Soft Stuff Distributors

What Soft Stuff Distributors does

Soft Stuff Distributors is a privately held foodservice and hospitality product distributor founded in 1989 and headquartered in Jessup, Maryland. The company supplies desserts, beverages, and assorted foods to foodservice operators using refrigerated delivery, and serves a customer base that includes major hospitality chains and foodservice management companies such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Sodexo, Compass Group, Aramark, Avendra, SAGE, Centerplate, and foodservice purchasing cooperatives Entegra, Golbon, and SFA. Operations are concentrated in the Maryland/Washington DC region.

The company's core product is curated distribution rather than proprietary technology. Its distribution infrastructure is supported by a proprietary web and mobile ordering platform (softstuff.pepr.app) that enables business customers to browse product catalogs and place orders directly. The underlying technology stack, integrations, and AI capabilities are not publicly disclosed. Pricing is quote-based for business accounts and not publicly disclosed.

The business model is sales-led B2B distribution: revenue is generated through the sale and distribution of curated food and beverage products to enterprise foodservice and hospitality buyers. The company emphasizes 37 years of supplier relationships, curated inventory, and customer service as its value proposition, and is independently operated with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent-company backing. Founder Lois Gamerman serves as CEO, Founder, and President.

Name

Soft Stuff Distributors

Legal name

Soft Stuff Distributors

Website

https://gosoftstuff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Soft Stuff Distributors, founded in 1989 and based in Jessup, Maryland, supplies desserts, beverages, and assorted foods to foodservice operators and hospitality chains in the Maryland/Washington DC area via refrigerated delivery and a proprietary web/mobile ordering platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Distribution

NAICS

General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (42441)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/Local Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Broadline Foodservice (Multi-Category) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAA), Broadline Foodservice Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAA)

Keywords

• Foodservice distribution
• Refrigerated delivery
• Dessert distribution
• Beverage distribution
• Hospitality supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Jessup

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product distribution: Soft Stuff Distributors generates revenue through the sale and distribution of curated products to business customers. The company has spent 37 years building supplier relationships and curating an exceptional product inventory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Soft Stuff Distributors supplies desserts, beverages, and assorted foods to foodservice operators through refrigerated delivery. The company curates an inventory of on-trend products sourced via long-standing supplier relationships and provides businesses with a mobile and web ordering platform (softstuff.pepr.app) to browse catalogs and place orders. It serves large hospitality chains, hotel groups, and foodservice management companies.

Product overview

Soft Stuff Distributors is a product distribution company serving the hospitality/foodservice industry with an online ordering platform. The company offers a mobile app and web-based ordering system that allows customers to browse their product catalog, place orders, and manage their accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dessert Distribution Curated distribution of dessert products to foodservice operators and hospitality customers, delivered via refrigerated logistics.
• Beverage Distribution Distribution of beverage products to foodservice and hospitality businesses using refrigerated delivery.
• Assorted Foods Distribution Distribution of assorted food products sourced through long-standing supplier relationships for use by foodservice operators and hospitality businesses.
• Janitorial and Hospitality Supplies Distribution of janitorial and hospitality supplies to business customers in the foodservice and hospitality verticals.

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• SodexominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSodexo is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors, indicating a supply relationship where Soft Stuff serves as a product distribution partner.
• MarriottminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarriott is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• HiltonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHilton is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• HyattminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHyatt is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• Compass GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompass Group is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• AramarkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAramark is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• AvendraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAvendra is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• SAGEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSAGE is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• CenterplateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCenterplate is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• EntegraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntegra is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• GolbonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGolbon is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.
• SFAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSFA is listed as a trusted customer and industry partner of Soft Stuff Distributors.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Sysco: Largest North American broadline foodservice distributor serving hotels, restaurants, and institutional customers with multi-category food and related products. Directly comparable product/customer mix to Soft Stuff, but at vastly greater scale and national footprint.
• US Foods: Major U.S. broadline foodservice distributor supplying restaurants, hospitality, and foodservice operators with broad assortments. Comparable in distribution model and customer overlap (hotels, contract caterers) though operates at much larger national scale.
• Gordon Food Service: Broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, and institutional customers across North America. Comparable broad-category distribution approach and foodservice customer base to Soft Stuff, with significant scale advantages.
• Performance Food Group (Vistar): Large foodservice distributor with hospitality-focused subsidiary serving hotels and concessions. Comparable customer base (Marriott, Hilton-type operators) and distribution model, though operating at enterprise scale with much broader national reach.

Direct peers

• Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, hotels, and foodservice operators in the western/southwestern U.S. Closely comparable business model: privately held, regionally focused, broadline distributor targeting similar hospitality/foodservice end-customers.
• Labatt Food Service: Privately held broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools, and hospitality customers across the southern U.S. Comparable privately-held, regionally focused broadline distribution business with overlapping customer verticals.
• Martin Bros Distributing: Privately held regional broadline foodservice distributor headquartered in the Midwest serving restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality operators. Comparable family/privately-held broadline distribution model targeting similar vertical customers.
• Cheney Brothers: Privately held regional broadline foodservice distributor serving hospitality, restaurants, and institutional customers in the southeastern U.S. Comparable privately-held regional distributor model focused on hospitality and foodservice operators, including dessert/category breadth.
• Ben E. Keith Foods: Privately held broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, hotels, and schools across the southern/midwestern U.S. Closely comparable in being a privately held regional broadline distributor with overlapping foodservice and hospitality customers.

Emerging players

• Cavendish & Harvey / Imperial Dade (specialty desserts/beverages adjacency): Specialty foodservice distributor with strength in confections, desserts, and beverages serving hospitality and foodservice channels. Comparable in dessert/beverage specialization for foodservice, though broader in product mix and national in footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gosoftstuff
• Facebookfacebook.com/gosoftstuff
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gosoftstuff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Soft Stuff Distributors