Producers & Supply

Having a robust supply of local food is key to gaining new customers and positioning yourself for growth. But if you’re starting your local food distribution business from the ground up, you don’t need, and perhaps don’t want, 60 producers to start. Each relationship takes time. Starting off with just a dozen producers who offer a well-rounded variety of items means you can focus on other important parts of your business like sales.

This section goes into detail about working with producers to sell through your local food distribution business. Establishing strong criteria will guide which producers are good fits for launching your business and also help you prioritize which producers to begin relationships with as you grow. Since those producers likely have other existing marketplaces they sell through and they may be unfamiliar with “food hubs” or wholesale customers, you may have to sell them on your new venture. You may also want to provide them with resources for food safe handling, Good Agricultural Practices, wholesale pricing and proper packaging and unit sizes.