Not to brag, but we know a lot about (and have lots of contacts in) high-volume sales channels like colleges, hospitals, travel retail, and grocery retail.
They say, “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” and that’s very true, especially when you’re trying to get your consumer products or specialty food brand noticed in a crowded competitive landscape. We understand how complex supply chains work: how the different parts fit together, and who’s in control. From consumer product and food manufacturers, to brands, wholesalers, distributors, and retail operators — and the venuess retailers operate in, like shopping malls and airports.
Non-Commercial Foodservice
Non-commercial foodservice is a $200 billion industry, covering all sectors outside of grocery retail, convenience stores and restaurants; places like universities and colleges, kindergarten, through high-schools, hospitals, offices/workplaces, and government venues like the military. Read more about the non-commercial food service sector.
- College and University Food Service
College and university foodservice — as well as K-12 foodservice — are very large markets for food and related products in the U.S. Many of these lucrative food operations are controlled by large contract-management companies. If you ever wondered how these companies operate, and how they make vendor decisions, we can help. We have many years of experience working with both contract-managed and self-operated programs. Learn more about selling your products in the education sector.
Business and Industry (B&I)
B&I includes food service that serves private industry and other workplaces including private offices and workplaces of all types, hospitals, government offices, and the military. Read more about opportunities for food businesses in this sector.
- Contract Management Companies
National and regional food service management companies including some of the largest, such as Sodexo, Compass, Aramark. Learn more.
- Travel Food Service & Retail This includes food service and retail shops in airports and on highways and toll-road (rest stops). We’ve worked with some of the largest operators in these sectors, including: Autogrill, HMS Host, Dufry/Hudson News, Areas USA, Paradies and many others.
- Wholesale and Distribution
National and regional food service wholesalers and distributors like US Foods, Sysco, Gordon’s and many others.
- Group Procurement Organizations
GPOs bring together buying power and negotiate discounts for their clients. Their clients are large buyers of products and services: federal and state governments, school districts and large food businesses. They are important gate-keepers who provide vast potential growth opportunities for the right products and services. GPO’s we’ve worked with include Food Buy (part of Compass Group), Sodexo Client Procurement Services, Avendra and Vizient. Learn more about GPOs.
- Grocery Retail
We have extensive knowledge of mainstream grocery retail channels; both large, national chains like Kroger as well as smaller, regional grocery retailers. We also have extensive knowledge of and connections with the wholesalers/distributors that serve these retailers. Wholesalers/distributors are an important link in bringing a food & beverage product to the consumer.
- Retail Channels
We provide strategy, business development and B2B marketing in several retail sectors. These include grocery retail, drug stores and pharmacies, gas station and convenience stores, college bookstores, airport and travel retailers and major shopping malls. Read more about these traditional retail channels and how e-commerce continues to shape the retail sector.
- eCommerce and Omnichannel Retail
We’re all buying online now. Books, electronics, apparel, groceries and home-delivery of restaurant food; we all know that shopping behavior is rapidly shifting. However, the best legacy retailers, like Best Buy, Kohls and Nordstrom — as well as countless smaller, specialty retailers — are rapidly developing omni-channel, or bricks & clicks, strategies. And they’re working. We understand what’s changing and what’s staying the same in physical retail, and we understand why. We help consumer businesses successfully respond to the opportunities and challenges of eCommerce.
