Excerpts from the report: The Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce, with the concurrence of the city, the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, the Wichita food industry, and other interested parties, requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make a comprehensive study of the wholesale food distribution facilities in Wichita. In September of 1971 the study was undertaken. This study analyzed the wholesale food marketing system in the Wichita metropolitan area and determined whether the products handled by firms needing new facilities were of sufficient volume and variety to provide a nucleus for a new wholesale food distribution center. Cost data were collected on the existing operations and facilities, and the cost of developing a new food distribution center was estimated, including the amount of land required, types of facilities needed, and probable operating expenses. This study includes 47 independent and 2 affiliated wholesale firms specializing in handling fresh fruit and vegetable, frozen food, grocery, meat and meat product, poultry and egg, and fluid milk products
