One of the most important things that you may have to do for your restaurant is to look for a food distributor since this is going to be your biggest vendor. The one that you choose can affect several details of your business, including your costs and, therefore, profits. If you want advice on choosing the right food distributor with whom to work, consider these tips.
1. Ask Them About Their Prices
One of the most important things to consider is the price range of the suppliers you want to work with. That’s because this can directly affect your profits at the end of the day. On this note, your best bet is to try and buy in bulk whenever you can, as most suppliers are going to be willing to sell to you at a fair price.
You can also purchase seasonal ingredients since these will be cheaper, and serving seasonal meals may also be more attractive and help you sell more. While shopping for a bargain, however, don’t compromise quality just to get a cheaper price, as this is going to affect your overall reputation.
2. Check Their Quality
Good quality is something else that you need to be sure about so that you know you’re getting the best ingredients. With quality ingredients, your restaurant will have much better food as a result. To check the quality, you may have to ask for test results for ingredients that are likely to be at risk of contamination. In this case, note that modern labs have the ability to screen ingredients to 0.1% or even lower. This means that there’s a good chance of figuring out if something is out of place, including the freshness of the produce.
Also consider the technology used in the food distributor’s factory. For example, intrinsically safe circuits are used in the food and beverage market and contain three components: the field device, the intrinsically safe barrier, and the field wiring. High-quality food manufacturers ensure your restaurant’s products are up to par!
3. Make Sure They’re Located Close Enough
Next, remember that the best supplier is one who is located close to your restaurant. In this case, buying from local suppliers is the best bet for you because it will make things faster and easier in terms of logistics. In the end, you should have suppliers who will improve your workflow by ensuring that you can get the ingredients that you need within a reasonable time frame. Even though there are around 1.2 million trucking companies in the United States, you shouldn’t aim to work with suppliers who need a few hours before they can get you the ingredients that you need.
4. Determine Their Variety
Another important consideration to make if you want to get the best suppliers is to find out how much variety they have. When you have suppliers that have a broad and diverse assortment of supplies, it’s going to help you find everything that you need as regularly as you need it, and without a lot of hassle. Such suppliers can help you find the general items that you need, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have some niche suppliers as well. These are typically going to specialize in a few ingredients that may help you make your restaurant more attractive and give you an edge.
By making these considerations, you can save yourself a lot of trouble. You’re going to have a much easier time scaling up and evolving into one of the best restaurants in your area!
