The difference between struggling convenience stores and thriving ones often comes down to one critical factor: supplier relationships.
Big chain stores leverage massive buying power to negotiate rock-bottom prices, but independent store owners have to be more strategic. Without the right suppliers and management systems, your store will struggle with inconsistent inventory, razor-thin profit margins, and frustrated customers who can't find what they need.
Smart convenience store owners know that mastering their supply chain is about finding the right suppliers and building reliable partnerships to ensure they have the right products at the right time. Those who implement effective vendor management strategies see improved cash flow, reduced stockouts, and ultimately, happier customers who keep coming back.
In this guide, we'll discuss the seven top suppliers every convenience store owner should know about, plus practical strategies for managing these relationships efficiently.
Where Do Convenience Stores Get Their Merchandise? The Convenience Store Supply Chain Explained
Before we explore our list of top suppliers, let’s lay some groundwork: How does the convenience store supply chain work, and why does it matter for convenience store management? Understanding the inner workings of this complex process helps you make better purchasing decisions and negotiate more favorable terms for your store.
Related Read: Convenience Store Operating Expenses: 7 Costs To Budget For
The convenience store supply chain typically follows a three-tiered structure that connects manufacturers with end consumers. Let’s take a look at these tiers:
- Manufacturers and suppliers create the products that fill your shelves. These range from global corporations like PepsiCo and Frito-Lay to regional bakeries and local farms.
- Distributors serve as the crucial middle link, purchasing products in massive quantities from multiple manufacturers, warehousing inventory, and delivering consolidated shipments to retailers.
- Retailers (your convenience store) represent the final step in the chain, where products become available to consumers.
This three-tiered system creates efficiencies that benefit everyone involved. Manufacturers can focus on production without managing thousands of individual store relationships. Distributors leverage their size to negotiate better prices and consolidate deliveries. And you, the retailer, gain access to a diverse product mix without maintaining relationships with hundreds of individual manufacturers.
Related Read: How Much Does a Small Retail Store Make? [+ Tips To Increase Revenue]
With this context in mind, let’s explore our list of the top national convenience store distributors you might partner with to stock your store.
Top 7 National Convenience Store Distributors
|
Distributor |
Headquarters |
Service Area |
Product Categories |
Minimum Order |
|
McLane Co. Inc. |
Temple, T.X. |
National (U.S.) |
Full-line grocery and food service supply; 50,000+ products |
Varies by contract |
|
Core-Mark Holding Co. Inc. |
South San Francisco, C.A. |
North America |
Full range CPG, fresh products, marketing programs |
Varies by region |
|
National Convenience Distributors |
Multiple locations |
15 Eastern states |
18,000+ quality products |
Not specified |
|
H.T. Hackney Co. |
Knoxville, T.N. |
22 Eastern states |
25,000+ products for grocers and c-stores |
Not specified |
|
GSC Enterprises Inc. |
Sulphur Springs, T.X. |
13 Southern states |
10,000+ convenience items |
Not specified |
|
Imperial Trading/S. Abraham & Sons |
Multiple locations |
21 states (U.S./Canadian border to Gulf of Mexico) |
10,000+ convenience products |
Not specified |
|
Cooper-Booth Wholesale |
Mountville, P.A. |
Mid-Atlantic region |
Full-line convenience products |
Not specified |
Additional Details About These Top Distributors
Now, let’s dig a bit deeper into these distributors.
1. McLane Co. Inc.
McLane delivers to nearly every zip code in the U.S., making them an accessible option for convenience stores of all sizes.
What they offer:
- Full-service grocery distribution with 10+ billion pounds of merchandise delivered yearly
- Specialized beverage distribution services
- Multitemperature delivery capabilities for fresh, frozen, and ambient products
Why store owners choose them:
- Nationwide coverage through 80+ distribution centers
- Advanced logistics with 7,500 temperature-controlled trailers
- Long-standing industry experience since 1894
- Berkshire Hathaway backing for stability and reliability
2. Core-Mark Holding Co. Inc.
Core-Mark is a large distributor specializing in fresh products and consumer goods, ideal for stores looking to expand beyond traditional c-store offerings.
What they offer:
- Largest fresh product distributor for convenience stores in North America
- Comprehensive marketing programs to increase basket size
- Advanced category management services
Why store owners choose them:
- Innovation-driven merchandising approaches
- Cloud-based space visualization tools to maximize store layout
- Expanded services for drug stores and specialty retail sectors
Related Read: How To Run a Convenience Store: 6 Top Tips
3. National Convenience Distributors
NCD serves the Eastern United States with over a century of experience in the convenience store industry.
