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The 1998 ID magazine benchmarking survey shows that labor issues rank as the major problem facing food distributors for the future. The need to maintain strong profit margins and cost control both rank second, while tighter industry competition is third among challenges facing food service companies. The report also forecasts continued consolidation, the continuing emergence of home-meal replacement and efficiency-enhancing innovations going into 1999., Labor problems edged out margin pressure as the top challenge for distributor executives in the ID 1998 benchmarking survey. Margin pressure is tied for the No. 2 spot along with [...]

The ID Broker Survey reveals how foodservice distributors are reacting to the wave of mergers and consolidations in their industry. Among the problems facing them are reduced customer bases stemming from the mergers, lowering of commissions and brokerage rates, domination by industry giants and pressure to provide quality service at a lower cost. The survey also reveals that most distributors are preparing for expansion through new quality products and concepts., The second biennial ID Broker Survey reveals that there may be structural change afoot as the broker community adapts to the wave of consolidation occurring in the overall foodserZvice industry [...]

Results of a home-meal replacement customer survey conducted in 1998 show that one out of five consumers brings either ready-to-heat or ready-to-eat foods home once a week, which they only decide on while driving home from work. Among the top concerns of consumers in choosing the purchase source are food quality, cleanliness of facility, convenience, taste of foods, price, variety and fast service., A lot of ink has been spilled in the foodservice and retail trade press on the burgeoning number of operations that are entering the home-meal replacement (HMR) market. Every new [...]

A survey was conducted to identify factors which contribute to sales increase in the foodservice industry. Respondents say that their respective companies focus on improving margins through cost controls. As a result, 90% show increase of sales. Based on margins, there was an average increase of 40.2% in 1997 as compared to 24.7% in 1996. However, 30% percent of participating companies maintained the same level of gross margin in 1997., Foodservice distributor executives report that business is okay and that they are working hard to widen the margins that have been shrinking over the past few years. In fact, nine [...]

Mergers, acquisitions and consolidations were the leading emerging trends in the food distribution sector, according to executives polled for ID magazine's 31st annual survey. Forty percent of those polled have plans of making an acquisition in 1997, increasing by more than twofold from 18% in the 1995 survey. In 1995, 8% expected to be acquired, compared with only 3% in the 1996 survey. Technology was the second leading trend in the sector, with respondents frequently mentioning Efficient Foodservice Response initiatives. Performance is also expected to improve in 1997, with 73% reporting dollar sales increases and 73% posting case sales hikes., Big 'MACs' - mergers, acquisitions and consolidations - topped the list of emerging industry trends cited by executives who responded to ID's 31st annual survey. One comment summed up the [...]

The foodservice distribution industry posted significant gains for 1995. Although 1994 witnessed slow growth with no major advances, average annual sales in 1995 grew from $33 million to $47.7 million, with broadline distributors making the largest gains. The growth areas specified include market expansion, account penetration, expansion of product lines and finding niche markets. Next to growth, the necessity of guarding against margin erosion through cost control was seen as a challenge. The industry sees mergers and acquisitions to continue in 1996., Key indicators from ID's 30th annual executive survey point to gains made by the overall foodservice distribution industry during this past year. This headway is ground gained since our 1995 [...]

ID's 1995 DSR Survey showed that DSRs are more preoccupied with consulting and problem-solving tasks instead of taking orders. DSRs were also found to have generated higher yearly dollar volumes and increased the number of items they carry. The number of DSRs who use laptop computers was also reported to have doubled. Most DSRs gave contentment over work, customer satisfaction and financial rewards as the prime motivating factors behind their jobs., Any lingering doubts about the survival instincts, adaptability, and ongoing professionalism of DSRs can be dispelled by ID's latest DSR survey. Results show that DSRs are spending more time on [...]

