How to Get Your Products Into Foodservice

Foodservice can be a major growth channel for plant-based and better-for-you brands, but most CPG startups have no idea how to break in.

Whether it’s getting on a college campus, into a fast-casual chain, or in a corporate café, the foodservice world runs on relationships, formats, and margins that look nothing like traditional retail. In a VEGPRENEUR webinar, seasoned sales expert Jenna Cameron broke down exactly how brands can successfully enter and scale in foodservice. Here’s your step-by-step guide to doing it right.

Why Foodservice?

Landing in foodservice isn’t just about volume, it’s about impact:

- You build trial and awareness in places where people eat daily (offices, campuses, hotels).
- You diversify your revenue outside of DTC and retail.
- You expand your brand reach in channels where competitors may not yet be playing.

But unlike retail, foodservice buyers are not just looking for trendy products. They want reliability, flexibility, and value.

Step 1: Understand How Foodservice Works

Foodservice includes a range of outlets: universities, hospitals, corporate cafés, restaurants, fast casual chains, hotels, and more. These accounts usually source through broadline distributors like Sysco, US Foods, or DOT, or through regional specialists. Buyers at these institutions work with set budgets, standardized menus, and strict operational constraints. Your product has to make sense in their system—not the other way around.

Step 2: Create Foodservice-Ready Products

Retail packaging won’t cut it in foodservice. You need to develop formats that are practical for operators. This often means:

- Bulk formats or cases of individually wrapped units
- Frozen or shelf-stable options with longer shelf life
- SKUs that are easy to portion and prep

For example, a burrito brand might sell 4-packs in retail but offer 12- or 24-packs for foodservice, where the product is unboxed and quickly microwaved or heated in batches.

Step 3: Nail Your Pricing and Margins

Foodservice buyers need to hit strict price-per-serving targets. That means your product needs:

- High yield (how many servings per case)
- Competitive price per unit
- Low prep time to reduce labor costs

You’ll also need room to offer distributor markups and operator incentives, which often means your COGS need to be lower than in retail. If your margins are too tight, foodservice might not be viable yet.

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Step 4: Make It Easy for Operators

Foodservice buyers are busy. They need to know:

- What does your product pair with?
- Is it easy to store and serve?
- What dietary needs does it fulfill (vegan, nut-free, kosher)?
- Does it fit into existing menus?

The easier you make it to imagine your product in a meal—like a sandwich, bowl, or side—the more likely you are to get a yes.

Step 5: Build Relationships With Distributors

To scale in foodservice, you almost always need a distributor. Start by:

- Finding out who your target operator already works with
- Getting set up with distributors like Sysco or DOT
- Offering samples and incentives to reps

Working with a redistributor like DOT Foods can help streamline national availability, especially for frozen or shelf-stable items.

Step 6: Start With a Strategic Anchor Account

Don’t try to go wide too fast. Focus on one strong anchor account—like a regional café chain, a university system, or a hotel group—to build case studies and proof points. Then use that success story to open new doors. Make sure to support the launch with co-branded content, POS materials, and social media buzz to maximize visibility and build momentum.

Step 7: Think Long-Term

Foodservice sales cycles are long. It can take 6 to 12 months to land an account and even longer to scale. But once you’re in, the recurring volume can be significant. Be patient, stay consistent with your outreach, and focus on accounts where your product truly fits. Foodservice isn’t just another channel—it’s a strategic lever that can supercharge your brand’s growth.

Want More Support?

Jenna Cameron offers strategic consulting and is also a VEGPRENEUR mentor. From pricing strategy to distributor setup and national accounts, she’s worked with some of the most recognizable names in the plant-based space. Reach out to VEGPRENEUR for an intro!

If you’ve been focusing only on retail and DTC, now’s the time to consider foodservice as a core part of your go-to-market. With the right approach, this channel can drive real brand awareness, loyalty, and sustained revenue. VEGPRENEUR members can watch the webinar and access the presentation slides in our Video Library.