5 Benefits of Using A Local food Distributor

Posted by Leeanne Potgieter on

Farm-to-kitchen, farm-to-plate, forage-to-fork. These phrases have become a new standard on restaurant menus as “local” and “sustainable” have grown from buzzwords into business models for hotels, lodges and remote accommodation.

This surge in popularity is due to the worlds growing focus on environmentalism, but it’s not just a save-the-world impulse that’s driving this trend. People everywhere are looking for a more locally authentic experience, starting with what they eat.

Restaurants, hotels, lodges and remote accommodation can all benefit from this with an opportunity to adjust their menus to provide fresher foods. If you’re a chef, general manager or purchasing manager, here are five benefits of using a local food distributor

 

1 - Support your local economy 

Buying local helps support small businesses in your community, and helps contribute to money staying in your locale. By supporting local business and trade, you are in turn improving the local economy, boosting employment rates and ensuring customers have more money to spend.

In fact, by investing money into local businesses, you are actually increasing the likelihood of customers having money to spend in your own establishments.

You can start supporting your local economy by contacting local distributors such as Matumi distributors who have a wide range of locally sourced goods available for purchase

2 - Fresher ingredients 

The average distance that US-grown fruits and vegetables travel before reaching their final destination in the US is about 1,500 miles, according to LocalHarvest.org. That means when your restaurant purchases items from a bulk distributor, it’s likely that you are buying something that has been preserved to survive the journey.

That simply doesn’t happen when you buy from local bulk food suppliers instead. It’s likely that your items will be fresher, healthier, tastier and a far more pleasing experience for your customers.

By sourcing better quality supplies, you’ll increase your customer satisfaction as well as reach those  revenue targets. Not only will you save on shipping costs and have a positive impact on the environment, you may also come across unique offerings for your customers, as well. Perhaps it’s a variety of fish found only in the river streams by you, or a local farm raising a type of meat that’s new to your chefs. Buying from local grocery suppliers could also open new doors creatively.

3.  Localizing More than Food

 Local food isn’t the only thing that “Hot” at the moment. Locally produced beer, wine and spirits are an important way to round out your locally focused menu even local furniture, art and candles can all add to a vibe in the restaurants atmosphere. And it’s becoming easier to do; increased competition in the local markets leads to better quality products, which means more satisfied customers.  

4 – create buzz with seasonal items

Adapting your menu regularly can be a great way to retain existing customers and attract new ones by spicing up what your restaurant or bar is serving. One of the most exciting ways to do this is by including seasonal dishes.

Seasonal dishes are cheaper to create, fresher, more exciting for existing customers than your traditional menu and will give incentive to customers to support you all-year-round since they know they can only purchase a specific dish at certain times of the year.

5 - Improving your brand’s image

Locally-sourced produce has become a new trend for consumers over the last few years, and there’s a huge range of reasons why. Locally-sourced produce is environmentally-friendly, often healthier, it helps the local economy and shows that you care about your customers.

By promoting the fact that your restaurant uses locally-sourced produce, your restaurant will be able to significantly improve its marketing campaigns. Local suppliers are a huge selling point for customers and promoting this through your website, social media and other marketing methods will ensure your business has a better brand image

Sourcing local is not the future its now! Help better the environment as well as your local economy all while elevating your business by using local food suppliers now. 

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