Florida "Seafood to Schools" Program
How to Sell Seafood Products to School Districts
A Florida seafood company that wishes to sell products to a Florida school district -- whether the district is independent or whether it belongs to a buying group -- should first contact the district foodservice director to see if there is interest in buying the company’s products. There are minimum purchase requirements per month.
Most Florida school districts belong to one of two buying groups:
-- POWER Buying Group (38 school districts).
-- North Florida Buying Group (14 school districts).
The remaining districts are independent, and do not belong to a buying group (15 school districts).
Both buying groups use U.S. Foodservice, a national distribution company, to deliver products to the school districts.
A Florida seafood company that wants to explore the potential for selling products to school districts should follow these steps:
- The seafood company should contact the individual school district foodservice director and arrange for a sales call.
- The seafood company should be prepared to provide the food service director with nutrition and ingredient information of the products, and samples of the products for review and testing.
- If the review and testing results are favorable, and the product is accepted by the foodservice director, the director will submit a new item request to the chairperson of the buying group and the U.S. Foodservice representative.
- U.S. Foodservice will contact the seafood company, arrange to pick up the product, and deliver it to the school district.
Florida "Seafood to Schools" Program Tools
- Find Florida School Districts That Want to Buy
- Find Florida Seafood Companies That Want to Sell
- Find Background Info About Florida "Seafood to Schools"
