Gitnux/Report 2026

Food Distribution Industry Statistics

The U.S. foodservice distribution market was approximately $377 billion in 2025 and is forecast at about $390 billion in 2026, explore the figures behind growth, companies and trends.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Food Distribution Industry Statistics
David SutherlandWritten by David Sutherland·Edited by Elena Vasquez·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The food distribution industry at a glance

U.S. foodservice distribution reached approximately $377 billion in 2025, with Technomic forecasting about $390 billion in 2026; the sector remains fragmented despite scale leaders gaining share.

$377B[15]
2025 foodservice distribution market
$390B[15]
2026 projected market size
18%[15]
Sysco U.S. market share, 2025
443,500[1]
Foodservice distribution employees
Market size
The U.S. foodservice distribution market was approximately $377 billion in 2025, according to Technomic data cited by Sysco. Separately, the Census Bureau reported $982.2 billion in 2024 revenue for food and beverage stores, a broader retail-distribution channel.[15][71]
Forecast & CAGR
Technomic projects the U.S. foodservice market to increase from approximately $377 billion in 2025 to $390 billion in 2026, implying roughly 3.4% one-year growth. A longer-term industry forecast was not identified from a sufficiently direct primary source.[15]
Market share & regions
Sysco estimates that it held about 18% of the U.S. foodservice market in 2025. The market is national but served through regional distribution networks; Sysco describes operations across the United States, Canada, Europe and other international markets.[15]
Segmentation
Food distribution is segmented into broadline distributors, specialty distributors focused on categories such as produce, meat, seafood or frozen foods, and cash-and-carry operators. End markets include restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging, business and industry, and other institutional foodservice customers.[15][45]
Key players & concentration
Sysco, US Foods and Performance Food Group are the leading U.S. foodservice distributors, but concentration remains limited: US Foods reported that the top three distributors represented 38% of the market in 2025, leaving 62% to other distributors. Sysco separately estimated its own share at 18%.[72][15]
Pricing
Foodservice distribution operates on thin margins: the median net profit margin was 1.8% in 2025, according to IFDA. Median sales per square foot of warehouse space were $1,693 in 2025, while Class A CDL delivery drivers averaged $30.02 per hour.[1]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is supported by restaurant demand, healthcare and hospitality volumes, scale efficiencies, and distributor services such as menu analysis and business reviews. Key challenges include low switching costs, competitive pricing, labor requirements, transportation and cold-chain costs, and exposure to food-price volatility.[15][1]
Consumer behavior & competition
Distributors primarily compete for business from restaurants, institutions and other professional kitchens rather than directly from household consumers. Sysco states that customers can change suppliers and channels quickly because switching costs are low, making product range, freshness, delivery reliability, service and price central competitive factors.[15]
M&A
M&A remains an important consolidation tool. Sysco acquired Ginsberg’s Foods in December 2025 and announced a March 2026 agreement to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot in a transaction valued at approximately $29.1 billion, expanding into cash-and-carry foodservice distribution.[15][73]
Regulation
Food distribution facilities are subject to FDA registration, inspections and food-safety requirements, while USDA oversight applies to relevant meat and agricultural products. Sysco states that its facilities must be registered with the FDA biennially and may be inspected by the FDA and USDA.[15]
Latest news
The sector’s largest recent transaction is Sysco’s announced acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot, valued at about $29.1 billion based on the announced consideration and Sysco’s share price at the time. The deal is intended to strengthen Sysco’s position with smaller independent restaurants through the cash-and-carry model.[73][15]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Food Distribution Industry

The leading companies in the food distribution industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

METRO stands out for professional wholesale and delivery channels because it serves professional customers through wholesale stores, delivery and digital foodservice channels, while Performance Food Group focuses on North American food and food-related products since it markets and distributes food and food-related products across North America.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in broadline foodservice distribution

    METRO

    DE

    Ranked #1 · 9.6 · Broadline foodservice distribution

    Why we picked it: It serves professional customers through wholesale stores, delivery and digital foodservice channels.

    See in ranking ↓Visit metroag.de ↗

  2. #2 overall

    Performance Food Group

    US

    Ranked #2 · 8.9 · Broadline foodservice distribution

    Why we picked it: It markets and distributes food and food-related products across North America.

    See in ranking ↓Visit pfgc.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Sysco

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.8 · Broadline foodservice distribution

    Why we picked it: It is a global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food and related products.

