Tools for food and beverage brands
Qualify the distributor.
Prepare the pitch.
Choose a food distributor by checking customer and territory fit, product handling, commercial terms and evidence of execution. Screen the non-negotiables first, then compare candidates against the same criteria.
Get the editable templatesGet the two editable files
Share your email and company to download both files. Add your target market if you already have one in mind.
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Download both files now. Your candidate notes and pitch details stay in the copies you edit locally.
Distributor qualification scorecard
Compare six candidates, adjust criteria weights, record evidence and track must-pass gates. Start with the Instructions tab.
Supplier pitch template
Turn your product facts, channel fit and operating readiness into a focused introduction. Replace the labeled placeholders before using it.
What should you check before approaching a distributor?
Write a brief for one product range, target market and channel. Confirm who buys the inventory, who imports it, who stores it and who sells to the end customer. Record the responsibilities you need a partner to take on.
- Market and channel
- Which named customers and territories can this partner actually serve? Separate retail, foodservice and industrial buyers.
- Category and portfolio
- Which comparable products do they sell? Check competing brands and the attention your line would receive.
- Operations
- Can the proposed route handle your storage temperature, remaining shelf life, order size and replenishment schedule?
- Commercial fit
- Request the proposed fees, payment terms, returns policy and launch support. Model your own economics before agreeing terms.
- Evidence and ownership
- Record the source, date and person responsible for each answer. Turn missing evidence into a named follow-up action.
How to use the scorecard
- Set the weights before comparing names. The starting weights are editable planning choices, not an industry benchmark.
- Resolve must-pass gates separately. Keep a failed or unknown gate visible even when other scores look strong.
- Score only what you can support. Use 0–3 with a source and checked date. Leave missing evidence as Unknown; read the evidence coverage beside the score.
- Use the result to plan the next conversation. A score is a comparison aid. Verify references and proposed operating terms before choosing a partner.
What belongs in a supplier pitch?
Lead with why this product fits this distributor's customers. State the product range, intended channel and territory, then provide the facts needed to assess a conversation: pack format, pricing basis, supply capacity, storage needs and current readiness. Attach or link a concise product sheet where appropriate.
Use only results and credentials you can substantiate. If you do not yet have sales evidence or a required document, say what is pending. End with one specific request, such as confirmation of the right category contact or a product-review conversation.
Where to find candidates
Use our US food distributor comparison to understand company and channel differences, and the US distributor selection guide for the wider process. Confirm eligibility through each company's current supplier route. For example, KeHE's supplier page provides a route to submit products for consideration.
Method note: this toolkit is an original planning aid. The U.S. International Trade Administration's partner-selection checklist provides a useful reference for checking territory, customers, portfolio and sales capability. Sources checked September 10, 2026. The workbook's scoring system is not a validated predictor of distributor performance.