Rooted Supply

Rooted Supply

Finding Your People: A Local Sourcing Guide for Community-Rooted Food & Beverage Businesses in San Diego

Most sourcing decisions get made under pressure, then last for years. This playbook gives you a process to follow before that happens.

What's inside

• Five dimensions of supplier fit — total cost, reliability, values alignment, certifications, and minimum orders, with guidance on how to rank them for your business

• San Diego's supply network, mapped — the three distributor tiers and which one fits your stage, the wholesale networks behind the Asian and Latin retail markets, cross-border sourcing from Baja, and farmers markets as a wholesale channel

• How to approach suppliers — what to bring, what to ask, and the one answer that tells you the most

• A structured way to compare candidates and run a trial order before committing

• How to keep the relationship working once the account is open

Four reusable tools

• Sourcing Criteria Worksheet — turn the five dimensions into your own numbers, with a filled sample included

• Outreach Template Pack — cold contact, market follow-up, and trial order requests

• Supplier Scorecard — score candidates on the same seven criteria

• Pilot Order Debrief — evaluate a trial before you commit to a standing order