To help small dealers compete online, Culitrade has emerged as food-service equipment marketplace launched by SEFA, a buying group in the food equipment and services space.
Rachael Weaver, chief business development officer, SEFA
SEFA recognized the challenges faced by small dealers in navigating the complexities of online selling, the buying group says. “Many lack the resources and expertise required to establish a robust online presence, while the initial investment can be prohibitive,” says Rachael Weaver, SEFA’s chief business development officer and executive responsible for Culitrade. “Culitrade.com addresses these pain points by offering a seamless platform where dealers can quickly and efficiently sell their products online, without the need for extensive upfront investment or specialized knowledge.”
Culitrade works with digital agency Aspirant Digital to help smooth out its digital commerce development, the core of which runs on the NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced software platform.
More than online sales
Marisa Hauck, director of ecommerce, Culitrade
“The benefits of Culitrade extend beyond just providing a platform for online sales,” adds Maris Hauck, Culitrade’s director of ecommerce. “By leveraging the collective strength of the buying group, dealers enjoy shared investment and minimized risk, along with access to expertise and professionally managed marketing strategies, including paid search campaigns for customer acquisition. Moreover, Culitrade ensures that dealers maintain their brand integrity by not introducing private labels, unlike other marketplaces.”
“One of the unique advantages of Culitrade is its focus on mutual success,” Weaver says. “Dealers benefit from a revenue share on all sales made through the marketplace, while also gaining access to an expanded customer base. This symbiotic relationship underscores SEFA’s commitment to supporting its partners and fostering long-term growth.”
SEFA says Culitrade also offers unique advantages to suppliers. “By providing a platform where their products can reach a wider audience through SEFA’s network of dealers, suppliers can significantly increase their market reach and drive sales growth,” Weaver says.
“SEFA’s Culitrade marketplace exemplifies how buying groups can adapt to the digital age and empower their members to thrive in the competitive online marketplace,” Weaver says. “By leveraging the collective strength of its network, SEFA is not only creating value for its dealers but also driving innovation and growth in the industry as a whole.”
Culitrade’s suppliers provide products ranging from kitchen equipment, food processing and refrigeration to front-of-the-restaurant items such as glassware. Its dealers include offline cash-and-carry locations and those that specialize in equipping schools or hospitals.
Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. [email protected].
Sign up
Sign up for a complimentary subscription to Digital Commerce 360 B2B News, published 4x/week. It covers technology and business trends in the growing B2B ecommerce industry. Contact Mark Brohan, senior vice president of B2B and Market Research, at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @markbrohan. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Favorite