    See in ranking ↓Visit sysco.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the food distribution industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

METRO

Broadline foodservice distribution · DE

9.6
2

Performance Food Group

Broadline foodservice distribution · US

8.9
3

Sysco

Broadline foodservice distribution · US

8.8
4

Reyes Holdings

Broadline foodservice distribution · US

8.7
5

US Foods

Broadline foodservice distribution · US

8.7
6

Gordon Food Service

North American foodservice distribution · US

8.6
7

Sligro Food Group

Dutch and Belgian foodservice wholesale · NL

8.1
8

Dot Foods

Foodservice redistribution · US

7.9
9

McLane

U.S. grocery and foodservice distribution · US

7.9
10

Bunzl

Foodservice and grocery distribution · GB

7.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the food distribution industry. In Food Distribution Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/food-distribution-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest food distribution companies

Sysco leads with $84.6B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

Sysco$84.6B
Performance Food Group$67.8B
Reyes Holdings$47.0B
US Foods$39.4B
METRO$35.0B
Gordon Food Service$24.0B
source-verifiedsec.gov · reyesholdings.com · s21.q4cdn.com · newsroom.metroag.de · gfs.com2026

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption rises inside distribution workflows: approximately one-third of U.S. foodservice distributors used generative or traditional AI in 2025, up from 12% in 2023.

AI in the food distribution industry

  • 35% of foodservice distributors identified procurement as a leading AI priority in 2024.[1]
  • 81% of foodservice distributors identified sales, e-commerce or customer service as a leading AI priority in 2024.[1]
  • 24% of foodservice distributors identified planning or forecasting as a leading AI priority in 2024.[1]
  • Approximately 33% of U.S. foodservice distributors used generative or traditional AI in 2025.[1]
  • 51% of foodservice distributors identified marketing or advertising as a leading AI priority in 2024.[1]
  • 12% of U.S. foodservice distributors reported using generative or traditional AI in 2023.[1]

Automation in the food distribution industry

  • 12% of foodservice distributors cited labor savings as a leading factor in technology decisions in 2023.[1]
  • 56% of foodservice distributors used wearable technology in 2025, up from 41% in 2023.[1]
  • 41% of foodservice distributors used wearable technology in 2023.[1]
  • 47% of foodservice distributors rated their technology effectiveness as average in 2023.[1]
  • 28% of foodservice distributors cited labor savings as a leading factor in technology decisions in 2025.[1]
  • 41% of foodservice distributors rated their technology effectiveness as average in 2025.[1]

Digital Transformation in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 63% expected digitalization to enhance customer experience in 2025.[2]
  • Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 49% had digitized 50% or fewer of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[3]
  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 69% expected digitalization to improve efficiency in 2025.[2]
  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 51% identified high costs as a challenge to digitalizing logistics operations in 2025.[2]
  • Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 23% had digitized more than 75% of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[3]

Technology Adoption in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 15% of logistics service providers reported using AI at scale.[4]
  • Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying AI to reduce workloads in 2024.[4]
  • Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying automated real-time shipment tracking to address knowledge-worker shortages in 2024.[4]
  • Across transportation and logistics executives surveyed in Europe and North America, 44% were using AI for transportation planning and optimization in 2025.[5]
  • Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 19% of shippers reported using AI at scale.[4]

Cloud Computing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 89% planned to increase AI and machine-learning investment during the following one to two years.[6]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 84% had increased AI and machine-learning investment during the preceding one to two years.[6]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 75% said cloud was crucial to their organization’s future in 2023.[6]
  • Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 85% said leadership viewed cloud as a long-term investment in 2023.[6]

Big Data in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global logistics decision-makers, 34% identified data analytics, including cloud platforms and AI-powered solutions, as the most critical technology in 2025.[2]
  • 38% of surveyed GCC logistics organizations used structured data, while 20% recognized a systematic link between data and business insights, according to a 2023 study.[7]
  • 12.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used both cloud computing and big-data analytics, according to the OECD’s 2026 sectoral comparison of enterprise technology adoption.[8]
  • 9.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used big-data analytics alone in the OECD’s 2026 cross-sector comparison, based on the latest available enterprise data.[8]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Operational measurement expands beyond invoices: in 2025, 57% of restaurant operators said AI made distributor sales representatives more efficient in the United States.

Business intelligence in the food distribution industry

  • 57% of restaurant operators said AI made distributor sales representatives more efficient in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • 39% of restaurant operators received delivery or route data from distributors in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Restaurant-chain organizations tracked an average of six distribution KPIs in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Almost 40% of restaurant operators received no distributor data beyond invoices in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • 89% of restaurant-chain organizations measured order accuracy as a distribution KPI in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • 76% of consumer-products leaders increasingly relied on AI and analytics for innovation investment decisions in 2025.[10]

Data analytics in the food distribution industry

  • 89% of restaurant-chain organizations measured order accuracy in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Between 15% and 18% of restaurant-chain organizations tracked order lead times or inventory turns in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • 45% of consumer-products leaders invested directly in AI and analytics capabilities in 2025.[10]
  • 57% of restaurant operators said AI improved distributor sales-representative efficiency in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • 98% of restaurant-chain organizations measured on-time deliveries in the United States in 2016.[9]

