What happens to turnover
The resort season compresses a cafe's or bakery's annual revenue into a few months. At the same time the number of outlets grows, and with it the competition for transport and for suppliers' stock.
Three mistakes that repeat every year
- Ordering «as we go». In July a supplier allocates volume to those who booked ahead.
- Stocking up without allowing for humidity. Flour and bran on the coast take on moisture quickly in the heat.
- Switching supplier mid-season. The most expensive time there is to experiment with raw materials.
How to prepare
The best approach is to agree an indicative volume for June–September back in April or May and put the shipments on a schedule. Reserving volume for a specific customer and fixing the price for a month solves both problems: availability and budget.
After the season volume drops — and here it matters that the supplier handles the decline calmly rather than charging a penalty for volume not taken. We treat flexibility on volume as normal, not as a concession.