Chapter 6
Food Purchasing
Objectives
• After reading and studying this chapter, you
should be able to:
– Explain the importance of product specifications
– List and describe the steps for creating a
purchasing system
– Identify factors to consider when establishing par
stocks and reordering points
– Explain selection factors for purchasing meat,
produce, canned goods, coffee, and other items
Sustainable Purchasing
• Restaurants are moving towards buying
more locally by
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Cutting down freight costs
Strengthening regional economies
Supporting family farms
Preserving the local landscape
Fostering a sense of community
• Does not ensure sustainability
– Involves food production methods
Food-Purchasing System
• Steps:
– 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
– Set up storage space for maximum utilization
Food-Purchasing System
(cont’d.)
– Establish the amount needed to be stocked
(par stock) for each item
– Set up inventory control system
– Decide on optimal delivery size to reduce cost
of delivery and handling
– Check all inventories for quality and quantity
or weight
– Tie inventory control and cost control system
together
Figure 6.1 Steps in putting together a food-purchasing system.
Purchasing Cycle
• Can be set up to roll along efficiently
– System that repeats itself day after day with
minimal demands
• Product specifications need only be reviewed, not
reset, each time food is ordered
• Par stock and reorder points are relatively fixed and
changed only as sales volume changes appreciably
or as the menu changes
• Major suppliers are changed infrequently
Figure 6.3 Purchasing cycle
Food Quality Standards
• Standards for food quality are set to serve a
particular market
– Determined by the owner and chef/cook
• 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
– Quality needed varies with the market and 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
How much inventory?
• Every food item has a shelf life
– Shelf life is the length of time a food item can
be stored without appreciable loss in quality or
weight
– Nearly every food that contains a large amount
of water shrinks with storage
– Temptation is to buy a large quantity when a
price reduction is available
• Requires extra handling space and time
Par Stock and Reorder Points
• Based on quantity used, storage space
available, and 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 (e.g., so many trays stored
under refrigeration)
Mechanics of Ordering
• Best way to place orders:
– Opinions vary:
• Calling for competitive prices
• Dealing with only one or two trusted suppliers
• Shopping in supermarkets
• Standing order:
– Predetermined order that is filled regularly
• Purchase order:
– Formal system form
• Two or three copies
Types of Purchasing
• Buying from a full-line purveyor:
– Carries a large line of supplies
– Offers more one-stop shopping
– Saves time and simplifies billing
• Co-op Buying
– Supplies products at cost, plus enough of a
markup to cover the cooperative’s cost
– Is nonprofit
– Is of lower cost than profit purveyors
Buying Meat
• Principal factors in meat buying are:
– Cut of the meat: what part of the animal
– USDA grade: fat content, tenderness, and cost
– Style: carcass, wholesale cut, or ready-to-serve
portion
• Government inspection and grades
– Inspection has been mandatory since 1907
– Grades: prime, choice, select, standard, and
commercial
Buying and Receiving Meat
• Steps:
– Get a copy of the Meat Buyer’s Guide
– Determine exactly what meat the restaurant
needs
– Request bids for purchase specifications
– Receiver should check the temperature of the
meat
– Look for weight, count, and sizes
Buying Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables
• Guidelines:
– Select freshly picked, mature items and use them
as quickly as possible
– Handle them as little as possible
– Distinguish blemishes that affect appearance and
those that affect quality
– Check on maturity
– Avoid those that are overripe or show decay
– Be conscious of size and count
– Know containers sizes and check contents
USDA Wholesale Produce Grades
• Standards:
– U.S. Fancy: Highly specialized produce
– U.S. No. 1: Most widely used in trading
– U.S. Commercial: 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: Lowest quality practical to ship
– U.S. No. 3: Used for highly specialized products
Canned Fruits and Vegetables
• Standards are the concern of the FDA
– Labeling of ingredients:
• Required on most items
• Listed in descending order by weight
• Operators that frequently use canned items
– Perform can cutting tests
• Less expensive products
– May turn out to be superior
Selecting the Right Coffee
• Coffee must fit the clientele
– 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 predominant is mountain grown
Selecting the Right Coffee
(cont’d.)
• General types:
– Robust, heavier flavored
– Mountain grown, lighter, milder
• Coffee vendors:
– Often supply the restaurant operator with a
coffee-making machine
• No-cost lease basis, provided the operator agrees
to buy all coffee from the vendor