Data Quality in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across supply management organizations, 49% rated their data quality as good or excellent in 2024.[11]
  • Across transportation and logistics shippers, 33% identified data quality as a top barrier to scaling artificial intelligence in 2026.[4]
  • Across supply management organizations, 33% rated their data-security ability as very high for assuring data quality in 2024.[11]
  • Across supply management organizations, 67% said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[11]

Data Governance in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across supply management organizations with a data-governance function, 47% housed it in a center of excellence in 2024.[11]
  • Across supply management organizations, 61% had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[11]
  • Across supply management organizations with a data-governance program, 81% found the program useful in 2024.[11]
  • 42.8% of airlines surveyed worldwide considered themselves to be in the early stages of data-strategy implementation in the IATA 2024 survey.[12]
  • 39% of 3PL respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running in place, with no noticeable progress, in the 2024 global survey.[13]
  • 33% of 3PL respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running ahead, meaning proactive and predictable, in the 2024 global survey.[13]

KPIs in the food distribution industry

  • Restaurant-chain organizations tracked an average of six KPIs in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Between 15% and 18% of restaurant-chain organizations tracked order lead times in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Some restaurant-chain organizations tracked as many as 10 distribution KPIs in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • 89% of restaurant-chain organizations measured order accuracy as a KPI in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • Between 15% and 18% of restaurant-chain organizations tracked inventory turns in the United States in 2016.[9]
  • 98% of restaurant-chain organizations measured on-time deliveries as a KPI in the United States in 2016.[9]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Channel consolidation continues through large deals, with Sysco’s proposed enterprise value for Jetro Restaurant Depot at about $29.1 billion in 2026.

Growth in the food distribution industry

  • 67% of U.S. shoppers said they spent more with their preferred digital grocer in 2024 than in 2023.[14]
  • $2.1 billion was Jetro Restaurant Depot’s calendar-2025 EBITDA before its proposed Sysco acquisition.[15]
  • $5.5 billion was the combined company’s projected 2025 free cash flow in the proposed Sysco–Jetro transaction.[15]
  • $81.4 billion was Sysco’s global revenue in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • $16 billion was Jetro Restaurant Depot’s calendar-2025 revenue before its proposed Sysco acquisition.[15]
  • 20% was the expected increase in Sysco revenue from the proposed Jetro Restaurant Depot acquisition.[15]

Differentiation in the food distribution industry

  • 250 entry-priced products were included in Ahold Delhaize’s 2025 own-brand launches.[16]
  • 500-plus recipes were available through Walmart.com’s Recipe Hub in partnership with the American Diabetes Association in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 4.0 food-shopping channels were used on average by consumers prioritizing health or climate change in PwC’s 2025 survey.[18]
  • $169.70 was the average U.S. digital grocery basket in 2024.[14]
  • 3.6 food-shopping channels were accessed by the average consumer in PwC’s 2025 survey.[18]
  • $180 was the average U.S. digital grocery basket for larger grocers in 2024.[14]

Mergers and acquisitions in the food distribution industry

  • $214 million was the net purchase price for US Foods’ 2024 acquisition of IWC Food Service.[19]
  • $92 million was the purchase price for US Foods’ acquisition of Jake’s Finer Foods after fiscal 2024 year-end.[19]
  • $3.1 billion was the announced transaction value for Sysco’s 2016 acquisition of Brakes Group.[15]
  • $220 million was the purchase price US Foods paid for IWC Food Service in 2024.[19]
  • $50 million was Performance Food Group’s expected annual run-rate cost synergy from its 2024 Cheney Brothers acquisition.[19]
  • $29.1 billion was the proposed enterprise value of Sysco’s 2026 acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot.[15]

Strategic partnerships in the food distribution industry

  • 500-plus recipes were developed through Walmart’s partnership with the American Diabetes Association by fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 51% was Ahold Delhaize’s ownership in the Super Indo joint venture in Indonesia in 2025.[16]
  • 49% was Ahold Delhaize’s ownership in the Pingo Doce joint venture in Portugal in 2025.[16]
  • 1,100 new own-brand products were introduced by Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. brands in 2025 through local-brand and supplier collaboration.[16]
  • 1,450 new own-brand products were introduced by Ahold Delhaize’s European brands in 2025 through local-brand and supplier collaboration.[16]
  • Two purchasing alliances, Eurelec and Coopernic, were identified by Ahold Delhaize as strategic purchasing relationships in 2025.[16]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Hiring remains time- and turnover-constrained: the average time to hire a driver at foodservice distributors was 32.4 days in 2023.

