restaurant food suppliers near me

10 Reasons Restaurants Should Use Local Wholesale Food Suppliers

Wholesale food suppliers are vital for restaurants. Wholesalers provide economies of scale in procurement and variety. They also manage food safety, compliance, technology, transportation, and logistics complexities.

By forming meaningful relationships with their suppliers, restaurants can focus on operations and the guest experience. Through partnerships with local wholesale food suppliers, restaurants can experience several benefits unavailable to them when working with restaurant food suppliers near them.

From access to high-quality and fresh produce to cost savings, here are 10 benefits restaurants can take advantage of when working with a local supplier.

Access to High-Quality & Fresh Produce

When you buy local, you buy fresh. Local restaurant food suppliers offer produce that is fresher and of better quality than their larger counterparts. Because they source locally from nearby farms and producers, there’s a shorter transportation that the items travel. They often travel directly from the farm, to a quick stop where the food supplier manages the orders, and then directly to the restaurant. This adds a longer shelf life for the individual items, which increases the flavor profile.

With the smaller service area, local suppliers offer ingredients and products that follow the local growing season. Restaurants can benefit from these local relationships by updating their menus to include seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, preventing potential supply chain issues.

Competitive Pricing & Cost Savings

Working with local restaurant food distributors can save costs and increase restaurant efficiency. Local suppliers offer competitive pricing. They also work with restaurants to manage inventory and purchasing. This keeps things fresh and saves the restaurant money on spillage and through their weekly inventory.

Frequent deliveries that are provided by the local wholesale food suppliers also save the restaurant money. They no longer need to order in bulk quantities to receive discounts, and there are fewer products going bad in coolers or on shelves.

By shopping locally for their wholesalers restaurants can decrease emissions and reduce transportation costs. With larger wholesalers, the product is often shipped to and stored in warehouses until they are shipped again to the next supplier or, if you’re lucky, the restaurant directly. Costs can reduce by localizing the supply chain, and with less money being sunk into logistics, there will be less weighing down the bottom line.

local restaurant food suppliers

Personalized Service & Relationships

Local suppliers can offer personalized services that many large companies can not. They can also provide customized orders and flexible delivery schedules. They build relationships with their customers, which include the farm, restaurant, and other small businesses within the target area of the restaurant. This can lead to better communication, faster response times, and a better understanding of the restaurant’s needs.

Greater Transparency & Traceability

Food distributors that are local to a restaurant can offer greater transparency and traceability of their products. This includes information on where and how the produce was grown. They also have a good grasp of their inventory and can provide documentation on their sourcing and handling practices and give the restaurant a good understanding of what’s involved in the steps to get it from the farm to the table. If there is going to be an impact on a specific item a restaurant constantly orders, local suppliers can work out a plan of action with restaurants ahead of the effect time. These advantages can help restaurants meet customer demand for locally sourced and sustainable food options.

Supporting Small-Scale Producers

Working with a restaurant food supplier locally can help support small-scale producers and farmers. This aids in preserving traditional farming practices and protects biodiversity. Restaurants can help promote these unique and high-quality products to their community. Supporting local is a win for everyone involved.

local wholesale food suppler

Specialty Products & Flavor

Buying from regional distributors or vendors means your restaurant has limited access to the kinds of ingredients available for purchase. Local farmers have a selection of unique ingredients and food items apart from traditional ingredients. By partnering with a local restaurant food distributor, you’re getting access to specialty products, which helps you stand out from other restaurants and competitors. Some examples include heirloom varieties, artisanal cheeses, and specialty meats.

In addition to the unique products and freshness, local ingredients can also have a more distinct flavor. This is because they are grown or produced using techniques specific to the local area. By using these types of ingredients, restaurants can create unique, memorable dishes that showcase the flavors of their region.

specialty products

Promote Sustainability & Community Resilience

Restaurants can build relationships with local businesses and organizations by partnering with a local supplier. Working with a local supplier promotes sustainable agriculture and supports the local economy. This can lead to a more resilient food system and a stronger sense of community.

Keeping ingredient shopping local is also a great way to minimize the waste a restaurant’s kitchen produces. There is no longer a need to buy in bulk when restaurants work with a wholesale food supplier near them. The practice of buying ingredients locally helps eliminate food waste at the restaurant which in turn promotes another level of sustainability. When buying from local vendors, restaurants can purchase the exact amount of ingredients and receive them quickly.

Flexibility & Adaptability

Local suppliers often offer more flexibility and adaptability than their larger counterparts. They’re able to be more reactive than suppliers who are farther away. This allows them to meet the changing needs of restaurants. From customized orders, fast turnaround time, last-minute deliveries, and accepting orders well past the typical 5 p.m. cut-off time. It’s much easier for a supplier to coordinate a shipment across the neighborhood than worldwide.

Greater Control

The further away from the restaurant’s supply chain elements, the less control the restaurant has over them. Face-to-face visits allow you to address concerns and ensure all products meet your standards. There’s also less of a chance for communication issues. This often happens when working with larger teams, many of whom don’t care about your business beyond their profit.

Enhance Restaurant Brand & Reputation

If sourcing locally increases the bottom line, the same would happen for other suppliers and businesses in your area. Restaurants can build their brand and reputation by working with local suppliers. Through this partnership, restaurants can promote their use of locally sourced and sustainable products to attract customers who value these qualities.

By supporting local businesses, restaurants can enhance their image as a community-minded and socially responsible organization. The impact of a small business goes far beyond the individual establishment, and restaurants can see this through these curated partnerships.

wholesale food supplier near me

These 10 advantages of partnering with a local wholesale food supplier show that restaurants benefit and thrive when they tap into their local community. Working with a local supplier not only saves money but has the possibility of increasing sales.

Valley View Produce is a family-run wholesale food supplier that services NYC’s five boroughs; Jersey City, Hoboken, West New York, and Weehawken Township. Valley View Produce offers various fresh conventional and organic fruits and vegetables, regional and local specialty items, meats, dairy, pantry staples, beverages, frozen and dry groceries, and food service supplies such as disposables and cleaning products. They accept orders as late as 11 p.m. with a delivery following the next day. Place your online order and discover the benefits of ordering wholesale food online.