In a context of quickly changing expectations for institutional catering and commercial restaurants, distributors are faced with a twofold challenge: meeting the rising expectations of professional clients whilst differentiating themselves in a saturated market. And what’s true in France here is also true in other European countries like Spain and the UK. In this complicated equation, e-commerce is more than just another sales channel. It has become a strategic point of leverage in and of itself.
E-commerce: A necessity for distributors
Food service professionals have incorporated digital practices into their daily lives, so that online ordering, product comparisons and delivery tracking have become natural reflexes for them. So, for distributors, providing an effective e-commerce platform is no longer a matter of innovation. It’s the obvious – and only – choice.
And aside from simple online ordering, the entire business relationship can now be revisited and optimised, thanks to digital technology. A well-designed e-commerce website can be a strategic distributor tool for retention, growth and differentiation.
Enhanced customer knowledge
Thanks to order tracking and centralised data, distributors can now establish a precise portrait of each of their clients, including the type of establishment (school canteen, traditional restaurant, fast food, etc.), its location, frequency of purchases, quantities purchased, product preferences, and the list goes on. An enriched CRM makes it possible to anticipate needs, engage in better targeting and improve the quality of service provided.
Smoother, more personalised relationships
Incorporating CRM software like Salesforce, HubSpot or Zoho directly into the e-commerce back office can make exchanges smoother between the sales team and the restaurateurs. For example, a distributor could automatically send out personalised offers based on a client’s purchasing categories (fresh fish for Japanese restaurants, vegetarian products for school canteens, etc.) or schedule follow-ups in the event of a dip in activity.
Intelligent, incentivised sales
Nowadays, automated cross-selling or up-selling is just a click away. So, when a chef adds salmon to their shopping cart, the platform can suggest condiments, sauces, organic lemons or appropriate containers. It can also display alternate sizes and formats, such as a 10 kg size, a frozen version or more sustainable packaging.
Basic rules or more advanced algorithms can be used to create intelligent shopping carts enriched by suggestions like, “Other chefs also ordered…”, “Complete your order with…” or “Special offer on products from the same line”, etc.
Themed collections as inspiration boosts
Another point of leverage for e-commerce involves creating themed collections or pages by season (barbecue, winter holidays, vegetarian dishes, world cuisine, etc.). This type of presentation can facilitate the browsing experience and encourage the purchase of new products, while showcasing specific ranges or new additions.
Optimised logistics
E-commerce isn’t limited to order placement. It’s also an opportunity to streamline an entire logistics chain. An analysis of online order histories can help plan ahead for spikes in activities (around festive periods, school holidays, major events, etc.), to avoid stock surpluses or outages and to optimise delivery rounds.
A smooth interface between a distributor’s e-commerce website and logistics tools (TMS, WMS, ERP, etc.) allows them to group deliveries together by geographic area or by order type. Automatic replenishments could even be offered to regular clients, based on previous purchasing cycles.
A more efficient customer experience
Lastly, an e-commerce platform can considerably simplify the lives of chefs by letting them place their orders at any time, on any day, and by giving them easy access to their usual products in just one click – as well as the associated technical information (shelf lives, allergens, certifications, etc.), not to mention their purchase orders and invoices – and allowing them to track their deliveries. It’s also a promise of compliance and consistency, with contractually agreed prices on display, certified products showcased, and transparency as an everyday benefit.
High expectations from professional clients
B2C expectations have gradually infiltrated the B2B sector, particularly in the world of food service, including:
- Responsiveness: ability to place orders at any time, 24/7, with fast access to products and past orders
- Transparency: availability of technical information sheets and information about allergens, provenance and product composition
- Simplicity: a smooth browsing experience, with filters by category or by need (vegetarian, low-fat, etc.) and the inclusion of client favourites and requirements.
Shifting markets: United Kingdom and Spain
The UK is a pioneer when it comes to the digitalisation of B2B food distribution. With a food service sector reporting strong growth (estimated at +6.7% between 2024 and 2029, expected to reach $142.65 billion in 2029 according to Market Data Forecast), professional clients have already largely adopted the use of online order placement platforms and the associated services.
British chefs, in both institutional catering and commercial restaurants, have incorporated digital technologies into their daily management practices, including ordering apps, delivery tracking, analytical tools, automated replenishments, and more, because all of that tech is designed to save them time and offer them reliable supplies.
Sysco UK, the uncontested leader in that market, has rolled out a robust e-commerce strategy that revolves around several complementary tools:
- MySysco Order, a mobile and web app that can be used to place orders 24/7, manage lists of favourites and track deliveries in real time
- Sysco Shop, an intuitive, personalisable platform that makes it easier to find products and optimise purchases
- Technological partnerships that reinforce the whole ecosystem, with integrated solutions like Square (payment services) and Popmenu (website creation and management of restaurants’ digital presence).