Hiring in the food distribution industry

  • More than 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18–34 without college degrees were surveyed about foodservice distribution jobs in 2023.[1]
  • Seven in 10 U.S. adults surveyed in 2024 expressed interest in foodservice distribution jobs.[1]
  • 4,500 active foodservice distribution job postings were analyzed in 2023 recruitment research.[1]
  • Two-thirds of the foodservice distribution workforce consisted of delivery drivers and warehouse workers in 2023.[1]
  • 32.4 days was the average time to hire a driver at foodservice distributors in 2023.[1]

Employee retention in the food distribution industry

  • 31.8% was annualized turnover in foodservice-distribution driving roles in 2023.[1]
  • 98% of participants in an FMI Food Retail Leadership Certificate study remained with the same company after completing the program.[20]
  • 26% of food retailers reported negative sentiment about recruitment and retention in 2025.[20]
  • 58% was the average turnover rate for all U.S. food retail employees in 2023.[20]
  • 52% of food retailers reported negative sentiment about recruitment and retention before the improvement recorded in 2025.[20]

Remote Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. transportation and utilities occupations, about 11% of workers worked remotely at least sometimes from October 2023 through September 2024.[21]
  • In the U.S. transportation and warehousing industry, 13.9% of wage and salary employees worked from home in January 2025.[22]
  • Among U.S. transportation, logistics, supply-chain and storage hires, 17.0% of hires at small companies were remote during the year ending September 2024.[23]
  • Across U.S. transportation and utilities, 20.3% of workers could work from home in 2024–2025, while 18.6% actually did so, according to annual averages.[24]

Hybrid Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 42% reported a hybrid work arrangement in 2025.[25]
  • Globally, 25% of engaged employees were working in hybrid arrangements in 2025, compared with 30% of exclusively remote employees and 17% of on-site, non-remote-capable employees.[26]
  • Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 54% worked hybrid schedules in August 2026.[26]
  • Among transportation employers surveyed for the U.S. Job Outlook, 33.3% reported fully hybrid work arrangements in 2024.[27]

Upskilling in the food distribution industry

  • Nearly two-thirds of food retailers offered improved benefits to full-time employees in 2024.[20]
  • 94% of food retailers offered leadership training to full-time employees in 2026.[20]
  • 72% of food retailers expected HR to become more automated or technology-enabled within one to two years in 2026.[20]
  • 92% of food suppliers expected HR to become more automated or technology-enabled within one to two years in 2026.[20]
  • 65% of food retailers offered flexible working time to employees in 2024.[20]

Employee Engagement in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Globally, 20% of employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 16% were actively disengaged.[26]
  • In U.S. logistics, 71% of frontline workers reported workplace stress in 2024.[28]
  • In U.S. logistics, more than 60% of frontline workers considered their roles long-term career commitments in 2024.[28]
  • In U.S. logistics, 40% of frontline workers wanted to quit in 2024, according to a survey of 500 logistics employees.[28]
  • Across Asia-Pacific transport and logistics organizations, 62% of employees were actively engaged, based on feedback from 30,116 employees in 24 surveys.[29]

DEI in the food distribution industry

  • 16% of foodservice distributors had an informal diversity initiative in 2022.[1]
  • 36% of foodservice distributors were considering implementing a diversity initiative in 2022.[1]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Service performance drives retention and repeat buying: 89% of restaurant operators reported satisfaction with their primary foodservice distributor in 2025.

Customer experience in the food distribution industry

  • 84 points was supermarkets’ 2024 customer-experience score for meat and produce quality and freshness in the United States.[30]
  • 86 points was supermarkets’ 2024 customer-experience score for pickup-process convenience in the United States.[30]
  • 32% of grocery and general-merchandise retailers reported satisfaction with their in-store digital customer experience in 2024.[31]
  • 85 points was supermarkets’ 2024 customer-experience score for pickup-order fulfillment accuracy in the United States.[30]
  • 23% of grocery and general-merchandise retailers reported satisfaction with their omnichannel customer experience in 2024.[31]

Customer retention in the food distribution industry

  • 71% of regular grocery shoppers remained customers one year later in Upside’s United States transaction analysis.[32]
  • 24% was the month-one drop-off rate for grocery customers using Upside in United States transaction data.[32]
  • 31% of a grocer’s customers in a given month churned, according to United States grocery transaction data covering 2022–2025.[33]
  • 25% of new grocery shoppers remained customers one year later in Upside’s United States transaction analysis.[32]
  • 17% was the month-one drop-off rate for grocery customers using a loyalty program in United States transaction data.[32]

