Add local touch to your hospitality

How Entegra’s Local and Direct program can help you

Do you take pride in your town or city and want to support a local business? What about environmental goals and the need to reduce your business’s carbon footprint?

If getting food and supplies from within your local community is a part of your business operations, then getting access to a reliable source for those goods and services is going to be the key to success in making your strategy work.

The benefits of buying local food for your hospitality business

Whether you need apples or endives, a local source can deliver fresh, high-nutrient ingredients that have minimal storage and handling. They deliver on taste and appeal to customers’ desire for farm-to-table dishes. From fresh produce and flowers to meats and seafood, Entegra has built a network of suppliers to deliver most everything your hospitality business will need to satisfy your customers.

And with a lot of focus on social responsibility, sustainability and the environment, your GPO can also help you choose a supplier who can help you meet your goals. From sustainable practices to diversity, the right local and direct suppliers can enhance your efforts.

In research conducted by research firms NielsenIQ and McKinsey¹, they found that not only do consumers care about sustainability, but they also support it with their purchasing power. Businesses that understand and engage with this demographic can add to their customer base.

Buying supplies and nonfood items

In addition to helping you source local food items, a GPO can give you access to preferred pricing from its network of local and regional suppliers.

We go beyond broadline distribution to give you more purchasing options. Entegra offers a wide range of solutions to support almost all of your hospitality business' operational needs, and even some you might not know about.

Even though Entegra is the world’s largest food group purchasing organization, you can rely on Entegra for so much more. ATMs, elevators and even housekeeping staff are available through Entegra's Local and Direct Program, as well.

What can Entegra’s Local and Direct Program do for you? Take a look.

Vetting suppliers

Your operations rely on ready access to food and supplies. And that’s where a group purchasing organization (GPO) can help. With its extensive network of trusted suppliers and vendors, Entegra vets potential supply partners. They ensure that potential vendors will be a great business partner for your needs.

Entegra looks for these qualities, and more, in all suppliers who become partners:

1. Reliability. Ensuring few supply chain disruptions.
2. Cost. Locking in lower purchasing prices than you could get on your own.
3. Sustainability. Reviewing how products are manufactured, shipped and more.
4. Food and operational safety. Reducing and eliminating foodborne illness and workplace injuries through strict compliance with safe food handling practices and a focus on occupational safety.

Entegra has a wide variety of programs to fill most of your needs. From table linens to uniforms to furniture and maintenance services, a GPO can open your business to a new world of suppliers.

Ready to explore the breadth of offerings under Entegra’s Local and Direct Program? Call us at 833-977-1765 or contact us to get more information about putting Entegra’s purchasing power to work for you.

^{1 https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/report/2023/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets/}