If you love the challenge of running your own business, learning the wholesale definition is a great place to start. Discovering how to become a wholesaler and how to run a wholesale business includes learning about how to buy wholesale, how to run a wholesale distribution business, how to get a wholesale license, and which wholesale items to sell.
Once you’ve decided on what to sell, you need to know how to find vendors. Online wholesale directories are one of the fastest ways to find relevant suppliers. For food and beverage, BlueCart’s Endless Aisle goes a step further and lets you order from the suppliers you find.
There are hundreds of wholesale directories online, but many of them offer products for specific industries. An increasing number of suppliers also offer direct-to-consumer services like dropshipping. Keep reading to discover the best wholesale directories for each niche.
BlueCart’s Endless Aisle: A Food Wholesale Directory You Can Order From
Most wholesale directories stop at a name and a phone number. You still have to contact each supplier, wait for a price list, open an account, and figure out how to order. BlueCart’s Endless Aisle works differently: it’s a wholesale marketplace for food and beverage where buyers can find suppliers and order from them in the same place.
How It Works for Restaurants and Food Buyers
Restaurants, cafés, and other foodservice buyers use Endless Aisle to browse products from multiple distributors and vendors in one place — produce, proteins, seafood, dairy, dry goods, beverages, and specialty items. Instead of searching a directory and calling each supplier, buyers can compare products, add items from different vendors to the cart, and place orders directly. Invoices and payments are handled through BlueCart Pay, so there’s no separate account setup or paperwork for each new supplier.
It’s especially useful when you need to:
- Find a backup supplier when your main distributor runs short
- Source specialty or hard-to-find items your broadliner doesn’t carry
- Try a new supplier with a small order before committing
Restaurants can sign up for free on their own or be invited by a distributor they already buy from, and they earn 2% cash back on eligible purchases. Explore the Endless Aisle marketplace for restaurants.
How It Works for Food Distributors and Wholesalers
For distributors, Endless Aisle is the opposite of a directory listing. Instead of waiting for a buyer to find your name and call, your catalog is in front of restaurants that are actively shopping, with your products, pricing, and availability ready to order. Endless Aisle connects distributors with more than 48,000 transacting restaurants and foodservice businesses. New accounts can place their first order without a sales call, and every order flows into the same system you use for your existing customers.
Learn more about selling on Endless Aisle, or book a demo to get your catalog in front of new buyers.
Wholesale Directory vs. Endless Aisle
Directories are still useful for researching suppliers across industries — the lists below cover a dozen of them. But for food and beverage, where buyers reorder every week, being able to find and order in the same place saves the most time.
Wholesale Beauty Supply Distributors Directory
The number of wholesale beauty and cosmetics suppliers keeps growing as demand for beauty products rises. These products are valuable for both B2B and B2C businesses.
Here are some of the leading wholesale beauty supply directories:
- Cosmetic Index
- eWorldTrade
- GreenDropShip
- Cosmetics Business
- Global Sources
- Mr. Checkout
- Independent Retailer
- Wholesale Central
Wholesale Medical Supplies Directory
Every day, healthcare practitioners rely on specific tools to complete their work. From blades and PPE to bags and tubing, there are dozens of disposable supplies hospitals need.
There is also laboratory technology, rehabilitation equipment, and x-ray gear.
Here are the best wholesale directories for medical supplies:
- Medical Wholesale, LLC
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Directory
- Regional Directory (regionaldirectory.us)
- Wholesale Central
Wholesale Pet Supplies Directory
The bonds humans have with their pets have always been prominent. The pet industry is a large and steady market for wholesalers.
Freshwater fish, cats, and dogs are the most common US pets. Small mammals, reptiles, and saltwater fish comprise a large percentage of other pet ownership. If you have a passion for supporting the pet industry, there is a lot of opportunity to be taken.
Manage and track your multiple vendors and streamline the entire procurement process. Download our free easy-to-use Wholesale Vendor Management Spreadsheet Templates.
Take a look at the leading wholesale pet supplies directories below:
- PetEdge
- King Wholesale
- PIDA (Pet Industry Distributors Association)
- 4WholesaleUSA
- SaleHoo
- Petfood Industry
- Popular Wholesale
- Worldwide Brands
Wholesale Food Directory
Food and grocery wholesaling is one of the largest wholesale sectors, supplying restaurants, cafés, grocery stores, and institutions every day.
Here are the top general food wholesale directories:
- BlueCart’s Endless Aisle — find and order from food and beverage distributors in one place.
- Wholesale Central — a searchable directory of wholesale suppliers across many product categories, including food.
- BevNET — beverage industry news and brand coverage, useful for finding beverage brands and who distributes them.
- Specialty Food Association — the trade association for specialty food makers, importers, and distributors.
Seafood Wholesale Distributors Directory
If you’re a buyer at a restaurant or grocery store, you may be looking for wholesale seafood distributors.
Here are the leading seafood wholesale directories:
- FishChoice — a seafood sourcing platform listing suppliers and products, with sustainability information.
