Convenience Store Distributors: How to Get Your Product on Shelves
Convenience store distributors are the bridge between product makers and the roughly 150,000 c-stores across the United States. Very few store owners buy directly from brands; they rely on distributors who deliver weekly, manage inventory, and recommend what to stock next. If you want your product in convenience stores, you are really asking one question: how do I get a distributor to carry it? This guide explains how the channel works, who the major players are, and the fastest route onto independent store shelves.
What Convenience Store Distributors Do
A convenience store distributor buys products from manufacturers at wholesale, warehouses them, and resells them to retailers on a regular delivery route. Beyond logistics, distributors act as trusted advisors to store owners: they know which candy bar turns fastest, which energy drink is trending, and which new item deserves counter space. When a distributor recommends your product, you inherit the trust they have built over years of weekly visits. That is why a single distributor relationship can open hundreds of stores at once.
Full-Line Distributors vs. DSD Wagon-Jobbers
The channel splits into two models. Full-line distributors operate large warehouses, carry 10,000+ SKUs from tobacco to foodservice, and serve chains and larger independents; think McLane, Eby-Brown or Core-Mark. Getting a new product into a full-line house usually requires proven velocity data and category review timelines. DSD (direct store delivery) distributors and wagon-jobbers run their own routes, place and merchandise product themselves, and can say yes to a new item this week. For emerging brands, DSD is almost always the faster first step; strong route sales then become the velocity data that full-line buyers want to see. Learn more about how DSD distribution works.
The Largest Convenience Store Distributors in the U.S.
The biggest full-line convenience distributors include McLane Company, Core-Mark, Eby-Brown, H.T. Hackney, and National Convenience Distributors. Each services thousands of stores from regional distribution centers. We maintain a regularly updated profile of each major player, what they carry, and how to contact their buyers in our guide to the top 25 convenience store distributors.
What Distributors Look For Before Carrying a Product
Before pitching, make sure your product clears the bar distributors apply to every new item:
- Margin structure: room for the distributor (20-30%) and a keystone or better markup for the store, while staying at a competitive shelf price.
- Packaging that sells itself: c-store purchases are impulse purchases; your package has about two seconds to communicate what it is and why it’s worth grabbing.
- Right-sized case packs: independent stores have limited backroom space; case packs under 15 units move faster.
- Reliable supply: a test order of 5 cases can become 50 within a month; distributors drop brands that cannot restock on time.
- Compliance basics: UPC barcodes, accurate nutrition labeling, and FDA registration where applicable.
How to Pitch a Convenience Store Distributor
Lead with the numbers the buyer cares about: unit economics, suggested retail, and any sales velocity you can prove, even from farmers markets or online. Keep the deck to one page (a sell sheet), offer a small opening order with a buyback or guarantee to remove the store’s risk, and be ready to support the launch with counter displays or promotional pricing. Our free Retail Fast Track course walks through the exact pitch process, and the Path to Market program can put your product in front of our distributor network directly.
Find Convenience Store Distributors by Region
Most independent distributors are regional. Start with your home market, prove reorders, then expand: California · New York · Texas · Florida · Illinois · New Jersey · North Carolina · Maryland · Washington, DC · Philadelphia. You can also browse the full Mr. Checkout distributor route map.
Work With the Mr. Checkout Network
Since 1989, Mr. Checkout has united 1,100+ independent wagon-jobbers and full-line distributors servicing approximately 130,000 independent stores across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. Distributors in our network use Mr. Checkout to find the next product that will perform in their stores.
Have a product ready for convenience and grocery shelves? Tell us about your product and the Mr. Checkout network of 1,100+ independent distributors will see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do convenience store distributors make money?
Distributors buy from manufacturers at wholesale and resell to stores, typically working on a 20-30% margin. Reputable distributors do not charge brands upfront fees; they earn when your product sells.
What is the difference between a full-line distributor and a wagon-jobber?
Full-line distributors carry thousands of SKUs and deliver weekly from large warehouses. Wagon-jobbers (DSD distributors) run smaller routes, stock the shelves themselves, and are often the fastest way for a new product to get placement in independent stores.
How many convenience stores are there in the U.S.?
There are roughly 150,000 convenience stores in the U.S., and the majority are single-store independents, which is exactly the market independent distributors serve best.
What do distributors look for in a new product?
Strong margins for the store and the distributor, shelf-stable packaging that sells itself, case packs sized for small stores, proof of sales velocity, and a supplier who can restock quickly and consistently.