How To Build A Multi Vendor Marketplace Connecting Chefs and Caterers

The HoReCa industry is undergoing a major shift.

According to Future Market Insights, the online catering marketplace is projected to grow at a strong CAGR over the next decade, driven by:

• Growth in corporate catering and takeout
• Demand for local food and specific cuisines
• Expansion of meal kits, food delivery, and on-demand catering
• Restaurants and caterers need scalable digital platforms

At the same time, chefs, caterers, and home cooks are looking for new ways to:

• Grow their food business
• Reach local restaurants and corporate buyers
• Adapt to evolving regulations and seasonal demands

This is where a multivendor marketplace for chefs and caterers becomes powerful. 

We’ve already covered the best approach to building a B2B marketplace for hotel supplies. In this section, we explore the most effective multi-vendor marketplace models for chefs and caterers.

Marketplace Types for Connecting Chefs & Caterers

A chef–caterer marketplace is an online platform that connects:

• Local chefs
• Caterers
• Home cooks
• Food producers and suppliers

with buyers such as:

• Local restaurants
• Corporates
• Event organizers
• Grocery chains
• High-volume restaurant businesses

Unlike a single restaurant storefront, this model supports:

• Multiple vendors
• Different cuisines and dietary needs
• Small orders and high-volume catering
• Takeout, meal kits, and food delivery

In the food and catering industry, four models dominate — each addressing a distinct problem.

1. Service Marketplace (Primary Model – Booking-Led)
2. C2C Marketplace (Become a Seller Model)
3. Hyperlocal Marketplace (Location-First Discovery)
4. Product Marketplace (Secondary Model)

1. Service Marketplace (Primary Model – Booking-Led)

Best for: Chef bookings, catering orders, corporate events, meal prep services

A service marketplace allows customers to book services, not just buy items. They win because service marketplaces match how chefs and caterers actually operate — through bookings, schedules, and fulfillment.

How it works

• Buyers book chefs or caterers for:
• • Events
  • Office meals
  • Private dining
  • Meal subscriptions
• Vendors manage:
• • Availability
  • Capacity
  • Service areas
• The platform manages:
• • Booking logic
  • Payments
  • Service delivery workflows

2. C2C Marketplace (Become a Seller Model)

Best for: Home cooks, local chefs, micro-entrepreneurs

A C2C marketplace allows any qualified individual to become a seller.

Key characteristics

• “Become a Seller” or “Become a Chef” onboarding
• Seller profiles and dashboards
• Individual storefronts
• Order and payout management

Critical considerations

• Vendor vetting
• Food safety certifications
• Local health department approvals
• Home kitchen compliance (where allowed)

Why it works

• Unlocks local food economies
• Enables unique, regional cuisines
• Allows home cooks to sell legally and safely

3. Hyperlocal Marketplace (Location-First Discovery)

Best for: Same-day catering, fresh food, local chefs, short delivery windows

A hyperlocal marketplace connects buyers with nearby chefs, caterers, and food suppliers.

How it works

• Location-based discovery
• Serviceable radius per vendor
• Local menus and availability
• Integration with local delivery partners

Why hyperlocal is essential

• Food is time-sensitive
• Freshness matters
• Local health regulations vary by region
• Delivery costs must stay low

4. Product Marketplace (Secondary Model)

Best for: Packaged food, meal kits, baked goods, specialty items

A product marketplace focuses on selling food products, not services. However, product marketplaces work best alongside service marketplaces, not alone.

Typical use cases

• Meal kits
• Packaged snacks
• Frozen or pre-prepared food
• Ingredients from food producers

Limitations for catering

• Less flexible for custom orders
• Weak fit for events and services
• Inventory complexity

Examples of Successful Catering Multi-Vendor Marketplace

You can draw inspiration from the listed food service marketplaces. 

In contrast to the conventional model, ZeroCater Partners introduces an AI-driven approach where menus, special dietary requirements, and other unique needs are intelligently crafted based on the order context, and the platform automatically matches the request with the most suitable vendor for fulfillment. 

Ways to Build a Catering Multi Vendor Marketplace

The right approach depends on how fast you want to launch, how complex your service workflows are, and how much control you need over vendors, bookings, and compliance.

Below are the three commonly used ways to build a catering multi-vendor marketplace.

1. Custom-Built Marketplace (From Scratch)
2. Open-Source or Plugin-Based Marketplace Solutions
3. No-Code Marketplace Platform + Commerce Layer (Recommended)

1. Custom-Built Marketplace (From Scratch)

How it works: Everything—frontend, backend, booking logic, vendor dashboards, payouts—is built custom.

Best for

• Large enterprises
• Highly regulated foodservice networks
• Teams with in-house engineering

Pros

• Full control over workflows
• Tailored for unique service delivery models

Cons

• High development cost
• Long time to launch
• Ongoing maintenance and tech debt

2. Open-Source or Plugin-Based Marketplace Solutions

How it works: Uses open-source frameworks like WordPress, CS-Cart, or CMS plugins like WooCommerce extended to support multi-vendor logic.

