• How do I figure prices delivered to me?
• When was the National Food Exchange invented?
• What are the trading hours?
• Who is given access to the National Food Exchange?
• What do I need to do to become an approved trader with access to the exchange?
• Why isn't access available to everyone?
• What are the costs associated with using the site?
• How does the exchange make money?
• Is the site only for buyers?
• How many qualified active traders are currently on the exchange?
• Are orders confirmed immediately?
• What is the difference between the 'exchange' tab and the 'inventory' tab once I am inside the site?
• Can a truckload be delivered to more than one stop?
• Do I always need to buy a truckload of product for my order to be shipped?
• How do I buy product from either the exchange side or from the inventory side?
• How do I post a quote?

Simply click on the state you would like product to be delivered to. The box is in the center near the top of the screen and entitled 'delivery location'.

The National Food Exchange was conceived in 2001 but was rolled out in its modern form in Setempber 2003.

Access to the exchange is available 24 hours seven days a week. Orders are confirmed Monday - Friday, 8am - 5 pm EST.

Access to the National Food Exchange is given to applicants who are qualified, active traders.

You simply click the 'register' tab in the upper right hand corner of the home page and fill out the one page information sheet. When completed click the 'submit' button at the bottom of the page. Your information will be reviewed shortly thereafter and you will be approved at that time. Applications are judged on their ability and desire to do legitimate business on the exchange and on their credibility. Applications with false information are denied access to the exchange.

To protect the integrity of the exchange it is necessary to qualify traders.

At this time there are no costs to buyers and sellers on the exchange. If a user doesn't purchase product or sell product after some period that user will become subject to a subscription fee.

The exchange makes money by adding an upcharge to posted quotes. There is no cost to either buyers or sellers to do business on the exchange.

No. The site is for both sellers and buyers. Without sellers there would be no exchange.

As of the fall 2004 there were close to 400 qualified active traders. That number is growing every day.

Given the nature of the wholesale grocery trading industry most orders will be confirmed within an hour. There will be times, due to a number of factors, that confirmation might take longer.

The 'exchange' tab is a database of truckload offers from sellers around the country. Prices are quoted at delivered cost. A truckload must be built using only items within a particular offer. The 'inventory' tab is a database in which all items (generally between 3000 and 5000 items) can be mixed to make a truckload. Prices on the inventory are only quoted delivered.

Yes but prices are quoted based on one drop. An order with multiple drops is subject to confirmation and extra shipping fees. Make us aware of what you want and we will try to deliver it.

Generally yes. However, if you would like to purchase less than a truckload please submit the order and we will try to ship it. Less than truckload orders are more likely to be cofirmed from the inventory side than from the exchange side.

On the exchange side you simply click on the item and you will see all the other items from that offer that can be mixed to place an order. Simply assign a purchase order number and requested delivery date and fill in the desired quantity on each item and submit the order. The order will be confirmed, most times, within an hour. On the inventory side please use the more conventional 'buy this' tab on a desired item to build your order.

Simply fax, email, or call in your offers to the National Food Exchange. Your quotes will then be posted. We will be adding a "post a qoute" feature where sellers can post offers directly onto the exchange in the near future.