"Operators state that best-in class manufacturers provide consumer solutions and deliver innovative marketing support in addition to the highest quality products. Manufactures, on the other hand, want operators to have effective marketing support and differentiate themselves versus their competition," according to the study's authors.
Though foodservice distributors were not queried for this project, many of the insights drawn from the study can be influential in building their sales as they build their operator-customers' businesses. For example, DSRs should pay close attention to the study's finding that "operators want to understand their consumers and increase sales (improve satisfaction) by over-delivering on product quality and service. Operators are looking for consumer trends as well as how and why people buy items. While manufacturers and operators may differ on what insights are most important, there is no question that the consumer is at the heart of success within foodservice today."
Distributor, manufacturer and operator speakers at numerous ID Updates have emphasized the importance of sharing consumer-based intelligence throughout the supply chain. At the same time the annual ID Industry Leaders studies have also shown that distributors also highly rate these same driver characteristics in their suppliers.
Sven Rison, partner at Cannondale, told ID Access that foodservice distributors, being in the middle of the supply chain, should be the facilitators and drivers of this data-gathering and dissemination process. Distributors should be proactive in acquiring consumer intelligence, consumer products and innovative new products from manufacturers and then pass them on to their operator-customers via their DSRs.
"Distributors need to get from manufacturers rationale, insight and leadership programs that they can give to their DSRs. The people they're selling to deserve better category, consumer-based insights. Distributors should start pushing the manufacturer for this kind of information because the operators want it. That's the critical thing," Rison said.
More about the study and Sven Rison's observations will appear in the upcoming Jan. 23 edition of ID Report
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