The Distribution Dilemma A conversation about the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurial food producers face getting their products to market

How do we get from where we are in our endeavors to the next level. What are some options to improve our distribution? What are the key channels and markets? What are the challenges, suggestions, and solutions to entering those channels and sustaining our products in them?

Where are you? Farmer’s markets Online Home/business delivery Customer pick up Food Hubs Mail order

Distribution Channels

Retail Stores – Grocery, Specialty, Convenience.

Foodservice – Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Taverns

Institutional or Systems – Schools, Hospitals, military

Ingredient - Processors, Packers, Blenders

“Distribution” definition for our purposes… A method of delivering your products directly to a customer or to a third party that will facilitate or complete the distribution to your customer.

Three Main Distribution Methods

Self-distribution - Your facility to the customer. You to the customer. Third Party - Your facility to a third party to the customer (Retail) Your facility to a retail store to customer (DSD) (Retail) Your facility to a retailer’s distribution center to the store to customer (Foodservice) Your facility to a foodservice distributor’s facility to the customer (a restaurant) (Institutional) You to an institution’s facility or to its central distribution point to the individual locations Wholesale distribution - Your facility to a third party distributor (wholesaler) to your customer’s source (retail store/restaurant) to the customer

Thanks Merci Danke Gracias Mahalo Appreciation Arigato Grazie Spasiba Grateful