RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

Student name and surname: Joshua Smitsdorff

Student number: 100906619

Programme: Professional Cookery

Subject /
Subject / Module: Module code:

Assignment title: Assignment.

Submission date: 2023 06 05

Chapter 3 - Purchasing Systems and Personnel

The purchasing of stock has a direct impact on the quality of food produced by the food service
establishment. Ultimately, purchase produce of poor quality and the final product the customer or guest consumes
will be of poor quality. In purchasing operations, its more than just the individual, ethical and quality guidelines must
be put in place to ensure that the best possible products are purchased at the best possible price.

Review pages 73 to 127 to complete the following task.

Task 1 - Developing Purchase Specifications

You are tasked by the General Manager of Blue Orange to review the purchasing process in the food and beverage
department. You decided to evaluate the process by researching the purchasing process in more detail. After some
research you understand the process more clearly and decide to explain the purchasing process to the food and
beverage manager.

Describe the purchasing cycle to the food and beverage manager. (10)

Task 2

After discussing the purchasing process, you and the food and beverage manager realize there is a problem with
purchasing the proper quantities of items. Which factors needs to be assessed periodically, by the food and beverage
manager, to avoid these problems? (10)

Chapter 4 - The Distributor

The food service operation is only as successful as the produce it buys. Quality produce also requires a relationship
between the purchaser and the distributor. The distributor is not merely a service provider to the operation, he/she
is a partner in the operation, and the success of the operation rests largely on this relationship or partnership.

Review pages 133 to 169 to complete the following task.

Task 3 - Reliable Food Service Distributors

Read the following article, then complete the question that follows.

Reliable food service distributors play an important role in the success of your business and you will want to choose a
distributor who provides good quality products with prompt consistent delivery.
You can find food service vendors online, in the Yellow Pages or by attending restaurant conferences or trade shows.
Ask other restaurants in your area where they get their products from. Ask which suppliers they like in particular and
why.

You will want reputable vendors who can provide the products and services you need at a price you can afford. But
try to keep the number of vendors at a minimum to cut down on the time of placing and receiving orders.

(Adapted from: http://www.allfoodbusiness.com/Choosing_A_Foodservice.phpLinks to an external site.)

Discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages for using a prime or secondary distributor. (10

Task 1 - Developing Purchase Specifications

You are tasked by the General Manager of Blue Orange to review the purchasing process in the food and beverage
department. You decided to evaluate the process by researching the purchasing process in more detail. After some
research you understand the process more clearly and decide to explain the purchasing process to the food and
beverage manager.

Describe the purchasing cycle to the food and beverage manager. (10)

Purchasing Cycle Definition:

It can be installed with an efficient supply cycle, a system
that repeats itself every day with minimal labour.
Despite constant review, every part of the
cycle is slowly changing, just as customers and
menus change, and new products and vendors
are considered. Special items only need to be checked
times per food purchase, no reset needed. Par
products and recycling points are fixed,
only changes when sales volume changes slightly or
text changes. The main supplier
changes regularly. Receiving, sending, and posting are done and file
becomes the main file of cost management.
The purchasing cycle consists of the following activities:
1. The chef in the kitchen and the bartender (or manager) in the bar completes the delivery
request when a product is needed.
2. Warehouse responds and releases suitable products to the customer.
3.
When the items in stock reach the predetermined reorder point, the warehouse forwards t
he purchase request to the purchasing department.
4. Purchase required products from qualified suppliers, possibly using purchase orders or pu
rchasing documents. More and more food service operators are using e-
commerce (business to business) technology to place orders with suppliers. Purchasing pers
onnel submit or deliver orders or purchase records for picking and picking.
(Purchase, purchasing information and electronic purchasing procedures are discussed later
in this section.)
5. The buyer delivers the goods to the receiving office by letter.
6. The buyer will put the product in the library and send the invoice (possibly with other doc
uments) to the accounting firm.
In some hotels, this information is reviewed by the food and beverage management before
being sent to the accounting personnel.
7. After the
employees complete the necessary documents, they send the money to the supplier and th
e copy of the order/receipt to the management and manage the targets.

This buying cycle repeats each time the product is ordered. As you can see, shopping is mor
e than "picking up the phone and ordering". This is a cycle of activities that must be specific
ally planned and managed to create an audit (records, documents and reports that monitor
resources by working as a food processor).
The purchasing process begins with requirements from internal customers, external custom
ers, suppliers, and owners/marketers. These requirements include the needs, wants and ex
pectations of these three groups, in addition to the professionalism of the salesperson that
should not be exceeded.
Sometimes the opinions of external customers take precedence over what needs to be don
e (for example, when deciding how much steak a customer is willing to buy). Sometimes the
customer's inside ideas about the need, such as choosing restaurant clothes based on comf
ort and ease of cleaning. Sometimes distributors provide valuable information on consumer
preferences and market trends. In other cases, what needs to be done is determined by the
owner (for example, the cost of buying a new stove for the kitchen). Usually there is a bala
nce between these three groups and the distributor sets the rules.
Buyers can assist decision makers in identifying requirements, researching the market, chec
king for new products, reporting changes in the market, and gathering other information.

