CHICAGO, September 23, 2025 — Relations between distributor and operator have always afforded what a tactful person might characterize as considerable opportunity for a smoother partnership. The less-diplomatic use language that propriety prohibits us from recounting here.
We were reminded of the strains in that key relationship during recent meetings of our Foodservice Leadership Councils, the discussion groups that keep IFMA The Food Away from Home Association grounded in what’s happening on the industry’s front line.
During their most-recent conference call, several of the segment-specific Councils aired their frustrations with what they’re getting (or not getting) from their distributors. What happens during the discussions is off-the-record so participants can speak with full candor; they won't be quoted here, or anywhere else. But one session asked that some of their feedback be channeled to the distribution community.
Specifically, they wanted that key component of the business to be aware of these questions on operators’ minds:
Why can’t you copy Amazon?
Or any number of other e-commerce sites that allow buyers to review their purchases with some sort of quick rating system? Operators complained that too little information is shared by their distributors about what products are purchased and how the buyers liked the items. How about letting past buyers post comments about the options available? An operator is going to buy some product from their distributor, so why not provide some help in picking the one to buy?
Why can’t you standardize your technology?
Using the same broadliner across a multi-regional network of foodservice outlets doesn't ensure the uniformity one might expect. Operators complained that the various “houses” of the same distributor might not all use the same ordering technology, forcing a multi-unit operation to learn and use a patchwork of processes for making a purchase.
Why is your technology so antiquated?
The operator community has spent hundreds of millions in recent years on technology aimed at boosting efficiencies. Yet many sites find their distribution house is limping along with technology that was outmoded a decade ago. The operators in our Councils suggested that the big national distributors may be daunted by the capital expense, which is why some said they prefer working with smaller, more agile regional players who can afford to keep their systems up to date.
Why aren't you familiar with our operations?
Several examples were aired of distributor reps trying to sell a product to an operation that couldn’t use it, like the facility that had stopped frying foods long ago. Why was its rep pushing a new fried item? The operation didn’t even sport fryers anymore, which the sales rep would have known if they had so much as peeked into the kitchen.
If a distributor truly wanted the partnership it professed to seek, why doesn’t it learn at least a little about a business it’s serving?
Why are you still so siloed?
Operators complained that they often can’t get a read on a product’s popularity because the sales data is trapped in some cranny of the distribution network that’s not accessible to their sales rep.
One recounted his frustrations in trying to get information about what brands were selling strongly in his local market. All his distributor would provide were national sales figures, not breakdowns by region, state, or individual market, even though the data had to exist. The customer was denied any insight on how the product was likely to fare locally.
Another recounted how he’d asked his sales rep about a new product the distributor was promoting, only to discover the salesperson hadn’t been informed yet of the item’s introduction.
Why does foodservice distribution seem to lag far behind retail distribution in the service and intelligence it provides?
Several FLC participants with knowledge of food retailing aired a contention that supermarkets get far more added value from their distributors than food-away-from-home businesses enjoy. In particular, they cited the higher volume and quality of data that’s passed along to retailers about what their peers are buying.
The foodservice operators came up short on answers, but stressed that the disparity only stokes their frustration.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.
Cover image courtesy: Closed Loop Project