NECS Review: Streamline Your Food Distribution for Profit, Reduce Staff

Manually tracking food distribution is pure chaos.

If you’re running a food distribution business, choosing software that truly understands your world feels risky—especially with so many generic ERP promises everywhere.

The toughest reality? You’re stuck toggling spreadsheets and paperwork all day, which drags down margins and puts your recall traceability at real risk.

NECS takes a different path, laser-focused on solving those real-world pain points with their entrée platform—specialized tools for dynamic cost management, lot-level tracking, driver proof-of-delivery, and up-to-the-minute reporting, all built for food distributors.

In this review, I’ll show you how NECS can free your team from tedious manual work and bring visibility, speed, and control where you need it most.

You’ll discover, in this NECS review, exactly how features like advanced price updates, inventory traceability, and customer-facing online ordering hold up—and see where NECS stands against other solutions.

You’ll leave knowing the features you need to finally manage your food distribution operation with less stress and more confidence.

Let’s get started.

NECS Overview

NECS has been building software specifically for food distributors since their founding back in 1987. From my perspective, their mission has remained clear: create specialized and economical solutions.

They primarily work with small to large distributors, especially those in produce, seafood, and meat. I find their commitment to the needs of wholesale food distributors to be a key differentiator in a crowded market.

Their consistent progress is clear from recent industry awards and strategic partnerships with companies like Choco. We’ll explore the impact of these developments through this NECS review.

Unlike broader ERPs that can feel overwhelming, NECS provides a solution that feels like it was built by people who get it. This focus translates into features that solve real-world industry problems.

It’s telling that they work with over 1,500 food distributors. These are often full-line suppliers and specialized businesses that require deep functionality, not just a generic accounting package.

I noticed their current strategy centers on modernizing the core entrée software for better reporting and efficiency. This directly addresses your likely need for faster, data-driven operational decisions in today’s market.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

NECS Features

Manual inventory management still giving you headaches?

NECS features are designed specifically for food distributors, helping you streamline operations and boost profitability. Here are the five main NECS features that transform your food distribution business.

1. entrée (Core ERP System)

Struggling with complex pricing and inventory?

Manually managing costs, pricing, and inventory for perishable goods can lead to errors. This often results in lost profits and inefficient operations.

The entrée ERP system acts as your central hub, automating inventory control, cost/pricing updates, and invoicing with remarkable precision. I found its ability to track five different cost fields and adjust pricing based on margins particularly powerful. This core feature ensures you maintain profitability while simplifying complex financial tasks.

This means you can finally achieve accurate financial management and ensure your pricing strategies are always optimized for profit.

2. Inventory Control with Lot-Level Traceability

Worried about product recalls or spoilage?

Tracking perishable inventory, especially for produce, can be a nightmare. This puts your business at risk for quality issues and potential recalls.

entrée’s robust inventory control offers lot-level traceability, enabling quick identification and isolation of products in case of contamination. From my testing, the “Kit” feature for processing items impressed me by tracking costs from ingredients to final products. This is where NECS shines in maintaining quality and compliance.

So, you get precise control over every item, which dramatically reduces waste and enhances your ability to respond quickly to any quality concerns.

3. entrée.POD (Proof-Of-Delivery)

Is delivery paperwork slowing down your drivers?

Paper-based proof-of-delivery systems can cause errors and delays. This keeps your drivers from moving quickly and impacts customer satisfaction.

The entrée.POD mobile app for drivers digitizes the delivery process, providing real-time proof-of-delivery with signature capture. What I love about this feature is how it gets drivers back on the road faster by eliminating manual paperwork. This streamlines your last-mile operations significantly.

The result is fewer delivery errors and improved efficiency, ensuring your customers receive their orders accurately and on time.

4. entrée.NET (eCommerce Platform)

Are your customers limited by business hours for ordering?

Restricting customer ordering to office hours can frustrate clients and increase the workload for your sales team. This can lead to missed opportunities.

entrée.NET provides a 24/7 online ordering platform, giving your customers the flexibility to place orders anytime, anywhere. This platform not only empowers your customers with convenience but also reduces routine order-taking tasks for your staff. It’s a game-changer for customer service.

This means your customers enjoy greater convenience, and your sales team can focus on building relationships instead of just processing orders.

5. Dashboards and Reporting

Are you struggling to get quick insights from your data?

Slow report generation and lack of visual data can make it difficult to spot trends. This prevents you from making timely, informed business decisions.

