groothandels

Groothandels, or wholesale merchants, operate as intermediaries in the supply chain. They purchase goods in large quantities from manufacturers and sell them in smaller lots to retailers, other businesses, or institutional buyers. Unlike retailers, they typically do not sell directly to end consumers and focus on business-to-business transactions, storage, and distribution.

Their core functions include procurement, breaking bulk, warehousing, and logistics management. They provide product assortment, quality control, packaging, labeling, credit facilities, and market information such as trends and availability. By aggregating demand from many buyers, they achieve economies of scale and reduce transaction costs for producers and retailers.

There are merchant wholesalers who take title to goods and resell, and agents or brokers who facilitate sales without owning the goods. Cash-and-carry wholesalers operate self-service distribution centers, primarily serving small retailers, while specialized distributors focus on particular sectors like foodservice, industrial supplies, or construction materials.

In modern economies, groothandels enable smaller retailers to compete, support supply chain resilience, and link producers to diverse markets. The sector is increasingly digital, with online platforms and B2B marketplaces, data analytics, and just-in-time logistics shaping wholesale practices.