How do you source ingredients or supplies for your business?

[tranguyen]

Hi everyone!

We hope everyone had a great break after the busy festive period. 

I came across a great article on our Town Square blog recently about sourcing ingredients locally and it makes me really curious to learn more from everyone about:

How do you source ingredients or supplies for your business?

What goes into where/how you manage your suppliers? Do you source locally or maybe even from another Square seller?

[AnnaB]

1.  We cut out the distributors for lost all supplies, and we get in the car and buy direct.  The savings were impressive when we began this, but it is time consuming.

2.  We talked to people, scoured the local markets, visited facilities, and let them know we would be an ongoing wholesale account, not just a one time or sporadic purchaser. " we will be here every Wednesday, minimum order will be ____, if it's larger we will call Monday before pickup." type of conversation.  

3.  If a sole proprietor/owner seller, we pay in cash. You'd be surprised at some of the freebies handed out 😀

Good luck

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Depends on what it is. Something like organic sugar - there's no local manufacturer for this so I source the highest quality, but most affordable brand of try to stick with that keeping the cost with other potential suppliers on watch every quarter or so. Things I can get locally like fruit and packaging I do something similar. I have some suppliers I found online and others that I found by going into other local businesses asking them where they get those items from, tested for quality, consistency, pricing, and chose one or two to be primary as well as a few backup. I get fruit for instance from 1-2 main suppliers but have accounts with 3 other wholesale fruit suppliers just as backup/just in case one is out of stock, closed, or something is going on that might prevent timely delivery. Hope that helps! 

[Maurice8th]

It's a crap shoot, to be honest. If local sourcing was a reality, you'd have to travel for real spices, flour, butter and sugar. The main source for eggs is local, so I try (with these ridiculous prices) to lean upon that.

[TastyToucan]

I use Websteraunt for most of my supplies, their prices might not be the best but the connivence of ordering anytime is worth it. I work with local bakeries and other small businesses where I can. The other perishable stuff I use Sams Club.

[Pieguy]

Webstaurantstore I find kills me on shipping.  Restaurant depo is not bad . Or Amazon.