Assignment: Choosing a Distributor

Today's hospitality managers have many options when choosing a purchasing distributor for their business. These distributors range from large distribution firms that carry anything a hospitality company needs to small niche suppliers that specialize in a specific category of products.

For this assignment, you will choose one (1) major food / equipment distributor, either global, regional, or local (i.e., Sysco Foods Inc., U.S. Foods, Sherwood Food Distributors, or S&W Wholesale Foods), for restaurants and conduct an in-depth research study.

Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you:

1. Choose one (1) distributor company and provide a brief overview including:

a. a history of the company

b. the geographical areas that they serve

c. a high-level list of supplies they offer (by category)

d. the main competitors

2. Choose one (1) competitive distribution company and compare and contrast five (5) similar products (offered by both firms) in the areas of price, quality, and value. Create a table to represent the data.

3. Provide an overview of this company's payment policy including:

a. the objective of payment policy

b. the costs of paying early

c. the costs of late payment

d. the mechanics of bill paying

e. discounting

4. Compare and contrast the distributor's payment policy with at least two (2) competitive distribution companies. Describe which payment policy is the most efficient and explain why.