B2B sales are quite different compared to selling directly to customers. That’s why both physical and digital B2B marketplaces are nothing like retail or grocery stores. They are tailored to answer the needs of business owners and managers who purchase in bulk. When it comes to B2B marketplaces for food distributors and restaurants, the situation is similar. Since food is a perishable category, a lot of distributors have switched to offering their goods through eCommerce B2B marketplaces. This reduces food waste and makes it more convenient for both suppliers and their customers. In addition, digital B2B marketplaces for food also give additional opportunities, such as easy vendor-managed inventory or a seamless ordering and payment process. Allow us to share more about the different B2B food marketplaces and their role in the vendor-customer relationship. Check out our post on how BlueCart helps vendors sell smarter, not harder.
Key takeaway: Although physical B2B food marketplaces are still visited by thousands of wholesale buyers, digital platforms have become very popular in recent years.
Most Popular B2B Food Marketplaces
There are various physical and digital B2B marketplaces that primarily focus on food products and beverages. Allow us to share some of the main ones.
BlueCart’s Endless Aisle
Unsurprisingly, we start the list with our own solution. BlueCart’s Endless is one of the best B2B marketplaces for food distributors and restaurants. That’s because our platform combines convenience in terms of online ordering with other features. For example, BlueCart allows restaurant businesses to easily manage inventory and calculate the profitability of dishes. BlueCart is more than a B2B food marketplace. It can be used to automate different business processes such as delivery route optimization, order management, fulfillment, and more. It’s specifically designed for distributors and wholesale buyers in the hospitality industry.
Faire
It’s one of the biggest wholesale marketplace platforms in the US. Faire has various product categories such as apparel, home decor, and wellness products. The food and beverage category of Faire is primarily focused on specialty products, exclusive brands, and artisanal offerings.
GrubMarket
The platform is primarily focused on deliveries of fresh produce. It combines B2B and B2C sales of food across the US and Canada. GrubMarket is among the best B2B marketplaces for food as it combines its marketplace functionalities with fulfillment tools and other solutions.
Hunts Point Cooperative Market & Other Physical Marketplaces
The largest food terminal worldwide is located in the Bronx in NYC. Hunts Point Cooperative Market is a physical marketplace where businesses can purchase large quantities of meat, produce, seafood, and other ingredients in bulk. A lot of restaurant managers and chefs prefer to personally inspect the products and communicate with vendors. That’s what makes physical B2B food marketplaces popular in today’s digital world. Other large food marketplaces include the Chicago International Produce Market, the Eastern Market in Detroit, and the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.
Despite the popularity of physical marketplaces, modern solutions like BlueCart’s Endless Aisle for wholesalers allow suppliers and their customers to order with just a few clicks. Additional functionalities like inventory management tools or vendor repeat orders and subscriptions make them even more convenient.
Using B2B Food Marketplaces VS Ordering from a Broadline Distributor
Although signing up for B2B food marketplaces is one of the most popular ways for businesses in the restaurant industry to order ingredients, many of them prefer to order from broadliners. These distributors offer products in a variety of categories and can offer product sourcing services. Large broadline distributors like Sysco and US Foods partner with many of the big food service businesses. Their scaling options and position in the food and beverage industry mean their prices are often lower compared to other suppliers. However, the limited flexibility in terms of minimum order quantities makes them less suitable for small and medium-sized food service businesses.
A major advantage of B2B food marketplaces is that they list products from multiple suppliers. This creates an ecosystem that regulates itself in terms of quality and pricing. Furthermore, companies that wish to find suppliers near them in order to shorten their supply chain (read more about supply chain disruptions) can also use some of the best B2B food marketplaces.
Why BlueCart Is the Right B2B Food Marketplace
Thousands of foodservice businesses and distributors use BlueCart’s marketplace. That’s because our platform combines its B2B marketplace functions with wholesale ordering software and other tools. In addition to its automation features, BlueCart can be used as part of the wholesale marketing strategy for suppliers. There are various marketing and advertising solutions that help distributors achieve high ROI.
Our platform is also very beneficial for wholesale buyers. That’s because of the predictive ordering feature of BlueCart’s Endless Aisle, calculators for restaurant profit margin, and other restaurant data analytics tools. These make BlueCart an innovative and reliable restaurant technology.
Frequently Asked Questions about B2B Food Marketplaces
You’ll find plenty of resources related to different niche markets on BlueCart’s website. Check out our answers to some common questions regarding B2B food marketplaces.
What Are the Best B2C Marketplaces for Food?
There are various places where businesses can sell food products to individual customers. Online platforms like Amazon and eBay are ideal for companies that wish to sell their products to clients online. Farmers’ markets and food cooperatives also gather a lot of individual customers. Although some cooperatives and wholesale markets are not open to the public, others allow B2C sales if clients purchase in bulk. Nevertheless, most customers prefer to purchase their food from grocery stores and other retailers. Their convenience comes from the fact that they also sell various goods in other categories.
Are B2B Food Marketplaces Open to the Public?
Yes, some B2B food marketplaces are also open to the public. That includes certain food cooperatives as well as cash and carry wholesalers. Keep in mind that shopping at these marketplaces might be subject to additional conditions. For example, some of them are open only to paid members. Others might require the buyer to meet a certain minimum order quantity (MOQ). The products sold there are also available in bulk only, and customers can’t buy single products. Other B2B food marketplaces are closed to the public and available only for businesses.
What Are the Trends in B2B Food Marketplaces?
Digitalization is undeniably the biggest trend in B2B food sales. A lot of businesses have switched to eCommerce solutions as they help them sell to a broader audience. Combining your own sales channels with third-party marketplaces can be a great way to grow a foodservice distribution business. Keep in mind that a growing number of suppliers benefit from listing their product catalogs at eCommerce B2B food marketplaces. Thus, vendors need to make their wholesale catalog stand out to attract customers. Another trend in B2B food marketplaces is that these platforms aim to become convenient one-stop shops for wholesale buyers.
BlueCart: The Platform for Hospitality Businesses and Food Distributors
Suppliers who aim to increase their wholesale sales of food products can use BlueCart as part of their B2B marketing strategy. Thanks to our tools, wholesalers can also automate various processes. Schedule a free demo and see what makes BlueCart one of the best B2B marketplaces for food distributors and the right solution for your company.
If you operate a food service business and are looking for a platform to buy wholesale products, benefit from BlueCart’s Endless Aisle for restaurants. It is a tool designed to help hospitality businesses streamline the wholesale ordering process. Furthermore, it has additional features related to calculating the cost of goods sold and food inventory management. Sign up for BlueCart as a buyer today!