Let’s be honest: running a food distribution business isn’t easy. You're the heartbeat of local food scenes, tirelessly building relationships and legacies that often span generations. But the pressure is undeniable. Giants like Sysco, Performance Food Group (PFG), and US Foods(the ‘Big 3’) are leveraging every advantage, especially their digital and online presence. These guys aren’t just running websites. They’re running ad networks. Every click, every login, every search on their eCommerce platforms? Monetized at scale.

But, here’s the good news: You can do this too. 

You don’t need a billion-dollar brand or hire a dev team. You just need to start looking at your eCommerce platform the way the Big 3 look at theirs: a revenue engine. It’s all about running the right play, for the right people. Here’s how:

Three Plays To Help You Move More Cases 

You’ve built your business on relationships and reliability. Now it’s time to build a repeatable revenue model that strengthens supplier partnerships and drives measurable growth. Here’s how: 

Play #1: Put a Price Tag on Your Digital Real Estate

You’re already investing your time and energy into building your digital footprint, but are you maximizing its full potential?

The Big 3 assign value to every ad spot-banner, search result, email feature - and charge suppliers to show up in those moments.

Start cashing in on your digital spaces: 

• Your eCommerce Platform: Sponsored products, display ads, sample requests.
• Emails to Customers: Weekly promos, reorder reminders, new item spotlights
• Social Media: Product features, seasonal hype, supplier collabs.

Ask yourself: where are my operators spending time digitally -  and how can you turn that attention into dollars? 

Play #2: Let Your Operators' Needs Power Your Promotions

Nobody wants to see irrelevant ads. But if you’re surfacing the right thing at the right time? That’s not marketing - it’s helpful.

Here’s where it gets fun: With the right eCommerce platform, you can tap into what your operators are already doing and use that behavior to shape super-targeted promos.

We're talking:

• High-Interest Items: Products operators frequently search for but haven’t purchased.
  Win-Back Opportunities: Customers who previously bought within a category but haven’t recently.
• Trial Targets: Operators who haven’t tried a promoted item in the last 180+ days.
• Smart Substitutions: Alternatives for out-of-stock core items.
• Seasonal Campaigns: Example: “April showers bring May flowers, 10% off floral items”

With solutions like Pepper, you can run these highly targeted local promotions with ease:

• BOGOs (Buy One, Get One) to push volume.
• Clearance Promotions to move aging or excess inventory.
• Pre-Buy Opportunities to lock in commitment and reduce waste 

When your local campaigns are layered on top of national advertising dollars, you create a powerful flywheel: operators discover new products, solve real supply problems, and stick to your platform longer. That’s a flywheel. You build awareness and trust and revenue. A Triple win. 

Play #3: Choosing a Partner that Actually Moves the Needle

The moment of clarity that most distributors have is, “Wait… my eCommerce site could be making me money?” Yeah - and it should be beyond generating a return on your investment. 

The best part? If you have an eCommerce partner - or are looking at one for your business here are some things to look for: 

• Built-in ad modules: display, search, sample triggers
• National brand programs ready to go
• Easy tools to run your own local promos
• Full backend support: reporting, logistics, supplier comms
• No dev team required

That’s what Pepper does - you get the control, we handle the lift. 

Final Thoughts

You’ve put in the years building your business. You’ve earned the trust. Now it’s time to unlock the kind of scalable revenue the Big 3 have been enjoying for a while.

With Pepper, independent distributors are earning real money off the digital traffic they’re already getting—no crazy pivot required.

It’s your platform. Let’s help it earn like one.

Ready to turn your platform into a profit center? Speak to your Customer Success Agent, or talk to one of our product experts. 

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