Excerpt from the report Summary: Two factors have challenged traditional methods of food distribution in this country in the past few years—the advent of large-scale distributors in the food retailing market and the recent phenomenal growth of "super markets." Progressive independent retailers and the grocery wholesalers who serve them have been joining forces to meet this challenge and to find ways of operating more efficiently and effectively. Initial surveys of wholesaler-retailer relations have revealed ways in which many grocery wholesalers are increasing the efficiency of their own operations and making those of the retailers more effective. This report describes methods employed by some of the leading wholesale grocers to improve the efficiency and hold down the costs of operations connected with handling and delivering orders. No attempt has been made to determine which practices are the best or whether they can be improved.