If you source your products from distributors, you can keep track of them by creating a distributor entry in the system.

You must first enable the Distributor feature under Configuration > General. Once enabled, you can manage distributors from the Catalog > Distributors menu. Click Add New and give it a name. You can store additional information about the distributor using the Extension field and XML data. Once saved, you can now assign this new distributor to your individual products.