How do you choose a supplier?

It all starts with choosing the right suppliers for you. This is what you need to know: 

Make sure they meet standards – if the supplier’s products don’t meet the standards, simply don’t buy. It’s not a matter of taste, it’s a matter of health.   

It should be cost-effective – have you ever bought something without checking the price somewhere else? Same goes for suppliers. Do some market research, get a few quotes, and make the decision that works best for you, just like you would anywhere else.

It should be easy to pay – you’ve found a supplier with exactly what you need at the right price, but also consider the payment terms – when it’s due, whether it’s net 30, and the payment method. 

It should arrive on time – every supplier has their own delivery schedule. Is Tuesday your couscous day? Make sure the supplier can handle it.

There should be someone to talk to – it doesn’t have to be a customer service center with a thousand agents and a bot answering questions, but there needs to be someone who can immediately address any issues you encounter, from missing shipments to last-minute requests.

It should be easily trackable – not in a spying way, just so you can easily follow up on your orders and delivery times.

It should be someone you can trust – whether it’s a big, well-known supplier or a new one just entering the market, talk to other business owners, see what they say, who’s reliable, and who’s worth working with.

It should be high quality – make sure the supplier does quality control on their products so you always get high-quality items. This is especially true for fresh produce, where a disparity in the quality of the goods directly affects the tastes of your food.

How to work with the supplier?

Some tips for a successful relationship: 

Talk about everything – communicate clearly what you need, your expectations, any issues that arise, and also the positive feedback. You can also talk about football and your family, whichever is more important to you.  

Understand that you are in this business together— the success of each one of you depends on the other. Think ahead – you could earn more products, new dishes for the menu, maybe even discounts. And the suppliers? They gain a satisfied customer who can expand their network of restaurants they work with.

Stay consistent – yes, consistency and the restaurant business don’t always go hand in hand, but in our case, suppliers aren’t like oil  that needs to be changed daily. It’s a relationship that can last for years.

Use Zestt  — We won’t toot our own app, but building strong relationships with suppliers is exactly one of the things we help you with. Quick orders, invoices, payments.