Sectors & IndustriesConsumer DefensiveFood Distribution

Best Food Distribution Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top food distribution stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +28.50% per year, and are the best food distribution stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best food distribution stocks to buy right now are:

Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) is the #1 top food distribution stock out of 10 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) has a Due Diligence Score of 43, which is 6 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 37.

ANDE passed 15 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Andersons has seen its stock return 65.03% over the past year, overperforming other food distribution stocks by 51 percentage points.

Andersons has an average 1 year price target of $90.00, an upside of 36.99% from Andersons's current stock price of $65.70.

Andersons stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Andersons, 50% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 50% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Us Foods Holding (NYSE:USFD) is the #2 top food distribution stock out of 10 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Us Foods Holding (NYSE:USFD) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: A, Financials: B, and AI: B.

Us Foods Holding (NYSE:USFD) has a Due Diligence Score of 49, which is 12 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 37.

USFD passed 16 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Us Foods Holding has seen its stock return 20.35% over the past year, overperforming other food distribution stocks by 6 percentage points.

Us Foods Holding has an average 1 year price target of $116.00, an upside of 25.8% from Us Foods Holding's current stock price of $92.21.

Us Foods Holding stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 9 analysts covering Us Foods Holding, 66.67% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 33.33% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) is the #3 top food distribution stock out of 10 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) is: Value: C, Growth: A, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: D, Financials: C, and AI: C.

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) has a Due Diligence Score of 42, which is 5 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 37.

UNFI passed 13 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. United Natural Foods has seen its stock return 19.06% over the past year, overperforming other food distribution stocks by 5 percentage points.

United Natural Foods has an average 1 year price target of $49.33, an upside of 10.14% from United Natural Foods's current stock price of $44.79.

United Natural Foods stock has a consensus Hold recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 3 analysts covering United Natural Foods, 0% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 100% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 3 food distribution stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 food distribution stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Sysco (NYSE:SYY) has an annual dividend yield of 2.78%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the food distribution industry average of 1.61%. Sysco's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Sysco's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Sysco's dividend payout ratio of 59.1% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Amcon Distributing Co (NYSEMKT:DIT) has an annual dividend yield of 1.12%, which is the same as the food distribution industry average of 1.61%. Amcon Distributing Co's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% nine times in the last 10 years. Amcon Distributing Co's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Amcon Distributing Co's dividend payout ratio of 28.1% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) has an annual dividend yield of 0.91%, which is -1 percentage points lower than the food distribution industry average of 1.61%. Andersons's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Andersons's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Andersons's dividend payout ratio of 15.3% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Food distribution stocks were down -0.51% in the last day, and up 0.5% over the last week.

We couldn't find a catalyst for why food distribution stocks are down.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued food distribution stocks right now are:

Sysco (NYSE:SYY) is the most undervalued food distribution stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Sysco has a valuation score of 29, which is -7 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 36. It passed 2 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates SYY a Valuation Rating of "B".

Sysco's stock has dropped -5.32% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the food distribution industry by -20 percentage points.

Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) is the second most undervalued food distribution stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Andersons has a valuation score of 43, which is 7 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 36. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Andersons's stock has gained 65.03% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the food distribution industry by 51 percentage points.

United Natural Foods (NYSE:UNFI) is the third most undervalued food distribution stock based on its Valuation Rating of C. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

United Natural Foods has a valuation score of 57, which is 21 points higher than the food distribution industry average of 36. It passed 4 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

United Natural Foods's stock has gained 19.06% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the food distribution industry by 5 percentage points.

71.43% of food distribution stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect food distribution stocks to rise by 21.57% over the next year.

0% of food distribution stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 71.43% of food distribution stocks are rated B (Buy), 28.57% are rated C (Hold), 0% are rated D (Sell), and 0% are rated F (Strong Sell).