Working with Food Service Distributors: What are Distributors?

Working with Food Service Distributors: What are Distributors?

A food service distributor is a company that provides non-food, and food-based products to a range of different commercial environments, including cafeterias, restaurants, industrial caterers, schools, and hospitals. Basically, these are the experts that form the middle man between you, and the food service provider that you want to work with.

Rather than you having to do all the work in manufacturing your food product, then also searching for someone to stock and use that product, a distributor helps to simplify the path to sales for you, so that you can concentrate on doing what you do best. At Dynamic Retail, we work with distributors from a range of food service backgrounds to help you find the solution that works best for your company, regardless of whether you’re interested in working with cafes, restaurants, or something else entirely.

So, what does a Food Service Distributor Do?

This isn’t the first time that we’ve talked about food service distributors on our blog at Dynamic retail, but you may still be wondering what the purpose of these unique professionals actually is, and why you should consider working with one.

In simple terms, a distributor works to purchase, store, sell, and deliver particular products that are made by a food manufacturer. In other words, they provide food service operators with the access that they need to items that come from a wide range of different manufacturers across Australia. At Dynamic Retail, we work with a vast network of distributors which means that we’re well equipped to bridge the gaps between food manufacturing companies and food service providers all across the country.

Food service distributors often buy bulk amounts of inventory and pallets from a manufacturer that can sometimes be broken down into unit quantities for specific food service operators. When you work with a distributor, you might find that your product ends up in a range of different cafes and restaurants across Australia, or you may find that you sell primarily to one brand.
When it comes to working with distributors, our food brokerage experts will help to represent you as the manufacturer of your specific product within our local market. Because our brokers have years of experience, we can help you to market your products through the system for food service distribution, which can range from ensuring that your items are stocked by your chosen distributor, to making sure that operators can purchase items directly from your distributor.

Food Distributors Work with all Kinds of Businesses

You may think that because food distributors are often associated with “bulk” or wholesale products, they can only ever work with companies that are large, and produce a significant volume of food service items. However, the truth is that there are distributors out there that work with every shape and size of business on the market. For instance, a large, or broad distributor service might work with a variety of different accounts stocking a range of products. On the other hand, a system distributor might stock a very narrow collection of products that are only intended for certain customers, like restaurant chains across Australia.

While some distributors will carry thousands of items at any given time from a host of different manufacturers, others will dedicate their time to working alongside small-scale companies. These smaller distributors purchase food in bulk and deliver small amounts of that food, or other food service items to independent stores and cafes, so that they can keep their shelves stocked.

There are even independent distributors that can service specific niches in the food service market, such as grocery stores, diners, and convenience store markets. While all of these distributors work using the same strategies, they offer a different kind of service to a range of companies within the food service industry. At Dynamic Retail, we understand the complexities of the food service industry, and can therefore help you to find the distributor and broker combination that works best for you.

To find out more, contact Michael on 0408 338 446.