LotLinker

LotLinker is a web + mobile app (traditional + AI) that helps small food businesses source ingredients with real traceability, not marketing fluff. Users post a spec (ingredient, grade, certifications, allergen constraints, minimums, delivery window, target price) and the app matches them to local/regional suppliers, co-ops, and distributors. The AI layer normalizes messy supplier PDFs/emails into comparable quotes, flags missing documents (COA, organic cert, allergen statements), and highlights hidden costs (freight, minimum order, lead time). It also tracks lots and documents per purchase so audits don’t become a spreadsheet nightmare. Brutal truth: the hardest part is supplier onboarding and data freshness; without enough suppliers, it’s dead. So the MVP focuses on one region + 3-5 high-demand categories (flour, oils, spices, nuts) and wins by being faster and more trustworthy than calling around.