Customer acquisition in the food distribution industry

  • 78% of restaurant operators purchased distributor-brand products in 2025, creating a direct acquisition and upselling opportunity for foodservice distributors.[1]
  • 58.6% of foodservice-distribution sales went to independent restaurants in 2022, the largest customer segment in the United States.[1]
  • 74% of surveyed consumers belonged to a grocery loyalty program in the United States, according to Upside’s 2025 research.[33]
  • 27% of restaurant operators said they would pick up distributor orders from a drop location if offered, in a 2025 United States survey.[1]
  • 72% of a grocer’s revenue came from uncommitted customers who shop across brands and formats, according to United States data published in 2025.[34]

Customer loyalty in the food distribution industry

  • 49% or more of active grocery loyalty members said membership influenced where they shopped, according to United States research.[33]
  • 74% of consumers belonged to a grocery loyalty program, according to Upside’s United States consumer research.[33]
  • 4.3 times more annual spending was generated by grocery loyalty members redeeming personalized offers than by members who did not, according to McKinsey’s 2026 grocery analysis.[35]
  • 50% of customers who joined a grocery loyalty program churned within 12 months, according to Upside’s United States analysis.[33]
  • More than 80% of grocers viewed loyalty programs as a primary engine of value delivery in McKinsey’s 2026 North American survey.[35]

Lead generation in the food distribution industry

  • 89% of restaurant operators reported satisfaction with their primary foodservice distributor in a 2025 United States survey.[1]
  • 78% of restaurant operators bought distributor-brand products in 2025, indicating broad product-level engagement with foodservice distributors.[1]
  • 2.1% of foodservice-distribution sales came from convenience stores in 2022 in the United States.[1]
  • 57% of restaurant operators said artificial intelligence makes distributor sales representatives more efficient in 2025.[1]
  • 4.3% of foodservice-distribution sales came from healthcare customers in 2022 in the United States.[1]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand engagement supports distributor-category sales: 78% of restaurant operators purchased distributor-brand products in 2025.

Marketing in the food distribution industry

  • 53% of grocers rated retail media among their two most important consumer-marketing strategies in the 2025 United States retailer survey.[36]
  • 29% of grocers rated newspaper inserts among their two most important consumer-marketing strategies in the 2025 United States retailer survey.[36]
  • 85% of grocers rated in-store signage among their two most important consumer-marketing strategies in the 2025 United States retailer survey.[36]
  • 51% of grocers rated public relations and corporate communications among their two most important consumer-marketing strategies in the 2025 United States retailer survey.[36]
  • 63% of grocers rated email marketing among their two most important consumer-marketing strategies in the 2025 United States retailer survey.[36]

Digital marketing in the food distribution industry

  • 77% of grocery shoppers were digitally engaged before shopping in FMI’s 2026 United States grocery research.[20]
  • 92% of food retailers used technology, including artificial intelligence, to personalize or customize shopping or marketing experiences in 2024.[20]
  • 37% of grocery shoppers visited retailer or manufacturer websites on their phones while shopping in person in the United States in 2026.[20]
  • 24% of grocery sales were allocated to digital channels in the Progressive Grocer grocery-technology survey.[37]
  • 39% of grocery shoppers conducted a web search on their phones while shopping in person in the United States in 2026.[20]

Branding in the food distribution industry

  • 88% of food retailers used Instagram to communicate with shoppers, according to FMI’s 2024 food-retailing research.[20]
  • 22% of foodservice-distribution sales came from chain restaurants in 2022, the second-largest customer segment in the United States.[1]
  • 50% of restaurant operators said they bought more distributor-brand products than two years earlier in the 2025 United States survey.[1]
  • 59% of foodservice-distribution sales came from independent restaurants in 2022, defining the industry’s principal customer-brand audience in the United States.[1]
  • 78% of restaurant operators purchased foodservice-distributor brand products in 2025 in the United States.[1]

Social media in the food distribution industry

  • 105% was the increase in food and beverage social-media advertising impressions across Facebook, Twitter or X, and Instagram during the study period.[38]
  • 50.6 billion food advertisements were viewed on Twitter or X by United States adults between April 2020 and August 2021.[38]
  • 16.4% of rural-market grocery consumers cited social media as influencing grocery purchases in January 2024.[39]
  • $2.8 billion or more was spent annually on social-media advertising by the United States food and beverage industry, according to research covering 2020–2021.[38]
  • 190.6 billion food advertisements were viewed on Instagram by United States adults between April 2020 and August 2021.[38]

Influencer Marketing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • 29% of B2B companies planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in 2025, globally.[40]
  • 53% of U.S. B2B marketers reported a growing dedicated influencer-marketing budget in 2024 survey data.[41]
  • 43% of worldwide B2B marketers who achieved positive results said micro-influencers generated the most success in 2024.[41]
  • 55% of B2B companies used influencers in 2025, according to a global survey of marketing decision-makers.[40]
  • 58% of B2B marketers selected authenticity and credibility as criteria for choosing influencers in 2025, globally.[40]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Automation is still partial: 22% of food and beverage companies reported fully automated inventory management in 2025, while 48% used partial automation.

