Guide · 2026-09-14
Wholesale suppliers for convenience stores: what a distributor should actually do for you
There are about 152,000 convenience stores in the United States and roughly 92,000 of them are single-store operators. Most of them buy the same way: DSD trucks for soda and chips, a jobber for cigarettes, and the owner's own trips to a cash-and-carry for everything else. This guide is about that "everything else".
What stays on DSD
Keep the beverage and salty-snack majors on their own trucks; the terms and the merchandising service are worth it. Tobacco, lottery, beer and wine stay with their licensed channels. We do not carry any of those.
What moves to one weekly order
Better-for-you snacks and bars, premium chocolate and candy, sparkling and functional drinks, OTC and personal care, paper goods, cleaning supplies and gloves. That is the part of the store that currently costs you a trip, and it is the part with the best margins.
Minimums and delivery days
Our Orange County routes run Wednesday (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley) and Thursday (Santa Ana, Tustin, Orange, Anaheim, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills). Order by Wednesday 8 p.m. Pacific; $500 minimum per delivery with delivery included; shorts drop off the invoice before the truck leaves.
How to compare us honestly
Take your last cash-and-carry receipt, open an account, and compare line by line at the case level. We will win on specialty and natural items and on anything heavy, and we will not always win on mainstream commodity items — the trip is where the real saving is.
On our list — examples
- Siete Chip Tortilla Lime · 5 OZ · 12/case
- Popchips Chip Barbeque · 0.8 OZ · 24/case
- Chocolove Chocolate Bar Dark 55 Percent · 3.2 OZ · 144/case
- Hint Water Essence Blackbry · 16 FO · 12/case
- Mountain Valley Water Sparkling Lime · 1 LT · 12/case
- Seventh Generation Wipe Disinfct Multi Surfc · 70 PC · 6/case
- If You Care Bag Ktchn 13gal Tall Cmpstble · 12 BG · 12/case
- Siete Chip Tortilla Sea Salt · 5 OZ · 12/case
- Chocolove Chocolate Bar Milk · 3.2 OZ · 144/case
- Hint Water Essence Wtrmelon · 16 FO · 12/case
- Mountain Valley Water Sparkling Blkbry Pmgrnt · 1 LT · 12/case
- Seventh Generation Tissue Bath 2ply 4pk 300ct · 1 EA · 12/case
Sold by the full case. Case prices are shown to approved members; shipping is quoted separately. Brands and assortment change with the weekly list refresh.