Connecting Global Food Suppliers to the U.S. Market

Client

SmartBuy

Industry

Food & Beverage

Market

North America

Services

Brand Strategy & Activation
Design & Creative

About SmartBuy

Smartbuy is a digital wholesale platform built to connect international food suppliers directly with U.S. merchants and institutional buyers. Designed to streamline cross-border procurement, the platform opens a direct channel between global producers and large-scale American consumers, from wholesalers to public-sector institutions.

The Challenge

For international food suppliers, entering the U.S. market has traditionally meant navigating a complex chain of importers and distributors, adding cost and reducing margins. This often limits access to large buyers and dilutes the original value proposition. Smartbuy set out to change that by creating a direct, transparent pathway between global suppliers and U.S. institutional buyers.

Our Approach

Plus972 partnered with Smartbuy to define its strategic foundation and position it as a transformative force in wholesale procurement. To activate the platform, we developed a comprehensive go-to-market strategy targeting two primary audiences: international suppliers seeking efficient entry into the U.S. market, and U.S. institutional buyers looking for reliable, cost-effective global sourcing. On the supplier side, we clarified Smartbuy’s value proposition around margin preservation, simplified import access, and direct pathways to high-volume buyers. On the institutional side, we emphasized procurement efficiency, competitive pricing, and centralized sourcing across categories.

The Process

Throughout the branding process, multiple visual directions were explored to identify a brand expression that accurately reflected Smartbuy’s ambition and positioning. This iterative phase involved testing a range of logo variations, typographic approaches, and visual systems, each aiming to capture the platform’s core promise: simplifying global trade while maintaining a sense of trust, scale, and efficiency. By evaluating these different approaches, we refined the balance between technological innovation and the reliability expected in large-scale procurement. The final identity emerged through this process of exploration and alignment, ensuring the brand communicates both accessibility for international suppliers and credibility for institutional buyers.

Building the Brand Infrastructure

In parallel, we built the brand infrastructure to support launch and scale. This included logo design, a cohesive visual identity system, a digital brand guide, and promotional templates, ensuring consistency across investor materials, supplier communications, and buyer outreach. Together, strategy and branding positioned Smartbuy not just as a platform, but as a new model for cross-border wholesale trade.

The Impact

Smartbuy represents a shift from gatekept distribution to open access. By rethinking how international suppliers enter the U.S. and how institutions source globally, the platform builds a more transparent, efficient, and equitable wholesale ecosystem.