Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Group Purchasing Organization
“A foodservice group purchasing organization is made up of dealers that band together so they can negotiate as a larger group with vendors to receive better pricing and terms on goods and services.”
What is an example of a foodservice industry purchasing group?
Imagine a powerful ally in the foodservice industry that helps dealers like yours unlock remarkable cost savings and streamline procurement processes. A Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) for foodservice dealers will harness the collective buying power of its members and negotiate advantageous prices and terms with suppliers. This is a game changer for businesses looking to optimize their operations. Strata stands as a prime example of a GPO dedicated to providing cost-saving solutions and streamlined procurement processes tailored specifically for the foodservice sector.
What does a GPO do in the foodservice industry?
A GPO is a specialized entity that plays a pivotal role in streamlining procurement processes and maximizing cost savings for dealers. The primary function of a GPO is to leverage the collective purchasing power of its members to negotiate advantageous contracts, prices, and terms with suppliers. By forming strategic partnerships and pooling the buying volume of multiple businesses, GPOs can secure better deals that would be challenging for individual dealers in the foodservice industry to achieve independently.
This provides amazing advantages to dealers, including:
- Negotiating with Suppliers: A foodservice industry purchasing group acts as an intermediary between its members and suppliers. It negotiates contracts on behalf of its members to obtain favorable pricing, discounts, and other favorable terms. By consolidating the purchasing power of multiple businesses, GPOs can achieve substantial cost savings for their members.
- Supplier Network Management: GPOs maintain extensive networks of pre-vetted suppliers across various industries. These networks are carefully curated to ensure the availability of high-quality products and services. By partnering with a foodservice GPO, dealers gain access to a wide range of suppliers, enabling them to choose from a diverse selection of offerings.
- Cost Savings: One of the primary benefits of joining a foodservice industry purchasing group is the significant cost savings that members can enjoy. Through consolidated purchasing, foodservice group purchasing organizations can secure volume-based discounts, better pricing tiers, and favorable contract terms. These savings can positively impact a business’s profitability and help allocate resources to other critical areas of operation.
- Streamlined Procurement Processes: Foodservice industry purchasing groups streamline the procurement process for their members, simplifying administrative tasks and reducing complexities. By offering a centralized platform or system, members can consolidate their orders, track deliveries, and access reporting and analytics. This streamlined approach enhances efficiency and saves valuable time and resources for member organizations.
- Expertise and Support: GPOs have a dedicated support team who offer guidance, assistance, and expertise to their members. From supplier selection to resolving issues, members can rely on the foodservice group purchasing organization’s knowledge and experience to navigate challenges effectively. This support ensures a smooth and seamless experience for members throughout their procurement journey.
- Market Insights and Trends: Foodservice industry purchasing groups stay abreast of industry trends, market insights, and emerging technologies. They provide their members with valuable information and data that can help them make informed decisions. By leveraging this knowledge, businesses can adapt their procurement strategies, stay competitive, and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the market.
HOW STRATA SUPPORTS OUR PARTNERS:
STRONGER TOGETHER
OUR PARTNERSHIP
As forward-thinking leaders & technology trailblazers, we grow our partner’s businesses for a competitive future – maximizing group purchasing to become pioneers in the marketplace, and ultimately, driving success to the end-users through access to the largest network of dealers and vendors across the nation.
UNSURPASSED PROGRAMS
LEVERAGE OUR PURCHASING POWER
Excell focuses on building close relationships with vendors to leverage purchasing power, enhance procurement services, and offer the best available pricing, cash discounts, freight programs, rebates and much more.
COMPREHENSIVE CENTRALIZED ACCOUNTING
SAVING DEALERS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE
Excell offers a comprehensive centralized accounting function, encompassing vendor invoicing, payment processing, and rebate management services. This allows you to devote more attention to customer service and equipment supply to your independent foodservice clients.
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS
OUR TRAINING AND EDUCATION GIVE YOU AN EDGE
With a strong pulse on industry trends, and armed with an array of educational resources, our dealers are at the forefront of commercial foodservice industry trends, products and innovations. Our dealers take part in live, hands-on vendor training and receive access to the most robust online education and training portal in the industry: Cutting Edge EDU. Dealers also receive access to one-of-a-kind peer groups and sales coaching experiences.
MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING PROGRAM
DRIVE TRAFFIC AND SALES
Excell has developed a multi-channel marketing strategy to provide dealers the tools they need to be successful.
Dealer partners receive access to high-quality, professional, and inexpensive print and digital marketing options. These help to enhance dealership image, gain credibility with restaurant owner end-users, and help drive traffic and sales to your showroom and website.
ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT
BUILD LIFE-LONG BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS
The Annual Conference is a highlight for members of our restaurant dealer group. The Annual Conference gives dealers the opportunity to interact with other dealers in the group, as well as the attending vendors. Many lifelong associations are developed during the conference.
TRAILBLAZING TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS
KEEP ABREAST OF INDUSTRY TRENDS
Excell’s fully integrated and interactive member website offers the information and tools that food equipment distributors need to grow a restaurant supply business.
SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
OUR PARTNERS ARE THE PURPOSE OF OUR WORK
Our #1 priority is you. We believe in our services and hold ourselves to the highest standards. Our partners are the purpose of our work. We will devote ourselves to your success. You can count on us.
Our foodservice equipment & supplies group purchasing organization members bring credibility to operator’s businesses by increasing positive perception among consumers and elevating visibility in the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Join?
To learn more about membership requirements and the benefits of being in a group purchasing organization, please request an information packet here or call 720-361-1913 to speak to our sales representative.
How does your group purchasing organization give back to the community?
Our dealers and vendors united in 2018 to build a new kitchen that serves 33,000 charitable meals annually. $90,000 worth of foodservice equipment was donated by our members, at no cost. The actions of our partners truly make our communities “Stronger Together.”
Strata’s nonprofit, Cooking Up Better Lives, allows restaurant equipment dealers and vendors the opportunity to advance in corporate good and social responsibility. We provide an organized and national coordinating body for the foodservice equipment buying group industry to streamline, leverage and procure products and services to build a new kitchen at low to no cost.
To learn more, please visit our website: www.CookingUpBetterLives.org
What’s your secret to running a successful group purchasing organization?
People First. We listen and realize industry challenges and think forward to provide services and resources to channel that energy into directions of growth, opportunity and solutions to fit our membership’s needs.
Partners experience daily and direct access to our buying group team and experience our values first-hand. It is no secret that our success stems from having a strategic focus that is built on a customer-centric foundation.
We employ a talented and culture-oriented team who are driven to go one step further to relentlessly improve upon our member’s businesses.
And, of course, the true testament to our community is the time we take together to enjoy the journey.
(Company Values: People First, Customer Centric, Go One Step Further, Relentless Improvement, Think Forward and Enjoy the Journey.)
What does a partnership with Strata look like?
Our partners experience daily and direct access to our buying group team and experience our values first-hand. We see ourselves as an extension of each dealer’s success.
- What sets Strata apart from other GPOs?
We are passionate about building and maintaining relationships in order to foster a community of growth. Our goals include driving mutual success and enriching the lives of our restaurant buying group partners with a customer-centric and people first attitude. Our community is our highest priority and that makes all the difference.
What are the benefits of joining Strata?
Our professionally-run management team challenges the status quo. As forward-thinking leaders and technology trailblazers of the foodservice buying group landscape, we grow our dealer and vendor’s businesses for a competitive future – maximizing their group purchasing to become pioneers in the marketplace, and ultimately, driving success to the end-users through access to the largest network of dealers and vendors across the nation.
We are an extension of each dealer’s success. Enabling competitive procurement strategies that seamlessly blend with each dealer’s personal touch.
Dealers enjoy access to best-in-class reporting tools, unsurpassed vendor programs, comprehensive centralized accounting services, online education through proprietary training platforms, in-person and virtual educational seminars, attendance to our coveted annual networking event and admission into the industry’s most diverse multi-channel marketing program.
Our vendor partners have access to our coveted network of committed, growth-focused dealers who value our vendor programs and drive volume loyalty.
- Why should I join Strata versus remain an independent dealership?
Strata realizes industry challenges and thinks forward to provide resources and solutions to fit our members’ needs. Strata leverages its combined buying power to negotiate great programs that will help you compete with larger dealers and increase your bottom line.
