Buying wholesale
What documents does a wholesale buyer need?
To get a quotation moving with Levant Direct, you need your business name and contact details — that's what starts the process, not a formal application or a stack of paperwork. There's no separate 'wholesale account' form to complete before you can send an inquiry.
Beyond that starting point, what's asked for can vary by supplier and by the size of the account. It's common across the wholesale food trade generally for distributors to request basic business registration details for larger or standing accounts, though this is a general trade norm rather than a fixed Levant Direct requirement. If anything more than your business name and contact is ever needed, it's raised directly when you inquire, not assumed in advance.
What starts a wholesale inquiry
Your business name and a way to reach you — that's the baseline for opening a wholesale account and getting a first quotation. Build your product list through the catalogue, add it to your inquiry, and include those two details with your message. Nothing else is required to get pricing back.
This is deliberately low-friction. The point of the inquiry step is to get real quantities and a real business in front of a real quotation quickly, not to gate that first conversation behind paperwork. Whether you're testing the waters with a small trial list or coming in with a full standing order in mind, the starting requirement is the same, and it applies equally whether you're browsing a single category or building a mixed list across the whole catalogue.
What might be asked for as an account grows
As orders move from a first trial to a standing or repeat relationship, it's common in the wholesale trade generally for suppliers to ask for a bit more — basic business registration information, for instance — particularly once volume or delivery frequency increases. This isn't unique to us, and it isn't a barrier to your first inquiry; it's simply something that can come up as a relationship develops, and it will always be communicated directly rather than sprung on you. Where it does come up, it's usually a short, specific ask tied to setting up a recurring order — not an open-ended request for documentation.
- A first inquiry: business name and contact only
- A growing or standing account: basic business details may be requested, as is common practice across the trade
- Anything beyond the basics is discussed directly — never assumed or applied without asking first
Who this applies to
The same starting point applies whether you're a small café or shop placing a first trial order or an established grocer with a standing account — everyone begins with the same simple inquiry. See who can buy from a wholesale distributor for more on which kinds of businesses this applies to, and what tends to differ between a one-off order and an ongoing one.
If you're not sure what applies to you
The simplest approach is to just send the inquiry. Include your business name and contact details with your product list, mention anything relevant about your situation — a brand-new business, a first order for an established one, a request that might need products sourced beyond the catalogue — and let the reply tell you what, if anything, comes next. Guessing at requirements in advance tends to slow buyers down more than simply asking does, and it's far easier for us to answer a specific question about your situation than for you to try to anticipate one in the abstract.
This is also why the process starts with a written quotation rather than an account gate: it puts a real answer, specific to your business, in front of you before anything else is asked for. If a document or detail does turn out to be relevant, you'll hear about it at that point, framed around the order you're actually placing rather than as a general prerequisite to browsing the catalogue or sending a first inquiry.
Related questions
Do I need a business number just to send an inquiry?
No — a business name and contact is enough to start and get a quotation. Anything more is discussed directly if and when it's relevant.
What if I'm a new business without full registration yet?
Say so in your inquiry. Send your business name and contact and let us know where things stand — we'll tell you what, if anything, is needed to move forward.
Do returning buyers need to resubmit documents on every order?
No. Reorders build on an existing relationship rather than starting over — see how reorders work for how that plays out in practice.