Restaurant Food Distributors | A Complete List

Finding the best food service distributors for your restaurant business is germane to the success of your establishment. Without a doubt, there are thousands of wholesale food distributors in the United States. Getting quality products and food items depends on your wholesale food distribution business.

As a restaurant owner, you want a steady flow of fresh restaurant supplies. The restaurant food distributor you choose must be able to cater to your supply chain management needs.

You can source your wholesale produce supply from a large farm or by partnering with food distribution centers. Whether you run chain restaurants or a fine food dining establishment, you’ll be able to get supplies from these food wholesale distributorship companies.

Let’s review the best restaurant food distributors in the food industry. This food suppliers list covers everything from full-line suppliers to wholesale distributors that sell to the public.

7 Best Food Distributors for Restaurants

The food production and independent food distribution companies in this list specialize in supplying food to restaurants. We look at the top seven restaurant food distributors.

1. Performance Foodservice

Performance Foodservice is a leading distributor in the restaurant industry. This food distributor company supplies over 100,000 products including food products, culinary equipment, non-food supplies, and cleaning supplies to restaurants across the country.

No matter the type of cuisine you serve or the size of your restaurant, Performance Foodservice offers superior quality products. Their products include premium and exclusive brands.

2. McLane Company

McLane foodservice is another food and beverage supplier that provides wholesale supply chain services. The company distributes groceries, food items, and non-food items to restaurants and convenience stores.

This foodservice distributor also serves casual dining establishments, quick service restaurants, grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and discount retailers around the country. McLane Company serves three segments: foodservice distribution, beverage distribution, and grocery distribution.

3. Ben E. Keith

Ben E. Keith is one of the best food distributors for restaurants. The company supplies fine food and premium beverages to restaurants and bars.

In addition, this restaurant food distributor delivers the highest quality wholesale food and gourmet frozen foods. They also provide a fantastic assortment of premium and craft beer brands, flavored malts, great wines, and delectable non-alcoholic beverages.

4. Gordon Food Service

Gordon Foodservice is now the largest family-operated food distribution company in North America. The food and beverage distribution company supplies different restaurants and hospitality establishments.

Some of the products delivered by Gordon Food Service include bakery products, wholesale alcohol beverages, wholesale meat, wholesale dairy, and dairy eggs. You can also get dining supplies and commercial kitchen equipment from this distributor.

5. Golden State Foods

Golden State Foods, GSF, is one of the largest restaurant food distributors. The company distributes wholesale foods and restaurant supplies to over 125,000 restaurants and bars.

Additionally, GSF offers supply chain management and logistics services to its customers. The company also processes and distributes liquid products, proteins, produce, and dairy products, among other services.

6. Dot Transportation

Dot Transportation is a bit different from the other independent foodservice distributors on this list. The company offers logistics solutions and distribution centers that deliver food and restaurant supplies to various restaurant businesses.

7. Martin Brower

Similar to Dot Transportation, Martin Brower is a dedicated food supply chain and logistics partner for various businesses in the food industry. Martin Brower delivers and distributes restaurant supplies as well as smart insights into the supply chain.

Best Wholesale Food Distributors Online

Besides sourcing supplies from these big names and independent food distribution brands, you can get your restaurant supplies online. Wholesale marketplace online like BlueCart provides a wide selection of food and beverage distributors to choose from.

If you are just starting your restaurant business then it’s possible you’re looking for food distributors that can cater to your small business. Let’s look at some places to look for wholesale food distributors online:

1. Wholesale Marketplaces

Wholesale marketplaces are usually online marketplace points to meet food vendors and suppliers. You can search different marketplaces for your restaurant supply needs. 

Here’s a list of top wholesale food marketplaces for restaurants:

• BlueCart
• Dine Market
• Faire
• Mable

2. Wholesale Directories

Similar to wholesale marketplaces, wholesale directories are registers for online food suppliers. However, a wholesale directory will only list the website and details of the supplier. Here’s a list of top wholesale directories to find online restaurant food distributors:

• BlueCart
• Dealerbaba
• Wholesale Central
• Bevnet
• Specialty Food Magazine
• The Big Directory
• Best of the Web

3. Wholesale Dropshipping Suppliers

Dropshipping wholesale suppliers work directly with food production companies and distribution centers. Most dropshippers do not use distribution warehouses or worry about inventory carry costs.

Here are some wholesale dropshipping suppliers for restaurants:

• Wholesale Central
• Doba
• BlueCart eCommerce

3 Best Wholesale Grocery Distributors

You can also work with wholesale grocery distributors for daily restaurant needs. Here are the three best wholesale grocery distributors:

1. KeHE Distributors

KeHE distributes organic and fresh groceries and food products to grocery stores, online vendors, and supermarkets. The company partners with wholesale dropshippers and has 16 distribution centers across North America.

2. Core-Mark Holding Co.

Core-Mark is a leading distributor of groceries to convenience stores. Besides food and grocery distribution, the company offers dry temperature trailers as a value-added food service feature.