In competition from Sysco, other British actors are also banking on the digital experience:
- Bidfood UK, a subsidiary of the Bidcorp Group, stands out for its user-friendly platform and strong emphasis on customer service
- JJ Foodservice has an effective mobile app and very flexible delivery options
- Nisbets, which specialises in catering equipment, offers a rich digital catalogue and responsive logistics
- Pepper provides e-commerce platforms dedicated to independent food distributors, to simplify order management, promotions, delivery tracking and payments, with significant gains in terms of time and efficiency.
The British B2B food distribution market has been substantially digitalised. More than 70 of the United Kingdom’s biggest wholesalers, manufacturers and suppliers use platforms like SwiftCloud to manage their online orders, with thousands of orders placed daily. B2B e-commerce solutions offer specific prices based on the account or group, with volume discounts, complicated price structures, and integration with product databases (featuring information about allergens, nutrition, etc.) to meet the needs of food service professionals. Aside from SwiftCloud, platforms the likes of ShopWired, Bluepark and Shopit are employed by B2B food companies to manage their orders, business accounts, discounts and inventories.
The British market proves that a well-conceived e-commerce solution can provide a powerful competitive advantage. It’s not just about online sales now. It’s about offering a smooth, comprehensive ordering environment that is connected to the whole value chain.
In Spain, Makro (Metro Group) has made massive investments in digitising its portfolio, with an interface designed with restaurateurs in mind, fast delivery services, and integrated editorial content (recipes, recommended uses, etc.). Although the proportion of food e-commerce out of Spain’s total food sector remains modest (about 3% to 5% in big cities and less than 2% nationwide), growth is strong, especially since the COVID pandemic, and the digitalisation of professional purchases is only accelerating.
How to stand out and leverage e-commerce for results
While the online publication of a catalogue is now a necessity, the real added value comes from personalisation, smart data usage and a buyer experience designed by and for pros.
Tailored offers by client type
One major point of leverage is segmenting offers according to specific needs:
- Institutional catering: product information sheets full of nutritional information, adapted to legal requirements such as EGAlim (France) and School Food Standards (UK)
- Commercial restaurants: promotion of differentiating products, like ready-to-use fillings and high-protein alternatives.
Some distributors take this a step further by incorporating smart recommendation systems where, if a product is unavailable (such as green beans), the platform will automatically suggest close alternatives with the same allergen profile (such as peas or mixed vegetables).
The user experience is pivotal. The best platforms include saved shopping carts, multi-site management, mobile apps for kitchen orders, and simplified dashboards where expenses can be tracked by location.
Value creation through content creation
B2B e-commerce is more than a mere showcase. Today, it’s becoming a resource centre for kitchen crews. By including recipes, suggested uses or waste prevention tips, a distributor can simultaneously reinforce client engagement and promote more elaborate products, like ready-to-use egg products.
Important questions and levers for success
Which is a better investment, a proprietary platform or an existing marketplace solution? It all depends on the level of control you want, your available in-house resources and your target client type(s):
- A proprietary platform gives you greater freedom in designing the customer experience
- A marketplace solution can provide fast visibility and access to a broader clientele.
In addition, each market has its own specific needs and constraints: logistics relating to the last mile in rural areas, allergen regulations, animal welfare standards, etc.
In Great Britain, for example, the rise in meat avoiders is compelling distributors to diversify their offerings in terms of plant proteins and egg products, and the supply of eggs and egg products is often partially imported. The existence of the British Lion mark is worth noting, a label that guarantees the safety, traceability and quality of eggs produced in the UK. In fact, it covers more than 90% of the eggs sold there and imposes strict standards on them, including hens vaccinated against salmonella, stamped shells, inspected chicken feed, and regular audits. It serves as a strong reference for food service professionals and distributors that are attentive to food safety.
Lastly, effective e-commerce is based on more than a good interface. It also demands responsive logistics, a trained customer service team, smooth integration with client ERPs and reliable inventory information in real time. It can be a decisive project, one that must rely on solid, engaged partners, like suppliers that control their production chains and can therefore guarantee consistency, traceability and adaptability.
E-commerce today is a central component of distributor strategies. It’s no longer an option for winning over new clients or retaining existing ones. It’s an indispensable condition for bolstering results, flows and responsiveness. Better still, it’s a great tool for promoting differentiating products – like egg products – in formats designed according to the latest practices in professional kitchens.
>> To learn more, download our white paper on eggs as clever tools for distributors serving institutional caterers and commercial restaurants (British and Spanish case studies).