Process optimization in the food distribution industry

  • 22% of food and beverage companies reported fully automated inventory management in 2025, while 48% used partial automation.[42]
  • Approximately one-third of foodservice distributors reported using generative or traditional AI in 2025, compared with 12% in 2023.[1]
  • 41% of foodservice distributors rated their technology effectiveness as average in 2025, down from 47% in 2023.[1]
  • 28% of foodservice distributors identified labor savings as a leading technology-decision factor in 2025, up from 12% in 2023.[1]
  • 28% of foodservice distributors cited customization requirements as a leading technology-decision factor in 2025, up from 17% in 2023.[1]

Operational efficiency in the food distribution industry

  • 7% of all U.S. wholesale jobs were represented by direct employment in foodservice distribution in 2022.[1]
  • 431,000 people were employed directly by the U.S. foodservice distribution industry in 2022.[1]
  • 4.2 billion miles were driven annually by U.S. foodservice distribution fleets in 2022.[1]
  • 918,000 total jobs were supported by U.S. foodservice distribution in 2022, including direct, supply-chain and employee-spending effects.[1]
  • 135,000 drivers were employed by U.S. foodservice distributors in 2022.[1]

Quality management in the food distribution industry

  • 1,392 illnesses were reported from U.S. food recall events in 2024, up from 1,118 in 2023.[43]
  • 26,877 FDA-regulated human-food recall events occurred in the United States from 2012 through 2024.[44]
  • 101 U.S. food recalls involved undeclared allergens in 2024, representing 34% of recall events.[43]
  • 41 U.S. food recalls involved Salmonella in 2024, representing 14% of recall events.[43]
  • 65 U.S. food recalls involved Listeria in 2024, representing 22% of recall events.[43]

Supply chain in the food distribution industry

  • 6.3 cents of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers on domestically produced food in 2024 went to wholesale establishments.[45]
  • 39% of surveyed distribution operations cited e-commerce growth of 11% to 30% in 2025, compared with 30% in the prior survey.[46]
  • 9% of surveyed distribution operations used third-party logistics for e-commerce while self-distributing other channels in 2025, up from 4% in 2024.[46]
  • 41% of surveyed distribution operations expected e-commerce growth below 10% in 2025.[46]
  • 13.8 cents of every dollar spent by U.S. consumers on domestically produced food in 2024 went to retail establishments.[45]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 65% expected outsourcing to continue increasing in 2026.[47]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, about 60% had fully outsourced transportation services in 2026.[47]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 57% planned outsourcing projects in warehousing in 2026.[47]
  • Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 25% had fully outsourced warehouse operations in 2026.[47]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Margins stay tight, with median net profit margin of 1.8% in 2025 and Sysco’s reported 3.9% revenue growth and 3.7% operating margin.

Pricing strategy in the food distribution industry

  • 40.0% of surveyed distributors reported procurement-cost increases of 1% to 5% during September and October 2025.[48]
  • 2.8% was the average annual increase in the U.S. all-items Consumer Price Index across 2024 and 2025.[45]
  • 2.6% was the average annual increase in U.S. all-food prices across 2024 and 2025.[45]
  • 2.3% was the increase in U.S. food-at-home prices in 2025 compared with 2024.[45]
  • 5.7% of surveyed distributors reported procurement-cost increases above 26% during September and October 2025.[48]

Cost reduction in the food distribution industry

  • 4.6% was the increase in Sysco total operating expenses in fiscal 2025.[49]
  • 26 basis points was the decline in Sysco's U.S. foodservice gross margin in fiscal 2025 compared with fiscal 2024.[50]
  • 2.8% was the increase in Sysco's adjusted international foodservice operating expenses in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 18.9% was the increase in Sysco international foodservice adjusted operating income on a constant-currency basis in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 3.4% was the increase in Sysco cost of sales in fiscal 2025.[49]

Profitability in the food distribution industry

  • $585 million was Sysco's international foodservice adjusted operating income in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • $81.37 billion was Sysco's total sales in fiscal 2025.[49]
  • 20.9% was Sysco's international foodservice gross margin in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 19.1% was Sysco's U.S. foodservice gross margin in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 16.5% was the increase in Sysco international foodservice operating income in fiscal 2025.[15]

Financial planning in the food distribution industry

  • 18.3% of Sysco's overall sales came from international foodservice operations in fiscal 2025.[50]
  • 0.5% was the increase in Sysco U.S. foodservice total case volume in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 1.4% was the decline in Sysco U.S. foodservice local case volume in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 2.4% was the increase in Sysco international foodservice sales in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 2.9% was the increase in Sysco U.S. foodservice sales in fiscal 2025.[15]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Distributor brands and service positioning remain active, with 89% of restaurant operators satisfied with their primary foodservice distributor in the United States in 2025.

