C-products in an ABC analysis are the least valuable items in your inventory - often 60-70% of your ingredients but only 5-10% of your purchasing value. Picture this: you're spending 30 minutes counting oregano jars worth €12 while your €300 seafood order sits unchecked. Here's how to manage these low-value items without burning precious time.
What exactly are C-products?
C-products are ingredients that don't cost much but eat up tons of space in your admin work. Think of:
- Herbs and spices (oregano, basil, pepper)
- Small garnishes (parsley, lemon, olives)
- Basic ingredients (salt, sugar, vinegar)
- Small packaging (cocktail picks, napkins)
💡 Example ABC distribution:
Restaurant with €5,000 monthly purchasing:
- A-products: 10% of items, 70% of value (€3,500)
- B-products: 20% of items, 20% of value (€1,000)
- C-products: 70% of items, 10% of value (€500)
So you've got tons of C-products, but they barely dent your budget.
Why manage C-products differently?
The real issue with C-products? They devour administrative time while delivering minimal financial impact. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've watched countless chefs obsess over counting every sprig of thyme while their premium proteins went untracked.
⚠️ Watch out:
Many entrepreneurs spend identical time managing €2 worth of parsley and €200 worth of salmon. That's backwards thinking.
The 80/20 rule for C-products
For C-products, this principle rocks: minimal control, maximum inventory. You'll spend more time tracking exact quantities than you'd lose by keeping extra stock.
- Buy C-products in larger quantities
- Only check if you've got enough (not precise amounts)
- Order when you're genuinely running low
- Focus your energy on A-products (meat, fish, premium ingredients)
Practical management of C-products
For C-products, you'll use a straightforward min-max system:
💡 Example min-max system:
Dried oregano:
- Minimum: 2 jars (reorder point)
- Maximum: 8 jars (maximum inventory)
- Order unit: 6 jars at a time
Spot 2 jars remaining? Order 6 new ones. Done.
Which C-products can you bundle?
Many C-products work perfectly when ordered together for maximum efficiency:
- Spice package: All dried herbs in one order
- Garnish package: Parsley, chives, lemons together
- Basic package: Salt, pepper, vinegar, oil together
- Disposables: All disposable items in one bulk order
This approach saves ordering time and often nets you volume discounts too.
💡 Example bundling:
Monthly spice order:
- Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary: €45
- Pepper, salt, paprika powder: €25
- Garlic powder, onion powder: €15
Total: €85 - order once monthly
Digital vs. manual for C-products
For C-products, you don't need fancy software. A basic checklist does the job:
- Weekly check: are basic supplies getting low?
- Monthly order of standard items
- Note on your phone or kitchen whiteboard
You can register C-products in tools like KitchenNmbrs, but your focus belongs on expensive A-products where real profit lives.
How do you set up C-product management? (step by step)
Identify your C-products
Make a list of all ingredients that cost less than €10 per month. These are usually herbs, spices, garnishes and basic ingredients. Add up what you spend on these - this should be less than 15% of your total purchasing.
Determine min-max limits
For each C-product determine: when do I order (minimum inventory) and how much do I order maximum. Rule of thumb: minimum is 1 week of inventory, maximum is 2-3 months of inventory for shelf-stable products.
Create order packages
Group C-products into logical packages that you order together. For example all spices together, all garnishes together. Order these packages at fixed times (every month or every 6 weeks).
✨ Pro tip
Review your C-product storage every 3 months and eliminate any items you haven't used. Dead inventory, even cheap stuff, ties up cash and storage space unnecessarily.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How many C-products can I have in my inventory?
C-products should max out at 10-15% of your total purchasing value. If it's higher, you've likely misclassified products or you're buying pricey small items.
Should I include C-products in my food cost calculation?
Yes, but skip the per-portion math. Calculate a fixed percentage for C-products (usually 2-4% of total food cost) and add this to your main ingredients. It's accurate enough.
How often should I check my C-product inventory?
Weekly checks work perfectly. Just verify you've got enough basic supplies. Exact counts waste time on products worth a few euros.
Can I just order C-products randomly?
For true C-products (under €5 monthly) you can. But maintain a basic system so you don't forget orders and suddenly run out of salt.
What if a C-product suddenly becomes much more expensive?
Then it might jump to B-product status and needs different management. Review your ABC classification quarterly, especially during inflation or supplier switches.
Should I negotiate prices on C-products with suppliers?
Don't waste negotiation energy on C-products. Focus your supplier discussions on A-products where price changes actually impact your bottom line. Bundle C-products for convenience, not cost savings.
How do I handle seasonal C-products like specialty garnishes?
Treat seasonal C-products like regular ones but adjust your min-max levels. Stock up during peak season, then let inventory run down naturally. Don't overthink it for low-value items.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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