What they offer:
- Access to 18,000+ convenience store products
- Exclusive targeted promotions to drive sales
- Custom merchandising services
- Proprietary brands, including Island Coffee Co. and Mighty Chicken
Why store owners choose them:
- 16 warehouse locations serving 15 states
- A 330-truck fleet
- Strategic retail space planning to maximize profitability
- Combined expertise from six established distributors
4. H.T. Hackney Co.
H.T. Hackney operates on a "one reliable source" philosophy to simplify ordering and logistics for convenience stores in the eastern United States.
What they offer:
- Comprehensive product selection covering all c-store categories
- Advanced technology tools for inventory management
- Advertising and marketing support programs
- Customer reimaging services for store refreshes
Why store owners choose them:
- Strategically-located distribution centers covering 22 states
- Retail space management expertise
- Expanded foodservice solutions through their "Advantages" program
- Commissary options with fresh food offerings to boost margins
5. GSC Enterprises Inc.
GSC combines convenience store distribution with alternative financial services, providing c-stores with an opportunity for a new revenue stream.
What they offer:
- Over 10,000 inventory items for c-stores
- Fidelity Express Financial Services
- Family-owned business approach with personalized service
- Coverage across 13 states in the South and Midwest
Why store owners choose them:
- Over 1 million square feet of warehouse space
- Long-standing industry expertise since 1947
- Consistent family ownership
Related Read: Mastering Inventory Storage: Tips, Tools, and Processes for Retailers
6. Imperial Trading/S. Abraham & Sons
- Abraham & Sons merged with Imperial Trading to become the nation's fourth-largest convenience store distributor.
What they offer:
- 10,000+ convenience store products
- Custom digital menu boards for food service operations
- Comprehensive food service programs to increase profits
- Retail category analytics for data-driven decisions
Why store owners choose them:
- Supply to 5,000+ retail locations across 21 states
- Advanced technology, including batch picking and sorting automation
- Store layout design services to help store owners maximize traffic flow
7. Cooper-Booth Wholesale
Cooper-Booth focuses on helping retailers maximize their business potential through value-added programs.
What they offer:
- Full-line, full-service convenience store distribution
- Flexible ordering and delivery options to reduce stockouts
- Merchandising and category management expertise
- Complete beverage programs with equipment and training
Why store owners choose them:
- Dedicated customer service teams providing personalized assistance
- Data insights on sales and market trends
- Exclusive promotional programs to improve profit margins
- Customized retail planograms designed for high-yield returns
Choosing the right distributor mix can make or break your convenience store's profitability. The best approach is often to work with multiple suppliers to leverage their individual strengths while maintaining backup options for critical product categories.
Let’s now examine some best practices for choosing the right supplier mix for your store.
How To Choose the Right Supplier Mix for Your C-Store
Creating the right supplier mix for your store is a must for creating the right product selection for your customer base without sacrificing healthy profit margins. So, how can you choose the best supplier mix for your business?
Start by analyzing your customer demographics and shopping patterns. Look at sales data from your point of sale (POS) system to identify which categories drive traffic and which generate the highest margins.
Profitable convenience stores build relationships with a mix of supplier types:
- National broadline distributors (like McLane or Core-Mark) for core convenience items
- Regional distributors for locally popular brands and fresher products
- Specialty distributors for categories like craft beer, fresh food, or tobacco products
- Direct manufacturer relationships for high-volume items
You need to ask the right questions to ensure a strong fit when evaluating potential suppliers. Here are some questions you want to ask during the evaluation process:
- What are your minimum order requirements?
- How frequently can you deliver to my location?
- What payment terms do you offer?
- What margin can I expect on your products?
- Do you offer marketing support or planograms?
- What happens with damaged or expired products?
Remember to look beyond price during your decision-making process. We suggest creating a simple evaluation matrix comparing each supplier across factors that matter most to your business: price, delivery frequency, minimum orders, payment terms, product quality, and reliability.
Related Read: C-Store Inventory Basics: 8 Essential Tips and Tools
Finally, don't accept standard terms without negotiation. Most distributors have flexibility on payment windows, delivery schedules, and even return policies. The most successful store operators review supplier performance quarterly and aren't afraid to ask for changes when relationships aren't meeting expectations.
Technology Solutions for Managing Multiple Suppliers
Managing multiple suppliers manually is a headache, to say the least. You need the right tools and technology to manage your store and supplier relationships effectively. But what technology does your store need to succeed? Here’s where to start:
- POS system: Your point of sale system should serve as the command center for your supplier relationships. Look for systems with dedicated supplier management modules that store vendor information, track order history, and maintain preferred product lists for each supplier.