3. Harvest Food Distributors

Harvest Food supplies groceries to various foodservice companies, grocery stores, and chain supermarkets. The company uses state-of-the-art technology for order processing, inventory control, shipping and handling, and order fulfillment.

Best Wholesale Food Retailers

Let’s look at some of the best wholesale food retailers.

Wholesale Meat Distributors

Restaurants can choose to either buy their meat from large food producers, local farmers, or wholesale food retailers. Here’s a list of the best wholesale meat distributors for restaurants:

• Fells Point Wholesale Meats
• Columbia Empire Meats
• Premier Meat Company

Wholesale Dairy Distributors

Food service businesses depend on the best supply of dairy products to make cheese, desserts, and yogurts. Here’s a list of the best wholesale dairy distributors for restaurants:

• World’s Best Cheese
• DF Ingredients
• Agri-Dairy Products
• Cream and the Chop Cheese

Wholesale Coffee Distributors

There are several coffee varieties and distributors across the nation. Before distributing coffee beans to retailers, coffee beans wholesale distributors roast and package the beans.

Let’s look at some of the best wholesale coffee beans distributors for restaurants and cafes:

• Philz Coffee
• Mother Parkers
• McCullagh Coffee

Tips When Choosing Wholesale Food Suppliers

There are multiple things you need to consider when choosing restaurant food suppliers. Whether you’re looking for broadline distributors or wholesalers who specialize in certain products, make sure you take these factors into consideration.

1. Pricing. Naturally, wholesale prices are one of the main reasons why companies work with distributors. When choosing a food supplier for your business, compare the prices offered by different wholesalers. The most important ones to look for are the products with the highest turnover rate. A small price difference in these goods can result in large costs.
2. MOQ. Wholesalers usually have a minimum order quantity. This can be troublesome for small businesses that don’t need a lot of products from food suppliers. Furthermore, whether it’s dairy or produce, they are perishable goods. Thus, choosing a wholesale food supplier with a very high MOQ might result in losses from food spoilage.
3. Range of products. Businesses prefer to work with suppliers who offer a wide range of products. That way, they don’t have to communicate with a lot of different distributors. That’s why wholesalers aim to add additional categories of products in their catalogs.
4. Convenience. Reputable wholesale food suppliers offer a wide range of solutions for their customers. For example, they might use software like BlueCart which helps streamline the ordering process.‍
5. Reputation. Make sure you check the reviews of a distributor before you start working with them. The partnership between a food supplier and their customers is very important. Not having reliable wholesale food suppliers can result in significant losses.
6. Customer service. The restaurant business is very dynamic and things can change quickly. That’s why food service establishments need to find restaurant food suppliers that are flexible and can offer them exceptional customer service. That includes not only availability over the phone but also the ability to react to orders quickly and offer same-day delivery.
7. Quality and consistency. When searching for the right restaurant food supplier, businesses need to know that the quality of their food supplies is consistent. That’s especially true for perishable goods like produce or meat. If the restaurant food supplier cuts corners in terms of quality, this could lead to increased costs related to food waste and other severe negative consequences for the food service business.
8. Sustainability. The incorporation of eco-friendly practices has become a major factor for a growing number of customers in a variety of sectors. Therefore, when choosing their restaurant food suppliers, businesses need to consider how well these food distributors follow the latest trends in terms of sustainability and green policies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Food Distributors

From coffee beans and wholesale meat to non-food items and cleaning supplies, there are a variety of wholesale distributors for restaurant supplies. Let’s look at some answers to commonly asked questions about restaurant food distributors.

Where Do Most Restaurants Get Their Food?

Most restaurants get their food supplies from wholesale distributors, distribution centers, local suppliers, and local farmers. These wholesale food distributors may be full-line suppliers like US Foods and Sysco or wholesale retailers such as Harvest Foods and KeHE.

How Do I Find a Food Distributor for my Product?

You can find a food distributor for your product by following these steps:

• List potential distributors in your niche market
• Narrow down the list and reach out to the distributors
• Make a presentation of your products
• Ask questions about the distributor marketing strategies, warehouse inventory management system, and wholesale distribution software
• Understand the required shipping policy and wholesale purchase agreement
• Discuss payment options, exclusivity, and length of the contract
• Sign the required legal documents
• Seal the deal

Can You Sell Wholesale to the Public?

Yes, you can sell wholesale to the public. There are no legal requirements or limitations for wholesalers to sell to the public. 

Can Restaurants Grow Their Own Vegetables?

Yes. Instead of ordering from restaurant food suppliers, some businesses might wish to grow their own vegetables. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s highly unlikely that the business will be able to produce all the necessary products and ingredients. Occasionally, it might need to order them from food suppliers. Having a culinary garden can be excellent for a restaurant that wants to reduce food waste by introducing a composting program. Furthermore, it can be used as part of the restaurant’s marketing strategy.

Know Your Food

Food distributors can make or break a restaurant business. It is important to consider your budget, the size of your business, and the quality of the products before selecting a distributor. There are various options to select. However, do not compromise on quality or food safety.

Remember to do your background research on the restaurant food distributor company you choose. Check their food processing methods, inventory control techniques, and how they package products.