Oct 5, 2021
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3 min read
How A Supply Chain App Can Do The Work For You
The ongoing supply chain issues are continuing to impact the hospitality industry. Businesses across the country are constantly on the lookout for new local suppliers to keep stocks filled and customers happy. But with much of the supply chain management still being done offline, finding new suppliers can be a daunting task. A supply chain app can be your solution.
Offline supply chain problems
Many businesses rely on the classic word-of-mouth, someone knowing someone who might have some stock left. Usually, this involves a good amount of phone calls and messages. But also manually updating inventory sheets and order forms to keep track, which can be a rather sluggish process, especially when dealing with multiple different suppliers.
But there are many more potential suppliers out there than businesses might be aware of. And there is a better, more streamlined way of finding and managing them…
Digitise your supply chain
A digitised supply chain is much more dynamic and flexible but also removes the potential for errors that occurs when juggling with various spreadsheets and lists manually.
The first step is to digitise the process of finding suppliers online.
We’ve compiled a short list of suppliers across the UK to get you started. Industry bodies and trade associations are always a good way to begin your search.
Most of those directories also offer a map view, which makes it easier to spot potential close-by producers.
- Artisan Food Trail
- Big Barn – includes an online marketplace
- Food and Drink – for Scotland
- Love British Food
- Open Food Network
- Produce and Provide
- SALSA – food safety certification scheme for smaller producers
- Society of Independent Breweries
Digitise your supply chain
Looking for local suppliers on the web will open up a wider range of options, but can still be time-consuming. There are smarter solutions on the market, that can do the search part for you and much more.
Supply chain apps allow businesses to manage their whole supply chain in one place, from finding new suppliers to stock management, ordering and invoice management.
What’s more, those apps rely on real-time shared data so stock levels and price fluctuations on the market are constantly updated.
Below are two great examples of UK based supply chain apps (coincidentally developed locally to us at Stampede) that connect local suppliers with hospitality businesses.
Both have a wide (and growing) network of suppliers, from national producers to local, independent ones. Businesses can easily connect with their existing suppliers, but also easily find new ones and place and process their orders on the app straight away. And both apps are available for free!
Some more food ordering examples:
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