Foodservice and alternative channels
FS Octopus gets emerging food & beverage brands into the channels grocery buyers ignore. We don't chase shelf space — we land the operators who move volume.
5,000+
Contacts in foodservice
8
Alternative channels
0%
Commission. Retainer only.
Grocery is a blood bath.
Slotting fees. Free fills. Spoilage. 30 weeks to maybe earn a set — then cut at the first review.
Built for legacy CPG. Not you.
The alternative: one micro-market network. One campus contract. One GPO award. No slotting. No free fills. A buyer who actually answers the phone.
That's the work. We point you straight at the operators who say yes.
What we do
01
Channel strategy
Which doors fit your margin, format and capacity — and the order to attack them in.
02
Operator sell-in
Direct introductions to operators and decision-makers from an existing network, not cold lists.
03
Distributor alignment
Vistar, broadliners and regional DSDs — getting you set up where your buyers already order.
04
GPO & contract
Foodbuy and GPO submissions, plus the SOWs and pricing that hold up at review.
The reach
Every channel below is a different door, a different buyer and a different distribution path. We work all of them.
01
Colleges, Universities & K-12
Dining services, c-stores and meal-plan retail.
05
Military
Commissary, exchange and on-base channels.
02
Hospitality
Hotels, resorts, grab-and-go.
06
Corporate Campuses
Tech and non-tech — dining and employee marketplaces.
03
Convenience Stores
Regional chains and alt-distribution sets.
07
Airports / Airlines / Cruise
Travel and transportation foodservice.
04
Micro-Markets / Vending / Pantry
Unattended retail in offices, plants and campuses.
08
GPOs
Foodbuy and group purchasing awards.
How we work
Straight terms. No commission. No lock-in games.
Plan
6 Months
A clear six-month plan. Long enough to land doors, short enough to stay accountable.
Flat retainer
0% Commission
One monthly retainer. No commission, ever.
Structure
One:One
You work with an experienced team member who lands accounts.
Sales & Distribution
Scope of Work
We put together a scope of work and a plan to execute.
The modelS
Two ways to work with us:
Option 1 · Fractional Sales
1:1 fractional sales & consulting
A dedicated team member runs your foodservice and alternative-channel sales — consulting, outreach, operator sell-in and distribution — as an extension of your team on a flat monthly retainer.
Book a Call
Option 2 · The Program
TOM The Octopus Method
A 6-month hybrid brokerage + education cohort. We open the doors and teach you to work them — in non-competing Beverage and Snack cohorts so nobody's selling against you. Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026.
WhA?t is Tom?
The Podcast
The Octopus Podcast
Foodservice operators, distributors, category buyers and founders talk with me about the secrets — how to get in and grow your business.
New episodes · Whenever I feel like it
Skip the shelf. Land the operator.
Spotify · Apple · YouTube
Who's behind it
Mike Levinson built FS Octopus on one idea: the shelf isn't the only way in.
Let's find your doors
Book a Call