The results of the survey of foodservice distribution for 1994 shows the industry going on a steady growth path. It survived the recessionary years of the early 1990s and it is slowly but surely advancing. Average yearly sales for 1994 was $33 million which represented a slight increase from the previous year's $32.1 million. Bigger companies showed higher sales growth. Gross margins, as reported by majority of distributors, expanded., 'Steady as she goes' is the best way to describe the direction of the foodservice distribution business since our last survey report on the state of the industry in January [...]

An annual survey of foodservice distribution conducted by the ID journal indicated that 1993 can very well be the start of the desired growth in the foodservice industry. With the positive trend experienced in sales and profits as compared to 1992 figures, industry analysts predicted that as long as distributors continue in upgrading and improving their services, business success will prevail. The industry's leaders were made up of full-menu and limited-menu restaurants which accounted for 44.8% of overall sales., A year ago when ID reported the results of its 1992 survey of foodservice distribution, there were preliminary signs that the industry might well be turning the corner and moving [...]

Direct sales reps (DSRs) in 1993 are achieving annual sales averaging $1.965 million, against almost $1.3 million in 1983, according to a survey of nearly 600 DSRs carried out by ID: The Voice of Foodservice. The number of customer accounts for each DSR in 1993 averages 60, down 25% from 80 in 1983, with sales per customer rising from $15,938 in 1983 to $32,750 in 1993. Further statistics from the survey are presented., While focusing on fewer customers, DSRs are scaling ever-higher sales peaks Not so long ago, the million-dollar distributor sales rep really stood out from the crowd. He - or, in [...]

Manufacturers on the cutting edge blazed new trails last year to reach distributors and their DSRs, according to the results of ID's 21st annual 'Industry Leaders and What They Do [...]

Sales and Profit Gains Lag in a Lackluster Economy Foodservice distribution has been no exception to the downturn in the national economy, according to results of ID's annual survey of [...]

1990 INDUSTRY LEADERS And What They Do Right Back to basics' on the one hand, aggressive posture toward continued growth on the other, are among the major themes stressed by [...]

The 27th ID Industry Leaders Survey showed the top choices of managers and sales representatives of firms in the food supply business. The overall industry leader is Tysons Foods, which also clinched the top spot in the frozen foods category. Food equipment suppliers were led by Vulcan-Hart and Hobart. Heinz Foods USA clinched the top spot in the dry groceries categories as well as improving its spot in the frozen foods category., Once again, managers and sales reps have voted on the companies that have best supported their products with strong programs and promotions, training, field support and overall service, in the [...]

ID Magazine's annual Industry Leaders survey aims to identify the foodservice suppliers whose products, programs and sales support are most praised by foodservice distributors. Results for the 1996 survey show that distribution managers choose Anchor Food Products as the overall industry leader while distributor sales representatives consider Tyson Foods Inc. as the overall industry leader. The survey also asks respondents to name the number one in 64 product categories., Anchor Food, Tyson land the top spots in ID's 25th annual Industry Leaders survey. While it will always be difficult to specify exactly which aspect of a distributor-manufacturer relationship matters [...]

'ID' magazine's first survey of food broker firms showed that many firms are concentrating on new product introduction. About one-third of their sales people perform this task while about a third of new products are accepted by distributors. About 80% of firms said that they have kitchen facilities for product education while about 99% arrange sales meetings for their sales representatives attended by manufacturer and distributor representatives., The idea for conducting a survey of foodservice brokers arose from a realization that not only are there misperceptions about the value of brokers by many in the distribution community, [...]

Tyson Foods Inc. topped the annual survey conducted by ID magazine among distributor sales executives and representatives to come up with the 1995 industry leaders. Tyson Foods placed first in the frozen meat and poultry categories and the overall frozen foods category. It also ranked first among DSRs. Other leaders named by DSRs include Campbell Soup Company, Heinz, Nabisco Brands, General Foods and Kellogg Foodservice.

Hardworking, with varied experience under his belt, he would do it all over again. If they had the opportunity to do it all over again, the overwhelming majority of top [...]

