A chef switches to a new meat supplier because their ribeye costs €24/kg instead of €28/kg from the current supplier. Six months later, he discovers the "cheaper" ribeye has 25% more fat trim, making each 200g portion actually cost €0.40 more. This happens because restaurants choose suppliers based on relationships and surface-level pricing rather than calculating true portion costs.
Why feeling misleads you in supplier selection
You get a visit from a new supplier. Friendly representative, nice stories about quality, and the price list looks attractive. You think: "This'll be cheaper than my current supplier."
But have you actually calculated what it costs per portion?
💡 Example:
You buy salmon from two suppliers:
- Supplier A: €18/kg whole salmon
- Supplier B: €28/kg salmon fillet
At first glance, A seems cheaper. But after filleting, you get only 550 grams of fillet from 1 kg whole salmon. Actual price: €18 / 0.55 = €32.73/kg.
Supplier B is actually €4.73 per kilo cheaper!
The pitfalls of choosing based on feeling
There are four reasons why gut instinct misleads you in supplier selection:
- Different packaging sizes: €15/kg in 2kg packs vs €16/kg in 10kg packs
- Cutting waste varies: Whole fish vs. fillets vs. portions
- Quality differences: Cheaper product = smaller portions needed?
- Minimum orders: Lower price but high minimum purchase
⚠️ Watch out:
Many suppliers deliberately calculate with different units. One per kilo, another per piece, yet another per portion. This makes comparing difficult.
What you really need to compare
The only fair comparison is: what does one portion on the plate cost?
For this you need to account for:
- Purchase price per unit
- Cutting waste and loss
- Portion size you serve
- Minimum orders and storage costs
- Delivery costs and frequency
💡 Example calculation:
Steak comparison for 200g portion:
Supplier A:
- Whole strip €22/kg
- Cutting waste 20% → €27.50/kg net
- Cost per 200g portion: €5.50
Supplier B:
- Cut steaks €26/kg
- No cutting waste
- Cost per 200g portion: €5.20
Supplier B is €0.30 per portion cheaper!
Why this goes wrong so often
Most kitchen managers discover too late that they don't have time to calculate this properly. A supplier comes by, the price list looks decent, and you make a quick mental comparison.
But that mental comparison is almost never correct because:
- You forget to include cutting waste
- You compare different qualities
- You don't calculate through to portion costs
- You don't account for delivery costs
⚠️ Watch out:
A difference of €0.25 per portion seems small. But at 100 portions per week you're €1,300 per year more expensive.
The role of relationships and service
Of course, price isn't everything. Good service, reliable delivery and quality also matter. But then you should consciously choose the more expensive supplier because of those advantages.
The problem arises when you think you're getting a better deal, while you're actually paying more.
💡 Example decision:
Supplier A: €5.50 per portion, delivers 2x per week
Supplier B: €5.20 per portion, delivers 1x per week
If you have limited freezer space, A might be more practical despite the higher price. But then at least you know you're paying €0.30 per portion extra for the convenience.
How to solve this
Create a simple comparison table for your most important ingredients. Calculate everything through to portion costs. This way you immediately see what each supplier really costs.
Food cost calculators help you track different suppliers and their prices, and immediately see the impact on your cost per dish.
How do you compare suppliers fairly? (step by step)
Make a list of your 10 most important ingredients
Focus on products you use frequently and that make up a large part of your food cost. Think of meat, fish, vegetables and dairy. These have the most impact on your total purchasing costs.
Calculate the actual price per usable unit
Include cutting waste and loss. With whole fish: from 1kg you get 550g fillet. With vegetables: 15-20% is lost through peeling. Divide the purchase price by the net yield.
Calculate through to cost per portion
Multiply the actual price per kilo by your portion size. A 200g steak at €30/kg net costs €6.00 per portion. This is the number you need to compare between suppliers.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate portion costs for your top 12 ingredients every 6 months, not just during supplier visits. Most kitchen managers only compare prices when approached by new suppliers, missing better deals from existing alternatives.
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
What if suppliers have different qualities?
Test a small amount first. Sometimes with lower quality you can serve smaller portions, making it still more cost-effective. But calculate this precisely before switching completely.
How do I avoid being seduced by a good representative?
Make agreements with yourself: no decision during the conversation, always calculate through to portion costs first. A good representative understands this and will even help you with the calculation.
What if a new supplier has lower minimum orders?
Also include storage costs. Lower minimum order means less inventory, but possibly higher purchase prices or delivery costs. Add everything up for a fair comparison.
📚 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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