Wholesaling and retailing functions are complex Not simply pass-through agents Task is to provide service at a profit Expanding activities beyond traditional functions Food Wholesaling Accounted for 10% of the consumer’s food cost Specialize in adding spatial and possession utility Assemble large lots of goods and distribute smaller lots to retailers Types of Wholesalers Merchant wholesalers Manufacturer’s sales branches Wholesale agents Food Retailing Largest retail sector in all nations Food retailers must be adept at matching supply with demand; most responsive to changes in consumer demand Growing share of food expenditures going to food service rather than food stores Pricing Complex process – multi-product sellers with considerable pricing flexibility – set prices to differentiate their stores from competitors Pricing Strategies Market basket pricing Variable price merchandising “Every-day low pricing”