Product development in the food distribution industry

  • More than 83,000 new private-label products reached shelves globally in 2026.[51]
  • 45% of consumer-products leaders invested directly in AI and analytics capabilities for innovation in 2025.[10]
  • 78% of restaurant operators purchased distributor-brand products in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • 65% of retail leaders relied on manufacturers to deliver new and interesting products that drive footfall and engagement in 2025.[10]
  • 46% of innovation launches were private-label products in 2026, up from 42% a year earlier.[51]

Product lifecycle in the food distribution industry

  • Private-label innovation contributed 11.0% of value in Spain in 2026, compared with 5.5% for branded products.[51]
  • Private-label assortments expanded 3.3% in Spain in 2026.[51]
  • Private-label assortments expanded 3.2% in Germany in 2026.[51]
  • Private-label innovation contributed 16.9% of value in Germany in 2026, compared with 9.6% for branded products.[51]
  • 20% of food private-label items were innovation items in 2026, down from 23% a year earlier globally.[51]

After-sales in the food distribution industry

  • 50% of food-away-from-home operators described distributor interactions as service-focused in the United States in 2025.[52]
  • 11% of food-away-from-home outlets described their distributor relationship as a strategic partnership in the United States in 2025.[52]
  • Restaurant operators had used their current distributors for an average of 13.5 years in the United States in 2025.[52]
  • 89% of restaurant operators were satisfied with their primary foodservice distributor in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • 57% of restaurant operators said artificial intelligence made distributor sales representatives more efficient in the United States in 2025.[1]

Value proposition in the food distribution industry

  • 84% of U.S. shoppers trusted store-brand quality more than or the same as national-brand quality in 2026.[53]
  • 89% of restaurant operators identified food costs as a top challenge in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • 21.3% was the U.S. store-brand dollar share across all retail outlets for the 52 weeks ending December 28, 2025.[54]
  • 27% of restaurant operators said they would pick up orders from a drop location if offered in the United States in 2025.[1]
  • Restaurant operators bought from an average of 3.1 distributors in the United States in 2025, up from 2.8 before the pandemic.[1]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Food-waste outcomes remain measurable at scale, including 752 million pounds of food donated by Walmart in the United States in fiscal 2025.

Sustainability in the food distribution industry

  • 97.7% of Walmart U.S. stores and clubs participated in food-donation programs in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 52.4% of Ahold Delhaize own-brand food sales came from products classified as healthy in 2024.[16]
  • 1.3 million kilograms of food waste were prevented by Albert Heijn in 2024 through food-waste-reduction programs in the Netherlands.[55]
  • 1.5 million kilograms of food waste were saved by Ahold Delhaize USA and General Mills through two farmer-support programs in 2024.[16]
  • 39.1% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions was achieved by Ahold Delhaize in 2025 versus its 2018 baseline across its global food retail operations.[16]

ESG in the food distribution industry

  • 38% of Walmart’s public float had engaged with the company since the preceding annual shareholders’ meeting by fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 36% was Ahold Delhaize’s reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2024 versus its 2018 baseline.[16]
  • 97% of assigned Walmart associates completed Code of Conduct training in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 99% was Walmart’s board and committee meeting attendance rate in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 75% of Walmart’s directors were independent in fiscal 2025, according to its ESG reporting for the global food-retail business.[17]

Ethics in the food distribution industry

  • 17% of Walmart board directors were ethnically or racially diverse in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 4 real-life situations were included in Ahold Delhaize’s redesigned 2024 Code of Ethics training for managers and above.[56]
  • 25% of Walmart board members were women in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 1.16 million Walmart associates received at least one food-safety course in fiscal 2025 across the company’s global retail operations.[17]
  • 91% of Walmart directors were non-management directors in fiscal 2025, supporting independent oversight of ethics and compliance.[17]

CSR in the food distribution industry

  • 20,400 Walmart U.S. associates participated in Spark Good volunteerism in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 752 million pounds of food were donated by Walmart in the United States in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 295,000 volunteer hours were reported by Walmart U.S. associates in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • $111 million was raised from Walmart U.S. customers for charitable organizations in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • $2.0 billion in cash and in-kind donations were made globally by Walmart in fiscal 2025.[17]

Circular economy in the food distribution industry

  • 141 million wood pallets were reused by Walmart in 2025.[17]
  • 117 million break-pack boxes were reused by Walmart in 2025.[17]
  • 6.1 billion pounds of cardboard were recycled by Walmart in 2025.[17]
  • 272 million pounds of plastics and films were recycled by Walmart in 2025.[17]
  • 409 million pounds of Walmart global operational food waste went to animal feed in calendar year 2024.[17]

