Has the foodservice industry started to stabilize? Perhaps. According to FE&S' 2010 Mid-Year Dealer Forecast study, 49 percent of dealers project that 2010 sales will be higher than last year's levels and another 29 percent project that revenues will be consistent with 2009 levels. Only 21 percent of the dealers surveyed project a decrease in sales for this year.

In addition, 65 percent of the dealers surveyed said that their 2010 revenues have either met or exceeded (24 percent) their expectations through the first half of the year. Looking toward the remainder of the year, 85 percent of dealers expect their 2010 revenues of exceed (45 percent) or match their expectations.

Longer-term, dealers appear to be unclear on the impact the Federal healthcare legislation, passed earlier this year, will have on their businesses. In fact, 46 percent of dealers surveyed said they do not know what impact the legislation will have on their business.