There are different types of wholesale food suppliers. Some of them focus on working with grocery stores and other retailers. Others act as middlemen between food manufacturers and growers. Wholesale food suppliers for restaurants are among the main types in this niche market. From fresh produce to gourmet items like imported goods, they sell products in a variety of categories. Furthermore, wholesale restaurant food suppliers also sell equipment and supplies. Examples of such products include disposable goods like single-use tableware or equipment like cookware and utensils. This way, they aim to be the one-stop shop for food service businesses in the restaurant industry. In the following paragraphs, we’ll share more about the wholesale food suppliers industry. We’ll also showcase the different types of wholesale food suppliers for restaurants and how business owners can choose the right type for their company.
Key takeaway: Wholesale food suppliers for restaurants are companies that specialize in bulk deliveries for food service establishments. In addition to selling ingredients and food, many of these distributors also offer bulk restaurant supplies. Some wholesale food suppliers for restaurants specialize in a single niche while others are broadliners focused on offering a wide selection of goods.
What Are Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants
The term refers to specialized or broadline distributors that specialize in B2B sales to businesses in the food service sector. Some wholesalers in this industry focus on partnering with large restaurant chains that purchase bulk quantities of various high-demand products. Others specialize in a specific field such as wholesale meat distribution or acting as intermediaries between the dairy farming and processing industries and restaurants.
Different Types of Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants
There are a few different types of distributors for restaurants. Let’s examine the main ones.
- Broadliners. These are large distributors that offer bulk deliveries of various products. One of the characteristics of broadline distributors is that they work with other suppliers who act as intermediaries between them and producers. Broadliners have multiple distribution centers as they often cover a wide delivery area.
- Specialized distributors. This refers to wholesalers that specialize in a single niche. For example, produce distributors purchase goods from local farms and deliver them to restaurants or other food service establishments. Sometimes specialized distributors gradually add more categories to their catalogs. A supplier of meat cuts might also offer seafood products.
- Producers. These can either be farms that grow a variety of vegetables and offer contract growing services, livestock producers or dairy farms that also have processing facilities. Producers can increase their profit margins by eliminating the need to sell to wholesalers. However, not every producer can sell directly to restaurants as they might require additional licenses in order to do wholesale sales.
- Importers. In recent years, the demand for imported products has increased. That’s why retailers and restaurants work with specialty food suppliers and importers of European or Asian products.
- Nationwide suppliers. When looking at the different types of wholesale food suppliers for restaurants, there are two major categories – nationwide and local distributors. Nationwide suppliers are some of the biggest broadline food distributors in the country. Some of them also have international presence and distribution centers. Some of these large wholesalers don’t partner with small restaurants as they have very high minimum order quantities. As such they prefer to work with large businesses like restaurant chains with hundreds of locations or grocery stores. Some cash and carry wholesalers are also open to the public.
- Local suppliers. Restaurant managers also have the option to partner with local wholesale food suppliers for restaurants. These companies are smaller compared to nationwide suppliers. They often specialize in a specific field. For example, a seafood distributor in Texas might partner with local fishermen and sell their fresh catch to restaurants or other businesses. Unlike nationwide distributors, local wholesale food suppliers for restaurants are often more flexible.
How Do Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants Operate
The main premise of distributors is to act as middlemen between food service businesses and producers. As such, they make it much easier for restaurant businesses to order bulk restaurant supplies or other goods they need on a daily basis. Wholesale food distributors usually have eCommerce catalogs where their customers can check their wholesale prices. A lot of them use platforms like BlueCart where they can easily create online catalogs and take orders from customers. Some distributors prefer to build their own platform that is customized based on their needs. In terms of deliveries, most wholesale food suppliers for restaurants do deliveries a few times a week in order to guarantee the freshness of products.
Well-Known Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants
There are thousands of restaurant food wholesale suppliers. Most of them focus on a specific niche such as meat or fresh produce. However, there are dozens of nationwide broadliners and hundreds of local broadline suppliers. Let’s examine some of the biggest wholesale food suppliers for restaurants.
- Sysco.
- US Foods;
- Performance Food Group;
- Chefs’ Warehouse;
- United Natural Foods;
- SpartanNash;
- WEBstaurant Store;
- HKE Solutions;
- RestaurantSupply;
- McLane Company;
- Gordon Food Service (GFS);
- KeHE Distributors;
- Cheney Brothers;
Frequently Asked Questions about Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants
Whether you’re interested in reading more about vegan meat alternatives or wish to know what is broadline distribution, BlueCart’s resources can answer many of your questions. Below are the answers to commonly asked questions regarding wholesale food suppliers for restaurants.
How to Find a Wholesale Food Supplier for Restaurants?
Businesses use different channels to find suppliers of wholesale food. Here are a few ways to find distributors.
- Search for reputable nationwide wholesalers and ask for their prices, terms, and conditions;
- Ask colleagues and other professionals in the field for references;
- Use online marketplaces like BlueCart to find the best wholesale food suppliers for restaurants;
- Look for small and local distributors. In many cases, they can be a better choice compared to well-established suppliers;
- Search for suppliers in online directories and other places where businesses showcase their products and services.
Where Do Most Restaurants Get Their Food?
Most restaurants purchase their food from small local suppliers or from large nationwide distributors. Choosing the right type of supplier depends on a variety of factors such as the size of the business, its needs in terms of products, and additional factors such as flexible deliveries or minimum order quantities (MOQ). For example, large restaurant chains might set up their own food supply chains in order to eliminate the middlemen. Large restaurant businesses are more likely to partner with big wholesale food suppliers for restaurants. On the other hand, small restaurants often prefer to work with separate distributors that specialize in different fields and can offer better quality and customer service.
Who Else Buys from Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants?
Broadline distributors that sell primarily to restaurants also have other customers. They partner with hospitality groups, catering businesses, and companies in the hotel industry. Some retail stores also purchase from these suppliers as they can offer a wide selection of products and good service. Although a lot of distributors don’t have physical stores that are open to the public, some of them do. That’s why individuals who organize events or have large storage spaces might also buy in bulk from cash and carry wholesale food stores.
BlueCart: The Full-Scale Platform for Wholesale Food Suppliers for Restaurants
One of the latest restaurant industry trends is to focus on automation and eCommerce solutions. That’s why both multiple distributors have signed up for BlueCart’s solutions. Thanks to our software, they can automate various processes and streamline ordering. Furthermore, BlueCart’s solutions also help restaurants, retailers, and other businesses find suppliers and choose the right products for their business. Schedule a free demo today and see why BlueCart is the all-in-one platform to sell and buy wholesale products!