Carbon footprint in the food distribution industry

  • 27.3 million metric tonnes of CO2e were associated with U.S. national retail unsold food in 2023.[57]
  • 14.5 million metric tonnes of CO2e were associated with U.S. retail surplus food in 2023.[58]
  • 16% was US Foods’ reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its 2019 base year through 2024.[59]
  • 16.44 million metric tonnes of CO2e were associated with U.S. national retail unsold food in 2024.[57]
  • 37,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions were prevented by Giant Food’s processing of nearly 80 million pounds of unsold food since 2022.[55]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-region networks stay large, and Sysco reported serving approximately 730,000 customer locations worldwide in fiscal 2025.

Globalization in the food distribution industry

  • 13 countries hosted Sysco operations in fiscal 2025, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.[15]
  • 80-plus distribution centers and home-shopping centers operated across Ahold Delhaize’s global network in 2025.[60]
  • €39.3 billion of Ahold Delhaize’s 2025 net sales came from Europe.[16]
  • $81.4 billion was Sysco’s global revenue in fiscal 2025, serving approximately 730,000 customer locations worldwide.[15]
  • 15,000-plus tier-one suppliers supported Ahold Delhaize’s global food value chain in 2025.[60]

Cultural adaptation in the food distribution industry

  • 51% was Ahold Delhaize’s ownership stake in Super Indo, its Indonesian joint-venture supermarket business, in 2025.[16]
  • 1,450 new own-brand products were introduced by Ahold Delhaize’s European brands in 2025.[16]
  • 17 local consumer-facing brands served food shoppers in Europe and the United States for Ahold Delhaize in 2025.[16]
  • 77 million customers were served weekly by Ahold Delhaize’s locally adapted brands in 2025.[60]
  • 1,100 new own-brand products were introduced by Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. brands in 2025.[16]

Supplier management in the food distribution industry

  • 337 distribution facilities supported Sysco’s foodservice distribution network in North America and Europe in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 23 million miles were traveled annually by Cheney Brothers’ tractors and trailers in 2024.[19]
  • 15,000-plus tier-one suppliers worked with Ahold Delhaize in 2025.[60]
  • Over 80 distribution centers and home-shopping centers received vendor deliveries for Ahold Delhaize in 2025.[60]
  • Thousands of global suppliers partnered with Ahold Delhaize brands to deliver products to distribution centers in 2025.[16]

Stakeholder management in the food distribution industry

  • 8% of Sysco’s fiscal 2025 sales came from education and government customers.[15]
  • 730,000 customer locations were served by Sysco worldwide in fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 384,000 associates were reported by Ahold Delhaize in 2025, excluding joint-venture associates.[16]
  • More than 9,500 communities were served by Ahold Delhaize brands in 2025.[16]
  • 60% of Sysco’s fiscal 2025 sales came from restaurants.[15]

Distribution channels in the food distribution industry

  • 70% of U.S. online grocery shoppers preferred delivery over collection in 2025.[35]
  • 11.8% was the online share of total U.S. grocery sales in 2023.[70]
  • 15% of surveyed consumers shopped at supermarkets or large grocery retailers online at least weekly in 2025.[18]
  • 62% of surveyed consumers shopped at supermarkets or large grocery retailers in-store at least weekly in 2025.[18]
  • 63% of U.S. online grocery orders were delivered rather than collected in 2025.[35]

Key questions about the Food Distribution Industry

What is the U.S. foodservice distribution market size in 2025 and 2026?
The U.S. foodservice distribution market was approximately $377 billion in 2025, with Technomic forecasting about $390 billion in 2026.
How fast is the U.S. market growing around 2026?
Technomic projects growth from approximately $377 billion in 2025 to $390 billion in 2026, implying roughly 3.4% one-year growth.
Which companies lead the food distribution industry?
METRO stands out for professional wholesale and delivery channels because it serves professional customers through wholesale stores, delivery and digital foodservice channels, while Performance Food Group focuses on North American food and food-related products since it markets and distributes food and food-related products across North America.
What technology shifts are showing up in distributor operations?
About 33% of U.S. foodservice distributors used generative or traditional AI in 2025, up from 12% in 2023, while 56% used wearable technology in 2025.
How concentrated is the market among distributors in 2025?
US Foods reported that the top three distributors represented 38% of the market in 2025, leaving 62% to other distributors.
What pricing and profitability characteristics define the sector?
Foodservice distribution operates on thin margins, with a median net profit margin of 1.8% in 2025 and median sales per square foot of $1,693 in 2025.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Food Distribution Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/food-distribution-industry-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "Food Distribution Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/food-distribution-industry-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "Food Distribution Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/food-distribution-industry-statistics.

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