After discussing the purchasing process, you and the food and beverage manager realize
there is a problem with purchasing the proper quantities of items. Which factors need to
be assessed periodically, by the food and beverage manager, to avoid these problems?
(10):
Factors:
The popularity of the menu. As the sales unit of the menu increases, it is clear that more in
gredients are needed.
Product price issue. Higher product prices can lead to higher selling prices, which in turn lea
ds to lower sales. In this case, it is necessary to continue to buy the product to be evaluated.
Also, management can set the future price, buying more if the price goes up and less if it go
es down. This is called speculative buying and can only be made by management based on i
nformation provided by the buyer. It has
Storage areas. Location may limit the number of items purchased. Storage space in dry area
s, freezers and refrigerators will not be sufficient for large purchases.
Security level. The security level refers to the minimum amount of stock that should be in a
regular stock to help ensure that stock outs do not occur. Ensuring a safe supply of in-
stock items may require purchasing more than necessary to allow for delivery delays, increa
sed usage, or other unforeseen developments.
Distributor limited. Shippers may specify a minimum dollar or pound age requirement for t
he shipment.
Additionally, some exporters may refuse to pack boxes, bags, or other containers for many s
pecialty items (or the price will increase if they unbox). Therefore, the packaging process aff
ects the products purchased.

Task 3 - Reliable Food Service Distributors

Read the following article, then complete the question that follows.

Reliable food service distributors play an important role in the success of your business
and you will want to choose a distributor who provides good quality products with
prompt consistent delivery.
You can find food service vendors online, in the Yellow Pages or by attending restaurant
conferences or trade shows. Ask other restaurants in your area where they get their
products from. Ask which suppliers they like in particular and why.
You will want reputable vendors who can provide the products and services you need at a
price you can afford. But try to keep the number of vendors at a minimum to cut down on
the time of placing and receiving orders.
(Adapted from: http://www.allfoodbusiness.com/Choosing_A_Foodservice.phpLinks to
an external site.)

Discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages for using a prime or secondary
distributor. (10)
When using primary suppliers, business owners often select secondary
suppliers to supplement their purchases from primary
suppliers. Key distributors are often chosen because as much integration as possible with th
e supplier often results in better products, better service (sometimes called leverage), and b
etter conditions (such as payment, delivery). In addition, distributors reduce the number of
products shipped by the supplier, lead time and associated costs.
On the other hand, a single supplier or group of suppliers can benefit suppliers in several wa
ys. One advantage of the
is that secondhand sellers can offer food, dairy, fresh produce or specialty items such as me
at and seafood.
Sometimes used dealers offer better or higher quality items, or both.
A secondary distributor may be considered a primary distributor's distributor, especially if t
he product ordered by the primary distributor is a food product. Even if the main seller offe
rs a replacement, the replacement will not necessarily satisfy the replacement. Therefore, w
hen choosing a second distributor, it is important to evaluate the distributor's product nam
e and ability to deliver small quantities in a short time.
A second distributor is often used as a "standby" specialty; a distributor who has more but s
till gets enough orders to be profitable and build relationships.
Specialty suppliers are sometimes chosen because they can offer a full range of frozen food
s in addition to other items purchased from the shipper. This will help keep prices competiti
ve, or at least give diners a chance to compare prices.
A number of small private distributors provide business owners with a variety of waste prod
ucts and paper. Because these items are often available at various retailers and carriers, op
erators should carefully consider the cost of purchasing these items in large quantities. pric
e.
Secondary carriers sometimes offer cash for delivery or telephone service when the carrier r
uns out of inventory; The carrier may send someone to purchase to the carrier, load it on th
e truck and deliver it to the operator. These transfers and cash transactions often require pr
ior authorization.
However, it is important to consider secondary suppliers who are the main distributors. This
will lead to a better relationship for everyone.
buyers should not be afraid to buy from any source other than the manufacturer.
After all, new vendors are opening every day, just as new food vendors are opening every d
ay. Many professional buyers initiate trial or sample orders with new sellers to help gauge t
heir interest in ongoing relationships.

References:
• Collier, D & Evans, J 2007, Operations Management, Goods, Services, Value Chains.
Cengage, New York.
• Marriott, N.G., Robertson, G. (1997). Foodservice Control Points. In: Essentials of Food
Sanitation. Food Science Texts Series. Springer, Boston, MA.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-6045-6_18
• Kotschever, Lendal H. and Ronald F. Cichy. Managing Beverage Service (Lansing Mich.:
Educational Institute of The American Hotel & Lodging Association)
• Accessed 05/05/23.

Submission and plagiarism declaration: I, the undersigned, hereby declares that this
material, which I now submit for assessment, is
entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others. I understand that
plagiarism, collusion and copying are grave and serious offences and accept the penalties
that would be imposed should I engage in plagiarism, collusion or copying. All the sources of
facts, ideas, opinions and
viewpoints have been referenced correctly. Direct quotations from books, journal articles,
internet sources, module texts or any other source whatsoever are acknowledged, cited
and
identified in the reference list. This assignment, nor any part of it, has been previously
submitted by me, or any other person, for any form of assessment.

• Joshua Smitsdorff
• 5 June 2023
• Student signature.