The importance of distribution cannot be downplayed. Producers depend on distributors to get their products to retail traders. Distributors create this channel to move products from manufacturers to consumers by acting as middlemen.
In the distribution industry, some distributors have continually retained their status as the leading distributors in terms of:
- Competitive pricing of products
- Building a loyal and trustworthy relationship with consumers by earning their reliance and faith.
- Continuous development and evolution of their businesses by adapting to prevailing trends to ensure that customers remain satisfied.
- Timely delivery of products through their wide distribution channels to retail traders.
In the USA the top 10 distribution companies are:
1. McLane Corporation: McLane corporation provides distribution services for over 90,000 retailers in the country. They focus on the distribution of food products, drugs, and alcoholic drinks.
2. Core-mark holding Company Incorporated: Core-mark provides services to about 29,000 retailers in the country particularly North America.
3. Eby-Brown Company: Eby-Brown delivers to about 13,500 Retail outlets and has been in operation for about 120 years.
4. H.T. Hackney Company: HT Hackney stocks more than 25,000 variety of products and provides distribution services to 30,000 retailers around the country.
5. GSC Enterprises, Incorporated: GSC Enterprises focuses on the distribution of grocery products to retailers in the country, established in 1947 the company has undergone 14 significant expansions.
6. Farner-Bocken Company: Farmer-Blocked stocks over 14,000 consumer products ranging from snacks, cigarettes, tobacco, food products, groceries, health and beauty items, beverages and drinks, toiletries, and electronic targets.
7. Harold Levinson Associates, Incorporated: Harold Levinson has over 18,000 items in stock and carries out approximately 3,000 to retail outlets. HLA owns a warehousing facility with 600,000-square feet available space.
8. Imperial Trading Company: Imperial Trading Company has partnership 300 consumer product manufacturers and stocks over 8,000 products.
9. AMCON Distributing Company: AMCON distributes over 14,000 consumer products to an approximate of 5,000 retailers which includes convenience stores, liquor shops, grocery stores, drug shops, and tobacco/smoke shops. They carry out delivery of products such as frozen foods, confectionery, grocery, beverages, and snacks.
10. Abraham & Sons, Incorporated: S. Abraham & Sons focus on the distribution of food products in the Midwest. They utilize various marketing strategies to enjoy those products to reach targeted consumers. Partnering with different restaurants, convenience stores, malls, and manufacturers they strive to access success in the distribution sector.
These distributors have established online platforms in the form of websites to enable customers to have easy access to information and improved communication level.