The food service industry is highly competitive, net volume driven and constantly changing. Consumer trends, industry consolidation and regulatory changes heavily impact these channels. Local and healthy products are currently on trend and foodservice buyers are increasingly sourcing these products from local companies. Keep on top of current trends as they change over time. There are eight main tentacles, hence the Octopus reference.
These include restaurants, hospitality, convenience stores and micro-markets, colleges, universities and k12, prisons, military, businesses, industry and hotels. Ensure your product fits into one of these channels or the service distributor’s product offerings. Some food service distributors offer extensive product offerings called broadliners (Sysco, US Foods, PFG); others focus on specific categories such as produce, beverages, frozen foods or cleaning supplies and non-perishables. Foodservice operators have little to no interest in “ME-TOO” products. You must differentiate your product from the competition. There are many ways; innovation, packaging, convenience, price, call-outs and fill rates are just a few examples. Define how your product differs from the competition, and understand and learn the competitors, their prices, pack size and product offerings by either employing a marketing company, expert or internal marketing team. I always say, "The product is the steak, sales are salt and pepper is marketing". You need to focus on both avenues to be successful. There are too many great products that are not marketed properly and buyers or chefs do not hear or see your product. Think of it like an airplane with the right wing as sales and the left wing being marketing.The product is the steak, sales are salt and pepper is marketing. You need to focus on both avenues to be successful
