Have you just opened a restaurant and need beverage suppliers? Read on and discover some helpful tools that you can use during the beverage supplier selection process.

On-Site Visits

You can learn a lot about a beverage supplier by visiting their premises. That on-site visit will give you a firsthand experience about the specific hygiene and safety measures implemented during the production or handling of the beverages. Such information will enable you to be sure that their standards are in line with the standards that you would like to maintain for all the products/beverages that are available at your facility.

Cost

Your choice of a beverage supplier should also be influenced by the cost of the products that you are getting. Don't think of the unit cost alone. Think about all the associated costs of a given beverage. For example, what will it cost you annually to maintain the proprietary drinks dispensers that a given supplier prefers? How much will you incur to make the chewable ice that goes with the beverage? Select a supplier after considering the total cost of the product.

The Brand

Weigh the beverage brand's strength before you select a supplier. Some beverage brands have a good reputation among consumers. Such brands won't demand for a lot of marketing. Other brands are relatively new and may require you to do a lot of work to popularise them among your customers. You may consider buying beverages from established brands when you are just starting out. You can introduce new brands later on once you've gained trust from your customers. Such customers may be more willing to try a new brand if it is recommended by an establishment they trust.

The Fit

You should also think about how a given beverage supplier fits into your core competencies and current product range. For example, do you want to create a reputation for stocking only the best wines? Don't include poor quality wines in your collection because that will tarnish the name and reputation of your restaurant. Similarly, you should avoid stocking beverages that will compete with what you already have. Aim at getting beverage supplies that will complement what you already have in stock.

You can benefit a lot by assessing successful companies in your chosen field. Additionally, you can get expert help during the beverage supplier selection process so that you do not negotiate deals that will not be profitable for you in the long run.

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