CHAPTER 9 FOOD PURCHASING Food Specifications A Food Purchasing System The Purchasing Cycle Food Quality Standards Buying by Specification Par Stocks & Reorder Points Types of Purchasing

FOOD SPECIFICATIONS Written standards for food (food specifications) are set before a restaurant opens. The amounts to purchase are based on a forecast of sales. When in operation, par stocks (the reasonable amount to have on hand) & reorder points (the stock points that indicate more should be ordered) are established.

STEPS IN A PURCHASING SYSTEM Determine the quality of food standards required to serve the market. Develop product specifications. Gather product-availability information. Have alternate suppliers in mind. Select a person to order and receive supplies.

STEPS IN A PURCHASING SYSTEM Set up storage space for maximum utilization. Establish the amount needed to be stocked- par stock – each item. Set up inventory system. Decide on optimal delivery size to reduce cost of delivery & handling. Check all inventories for quality and quantity/weight. Tie inventory control and cost control system together.

THE PURCHASING CYCLE A purchasing cycle can be set up that rolls along efficiently, a system that repeats itself day after day with minimal demands on the operator. Product specifications need only be reviewed, not reset, each time food is ordered. Par stock and reorder points are relatively fixed & changed only as sales volume changes appreciably or as the menu changes. Major suppliers are changed infrequently.

Product specification Par stock and reorder points Issuing The Purchasing Cycle Receiving & storage Selection of supplier Order placement

FOOD QUALITY STANDARDS Standards for food quality are set to serve a particular market: Some operators serve fresh fish only, never frozen. Some restaurants use only fresh vegetables.

BUYING BY SPECIFICATION Each operation needs a quality of food that fits its market. The quality needed varies with the market and also with the food item being produced. Canned vegetables used in a made-up dish need not be of fancy grade. Meat for grinding into hamburger may well come from U.S. good or even lower-graded meat and still be satisfactory.

PAR STOCK & REORDER POINTS Based on quantity used, storage space available & availability of the product. Fast moving items require more stock. The operator with a fixed menu has an advantage in buying. Preparation of entrées can be done in terms of prepared items (i.e. so many trays stored under refrigeration).

PURCHASING: Full-line purveyors: Carry a large line of supplies Offer more one stop shopping Saves time Simplified billing Co-op Buying Supplies products at cost, plus enough of a markup to cover the cooperative’s cost. Nonprofit Lower cost than profit

PURCHASING MEAT Principal factors in meat buying are: The cut of the meat: What part of the animal? The USDA grade of the meat: Fat content, tenderness & cost. The style/form: Carcass, wholesale cut, or ready-to-serve portion.

PURCHASING FRESH FRUITS & VEGTABLES: Select freshly picked, mature items and use them as quickly as possible. Handle them as little as possible. Distinguish blemishes that affect appearance & those that affect quality. Check on maturity. Avoid those that are over ripe or show decay. Be conscious of size & count. Know sizes of containers & check on their contents.

USDA WHOLESALE PRODUCE GRADES: U.S. Fancy: Applies to highly specialized produce- Rarely used. U.S. No. 1: Most widely used in trading produce from farm to market. U.S. Commercial: This grade applies to produce inferior to U.S. No. 1 but superior to U.S. No. 2. U.S. Combination: Combines percentages of U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2. U.S. No. 2: Usually considered the lowest quality practical to ship- Poorer appearance and more waste than U.S. No. 1. U.S. No. 3: Produce used for highly specialized products.

CANNED FRUITS & VEGTABLES Standards are FDA concerns. Labeling of ingredients are required on most items. Container must have ingredients listed in descending order by weight (some are mostly filler). Operators that frequently use canned items perform can cutting tests after picking season. Less expensive products may turn out to be superior.

SELECTING THE RIGHT COFFEE People tend to like the coffee with which they grew up. Widely traveled people often prefer stronger coffee. Coffee served in restaurants is a blend. Most predominate is mountain grown. Generally coffees are divided into two types: Robust, heavier flavored. Mountain grown, lighter, milder. Coffee vendors often supply the restaurant operator with a coffee-making machine on a no-cost lease basis provided the operator agrees to buy all of his or her coffee from the vendor.

The End Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.