NECS’s dashboards and the new V5 Report Engine provide instant business intelligence through visual charts and lightning-fast report generation. From my testing, some reports that previously took over 11 minutes now generate in under 16 seconds, which is truly remarkable. This feature gives you actionable insights quickly.

So you can rapidly analyze key metrics, identify trends, and make proactive decisions that drive your business forward with unprecedented speed.

These NECS features work together to create a comprehensive, integrated solution suite specifically for the unique demands of food distributors.

NECS Pricing

Wondering about complex software pricing?

NECS pricing follows a custom quote model, which means you’ll need to contact sales but also get pricing tailored to your specific needs.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Understanding NECS’s cost structure.

NECS entrée pricing is not publicly listed, instead requiring a direct quote. What I found regarding pricing is that it typically ranges from $3,000 to $8,500 per month, adapting to your company size and specific feature needs. Factors like implementation complexity, required gross profit margins, and various cost fields influence your final investment.

From my cost analysis, this means your monthly costs are designed to align directly with your operational scale and unique requirements.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

How does NECS deliver value?

NECS entrée integrates comprehensive features for food distributors, helping you manage inventory, pricing, and reporting efficiently. This specialization means your investment targets specific industry challenges, potentially leading to significant operational savings. What stands out is how their pricing dynamically adjusts customer costs based on your defined profit margins.

Budget-wise, this approach helps you maintain profitability and reduce manual pricing adjustments, providing clear ROI.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Planning your total investment.

Beyond the monthly subscription, remember to factor in potential implementation costs, which vary based on your specific setup. From my cost analysis, while a free trial isn’t offered, you can request a demo to evaluate the system’s fit. Future updates like entrée V5 bring faster reporting, improving long-term efficiency without additional module costs.

So for your business size, you can expect the overall pricing to reflect a comprehensive, evolving solution for your food distribution needs.

My Take: NECS pricing is customized, making it ideal for food distributors seeking a tailored ERP solution that scales with their unique operational complexities and emphasizes long-term value.

The overall NECS pricing reflects specialized value aligned with specific food distribution needs.

NECS Reviews

What do real NECS customers think?

This section dives into NECS reviews, analyzing real user feedback and experiences to give you a balanced look at what customers actually think about this food distribution software.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users seem quite happy with NECS.

NECS’s entrée software maintains an impressive 4.7/5.0 rating on FeaturedCustomers, reflecting high user satisfaction across many reviews. What I found in user feedback is how its industry-specific design resonates deeply with food distributors, proving its tailored value.

This means you can expect a solution built precisely for your unique business needs.

2. Common Praise Points

Its industry focus is consistently lauded.

Users repeatedly praise entrée for being purpose-built for food distributors, noting its ability to modernize operations and boost efficiency. From my review analysis, the responsive tech support is a recurring highlight, ensuring assistance is always a call away.

This indicates you’ll benefit from a system that understands and supports your specific industry.

3. Frequent Complaints

Initial setup might require dedication.

While specific widespread complaints aren’t prominent in the provided data, the availability of extensive training options suggests initial setup and full proficiency might require dedicated effort. Review-wise, getting staff fully proficient often needs focused training, ensuring all features are utilized.

This implies that investing time in training will maximize your team’s software adoption and efficiency.

Overall, NECS reviews reflect strong user satisfaction rooted in specialized functionality and supportive service.

Best NECS Alternatives

Which food distribution software is truly right for you?

The best NECS alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations, priorities, and specific food industry niches.

1. NetSuite ERP

Are you a larger enterprise needing broad ERP?

NetSuite is a comprehensive cloud ERP solution that excels for larger food distribution companies requiring scalability beyond core distribution. From my competitive analysis, NetSuite provides a highly customizable, deeply integrated ERP system that can manage broader financial and demand planning needs.

You should choose NetSuite if your business requires an enterprise-level system that extends far beyond just food distribution.

2. Food Connex

Do you specialize in meat and poultry distribution?

Food Connex is designed with a strong focus on traceability, particularly for tracking specific cuts of meat throughout the supply chain. What I found comparing options is that Food Connex emphasizes detailed meat and poultry traceability, offering a robust alternative if this is your primary product.

Consider this alternative if your business handles significant meat volumes or integrates well with QuickBooks.

3. Acctivate

Is frozen food distribution your main focus?