- SeafoodSource Supplier Directory — a year-round directory of seafood suppliers, connected to the Seafood Expo trade shows.
- Alaska Seafood Online Marketplace — run by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute to connect buyers with suppliers of Alaska seafood.
- Sea-Ex — a seafood industry directory, mainly focused on Australia.
- Trade-Seafood — a directory for the seafood and commercial fishing industries.
Meat Wholesalers Directory
Most restaurants and grocery outlets that carry seafood also carry meat products.
Below is a list of prominent wholesale meat directories:
- Manta — a general small-business directory; search by category and location to find local meat suppliers.
- Kompass — an international B2B company directory searchable by industry.
- Provisioner Online — a meat and poultry industry publication, useful for researching processors and suppliers.
- Detroit’s Eastern Market — a historic market with wholesale vendors for meat and produce.
Produce Wholesalers Directory
Restaurants, grocers, and distributors sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables can use:
- Blue Book Services (the produce industry’s credit and trading directory)
- Your state department of agriculture’s grower and distributor listings
Wholesale Crafts Wholesale Craft Supplies Directory
Crafts and creative supplies offer steady wholesale demand. As homeschooling, extracurricular activities, and paid art-making events are on the rise, this industry offers lots of opportunities.
Take a look at some of the top wholesale craft supplies directories:
- Independent Retailer
- Art Materials Retailer
- Popular Wholesale
- The Craft Booth
- Bulk Office Supply
- Fine Crafts Imports
- Dollar Days
- Wholesalers Network
- SaleHoo
- Wholesale Central
- Regional Directory
Outdoor Gear Wholesalers Directory
Camping, hiking, and traveling are popular pastimes that millions of US consumers participate in.
Here are the most prominent outdoor gear wholesalers directories:
- Thomasnet
- Mr. Checkout
- Clever Wholesale
- CWR Wholesale Distribution
- Wholesale Central
- Blue Ridge Knives
- Direct Dropshippers
- Wholesale Case Price
Wholesale Office Supplies Directory
Businesses of all kinds and sizes depend on regular availability of supplies like paper, folders, pens, paperclips, binders, and filing cabinets.
Below are some of the top wholesale office supply directories:
- Bulk Office Supply
- Zuma Office
- Office Super Savers
- On Time Supplies
- Blue Star Empire
- Wholesalers Network
- Buy Online Now
- Regional Directory
Furniture Wholesale Directory
Every move, new home, and new office creates demand for furniture, which makes wholesale furniture a large and steady market.
Here are the leading furniture wholesale directories:
- FGmarket
- My Local Wholesaler
- Inventory Source
- GoTen
- Orderhive
- Consumer Goods Distribution
Greeting Card Wholesalers Directory
Printed greeting cards remain a steady seller for gift shops and retailers, even as electronic cards compete for market share. If you're looking into B2B sales, this is a great choice as long as you invest appropriately in B2B marketing.
Take a look at the top greeting card wholesalers directories here:
- PowerHomeBiz
- FGmarket
- The Greeting Card Association
- Manta
- eSources
- Paper Index
- India Mart
- The Wholesaler
Hardware Wholesalers Directory
Hardware equipment is used for building and maintaining homes, personal hobbies, repairs, and commercial projects.
Here are the premier wholesale hardware directories:
- Reiss Wholesale Hardware
- Kompass
- STAFDA (Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association)
- Global Sources
- Independent Retailer
- PR.com
- Consumers Goods Distribution
How to Use a Wholesale Directory
A directory is a starting point, not a recommendation. Listings can be outdated, and some directories let any business list itself. To get the most out of one:
- Filter by category and location first. For perishable products especially, a supplier that delivers to your area matters more than a long catalog.
- Verify before you contact. Check that the business has a working website, a verifiable address, and recent activity.
- Contact several suppliers at once. Ask each for a price list, minimums, delivery schedule, and what they need to open an account.
- Order samples or start small. A small first order tests quality, accuracy, and delivery before you commit volume.
- Keep a short list of backups. Directories are most useful when your main supplier runs short.
Our guide on how to find wholesalers covers what to ask suppliers and the red flags to watch for. Food businesses that already work with several distributors can skip the directory step for reorders: book a restaurant demo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wholesale Directories
What is a wholesale directory?
A wholesale directory provides details regarding different wholesale companies that sell certain items.
What is an outdoor gear wholesalers directory?
An outdoor gear wholesalers directory provides information about wholesalers that sell products including tents, camping equipment, outdoor products, and more.
What is a wholesale foods directory?
A wholesale foods directory can provide consumers with information regarding businesses or wholesalers that specialize in selling wholesale food items. Some platforms, like BlueCart’s Endless Aisle, go a step further and let buyers order directly from the suppliers they find.
The Directory to End All Directories
Using a dedicated supplier directory can make your life far easier as a business owner. Use this list to narrow in on suppliers that will make a difference for you and your customers, and vet each one before your first order.