Undoubtedly, one of the challenges for any catering company, and for teachers in general, is to ensure that price rises in raw materials, food, etc., do not have an impact on supplier purchases. Although it is not an easy task, there are a series of recommendations that can help you achieve this. Pay attention!

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Information is essential

Only if you have all the information in a clear and accessible way will you be able to compare prices and negotiate better. This translates into different points; for example, if you are looking to negotiate a price freeze on a supply, it will be important to have information about the entire price catalogue, including the services included in each tariff, what this supplier offers, its competition and what it brings to your business. With all this information on the table, you will be able to negotiate costs more successfully.

Use management software to help you visualise your costs.

A good restaurant management software will allow you to monitor the evolution of the price of a specific product. This way you will know if the time has come to replace a product with another one with a lower cost, if you can negotiate a better price with your supplier, if the RRP of the dishes that include that product needs to be revised, etc. Thanks to haddock's "Products" functionality, you can easily monitor price variations, so you won't miss a penny!

Check additional costs

Sometimes a business ends up facing additional costs that it would not have to face if it had done a thorough review of everything. Sometimes the price of the product is already very tight, so there is not much negotiation possible, but you can try to negotiate on the so-called "peripheral margins", which include handling, transport, shipping costs and purchasing conditions. These factors have to be taken into account because they can be decisive when it comes to cost savings.

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Commitment to digitalisation

Going digital will be essential to save costs in your restaurant and thus reduce the impact that price increases can have on purchases from suppliers.

For a restaurant business, the beginning of the digitalisation process involves the use of management software, as we mentioned above. Through this type of platform, you will be able to obtain great benefits.

For example, processes linked to document management will be greatly streamlined , as you will be able to access any document or file instantly. In addition, you won't have to worry about losing a document or any paper deteriorating because you'll have them all perfectly readable in the cloud.

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Have the right inventory

Knowing what you need and in what quantity is one of the most important keys in a catering business. To do this, it is important to have an adequate inventory that allows you to provide service to your customers without falling into an excess of stored products, which can lead to the loss of products because they expire. Or, on the contrary, you may not have enough raw materials to offer a quality service due to poor planning.

It is therefore important to maintain a balance between the level of stock required to satisfy any order, especially for those who work with a large number of diners or dishes on the menu. Failure to do so can lead to problems linked to financial cost and the risk of shelf life.

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Check your letter

Perhaps the menu you have is not the most appropriate for the time of year, so it is important to make small adjustments on a weekly or monthly basis to make it more profitable. It is important to go for local and seasonal products, as with them you will not only reduce costs, but you will also introduce more sustainable dishes in your gastronomic offer. In addition, these types of products are always fresher and have a very attractive flavour. Keep this in mind!