Key facts
- Broadline foodservice distributors carry thousands of items and buy through category managers.
- Fleet managers handle trucks, routes and drivers, and are a separate buyer from purchasing.
- Each row is a filter as the app names it.
- New product decisions often follow trade shows and line reviews.
- FilterPick industry, title and place.
- RevealReveal the people who fit.
- SendBuzz Send on paid plans.
Broadline and specialty
| Type | Customers | Who picks products |
|---|---|---|
| Broadline foodservice | Restaurants, schools, hospitals | Category managers |
| Specialty | Restaurants and stores in a niche | Owner or buyer |
| Grocery wholesale | Independent grocers | Buyers by category |
Fleet and cold chain
Distributors run their own trucks, many refrigerated. Fleet managers handle trucks, routes and drivers, and are a separate buyer from purchasing.
The Buzzlist filters for food distributors
Copy these into Find. Each row is a filter as the app names it.
| Filter | Set it to |
|---|---|
| Industry & keywords: industry | Wholesale Food And Beverage |
| Industry & keywords: NAICS codes | 424410, 424490 |
| Industry & keywords: company keywords | foodservice distributor, specialty foods, produce, grocery distributor |
| Job titles | Category Manager, Purchasing Manager, Owner, Fleet Manager |
| Seniority level | Owner, Director, Manager |
| Company size | 11 to 50 employees, 51 to 100 employees, 101 to 500 employees |
| Location | Your states, cities, or ZIP codes with a 5 to 100 mile radius |
Foodservice distributors sell to restaurants; grocery distributors sell to stores. Keywords split the two.
On paid plans you can type the same list as one sentence, and Buzz ranks who fits best. Plans and prices.
Timing
New product decisions often follow trade shows and line reviews. Holiday weeks are the busiest for deliveries.
Mistakes
- Pitching broadline category managers like small buyers.
- Mixing grocery and foodservice.
- Ignoring fleet.
Is the food distributors data any good?
Distributors use corporate email; buyers change roles often. Paid plans show check status and the job-change flag where available.
On paid plans, standard verification is included, and a hard bounce through Buzz Send gives the contact back.
Questions about food distributors data
What NAICS code do food distributors use?
424410 for general line grocery and 424490 for other grocery and related products.
How do I get a food product into distribution?
Reach category managers or buyers for your category, with pricing, shelf life and volume details.
Who manages delivery trucks?
The fleet or transportation manager.
