Most businesses need to find partners to thrive. This is especially true of food businesses, from cafes to restaurants. The temptation may be there to partner with the big suppliers who can provide a nationwide supply chain, but overlooking your local providers may be a major mistake. Here, we’re going to look at the 4 reasons why you should consider sourcing the food you sell locally.
By Team Savant
Image: R. du Plessis
Strengthen Your Community Ties
One of the most important currencies that local businesses can trade in is the connection they have with their community. By sourcing products locally, you can build mutually beneficial relationships that make your business part of that community. Whether you’re partnering with nearby farms, bakeries, or otherwise, you can support local businesses, build goodwill, and find that customers appreciate knowing where their food comes from. A lot of people genuinely do feel more connected with businesses that support their local economy, and the sense of authenticity that often comes with it.
Provide Fresher, Higher-Quality Products
Naturally, the closer you are to your provider, the less time it’s going to spend in transit. This leads to food that’s fresher and often tastes better as a result. For example, wholesale pies baked the same morning they’re delivered have a flavour and texture that frozen or mass-produced alternatives simply can't match. Working with specific suppliers means that your business develops a specific taste, as well, meaning that customers who like it are more likely to keep coming back because your cafe or restaurant may be the only place they know they can get it.
Reduce Environmental Impact
Aside from improving the quality and taste of the food you serve, ordering locally also means that you’re contributing to the higher carbon emissions associated with food that has to travel a long distance. Local sourcing helps you cut your environmental footprint by cutting down on transportation and packaging waste. You can also take the time to find those local providers that work with environmental standards in keeping with your own, which is often beyond the ability of nationwide organisations that are more focused on scale. This can also help you better advertise your foods to eco-minded customers.
Adapt More Quickly To Trends
Big organisations take time to move, which means they don’t always respond to demands in the market in a timely way. By working with suppliers, you can be a lot more flexible, adjusting your offerings often with businesses who are agile enough to pivot. A really good relationship with a local vendor may even open the possibility of requesting products to meet certain demands, whether for trending ingredients or to meet seasonal demands, like for pumpkin pies in Autumn. Local partners can also provide insights into trending ingredients or products in the area, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
Locally sourced food can help your cafe or restaurant develop a distinct identity for itself, providing fresher and often high-quality foods, while even decreasing your business’s impact on the environment. Take the time to find your local providers and offer your clientele a taste more specific to your area.