Why FEDA Is Developing Industry Standards

The foodservice equipment and supplies industry depends on manufacturers, distributors, and other supply chain partners working together. Each business has its own systems, processes, and operational considerations, but many of the activities that connect them extend beyond the boundaries of a single organization. 

Trade associations can help address shared industry challenges by bringing companies together to develop standards and guidance that improve the way their industries operate. These efforts can support greater consistency, improve quality, reduce costs, and help businesses work more effectively together. 

Recognizing these opportunities, FEDA’s Future of Distribution Council (FDC) has been working to develop industry standards that address two specific challenges: reducing freight damage and improving consistency in product data. By bringing manufacturers, distributors, and other industry professionals together, FEDA aims to develop actionable guidance that reflects the realities of the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. 

Turning Shared Challenges Into Practical Guidance
The FDC brings distributors and manufacturers together to identify industry challenges and establish approaches to addressing them. Its standards development efforts draw on the experience of professionals who understand the realities of the business. 

The two draft standards focus on different parts of the distribution process but share a goal: providing industry-informed guidance. 

The Shipping, Packaging, and Handling Standard (SPHS) addresses practices related to freight damage during less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Equipment can pass through multiple stages of handling as it moves from manufacturer to a distributor or customer. Guidance on shipping, packaging, and handling can help businesses evaluate their practices and identify opportunities to better protect products in transit. 

The FEDA Product Data Standard focuses on the creation, management, maintenance, and exchange of product information. Manufacturers and distributors rely on product data for activities ranging from quoting and purchasing to e-commerce and order management. A more consistent approach to product information can help improve alignment between the businesses and systems that create, share, and use that data. 

Ensuring the guidance is relevant and workable requires input from the people who understand these processes firsthand. 

Why Industry Input Matters
Developing a standard is about more than documenting recommended practices. The guidance must also reflect the conditions in which businesses operate and account for the different processes, systems, and resources they bring to the work. 

That is why input from industry professionals is an important part of standards development. People who work directly with shipping, packaging, warehouse operations, product data, and related processes can offer perspectives that help identify gaps, clarify recommendations, and highlight considerations that may not be apparent from the document alone. 

FEDA’s current public review period provides an opportunity for those perspectives to inform both draft standards before they are finalized. Feedback can help determine whether the proposed guidance reflects actual industry practices, whether the language is clear, and whether the recommendations are realistic across different business environments. 

Participation should extend beyond company leadership. The employees who manage product information, coordinate shipments, handle equipment, or maintain the systems behind these processes often have valuable insights into what works, where challenges arise, and what could be improved. 

Building Standards Through Collaboration
FEDA’s public review process gives manufacturers, distributors, and other industry professionals an opportunity to influence guidance intended to serve the industry. By sharing their experience, reviewers can help ensure the standards are clear, relevant, and practical for the businesses expected to use them. 

You can help shape that guidance. Review the draft standard most relevant to your work and share your feedback before the Nov. 13, 2026, deadline. You don’t need to review the entire document or be a standards expert to contribute. FEDA encourages members to involve colleagues whose work relates to shipping, packaging, handling, product data, and related processes. 

Download the draft standards and comment forms using the buttons below. Once completed, please send your comments to Director of Industry Programs and Professional Development Ashley Mueller at ashley@feda.com.