- Real-time inventory tracking: Inventory management is critical to the supplier management process. You need the right tools to help you keep track of stock levels without constant manual counting. Your inventory management tool should work with your POS to automatically update inventory as products are received and sold. This visibility extends to tracking which products come from which suppliers — this helps you resolve quality issues or other supplier challenges.
- Data analytics and reporting: Lastly, you need a reporting tool to help you examine transaction history and better understand which products and suppliers are driving sales and profits for your store. Look for reporting and retail analytics that show product performance by category, supplier, and time period, helping you identify opportunities to consolidate orders or negotiate better terms.
If you select a specialized point of sale system designed for convenience stores, like C-Store POS, you’ll get all three of these tools integrated into a single software solution.
Common Challenges in Supplier Management (& How To Solve Them)
No process is without its challenges, and supplier management is no exception. Let’s take a look at some of the hurdles you may come across when managing supplier relationships for your convenience store — and how to solve them.
- Managing multiple delivery schedules:
Many convenience stores work with 5–10 different suppliers, each with their own delivery days and receiving requirements. This juggling act can quickly become overwhelming, especially during busy seasons or when key staff members are unavailable. Solve this by creating a master calendar in your POS system that tracks all expected deliveries, allowing you to schedule appropriate staff and allocate receiving space. Your system should also generate receiving reports that streamline the check-in process and automatically flag discrepancies between what you ordered and what arrived. - Invoice reconciliation:
Convenience store margins are already razor-thin, making every invoicing error a significant threat to your bottom line. Studies show that up to 4% of all supplier invoices contain errors, translating to thousands of dollars in lost profits annually. Your POS system should maintain a digital record of all orders placed, allowing quick comparison against delivered products and invoices. Look for solutions that import electronic invoices directly from major suppliers, automatically matching line items against your original order and flagging price discrepancies. - Product quality issues:
Customer loyalty is crucial in the convenience industry, and you’ll only win loyal customers if you consistently provide high-quality products. When suppliers deliver damaged goods or items nearing expiration, your store's reputation takes the hit, not the distributor's. The best convenience store POS systems include supplier performance tracking that documents problems and helps you identify patterns to address the issues and change suppliers when necessary. - Stockouts and inventory forecasting:
Convenience store customers expect immediate access to their favorite products. This makes accurate demand forecasting and proactive inventory management critical for stores in your industry. Your POS system should track sales patterns across different days and seasons to help you predict demand spikes. You can then use this POS data to adjust order quantities before problems occur, avoiding both excess inventory and the dreaded empty shelf.
Related Read: What Is Safety Stock? Definition, Formula, and How To Minimize
With the right tools, you can avoid these challenges and keep your supply chain running smoothly.
Best Practices for Profitable Supplier Relationships
Following industry-proven best practices in supplier management can help you avoid headaches like the ones we discussed above, boost profits, and streamline store operations. Let’s take a look at some best practices to follow with your convenience store suppliers:
- Build strategic partnerships with suppliers through regular communication beyond just placing orders.
- Establish a consistent ordering schedule that aligns with your sales patterns, like reviewing one product category each day of the week.
- Leverage your POS system's reporting capabilities to get data-driven order recommendations.
- Join buying groups to aggregate purchasing power with other independent stores for better pricing.
- Prepare for negotiations with specific metrics like annual volume, growth rate, and category performance.
- Implement quarterly supplier performance reviews based on fill rate, delivery timeliness, and product quality.
- Create backup supplier relationships for critical product categories to minimize stockout risks.
- Consolidate orders where possible to meet minimum order requirements and reduce delivery fees.
- Request exclusive promotions or territory-specific deals that aren't available to competitors.
- Document all quality issues, late deliveries, and invoice discrepancies in your POS system.
- Don't hesitate to switch distributors when performance consistently falls short of expectations.
Related Read: Back Office Software for Convenience Stores: 5 Key Features
Following these best practices can help you run your convenience store with higher margins, fewer stockouts, and better customer relationships.
Where Do Convenience Stores Get Their Merchandise? Manage Your Merchandise With Ease
Building the right supplier network is crucial for the success of your convenience store. The seven suppliers listed in this post give you a perfect starting point for finding the right mix for your store.
Finding the perfect balance between national distributors, regional suppliers, and direct manufacturer relationships is the best play to create the product mix and margins your store needs to thrive.
But managing your convenience store supply chain is borderline impossible without the right tools and technology. If you want to run your business and manage supplier relationships with ease, you need a point of sale system designed specifically for stores like yours.
Ready to see how the right technology can streamline your supplier management and boost your profitability? POS Nation specializes in complete point of sale solutions designed with specific retail markets, like convenience stores, in mind. Schedule a free demo today.
