For a distributor, a new account on an existing route is almost pure margin: the truck is going there anyway. The best ones to win are stores that have just opened and haven't settled on a supplier, and stores already on your route that you've never called on.
Who buys from distributors
- Retail stores (529,798 in our database): convenience stores, grocery, liquor, beauty supply, hardware and general retail.
- Restaurants and food businesses (857,008): food, beverages, packaging and supplies.
- Salons and personal-care businesses (1,079,420): professional products and backbar supplies.
- Clinics (1,232,659): medical and office supplies.
Retail is where phone matters most: of those 529,798 stores, 344,148 have a phone number on file but only 106,056 have an email, so many retail accounts are still won by a call or a visit.
Where new accounts show up
- Tobacco and retail permits: many states license tobacco and vapour retailers, and new permits name the store and address. A new tobacco permit almost always means a convenience store or smoke shop that needs a supplier.
- Liquor licences: a new licence means a bar, restaurant or liquor store is about to order its first stock.
- Food and business licences: new restaurants, food trucks and grocery stores.
- Business filings and permits: a new LLC at a retail address, or a build-out at a storefront.
Fill your routes first
- Map your current stops: every new store within a few miles of a route you already run is the cheapest account you'll ever win.
- Work by ZIP code or city: a campaign aimed at the areas your trucks cover beats a statewide list.
- Skip stores that import their own stock: chains and large importers rarely switch to a regional distributor; focus on independents.
An offer that wins a first order
- Lower the risk: no minimum on the first few orders, or a starter assortment at cost.
- Be concrete about delivery: "We're on your street every Tuesday and Friday" means more than "fast delivery".
- Reach the owner: independent stores buy on the owner's say-so; licences and permits often name them.
- Follow up with the rep: an email to open the door, a visit to close it.
How we help
BeatTheDoor finds retailers and food businesses from state permits and licences, marks the ones that import their own stock, names the owner where public records show it, and can target just the areas your trucks reach. See leads for distributors and wholesalers, or book a 15-minute demo.
Counts from our database on October 9, 2026. Which permits are public varies by state and city.