Pod Foods Gives Boston Grocers Access to Emerging Brands

Food retailers can build up a supply chain buffer that allows local economy of suppliers to flourish

2/8/2022

Pod Foods Gives Boston Grocers Access to Emerging Brands

Pod Foods serves as the connection between grocers looking to expand access to emerging brands and trends, and smaller local brands looking to get their products on more shelves.

Grocers in the Boston area can now stay stocked with trend-forward brands, as distribution platform Pod Foods has expanded its full-service wholesale B2B marketplace into the region.

Known for its moves to reinvent the grocery supply chain, Pod Foods provides a data-driven platform that allows food retailers to easily procure from emerging brands and receive orders in a consolidated fashion via an optimized logistics network. In-store marketing support, data analytics and online recommendations bring visibility to emerging brands, accelerating sales so retailers and manufacturers alike can sell more, more easily.

With the company's latest expansion, Boston retail outlets and food suppliers can now search and connect in a faster and more streamlined method. This procurement process provides targeted relief to both ends of the supply line, where industry-wide complications caused by the pandemic have put a strain on the traditional food distribution approach.

"We're excited to be able to now offer the benefit of access and logistics to local retailers and brands alike in the New England region. Boston-area retailers struggling with increased demand for emerging brands and supply chain constraints will now have access to more local inventory and an intuitive platform to help them fill shelves," said Larissa Russell, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Pod Foods. "At the same time, we're helping emerging brands gain national exposure at a critical point in their lifecycle. This expansion brings us one step closer towards cultivating a completely streamlined national fulfillment network.”

According to Pod Foods' "2021 state of grocery report", consumers are now focusing on health more than ever when it comes to what they eat. This means increased attention and popularity for emerging products and brands that offer options such as gluten-free, vegan or dairy-free. At the same time, the rise of direct-to-consumer grocery and convenience store delivery services have put increased pressure on retailers to keep their shelves stocked and include a wider catalog of brands that cater to these changing consumer needs.

By cutting through the logistical and industry-driven challenges of setting up new relationships between these two halves of the supply chain, Pod Foods can help food retailers stay stocked with trend-forward brands. Pod Foods also helps grocers customize their assortment as well as consolidate direct ordering under one distribution platform, solving the problem of fragmentation among emerging category products.

Besides Boston, other operating regions for Pod Foods include Los Angeles and New York City.