Author info
Matthew Culnane
Head of Performance & AI
There’s a big difference between being recognised and getting recommended. A brand can be a household name, enjoy decades of recognition, even become a generic trademark - and still lose out on sales.
For suppliers to the foodservice, Away From Home (AFH) and on-trade markets, AI creates an even starker version of that gap. LLMs like ChatGPT now rank among the top two sources of information that prospective B2B buyers turn to. Yet having strong awareness in the AFH space doesn’t guarantee that AI will recommend your brand, or that decision-makers will choose your products.
Imagine an operator asking an AI assistant: “What's the best pasta?” vs “Which dried pasta should I use in my restaurant to balance quality, cost and how well it holds in service?” The first answer may favour familiar consumer brands, but the second will introduce operational and commercial requirements that could dramatically change the recommended suppliers.
So, what can you do to improve your chances of being recommended for the buying decisions that matter?
Getting on the shortlist before the sales conversation
As we explored in our latest Away From Home report, the ways in which customers research and evaluate suppliers are evolving fast. We’re seeing longer buying journeys, bigger decision-making groups, and more of the journey happening before a prospect ever identifies themselves: 86% of B2B buyers have a shortlist of suppliers in mind before they begin active research, and 92% ultimately buy from it.
Suppliers need to get on that list and influence consideration early. And that means understanding whether AI recommends your brand when operators start their research.
LLMs have become a crucial resource for operators looking up products, comparing options and exploring potential brand partners. In fact, Omne research shows that 84% of operators would investigate a supplier or product recommended by AI.
The key word here is recommended. Recognition and citations can support awareness and consideration. But they don’t always impact buying decisions unless the AI recommends your brand for the buyer’s specific needs.
Recognised, cited or recommended: What's the difference?
Term | What it means | Example prompt | Example answer |
Recognised | AI knows who you are and can describe your brand when asked about it by name. | “Tell me about Supplier X.” | “Supplier X supplies frozen potato products to foodservice operators.” |
Cited | AI uses or references your website or content as a source in its answer. | “What should I look for when choosing fries for takeaway and delivery?” | “Fry coating, cooking method and packaging can all affect how well fries hold during delivery. Supplier X’s takeaway fries guide explains how to assess these factors.” [Link to guide] |
Recommended | An operator asks a category or buying question without naming your brand, and AI includes you as a relevant option. | “Which suppliers offer fries that are proven to stay crispy and are well suited for takeaway and delivery?” | “Supplier X is a strong option to explore for takeaway and delivery fries, with a coated range designed to stay crisp from kitchen to doorstep. You can contact its foodservice team to request samples, discuss your menu and find a local stockist.” [Link to contact form] |
Importantly, these terms are not three sequential stages or a ladder that brands automatically progress through. An AI assistant might recognise your business and cite your website, and still ultimately recommend a competitor. Equally, being recommended doesn't necessarily mean your own website will be cited.
So, the task for brands is to turn being recognised into being recommended.
Give operators - and AI - the reasons to choose you
In a previous blog post, Your brand is more famous than your competitors… So what?, we explored how heritage and premium positioning no longer drive operator interest alone. As the industry faces higher costs, complex compliance rules and tougher consumer expectations, decision-makers now buy on proof. In other words, they choose products and services that demonstrate they materially boost margins, improve kitchen compatibility, meet guest demands and drive menu appeal.
It’s why brands need to make their commercial value specific and evidence-based. For takeaway fries, for instance, that means speaking directly to operators’ lived experiences, demonstrating how long they stay crisp under delivery conditions and quantifying the impact on consumer satisfaction. These details give operators a clearer reason to choose your products, and AI more useful information to draw on when answering decision-makers’ prompts. Discover how Omne positioned McCain's SureCrisp as the definitive fry for delivery.
It isn’t only about what you self-publish, either. AI also analyses what others say about you, from trade press and wholesaler listings to case studies on other sites. Be sure to review any related external content and, if necessary, adapt your branding strategy accordingly.
As operators become more comfortable using AI to explore potential suppliers, brands must prioritise discoverability within their wider marketing and commercial strategy. You need to grasp how your brand is represented, whether your content answers real operator questions and where opportunities exist to improve your relevance.
A crucial starting point is understanding where you appear before deciding what needs to change.
Five discoverability tests your brand can perform today
Test your brand recognition. Open an incognito tab and ask ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity what they know about your brand and its foodservice offering. Check for accuracy and missing information.
Check your citations. Ask relevant category questions and see whether your website, product pages or research appear as sources.
Test your recommendations. Ask realistic operator buying questions without mentioning your brand. Are you included in the responses?
Assess your competitors. Repeat the same questions and identify which other suppliers are being recommended, and what information supports those recommendations.
Identify your content gaps. Review whether your website clearly communicates the information operators need: applications, product specifications, commercial benefits, suitability and evidence.
As more and more operators ask AI for supplier recommendations, you need to know whether your brand is on the shortlist for consideration. Book a 20-minute AI Discoverability Review with Matthew Culnane, Head of AI & Technology at Omne, to explore how your brand appears, see where your competitors are showing up and find out how your content could make a stronger commercial case.
