Which wholesaler is right for my online food shop?

Which range do you want to sell: A, B or C?

Start with what your shop will sell, not with a supplier's name. Three ranges call for three different kinds of supplier.

A: branded goods such as cola and crisps. Everyone knows them and every supermarket has them. Customers notice any price gap at once, and online you add shipping and, for deposit-bearing drinks, the deposit.

B: American and Asian snacks. Customers look for these on purpose because their local shop rarely has them. Availability, new arrivals and correct labelling decide the matter here.

C: everyday food such as pasta, rice, oil and tinned goods. Value per kilo is low and parcels are heavy, so logistics decide whether the sums work.

Which types of wholesaler exist, and what do they offer?

This overview compares five common types by range, quantities, delivery and fit. It describes typical features; individual suppliers will differ.

Cash and carry. Range: broad, from food to business supplies. Quantities: often single trade packs. Delivery: you pick the goods and transport them yourself. Access: mainly business customers. Fits: A and C, if a store is close to you.

Delivery wholesaler. Range: broad, often geared to catering or retail. Quantities: often minimum order values or fixed routes. Delivery: to your address. Fits: A and C, once you regularly move larger volumes.

Specialist importer. Range: narrow, such as one country of origin or one product group. Quantities: often pallets or high minimums. Delivery: usually freight. Fits: B, if your volumes are large enough.

B2B marketplace. Range: many sellers and a changing offer. Quantities: often small. Delivery: depends on the seller. Fits: testing new items. Terms and paperwork vary from seller to seller.

Trend wholesaler (the MDH type). Range: narrow, built around sought-after brands and new arrivals. Quantities: full cartons. Delivery: parcel or freight. Fits: B and trend items, not C.

How to tell whether a supplier is trustworthy is covered in our guide on finding a reliable wholesaler. Invoices, trademark basics and platform rules are in wholesale for online sellers. This guide deals only with which type suits your range.

Where do you buy branded goods such as cola and crisps?

For A, cash and carry and delivery wholesale are the usual routes, because both carry the well-known brands broadly. Small shops generally cannot buy these brands directly from the manufacturer.

Do the sums carefully for drinks. In Germany, a deposit of at least 25 cents applies to each deposit-bearing single-use drinks container and, under § 46 of the German packaging act VerpackDG, is charged at every trade level. Online shops must also offer suitable return options within reasonable distance of the customer. Weight adds to that. For an online-only shop, A is therefore a hard field: the same goods as the supermarket, plus shipping.

At MDH you will find only a selection from this area, such as Red Bull special editions. We do not stock regular cola or standard crisps.

Where do you buy American and Asian snacks?

For B, consider specialist importers, trend wholesalers and marketplaces. Apart from price, what counts here is whether the pack may be sold in Germany at all. Mandatory information must be in German (§ 2 LMIDV). If the marketing business is based outside the EU, the importer is responsible under Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.

The year 2024 shows why this matters in practice. Twice, German authorities objected to Takis from Mexico: once over missing warnings and English-only labelling, once over a colour not permitted in that type of snack. The details are in our guide on recognising EU-compliant Takis.

So put three questions to every supplier before your first order. Is the stock intended for the EU market? Does the pack name a business with an EU address? Is the mandatory information in German?

Where do you buy pasta, rice, oil and tinned goods?

C belongs with cash and carry or delivery wholesale. Both stock these goods in suitable trade packs and deliver larger quantities on pallets. Trend wholesalers and specialist importers are not set up for this.

Check shipping before you launch. A box of tins or oil weighs a lot and is worth little. If parcel costs take up a large part of the basket, your shop needs high minimum baskets, regional delivery or a clear niche such as speciality foods or pantry bundles.

To be frank: for C, we are not the right supplier. MDH stocks no rice, oil or tinned goods. The only noodles in our range are Samyang Buldak instant noodles.

Cheapest possible or a large range: which matters more?

You will rarely get both at once, so the answer depends on your shop.

If you want to buy as cheaply as possible, compare the cost per item sold rather than list prices. Our guide on comparing purchase prices shows how, with a worked example.

If you want a large range, first ask whether you need one. In our experience, a new online shop with no passing trade does not beat the supermarket on completeness. It wins with a clear selection that is hard to find elsewhere.

A combination tends to work well: one broad supplier for the basics and one specialist for the items that bring customers to you. Decide on three points: Which range will you carry? How many units will you realistically sell each month? How heavy is a typical parcel?

What is MDH Distribution right for, and what not?

A good fit: Asian snacks and drinks such as Samyang Buldak, LOTTE Milkis and Cantabile Ade, plus Takis, Stranger Things snacks and trend squishies as an add-on. We work directly with the manufacturers, for Takis with Barcel, and our goods are intended for the EU market. You should still check the labelling yourself before selling.

Not a fit: staple foods, fresh food, regular cola and standard crisps. Our selection of American sweets is small as well; we do not offer a broad US range.

The terms: no minimum order value, ordering in full cartons, shipping in Germany usually within 24–48 hours, and we deliver to all EU countries. You do not need a physical shop. Prices appear once your trade account is approved, usually after 1–2 working days.

Sources

• Verordnung (EU) Nr. 1169/2011 betreffend die Information der Verbraucher über Lebensmittel, Art. 8 (EUR-Lex, konsolidierte Fassung)
• § 2 Lebensmittelinformations-Durchführungsverordnung (LMIDV) (gesetze-im-internet.de, abgerufen 07.11.2026)
• § 46 Verpackungsrecht-Durchführungsgesetz (VerpackDG) vom 13.07.2026 (gesetze-im-internet.de, abgerufen 07.11.2026)
• NRW: Kontrolleure stoppen Verkauf von TikTok-Trend-Chips Takis (t-online Köln, 15.10.2024; Angaben des LANUV NRW)
• Takis: Bundesamt warnt vor superscharfem Mexiko-Snack (t-online, 16.02.2024; Warnung auf lebensmittelwarnung.de)
• Cash & Carry: Begriff und Arbeitsweise (Wikipedia, abgerufen 07.11.2026)