Best for

• MVPs and experiments
• Small marketplaces with limited vendors

Pros

• Lower upfront cost
• Faster than custom builds

Cons

• Weak support for service bookings
• Manual handling of payouts and compliance
• Breaks under peak or high-volume demand

WooCommerce

3. No-Code Marketplace Platform + Commerce Layer (Recommended)

How it works:

• A stable e-commerce platform handles checkout and payments
• A no-code marketplace layer like Shipturtle or Sharetribe manages:
• • Vendors
  • Service bookings
  • Order routing
  • Payouts and commissions

Best for

• Chef & caterer marketplaces
• Hyperlocal food platforms
• Service-led catering models

Pros

• Fast launch
• Designed for services, not just products
• Supports C2C, hyperlocal, and multi-vendor flows
• APIs available for custom frontends or integrations

Cons

• Platform subscription cost
• Deep custom logic may need APIs later

Step-by-Step: How to Build the Marketplace Like Hungry

Building a catering marketplace like Hungry requires more than listing chefs and caterers. The real complexity lies in service bookings, vendor orchestration, compliance, and fulfillment workflows. Here’s a practical, platform-agnostic way to build it.

Step 1: Start With a Service-First Marketplace Model

Step 2: Choose a Stable Commerce Layer for Orders & Payments

Step 3: Add a Marketplace Operating Layer (Without Custom Builds)

Step 4: Enable C2C-Style Seller Onboarding for Chefs & Caterers

Step 5: Make the Marketplace Hyperlocal by Default

Step 6: Orchestrate Orders Across Multiple Vendors

Step 7: Use Analytics to Improve Matching & Fulfillment

Step 8: Keep the Frontend Flexible for Growth

Step 1: Start With a Service-First Marketplace Model

Hungry succeeds because it is booking-led, not product-led.

Design your marketplace around:

• Service bookings (events, office meals, recurring catering)
• Capacity and availability per chef or caterer
• Custom requirements (headcount, dietary needs, timing)

This ensures the platform reflects how catering actually works.

Step 2: Choose a Stable Commerce Layer for Orders & Payments

At scale, you need a reliable cart and checkout system to handle:

• Secure payments
• Invoicing and refunds
• Tax handling

Many marketplaces use Shopify as the cart platform because it provides a stable e-commerce foundation without custom payment logic.

This allows you to focus on marketplace workflows instead of rebuilding checkout from scratch.

Step 3: Add a Marketplace Operating Layer (Without Custom Builds)

A marketplace like Hungry needs:

• Vendor onboarding and vetting
• Service-based listings instead of simple products
• Order routing to the right chef or caterer
• Payouts and commissions

Instead of building this logic from scratch, a no-code marketplace layer can be added on top of the commerce platform to manage vendors, orders, and service workflows.

This approach significantly reduces development time and operational complexity.

Step 4: Enable C2C-Style Seller Onboarding for Chefs & Caterers

To scale supply, the platform must:

• Allow chefs and caterers to apply as sellers
• Collect certifications and compliance documents
• Approve vendors before they go live

This “become a seller” flow enables a C2C-style marketplace, while still maintaining food safety and quality standards.

Step 5: Make the Marketplace Hyperlocal by Default

Hungry’s success also comes from localized fulfillment.

Build for:

• Location-based vendor discovery
• Serviceable radius per vendor
• Local availability and pricing

Hyperlocal design improves:

• Delivery speed
• Food freshness
• Regulatory compliance

Step 6: Orchestrate Orders Across Multiple Vendors

When a buyer places an order:

• The platform decides which vendor can fulfill it
• Orders are routed automatically
• Vendors receive only the portion they are responsible for

This orchestration layer is critical for:

• High-volume orders
• Peak-season demand
• Reliable service delivery

Step 7: Use Analytics to Improve Matching & Fulfillment

Once live, marketplaces like Hungry rely heavily on data.

Track:

• Vendor performance
• Fulfillment times
• Repeat bookings
• Service quality

These insights help the platform improve vendor matching, pricing, and customer experience over time.

Step 8: Keep the Frontend Flexible for Growth

As the marketplace evolves, you may want:

• A custom frontend experience
• Native apps or integrations
• New booking flows

This is where an API-first marketplace layer becomes important. It allows you to:

• Use Shopify as the backend cart
• Build on any frontend framework or cart if needed
• Extend functionality without re-architecting the platform

Conclusion: Turning Catering Into a Scalable Marketplace Business

B2B food marketplaces succeed when they reflect real-world operations.

• Chefs sell time and expertise
• Caterers manage capacity and logistics
• Customers book experiences, not just food

A service-first, hyperlocal, C2C-enabled marketplace is the most scalable and resilient model for the foodservice industry.

Book a demo with our marketplace experts to match your business requirements.