Getting online will continue to be an imperative

Move to a B2B online “Always On” ordering system

It may be hard to imagine or even remember, but as little as 12 months ago, some of the biggest food and beverage makers still had no DTC channels. Brands that traditionally dominated supermarket shelves didn’t want to risk alienating chain store clients by starting to sell directly to consumers online. It’s estimated that when the pandemic started,only about half of companies in the food and beverage industry had an
eCommerce presence, based on a Joshmeah July 2020 report.

But the pandemic altered everything.

• Substitutions had to be made—and fast;
• Big brands and artisan food makers alike launched online stores almost overnight;
• Supermarkets and restaurants introduced new delivery models, and
• Existing food and drink eCommerce platforms struggled to keep up with an increase in demand amid supply chain disruptions.

The result was that in 2020, food and beverage became the largest online CPG segment (44%), overtaking health and beauty. Total online sales of food and beverage—including groceries and takeout food—jumped 125% from the previous year to $106 billion, according to research from the Food Industry Association (FMI) and NielsenIQ.

It is time for food suppliers and distributors to gear up now! If you are serious about saving money, growing your sales, and considering moving to a B2B online ordering platform, please Book a demo today!