Tannis Food Distributors

What Tannis Food Distributors does

Tannis Food Distributors is a Canadian broadline foodservice distributor headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1940. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco Canada, which is itself a subsidiary of Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), the world's largest food-away-from-home distributor. Within the Sysco Canada network, Tannis functions as the Ottawa-area operating node, operating both as a direct-to-business foodservice distributor and as the retail storefront "Tannis Cash & Carry." The company serves restaurants as its primary segment, with additional coverage of education, government, tourism, hospitality, and healthcare & senior living customers in the Ottawa region.

Tannis's core offering is built on the Sysco platform stack: the Sysco Shop online ordering system, the Sysco Brand Family product portfolio, business resources for operational optimization, menus and marketing support, and chef-inspired catalogues. The technology layer consists primarily of the Sysco Shop e-commerce platform enabling anytime ordering with next-day delivery or pickup, complemented by customized supply chain solutions and bespoke specialty product offerings. Underlying infrastructure leverages Sysco's global network of approximately 340-343 distribution facilities serving 650,000-730,000 customer locations worldwide, giving Tannis access to scale-driven procurement and logistics advantages unavailable to independent regional distributors.

The business model is transaction-based foodservice product distribution, with revenue generated through the sale of fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment, and supplies to foodservice operators. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured through business account relationships. The go-to-market combines direct delivery to business locations (restaurants, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, hospitality businesses) with a walk-in cash-and-carry retail channel, supported by partnerships with local ranchers, growers, and producers, and community initiatives including food bank partnerships.

Name

Tannis Food Distributors

Website

https://tannisfood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tannis Food Distributors is an Ottawa-based broadline foodservice distributor operating as a subsidiary of Sysco Canada. It serves restaurants, healthcare, education, government, tourism, and hospitality customers in the Ottawa region via Sysco Shop online ordering, direct delivery, and the Tannis Cash & Carry retail storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Distribution

NAICS

Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244), Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/Local Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Broadline Foodservice (Multi-Category) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAA)

Keywords

• Foodservice distribution
• Broadline food distribution
• Restaurant supply wholesale
• Cash and carry grocery
• Commercial food supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foodservice Product Distribution: Sysco generates revenue through the sale and distribution of foodservice products including fresh produce, meat, seafood, and essential supplies to restaurants, healthcare facilities, educational facilities, and hospitality businesses

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tannis Food Distributors operates as a broadline foodservice distributor based in Ottawa, Canada, supplying fresh produce, custom-cut meats, seafood, groceries, and foodservice supplies to restaurants, lodging, healthcare, education, and government customers. The company operates the Tannis Cash & Carry walk-in location and provides online ordering via the Sysco Shop platform, with delivery or pickup available as early as the next day.

Product overview

Tannis Food Distributors operates as part of Sysco Canada's distribution network, offering a platform-plus-services model. The core offering includes Sysco Shop, an online ordering platform for foodservice products, complemented by the Sysco Brand Family product line. Additional services include Business Resources for operational optimization and Menus and Marketing support for culinary innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sysco Shop Online e-commerce ordering platform that allows foodservice customers to place orders 24/7 with delivery or pickup available as early as the next day.
• Sysco Brand Family Portfolio of Sysco's own branded foodservice products spanning fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, and supplies, distributed through Tannis/Sysco Canada's network.
• Business Resources Business support service helping foodservice operators optimize menus, increase revenue, manage labor costs, and improve hiring practices.
• Menus and Marketing Culinary support and marketing resources designed to help foodservice customers innovate and optimize their menu offerings.
• Chef Inspired Catalogues Catalogues featuring chef-inspired product selections and curated solutions for foodservice operators.
• Foodservice Product Distribution (Fresh Produce, Meat, Seafood, Supplies) Core broadline distribution of fresh produce, custom-cut meats, seafood, groceries, and foodservice supplies delivered directly to commercial foodservice customers across restaurants, healthcare, education, hospitality, and government segments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivery or pickup available as early as tomorrow

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Ranchers, Growers, and ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSysco partners with more local ranchers, growers, and producers than any other distributor in the industry, supporting farm to table initiatives to deliver the best products from anywhere to everywhere
• Food Banks and Hunger Relief OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSysco has partnerships with food banks and other hunger relief organizations to invest in the needs of diverse communities around the world; fighting hunger is described as a vital part of Sysco's mission

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Imperial Dade: Large foodservice and janitorial supply distributor across North America. Comparable broadline distribution model to foodservice operators, with similar multi-vertical customer base.
• Gordon Food Service: One of North America's largest family-owned broadline foodservice distributors, with significant operations in Canada. Directly comparable to Tannis as a multi-category broadline distributor serving restaurants, schools, healthcare, and hospitality via direct delivery and online ordering.
• Flanagan Foodservice: Canadian family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving Ontario and Western Canada. Direct competitor to Tannis in the Canadian regional broadline space, with similar customer mix and product breadth.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor in the western/southwestern U.S., serving restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality. Comparable regional broadline model and customer base to Tannis's Ottawa operation.
• Ben E. Keith Company: Privately-held broadline foodservice distributor serving Texas and the southern U.S., distributing food, beverage, and foodservice supplies to operators. Analogous regional broadline distribution model to Tannis.

Broad incumbents

• Performance Food Group: Major U.S. foodservice distributor (including Reinhart Foodservice) operating broadline distribution to restaurants, schools, healthcare, and convenience stores. Comparable business model and customer mix to Tannis's broadline operation.
• US Foods: One of the largest broadline foodservice distributors in the United States, serving restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality with a multi-category product portfolio and direct delivery model comparable to Tannis.
• Sysco Corporation: Global leader in food-away-from-home distribution ($78B FY2024 revenue, 340+ distribution centers in 10+ countries). Tannis operates as a subsidiary of Sysco Canada; the parent is the dominant incumbent in the same broadline foodservice distribution category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tannisfooddistributors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tannis-food-distributors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tannis Food Distributors