Our Story
A Legacy of Leadership in Foodservice Distribution
Our story began in 1906, when a group of food wholesalers, concerned with advancing legislation to ensure food safety, founded the National Wholesale Grocers’ Association (NWGA). As the food industry evolved, so did the need for more focused representation. In 1969, the foodservice division of NWGA formed its own organization, what is now the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA). This organization now serves as the collective voice of foodservice distributors across the United States.
Since then, IFDA has grown alongside the industry, supporting its members through decades of change in regulation, technology, logistics, and consumer behavior. From independent, family-owned distributors to national and multinational operations, our members reflect the full diversity and strength of the foodservice distribution sector. IFDA has championed distributor interests in public policy, provided high-value research and education, and created powerful spaces for connection and innovation.
While the landscape continues to evolve, IFDA remains committed to strengthening the supply chain that keeps America’s foodservice sector thriving, for today and for generations to come.
A Brief History of IFDA
1906
A group of food wholesalers concerned with advancing legislation to ensure food safety founded the NWGA (National Wholesale Grocers’ Association). The association had two primary areas of interest: presenting food distributor views to government and serving as a social forum. There was, at that time, no technical services provided to members, and members provided little more to their customers than products for purchase.
1933
Formed by food distributors from the Northeast and Midwest, NWGA merged with the American Wholesale Grocers’ Association, a group serving mostly the Southeast. The new group was renamed the National-American Wholesale Grocers’ Association (NAWGA).
1969
NAWGA merged with the U.S. Wholesale Grocers Association and that organization’s “Institutional Food Distributors of America (IFDA)” became NAWGA’s foodservice division. As IFDA’s membership expanded outside of the U.S., the name was changed to the International Foodservice Distributors Association.
1996
The association’s Board of Governors voted to adopt a new name, Food Distributors International (NAWGA/IFDA), which more directly described the overall membership of the association.
2002
IFDA’s Board of Directors voted to establish a freestanding trade organization dedicated to the unique needs of foodservice distributors. IFDA began operations as an independent entity on January 1, 2003.
TODAY
IFDA continues to diligently work to advance the interests of foodservice distributors through government relations, industry relations, education, and research. We exist to help our members succeed!
JOIN IFDA
IFDA Members are problem solvers and supply chain experts who work tirelessly behind-the-scenes to deliver food safely and efficiently to every corner of America. IFDA’s membership spans the breadth of the industry to include broadline, systems, convenience, and specialty foodservice distributors that supply food and related products to restaurants, schools, universities, hospitals and care facilities, hotels and resorts, and other foodservice operations.