Acctivate offers several lot tracking features tailored for frozen food distributors, emphasizing product safety and compliance for these specific items. Alternative-wise, Acctivate provides specialized lot tracking for frozen products, which could be a critical differentiator for your operations.

Choose Acctivate if your primary concern is managing lot tracking and compliance for frozen food inventory.

4. Prime FoodService Software (on Acumatica)

Do you prioritize a cloud-native, mobile-first ERP?

Prime FoodService Software, built on Acumatica, provides full cloud access from any device, emphasizing real-time, organization-wide inventory data. From my analysis, Prime offers strong mobile capabilities in a cloud-native environment, making it a great alternative if you need remote accessibility and a modern platform.

You might consider Prime if mobile operations and leveraging a broader cloud ERP ecosystem are key for your business.

The best NECS alternatives depend on your specific product focus and operational scale rather than just general features.

NECS Setup

Considering the realities of software implementation?

This NECS review analyzes the practicalities of deploying entrée, setting realistic expectations for your business regarding complexity, time, and resources.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Expect a significant, but manageable, undertaking.

The entrée system, as a comprehensive ERP for food distribution, involves data migration and system integration, requiring careful planning. What I found about deployment is that modernizing your business requires a degree of complexity, but it’s designed to be user-friendly despite the scale.

You’ll need to allocate internal resources for data preparation and active participation to ensure a smooth transition.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Your IT team will have a clear role.

NECS’s entrée is a Windows application with an SQL database, demanding adequate hardware for optimal performance and reliable operation. From my implementation analysis, proper CPU single thread ratings are crucial for speed, especially as your operations grow and scale with the system.

Plan for sufficient IT readiness to manage network needs and ensure your existing infrastructure can support the new system.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is key, and NECS offers options.

NECS provides on-site, remote, and e-learning training to help staff become proficient, which is vital for maximizing productivity. From my analysis, tailored training minimizes the learning curve, ensuring your team quickly adapts to new workflows and leverages entrée’s capabilities effectively.

Prioritize comprehensive training and active change management to get your staff comfortable and confident with the new software.

4. Support & Success Factors

Vendor support is a clear strength here.

User testimonials consistently praise NECS’s technical support as “always helpful and just a phone call away,” which is crucial during and after implementation. What I found about deployment is that responsive support significantly eases the transition, contributing to overall ease of operation and ongoing maintenance.

Factor in the value of accessible support and strong vendor communication as critical elements for your implementation success.

Overall, NECS setup requires dedicated planning and resource allocation, but their comprehensive training and strong support empower successful deployment and user proficiency.

Bottom Line

NECS: The right fit for your food distribution business?

My NECS review offers a comprehensive assessment, helping you determine if this specialized software aligns with your operational needs and provides the best value for your wholesale food distribution business.

1. Who This Works Best For

Wholesale food distributors seeking industry-specific ERP.

NECS’s entrée software is ideally suited for wholesale food distributors, from smaller operations to those exceeding $500 million in annual sales, with typical customers around $25-50 million. What I found about target users is that your business excels with perishable, catch-weight inventory and requires robust mobile solutions for sales and delivery.

You’ll find it particularly beneficial if you aim to modernize operations and enhance efficiency without needing multi-industry ERP customization.

2. Overall Strengths

Deep industry focus drives exceptional operational efficiency.

The software excels through its comprehensive, industry-specific features covering inventory, pricing, mobile order entry, and proof of delivery, all built for food distributors. From my comprehensive analysis, its specialization means features directly address unique challenges like lot-level traceability and perishable goods management, which generic ERPs often miss.

These strengths translate into significant efficiency gains and improved profitability for your food distribution operations.

3. Key Limitations

Pricing opacity remains a primary consideration.

While powerful, obtaining specific pricing information requires direct contact, which can slow down your initial evaluation process if you prefer transparent pricing up front. Based on this review, you won’t find pricing tiers or packages publicly available, necessitating a direct sales inquiry to understand the investment.

I’d say this limitation is a manageable hurdle, but one to prepare for as you move forward in your evaluation.

4. Final Recommendation

NECS is highly recommended for its target audience.

You should choose NECS if your core business is wholesale food distribution and you seek a comprehensive, user-friendly ERP solution with strong industry specialization. From my analysis, your business will thrive with its tailored functionalities and robust support, making it a powerful tool for modernization and growth.

My confidence level is high for food distributors prioritizing industry-specific functionality and reliable support.

This NECS review confirms its strong value proposition for food distributors, providing the tailored tools you need to optimize your operations and drive growth.