Full Service Supply Chain Management

We help our clients identify, evaluate and select the right suppliers and distributors to provide products and services across all categories (food, paper, equipment, smallwares, etc.).  We start by gaining a clear understanding of requirements, including proprietary and spec products.  Leveraging extensive industry experience, we identify a set of qualified suppliers and use a proven methodology and tools to select the right suppliers based on cost, quality, capacity, etc.  We then negotiate contracts and pricing agreements for client approval.

With hundreds of products and dozens of suppliers required to support restaurant operations, purchasing can be a challenge.  We work with our clients and suppliers to develop efficient processes and systems to review inventory, place orders, receive deliveries and pay invoices.  This includes establishing standard order guides with approved products and pricing, and providing clear instructions for each ordering platform.  With deep restaurant systems experience, we help clients develop integrated procurement systems to create a seamless process.

Efficient distribution is a critical component of supply chain management, helping to reduce landed cost and ensure continuity of supply.  We design distribution networks to efficiently move products from suppliers and distributors to the restaurants.  We leverage primary distributors for many products (mainline food and paper, equipment, smallwares, beverages, produce, etc.) and we work with these distributors to manage inventory and ensure on-time delivery. We negotiate volume agreements to reduce distribution cost as the organization scales, driving profitability.

Logistics involves managing inbound and outbound transportation at every level of the supply chain.  We identify opportunities to reduce transportation cost by directly sourcing carriers to move freight from suppliers to distributors and restaurants.  We often start with proprietary and spec products (those made specifically for our clients), routing inbound freight to key distributors.  As the organization scales and supplier volume increases, we continuously evaluate opportunities to route freight directly to reduce total landed cost at the restaurant.

Product quality and food safety are critical to supporting restaurant performance and protecting the brand.  We build quality in from the start, including product specifications, qualified suppliers, certifications and inspections.  We monitor and manage suppliers and carriers to ensure they produce, store and deliver products in good condition and at the right temperature.  We also develop programs to manage quality and food safety issues when they occur including lot tracing, recalls, and resupply to minimize impact to restaurant operations and mitigate risk.

Effective supply chain management starts with solid planning.  We help clients develop accurate forecasts and then work with suppliers and distributors to develop production and inventory plans to meet demand.  With deep experience in supply chain planning, we effectively balance supply and demand to ensure continuity of supply.  We have found that collaborating with suppliers and distributors in the planning process builds a strong foundation of communication, performance and trust, often allowing us to identify and resolve issues before they occur.

While we work to develop strong supplier partnerships, we also know the best way to ensure supplier performance is to measure it.  We monitor and measure performance at each level of the supply chain including key metrics, reporting, and physical inspections.  We conduct regular supplier performance review meetings to review plan-to-actual performance including products, services, on-time delivery, fill rate, quality and price compliance.  We also perform weekly reporting and analysis to measure performance, identify and resolve issues.

We believe data is the foundation for effective supply chain management, especially in the areas of planning and performance management.  We work with our clients and suppliers to develop objective and fact-based reporting and analysis.  We also recognize the difference between data and information, and we take complex problems and break them down into straightforward analysis.  From basic key metrics and reporting to complex supply chain optimization, we know how to use data to help our clients make good decisions.