EXCLUSIVE BRAND Development
IMA is armed with the experience, perception, and openness that allows us to adeptly read and assess the current industry climate. Our deep network of strategic marketers and category experts leverages the most current research to develop, launch, and evolve EXCLUSIVE BRANDS that create success for our distributor members and their customers. With a solid grounding in today’s culture and a relentless drive to remain relevant well into the future, we lead our members with confidence through successful EXCLUSIVE BRANDS that become their point of differentiation.
Strategic Planning
Through our comprehensive business planning process, we leverage research and use data-driven insights to develop powerful strategic marketing plans that drive sales growth on priority brands and products.
Exclusive Brand Support
IMA supports distributor members with a robust collection of sales and marketing tools for our EXCLUSIVE BRAND portfolio. In-person and video trainings help boost category knowledge for sales teams; brand sell sheets, guides, social media content, and trade show booths help teams leverage the power of EXCLUSIVE BRANDS in market; our Integrated Digital Asset Management tool allows for member- and market-specific customization; and packaging speed to market drives efficiencies and quickly captures opportunities.
Networking Events
In addition to hosting National networking events virtually and in person throughout the year, distributor members are invited to attend National sales growth and innovation events. These events offer the opportunity to join forces with other industry leaders, meet key foodservice decision makers and influencers, and tap in to IMA resources and industry best practices.
Securing Quality and Innovation
IMA was founded with a commitment to building one of the industry’s strongest Quality Assurance programs to ensure the delivery of a high quality, safe, and consistent EXCLUSIVE BRAND portfolio to our distributor members and their customers. Today, our accomplished QA industry veterans engage in ongoing product collaboration and improvement measures that allow our customers to continually differentiate their business.
IMA QA ensures the quality of our 5,500 products as they diligently:
- Review third-party manufacturing audits
- Develop product and quality standards
- Evaluate well-defined item specifications
- Conduct organoleptic evaluations
- Test products in a state-of-the-art cutting program
- Oversee a comprehensive product recall program
- Facilitate ServSafe® programs
