How to be a Responsible Caterer
Being a Responsible Caterer
In some of our previous posts, we have discussed things you should bear in mind when thinking about setting up your own catering business, and also how to effectively market your new catering business.
In this article, we will discuss how you can be a ‘responsible’ caterer when your first contracts start coming in, to ensure you maintain a high standard of service, and make sure you’re being proactive with your social and corporate responsibility. One day, you may be asked by a potential client about this very subject, and you should be prepared to answer in an open, honest and proud way.
Below are some suggestions on how you can get off on the right foot, as making the changes further down the line can be harder to implement.
Fairly Traded Products
This has become, and is becoming one of the biggest talking points when it comes to sourcing and providing products whether it be grocery or dry goods.
We all understand the importance of sourcing local, Fairtrade produce, but it is all too easy to cut corners and buy in bulk from an unknown source.
Protect yourself, your reputation and your staff from awkward questioning, audits and general commercial appearance by making a special effort to source local and Fairtrade produce where possible. We understand this is not always completely viable when running a business, but you need to make sure you’re at least making the effort.
Support your local butchers and greengrocers by building a relationship with them, and make sure your clients/ customers know where their food is being sourced from. Not only is this a brilliant and ethical practice, but it will provide a significant level of trust which will lead to repeat business.
Environmentally Friendly Waste Management
A recent article on thecaterer.com has highlighted a restaurant which has not taken the correct measures to dispose of their waste in an environmentally friendly manner. This should be a big learning point and warning to other catering and hospitality businesses to re-evaluate their methods of waste disposal.
Primarily, taking measures to ensure waste is minimal in the first instance is a brilliant step to be better prepared with actually having to dispose of waste in the end. Double checking your figures, order amounts and making sure correct procedure is followed during the procurement and delivery of produce will help minimise your amount of waste.
Don’t be tempted to cut corners and simply pour your waste oils and fats down the drain!
Consistent Quality of Product
Imagine you have two friends. You offer both of them a meal. You serve them both the same meal, but one is significantly better than the other. Now imagine your friends are hundreds of people (your clients). Was it ‘fair’ that one friend had an amazing experience, and the other not so much?
We didn’t think so.
Make sure your standards are set high, and they stay high. We’re positive you will know how to manage this, but you should always keep an eye out! As we discussed in an earlier post, word of mouth marketing is the most effective and successful form of marketing.
Imagine your friends meeting up and discussing their meals. You would want them to both share their amazing experience, having paid you for your expertise and service. Consistent quality is fair and will work wonders for your referral marketing!
It’s all about the people!
You may have a set menu. You may have set procedures and processes in place. But you cannot forget that your entire business relies on people! Both your staff and your clients.
Everyone will have requirements, and it is your responsibility as a service provider and an employer to ensure these requirements are recognised and catered for (pun intended!)
If you would like any more information about being a responsible caterer, marketing your catering business or the tools to deliver high quality products and services, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call or send us an email, we’ll have a chat over a burger and a brew!