Wholesale Health & Nutrition Suppliers
Wholesale health & nutrition suppliers to independent specialty stores focus on satisfying the store’s needs in what type of products their customers demand. Retailers want a product that has been established and will sell quickly. Contacting local Wholesale health & nutrition suppliers is a good first step to get a feel for what products do well in that market.
Finding a wholesale distributor or wholesale supplier who already has an established relationship with independent retailers is essential. The wholesaler and retailer relationship is important in product placement in retail stores. If a wholesaler has a good reputation with a retailer the process of getting products into the store is a lot smoother.
Building a relationship and a positive track record is a very important part for the distributor. It is important for the distributor to do some research on what kind of specialty products do well in each store, which can be dependent on where they are located. If a product does well in one retail store the likeliness the wholesaler will recommend it to other stores is high. In independent retailers and stores in general it is all about shelf space and what sells well will claim that shelf space. Products that do not, will be given less space or no space in order to move in a new product that sells well.
Wholesale health & nutrition suppliers look for products that are innovative and will set them apart from competitors. So, new products have a better chance of making it into an independent wholesaler that works with independent retailers vs. a big box store. A wholesale supplier will have a stronger personal relationship and knowledge with products compared to big box stores as well. This is beneficial to everyone involved because having knowledge about the product in stores will improve sales.
In order to get a product into a wholesale specialty market contacting the correct supplier is the first step. The next step would be sending samples and other pertinent information to that wholesaler if requested. They like to see proof of sales and selling points of that product. Communicating about price points and minimum order quantities is very important. If the distributor likes the product and thinks it would be a good fit for their route they will purchase the product.
If the product does well in stores, the wholesale supplier will continually order more. Proof of sales will bring more orders and getting in contact with other distributors, wholesalers and suppliers in other parts of the country is the next step. A product with proven sales in a few independent specialty stores will make its way to independent retail stores all across the nation through different distribution channels. Establishing and building relationships with distributors and wholesalers is the best way to get products into retail stores.
Here are the 6 steps you need to take to have your product picked up by a supplier.
1. Start with the right questions.) Before you try supplying your product, you need to ask yourself a few basic questions. Do you need to build demand for your product, or is there already a demand for it? Do you know that the supplier would be interested in selling your product? If you can strike a deal with them, can you handle the production volume? Do you want to sell directly to the supplier, or do you want to license your product to a manufacturer that will handle supply?
2. Be prepared to profit.) Does your product offer enough of a profit margin for a supplier? Can you sell your product at a reasonable enough profit to cover the packaging, shipping, commissions, marketing and wholesale supply? Check the supplier’s guidelines for other fees that you will have to build into the cost of your product in order for you to be able to turn enough of a profit to make the effort worth your while. If you work with a discount retailer, they will try to strip your profits down to zero in order to keep their prices as low as possible.
The typical breakdown of margins are: If a products costs $1 to produce, that product will retail for $4. That product that retails for $4 will wholesale for $2 to supplier and stores that purchase direct. Big box retailers like Walmart may offer to pay $1.25 to the manufacturer if the product costs $1 to produce. That is the typical profit margin.
3. Determine if the supplier is the right one for your product.) The relationship between you and the supplier starts with you browsing the store’s that they service for competing products. If the stores already has a similar product, it is going to be very difficult to get your product picked up. Picture in which zone your product would best fit on the shelf and keep in mind that the most precious asset that these big box stores value are their shelf space. Keep this information in mind when you are preparing your presentation to the supplier.
4. Pitch your product.) Decide whether it will be you or a representative to present your product to the supplier. Your presentation depends heavily on your strengths as a businessperson as they will most likely ask financial questions and logistics questions.
It’s common for companies to hire a broker to pitch their product to a supplier, as it will be more likely that your product will make it to the next stage if the individual pitching your product has industry knowledge or a personal relationship with them. The percentage of commission verses, however generally a broker will take around 5% to represent your product.
We at Mr. Checkout have experience dealing with brokers and know that there are several retail brokers that have poor business practices that can potentially damage your brand. If you are seeking a legitimate broker, please give us a call for a recommendation. It could save you a huge headache and a lot of money.
5. Complete the required paperwork.) Often a supplier will have you go through an application process. However, before submitting the paperwork required, you should contact them and let them know your intentions. Having a contact inside of the company will potentially move your application more smoothly through the process.
6. Anticipate the need for increased volume.) Having a supplier pick up your line will most likely mean a significant increase in volume. You should be prepared to ramp up your production and informing your manufacturer of this opportunity.
Having production, logistics and supply to sync is not only difficult, it requires a significant amount of time invested in customer relations. Also, suppliers may have stipulations in the contract that may penalize you for delays in shipping and production. Have an attorney explain all contracts to you if you don’t understand the terms.
If you’re looking to distribute your product through a supplier, be sure to thoroughly assess the marketplace, carefully prepare for production growth, and take full advantage of resources available to help you grow your business.
Top 4 Wholesale Convenience Store Suppliers
Food is a basic need of every human. Everyone needs to be well fed. It is more of a rule that if you don’t eat well, you might fall sick. However, distributors in this line need to get the products across to the retail outlets where consumers can get them.
Getting health and nutrition supplies into retail can be very challenging as the niche is saturated. However, everyone needs them. These are products that are required in many settings. Individuals need nutrition – this can be in form of the food or drinks. Nutritional products are also needed in hospitals and rehabilitation centers; the same for health and fitness products.
Below is a list of wholesale health and nutrition suppliers:
United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods, Incorporated, also known as UNFI, is a distributor of natural and 
organic foods, specialty foods, and related products in the United States and Canada. The company distributes to grocery and natural food stores and is the primary distributor to Whole Foods Market. UNFI offers dry, refrigerated and frozen groceries, personal care products, supplements, fresh produce, perishables, and non-food items such as household cleaning products.
Essential Wholesale & Labs
Essential Wholesale & Labs, located in NW Portland, is a leader in the manufacturing and 
sale of natural and organic personal care products. The company provides custom formulating and contract packaging for businesses of all sizes and offers a wide range of services from concept to shelf-ready finished products. Its’ customers range from sole proprietors buying their readymade bases and finished goods to fill and label themselves, to custom formulating services, contract filling services, testing services through third-party labs, and business development consulting.
Huber Health and Nutrition
Huber Health & Nutrition is a trusted nutritional ingredient supplier offering its exclusive HuberCal® line of natural and pure calcium carbonate products. Huber also offers the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Huber’s processed nutritional ingredients begin with consistency and purity. This dedication to their products starts with a deep understanding and appreciation of cGMP guidelines and reviews. They stay abreast of changes in FDA and USP procedures. During the manufacturing process, their innovative HuberCal® product portfolio goes through a rigorous and thorough screening and testing process to ensure you get only the highest-quality formulations. Their Quality Assurance Program ensures superior customer service.
Health Food Distributors
HFD is the oldest wholesale distributor of health and natural food products in the United States, serving retailers since 1939. HFD distributes a wide variety of health and natural food products including vitamins, minerals, supplements, herbal products, natural and organic foods and beverages, specialty foods, gluten free, vegetarian, low carb, healthy snacks, diet and energy products, personal care and books on health topics.