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

3. 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?

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

5. Distribution Channels

6. Retail Stores – Grocery, Specialty, Convenience.

7. Foodservice – Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Taverns

8. Institutional or Systems – Schools, Hospitals, military

9. Ingredient - Processors, Packers, Blenders

10. “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.

11. Three Main Distribution Methods

12. 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

13. Thanks Merci Danke Gracias Mahalo Appreciation Arigato Grazie Spasiba Grateful