Best Questions to Ask a Food Supplier before Hiring One

 

It isn’t easy to look for a food supplier. If you are running a food-related business and need a large volume of food regularly, you have to know how to find the right supplier. You can start doing this by asking the right questions. Wholesale food suppliers who are legit and have been in the business for years must have all the necessary answers.

 

The following are some of the most crucial questions to ask while in search of the right food supplier to deal with:

 

Do you have all the products I need?

 

You have to make sure that all the products your business needs are stocked by the food supplier. Some specialized niche items may need to be purchased separately. This is particularly true when you need products that are specific only to your business and may be hard to find in a general food supplier. However, it may always be worth checking if the items become more common than you think they are.

What are the logistics?

 

This will give you information about when the items will be delivered, in what form, and how often will they be delivered. You may also want to know the turnaround time, and if they can accomplish orders that have to be delivered the following day. You also have to make sure that critical items are always in stock.

 

How are the products packaged and delivered?

 

If the deliveries arrive early in the morning, you may need to pay extra for an employee to handle them. When the deliveries are late at night, unloading the items may take longer than necessary and this may compromise the food’s quality. When it comes to packaging, it is critical to store the items at the right temperature. This is particularly true when the items have to be at a certain temperature and they can’t be easily placed in freezers or fridges.

 

What food safety protocols do you follow?

 

It is extremely crucial that you consider food safety when choosing from among prospective wholesale food suppliers. You certainly don’t want to cause a food poisoning incident, which can only give your business negative PR which may lead to its downfall. That’s why you have to make sure that the supplier you have in mind follows all the food safety regulations. The same regulations you must follow as well for the safety of all consumers.

 

Do you offer discounts for bulk orders?

 

When you need a substantial amount of food delivered every week, you certainly want a discount for all the large orders you placed. Many wholesale suppliers offer this, so it wouldn’t hurt if you ask. This will allow you to have huge savings from food costs and more profits as well.

 

You may also want to ask if the food supplier has its own mobile app.