GPO & Procurement FAQs
Answers about GPO's, Entegra and our difference
Learn what it means to partner with a group purchasing organization, and how Entegra can support your business’s success.
What does GPO stand for?
GPO stands for group purchasing organization.
What is a GPO and how can it help my business?
When you partner with a GPO, you join other buyers in leveraging your collective purchasing power — in Entegra’s case, totaling over $36 billion.
That purchasing power enables your business to access better prices and a broader selection of high-quality items, services and support compared to making those purchases on your own.
What is a procurement service?
A procurement service is a company that provides business with the goods and services it needs, on a relatively large scale, to help them meet the needs of their customers. For example, a taco restaurant needs to buy chicken, beef, pork, cheeses, tomatoes and more. They don't want to pay off-the-shelf costs from retailers for these items, so they turn to a procurement service like Entegra.
Entegra brings a deep experience and skillset to partner across many industries, including restaurants, lodging, golf, senior living, leisure, faith-based, education, acute care and more.
What is a GPO contract?
GPO contracts are pre-negotiated agreements with suppliers and manufacturers that create cost savings for clients. Entegra's GPO contracts have locked in lower-than-market pricing while offering flexibility to buy outside of our contracts if that makes sense for your business.
Who is Entegra?
Entegra is the largest, global group purchasing organization, a world leader in hospitality, with $30 billion in North American purchasing power and $36 billion worldwide. With our procurement expertise, we partner with clients across many industries, including restaurants, lodging, golf, senior living, leisure, faith-based, education, acute care and more.
Are there any costs or requirements for working with Entegra?
We support clients of all sizes and industries – in most cases, with no fees. In other words, you don’t need to pay us to purchase with any of our contracted suppliers.
Once you do decide to partner with our experts, getting started is a simple three-step process.
How does Entegra profit from contracts?
Our suppliers and distributors pay us in the form of rebates. Entegra’s $36 billion in purchasing power means more sales volume for our suppliers, and greater savings and selection for your business – a true win-win scenario.
How does Entegra's pricing compare to other GPOs?
Clients can save up to 30% when compared to supplier list prices. Imagine getting a discount on the products you need to use to create return-worthy experiences for your customers. You don't have to imagine it. Get started with Entegra today.
Will I have to change my distributor(s), or the products I buy?
Entegra works with multiple distribution partners and over 1,500 national, regional and local suppliers, providing access to the selections you trust. And if you can’t find what you need, we offer flexible custom contracting.
How do I order products and services for my company? What is the first step in the GPO processing order?
The first step is to contact an Entegra team member. We'll get you started so you can begin by selecting the best products for your business. We'll notify you distributors about your transition to our program, keep you up to date, and provide strategic purchasing advice.
Am I locked into minimum purchasing requirements?
You are free to purchase as much or as little as you like through Entegra. The closer you work with our experts, the better we can support you in achieving your business goals.
What types of products and services does Entegra offer that other GPOs don't?
Entegra helps you save on everything from food and beverage, supplies, furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE), capital equipment, smallwares, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) and more.
We put your business’s performance first. That means that in addition to helping you save money and improve margins on the items you purchase, our experts deliver a range of services to improve your business.
We provide expertise in a wide range of operational services to help you achieve your corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, meet energy efficiency targets, minimize food waste and more.
You can also access a variety of data services, insights and reports for tracking and strengthening your business performance — all backed by the global purchasing power and culinary expertise of Sodexo.
In short, we never profit off any relationship until you see value first. Click here to learn more about the Entegra Difference.
Is it true that working with a GPO can be risky or restrictive?
While we can’t speak for other GPOs, we strive to make our partnerships as trustworthy and transparent as possible.
Entegra provides dependable client services and maximum flexibility. In fact, most of our clients decide to keep their existing distributors and ordering processes.
Click here to explore other common misconceptions about GPOs and how they operate.
