Strategies & Solutions for Operational Savings
We Know Operational Savings in Foodservice
While most industries have been adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, none has been hit harder than the food service industry. In fact, it’s never been harder to be in the business:
- More than 110,000 eating and dining establishments closed in 2020, either temporarily or for good (CNBC 2021)
- 80% of those establishments still in business reported their profit margins were significantly lower than before the pandemic (Toast 2021)
- 91% of operators reported total food costs were significantly higher than prior to the pandemic (NRA 2021)
- 80% of operators said they experienced delays or shortages of equipment or service items (NRA 2021)
That’s why realizing operational savings has taken on a new importance as foodservice operations look well into the future and what it’s going to take to be successful in a new normal shaped by the pandemic.
Reducing Overhead and Labor Costs
In a multi-pronged approach to realizing meaningful operational savings, the obvious place to start is taking a hard look at ways to trim your overhead expenses and labor costs. We offer these six tips for getting that done:
Strategy #1: Start with Overhead
From ordering to product usage, you can run your operations more smoothly and efficiently while lowering overhead costs with products and solutions designed for maximum value, efficiency and ROI.
Learn more about our StorPlus™ IML (in mold label) Food Pans by joining our mailing list!
Tip #2: Keep It Simple
Products designed with simplicity in mind are easier to use, resulting in less training and much more productivity for your team members. That adds real value, empowers your associates, and leads to much less frustration. And that has a direct positive impact on your cost of labor.
Learn more about our 12" Saf-T-Wrap & 18" Saf-T-Wrap
Tip #3: Get Portion Control
Optimizing your portions reduces the chronic problem of over-serving, which significantly cuts down on loss and waste over the long haul.
Learn more about our Saf-T-Grip Cutting Boards
Tip #4: Realize Purchasing Power
Work with an integrated one-stop, total solutions provider to realize better pricing and more for less while lowering order minimums, reducing excess product, and the advantage of maintaining less inventory on hand.
Learn more about our StorPlus™ Polycarbonate Food Storage Container
Tip #5: Breakaway from Breakage
Replacing your china and glass with high quality plastics and melamine means longer lasting dinnerware that needs to be replaced much less frequently.
Learn more about our 9" Ridge Melamine Salad Plate
Tip #6: Set-Up More Efficiently
Spend less time and money during set-up by tapping fewer event installers thanks to easy-to-use fabric options that also boast stellar durability.
Learn more about our Black Budget Stretch Table Cover 6' x 30" x 30"
Reducing Unnecessary Waste
Waste, across the board, is an operational cost killer. And although food waste, via spoilage and prep, are the biggest culprits, there are other areas across the operation where waste is hurting your bottom line.
Tip #1: Make Food Go Farther
Getting food to last longer reduces waste and, ultimately, your carbon footprint all the while saving money.
Learn more about our Clear 22 qt Carlisle Squares™ Polycarbonate Food Storage Container
Tip #2: Get the Right Equipment
Products that work more efficiently help save you money. So do products designed to run for the long-haul boasting gentle, low-impact action for enhanced durability, less maintenance, less breakage, longer intervals between replacement, and perfect portions.
Learn more about our OptiClean™ All-Purpose Peg Dish Rack 2.5" Pegs
Tip #3: Get the Most from Your Resources
Optimizing resource usage via tapping high-quality products designed for the ultimate efficiency means less washing, less solution, less electricity, and less water.
Learn more about our Black Griptite 2 Oval Tray 27" x 22"
Tip #4: Be Toxicity Free
Use products that are free of any toxic materials — like BPA-free options that meet NSF standards — that could cost you in a variety of ways down the road.
Learn more about our 6" Deep Amber StorPlus™ High Heat Food Pan, 1/3 Size
Tip #5: Chill Out
Maintaining the proper cold temperatures keeps food fresher longer, and always ready to serve or store while, importantly, preventing foodborne illness that can lead to litigation.
Learn more about our Blue 64 oz Rapi-Kool Plus
Embracing Sustainability
With climate change never more front and center, sustainability continues to be of utmost importance to consumers, spurring foodservice operators to actively reduce, reuse, and recycle to minimize their impact on the environment.
Tip #1: Reduce Your Garbage Volume or Use Environmentally Friendly Plastics
Continuously audit your product and solution lines with an eye toward cutting the amount of trash and waste your operation generates. Also look for manufacturers that are designing products that contain less plastics.
Learn more about our Mingle Drinkware & Dinnerware
Tip #2: Employ Creative Ways to Reuse Existing Material
Find new ways to repurpose things that otherwise would have been thrown out such as reusing scrap materials or production mistakes to save on resources and expenses.
Learn more about our TrimLine™ Waste Containers & Lids
Tip #3: Get Clear on Recycling
Wherever possible, use products with packaging that’s 100% recyclable, understand what can and can’t be recycled by your local facility, and find ways to turn something seemingly old and useless into something new and useful.
Learn more about our White 8.5 gal Polyethylene Food Storage Container
Adopting More Economical Solutions
Adopting a more economical approach to your operations doesn’t mean buying your solutions on the cheap. It means demanding the kind of quality, commercial-grade products that give you maximum value and allow you to get the maximum amount of work done. And that positively impacts your bottom line.
Tip #1: Don’t Confuse Economical and Cheap
Demanding high-quality, commercial-grade products and solutions — versus those lower-priced options that might, at first blush, might seem to save you money — is really the much more economical play and will prove friendlier to your bottom line.
Learn more about our Bone-Colored 2 oz Melamine Fluted Ramekin
Tip #2: Buy for the Long Haul
Minimize premature loss and replacement costs by investing in the kinds of products and solutions designed to last — and work — much longer.
Learn more about our Large Black In-Counter EZ-Fit Lid Dispenser
Tip #3: Make the Most of Your Team’s Hours
Reduce your team’s training hours and workload with products designed to be intuitive, easy to use, and get the maximum amount of work done for the least effort.
Learn more about our 6-Pack of Color Coded Cutting Boards
Tip #4: Take a Practical Approach
Reach beyond the theoretical to leverage tried and true methods that work effectively in the field. Like color coded products that offer a broad range of function and many substantive advantages.
Learn more about our Black Maximizer™ Portable Bar
Seek Smarter Solutions
Working smarter — by tapping products that boast innovative design and incorporate new technologies — also leads to increased productivity through better efficiency.
Tip #1: Embrace Technology
Whenever possible, tap innovative solutions that incorporate advanced technology that help your team do their jobs better and easier, increase their efficiency, help prevent mistakes, and minimize waste.
Learn more about our Black 5 Pan Capacity Cateraide™ Insulated Front Loading Food Pan Carrier
Tip #2: Don’t Be Afraid of Color
Improve your operations by designating color-code solutions to different tasks or work areas/zones. Doing so helps your enterprise improve organization, significantly improve hygiene, and, importantly, appease the health inspector.
Learn more about our Color Coded Measure Misers
Tip #3: Seek an Active New Product Pipeline
Work with a manufacturer that listens to customer feedback and needs while anticipating future trends to fuel aggressive new product development.
Learn more about our upcoming Sauce Bottles by joining our mailing list!
Tip #4: Benefit from Better Integration via Acquisition
Partner with a manufacturer that innately understands what’s needed to continually enhance their integrated solutions offerings and get you the complementary products your business needs via an active acquisition strategy.
Learn more about our NEW AyrKing Acquisition!