributors
There are three main types of food distributors: broadline, specialty, and redistributor.
Broadline Distributors
These distributors are the most common and help to distribute products to a variety of businesses, including foodservice operators and retailers. They typically have a larger inventory and can provide products to more businesses than specialty distributors.
Specialty Distributors
Commercial specialty distributors focus on a specific type of product or product category. They may have a smaller inventory than broadline distributors, but they are more likely to carry products that are not available from other distributors.
Redistributor
A redistributor helps to resell products from other distributors to retailers and foodservice operators. They are usually smaller than the other two types of distributors and may not have a large inventory. They often operate more flexibly and therefore can scale up orders when needed.
Cash and Carry
Cash and carry distributors operate a wholesale food model in which purchases pay upfront for their order in full at the time of purchase and can take their order away with them.
Commercial food distributors play a pivotal role in every corner of the foodservice industry, and their services can help you manage your business and inventory more effectively. When you need help getting your products to the right consumers, reach out to a reliable commercial food distributor.
Find Commercial Food Distributors at Total Food Service
Total Food Service, the foodservice industry’s leading news publication, has a reliable and comprehensive list of wholesale foodservice and restaurant food distributors. Check out our listings today and find the commercial food distributor that will help your business.