How can strengthening supplier relationships help your restaurant?
24/05/2023
Without high-quality ingredients, your restaurant will struggle to maintain its reputation. This makes maintaining positive relationships with your suppliers of the utmost importance.
According to the NFU, hospitality businesses and farmers should make an effort to forge stronger relationships, which would add value to the industry.
The report outlined that collaboration between farmers and hospitality would be “an integral part of out of home brands and the farm to fork story”. Read the full report here.
What are the benefits of strong relationships with your suppliers?
· Cost management: If you have a long-term, positive relationship with your supplier, they are more likely to provide competitive pricing and flexible payment terms.
These can be particularly beneficial during low seasons or unexpected downturns in business, helping to safeguard financial stability.
· Increased efficiency: Being loyal to one supplier also has the benefit of being more efficient, as they will be more familiar with your restaurant’s needs.
Repeat orders become seamless, and the resolution of potential issues can be much swifter, due to an established understanding of procedures and expectations.
· Consistency: Your guests will expect your service to remain consistent, which includes the food. If you know your supplier well, you should be able to guarantee the quality of produce.
· Resilience: You don’t know what’s around the corner. But with mutual trust, you can work with your supplier to respond to any scarcity of produce and come to a solution that is beneficial for everyone.
· Access to innovative practices: Suppliers often have their fingers on the pulse of industry advancements, be it in technology, product development, or sustainability practices. By cultivating a close relationship with suppliers, you can leverage their knowledge and expertise to stay ahead of the curve.
Maintaining these relationships should be an essential part of your business plan, as an unreliable supplier can ruin your restaurant’s reputation.
Contact our hospitality experts for advice on your business plan.
