Do you own a shop and have a relationship with contract food manufacturing? Most supermarkets, speciality food stores, delicatessens, restaurants and hotels, airlines as well, have contacts (as well as contracts) with wholesale food suppliers. The food on the shelves comes from the wholesale food supplier, including tinned foods, fresh foods, local produce, international produce, breads, pastries, pastas, breakfast foods, drinks, sweet, biscuits, chocolates, teas, coffees and more! Food stores are always strategic in stocking their shelves. It takes a special skill to get the orders right, to know when to place orders, to know what to stock in bulk, and to get the prices right. Working closely with a specialist food manufacturer or supplier is an important relationship. Which means you need to look at your shelves, and ask yourself: “Are they stocked with the right products? And are the prices right?”

Food suppliers and trust

You need to be able to trust your wholesale food supplier. You have to trust that they will get all the food products you need, including refreshments and daily fresh produce, on time. They need to ensure deliveries are made to you as arranged, without fuss or bother. Nobody wants to call their food supplier a million times a day to ask where your supplies are. They need to keep your shelves stocked, and work with you in ensuring you stock the right products for your market. They also need to offer you good wholesale prices, so you can put on a healthy mark up, and they need to work out good payment terms and conditions for you. In addition, they should always keep you posted about daily specials or weekly specials. The relationship has to be one of professionalism, trust and reliability.

Does your food supplier do all the above? If not, look at the options for contract food manufacturing to ensure you are competitive.