The old adage says to choose your friends wisely, but in foodservice, the same wisdom is needed when choosing a new vendor. Operators share the top three qualities they look for when bringing a new vendor into the fold.
1. Flexibility
Betsey Willard, child nutrition supervisor at Franklin Township Community School Corporation in Indianapolis, values a vendor’s willingness to truly become a partner with her district. “I have worked with many vendors in the past that have conducted business one way; if that way didn’t work for your district, then too bad,” she says. “Recently, I have had the experience [working] with vendors that are willing to go outside of their box and create a partnership with my district as we set up what our working relationship is.”
That might include adjusting procedure or policy, or customizing offerings to meet an operation’s changing needs. For example, one of Willard’s vendors has shown flexibility in working with her district’s efforts to track commodity pounds. “[They] created a spreadsheet for us to work off of, so we have weekly data instead of monthly,” she says.
2. Experience
At Union City Public Schools in Union City, N.J., a vendor’s experience not just in foodservice but directly with K-12 operations is at the top of the list. “[We are looking for] deep knowledge and experience specific to K-12,” says Anthony Dragona, school business administrator at Union City Board of Education. “Kids can be the toughest food critics, and their tastes and preferences are constantly changing.”
But don’t just take the vendor’s word for it: “Ask for references, ask for case studies—and be specific,” he says. It’s a given that references provided by a vendor will have glowing things to say; instead, seek out your own contacts for a truly unfiltered opinion before you commit.
3. Accessibility
A vendor’s availability to communicate clearly and often is of utmost importance for Sandy Perley, purchasing coordinator for campus dining services at University of Missouri in Columbia. She and her staff are in contact with their primary food vendor several times a day, and all communication is funneled through one dedicated account executive. “She responds via voicemail and email many times a day, and is also physically in the operations once a week,” Perley says. “Our partnership would not be as strong or efficient if it weren’t for the help of our account exec.”
Willard agrees that accessibility is crucial. “I do not like having to track a vendor down to have outstanding issues resolved,” she says. “I need to know and trust that the vendor is taking care of any issues in a timely manner.”