The Food Group is more than a directory, a buying group or a software platform.
It is a growing network designed around the everyday needs of independent food businesses.
Our goal is to bring together the areas where independent operators can benefit from shared scale, better technology and greater visibility — without taking away the independence that makes each business unique.
The Food Group can help businesses across areas such as:
A business might use The Food Group simply to help more customers discover them.
Another might use our software to help run their day to day operations.
Others may benefit from supplier relationships, purchasing opportunities, business insights or a combination of services.
There is no requirement for every business to use everything.
Businesses should be able to choose the parts of The Food Group that are useful to them while keeping the systems, suppliers, products and processes that already work for their business.
The Food Group also provides a public destination where customers can discover independent, owner operated food businesses.
For businesses, this creates another marketing channel and a way to build visibility with customers specifically looking to support local and independent operators.
For customers, it creates a place to find food businesses that may otherwise be difficult to discover — from cafés and restaurants to pizza shops, bakeries, takeaway stores and other locally owned food businesses.
The aim is simple:
Help great independent businesses be found, help them operate more effectively, and help them benefit from the strength of being part of something bigger.