In this telling profile of deli patrons, SUPERMARKET BUSINESS finds that serious deli shoppers make more supermarket trips and spend more time and money in the store than lighter users. [...]

DSRs 10 YEARS OF CHANGE Significantly more productive. Better educated. Ringing up higher sales with fewer customers. Grappling with a proliferation of products. Able to spend more time in 'action [...]

1989 Industry Leaders And What They Do Right Many old names and some new ones make their appearance in ID's 19th annual 'Industry Leaders and What They Do Right' survey [...]

CONSUMER EXPENDITURES STUDY As was the case with many segments of American life, the trends in the food industry in 1985 were toward a slowing down and an inward expansion [...]

DSRs Order-Takers or Sales Influencers? Everyone in foodservice, it seems, has an opinion about distributor sales representatives or, as they are more commonly referred to, DSRs. These opinions vary. DSRs [...]

The value-added concept, so prevalent today in foodservice distribution circles, is also being applied increasingly by manufacturers in their dealings with distributors, according to results of ID's latest Industry Leaders [...]

There can be little doubt that 1983 was the year of the big turn in foodservice distribution. Responding to the renewed vitality of the food-away-from-home market, distributors--as a group--registered gains [...]

Food service distributor executives and sales representatives rate the manufacturers who best meet their needs. Some suppliers have won the 'industry leaders' title year after year. These leaders offers such services as special sales meetings, incentive awards to help sales personnel, and special training in selling their products.

Many food service operators split their purchases between various distributors. Most indicated that product quality was the reason for selecting one distributor over another. The distributor reps were named as the major source of sales information and new ideas for the operators.

Real sales gains were shown by most distributors surveyed. Profit margins were largely maintained and new customers attracted. 70 % said that unit sales actually increased and 14% said volume remained unchanged. This was a poorer showing than in either 1978 or 1980.

Breakfast has emerged as a major business source for foodservice companies based on recent NPD/CREST data. Tracking shows a 9.5% industry-wide gain for the period Sep 97-Aug 98 in terms of dollars spending for the category, versus only 6.5% in the previous period. Similar gains are observed for the breakfast categories of quick-service restaurant and drive-through sales. The trend is driven by greater family and business focus on weekend schedules, the demand for sweet, indulgent breakfasts and convenience., For many foodservice operators, breakfast has indeed become the most important meal of the day - at least in terms of new business. Outpacing lunch and dinner in sales growth, [...]

We are proud to present the results of the ID Industry Leaders Survey to our readers in this new special. report format We hope it will serve as a convenient [...]

IBM Corp. has conducted a survey among 3,000 distributors in the food and beverage industries. About 75% of the food distributors see their businesses growing until the year 2000. More than half of the respondents have focused on customer service and profitability for growth. Strategies include improved inventory, penetration of the market, information management and purchasing. Electronic data interchange and bar coding are two applications of advanced technology in the future.

A 1993 survey conducted by the James M. Degan & Company consultant group shows that warehouse clubs have posted over $10 billion in sales for US foodservice operators for 1993, with $8.810 billion in foodservices and $840 million in liquor and candy product sales. The survey reveals that warehouse clubs are using more aggressive promotional programs to attract large corporate buyers. These programs consist of a new marketing package that will provide credit as well as purchase-order tracking and billing services to clients., Warehouse clubs captured almost $10 billion in U.S. foodservice operator purchases last year, according to consultant Jim Degen, president, James M. Degen & Company, Inc., Santa Barbara, Calif. More specifically, [...]

In a year when the Top 50 tobacco/candy/convenience distributors failed to push their operating figures to new heights, their high-flying efforts to improve efficiency and productivity seemed to lose altitude, [...]

Some significant insights into attitudes, requirements, and perceptions which affects the foodservice distributor-chain opertor relationship were presented at the Coex '84 Chain Operators Exchange sponsored by the International Foodservice Manufcturers [...]