Partnerships with a Purpose

How Canteen is Supporting Diverse Brands

Canteen is helping clients reach their diversity and inclusion goals through supplier diversity partnerships. The company’s strategy: cast the net deep and wide to provide clients access to diverse products across the country. Over the last year, Canteen has partnered with eight new certified diverse nationwide snack and beverage suppliers, and have doubled their local and regional diverse supplier pipeline.

“Our expertise and retail scale allows us to connect with a vast portfolio of partners while also facilitating shared growth opportunities,”says Jessi Moffitt, Vice President of Product Innovation & Retail. “We meet suppliers where they are today, and work with them on unique development and launch strategies that support their brand’s goals and initiatives. If they’re growing, then we’re growing too. It’s a true partnership between all of us.” Canteen integrates diverse supplier partners into their overall marketing and communication strategies. This spring, Canteen offered a discount for two black-owned coffee roasters: BLK & BLD and Red Bay Coffee Roasters. The Canteen-funded offer encouraged existing customers to try a different coffee supplier while growing its partners’ businesses. Canteen also offers a Diverse Supplier Snack Box, a box filled with a variety of tasty products from Canteen’s partner brands.

“For us, it’s not about checking a ‘politically correct box.’ It’s about committing to and serving the people and companies in the communities where we operate,” said Peter Fetherston, CEO of Canteen.

The mission to support diverse businesses includes new point-of-sale marketing, more meaningful inclusion in sales proposals, and dedicated blog posts about supplier partners on Canteen.com. Intentional strategies drive awareness and conversion to their diverse supplier programming, supporting the communities in which Canteen serves.