Kitchens are data mines waiting to be tapped. Because every cost is quantifiable, business decisions don’t need to be a guessing game — as long as you know where to look.
The tasks performed by foodservice workers can be monitored and recorded at each step. The amount of time, energy and labor a particular piece of equipment requires to create a specific dish can be computed. By gaining insights into these processes, decision-makers can arrive at a likely conclusion: There’s room for improvement.
A data-driven foodservice approach is essential to succeeding when greater economic forces are uncertain. So, when faced with labor and skill shortages or rising energy costs, efficient equipment can be that magic elixir for an operation. Near-term performance can improve while creating a foundation for enduring profit margins.
Purchasing equipment is a cost that operators have to carefully budget for and consider. However, when talking about foodservice equipment efficiency in meaningful ways, it begs the question: Where does the return on investment (ROI) begin, and the costs of old equipment end? Outmoded equipment typically uses more energy and requires more labor to operate.
Tangible and quantifiable ROIs are waiting to be uncovered. Operations that can increase capacity without requiring additional staff are greasing the wheels for greater efficiency. As a foodservice equipment salesperson, it's your job to help your customers see this.
Identify a competitive advantage
Competitive advantage is any edge an operation has over its competitors in differentiation or cost. This could be anything that makes food offerings better, faster and more profitable than others in the field. It's critical to understand that competitive advantage is not static. It requires constant assessment, tailoring and reshaping.
Consider a foodservice operation whose competitive advantage is a buffet offering with good value. They enjoy a steady level of business. Despite their success, they may not realize there is ample opportunity to strengthen their value position with labor-saving equipment. It behooves the operation to have equipment that requires much less human intervention. Some ideas to help them:
- Even something as humble and unassuming as a soup station can have an impact on an employee’s timesheet. Traditional wet wells require scrubbing and descaling on a daily basis. If that doesn’t tire out the staff, constantly stirring to compensate for uneven hot zones will. Hatco’s Dry Soup Well can automatically switch from rethermalization mode to hold mode. It also has adjustable timers that indicate to staff when it’s time to stir the soup. An easy-to-remove insert makes cleanup a snap.
- Palletti® Countertop Daisy Chain Induction Warmers are ready for action as fast as an employee can plug them in. Up to four units can draw power from a single standard outlet, no electrician required. The power levels are memory retentive, so the last setting will resume when the unit is powered back on after being turned off. The durable black ceramic glass doesn’t have any hard-to-reach places, so it’s easy to clean.
- Food display cases and merchandisers can only sell food for an operation if they remain stocked. If they’re not abundantly full and showcasing food, they’re not helping operators boost sales. Thankfully, buffet design improvements are helping employees shave precious seconds off restocking time and reducing the need to “babysit” a station. The Flav-R-Savor® Non-Humidified Large Capacity Heated Display Cabinet is built with the service team in mind. Single-door or two-door options provide the ease of self-serve or pass-thru convenience. The Hatco Heated Zone Merchandiser has Spot-On® Technology which turns overhead heat on only when product is present in that zone, while the base heat goes from energy-saving mode to the set temperature.
Make a friend with the to-go trend
With the proliferation of social media, food trends can rise and fall at breakneck speed. An operation can’t possibly keep pace with every single fad. So, while influencers are chasing down the latest ancient grains, heritage beans or foraged mushrooms, the savvy operator can focus on a larger, sustainable big-picture paradigm shift: to-go.
Consumers are increasingly strapped for time. Consequently, they’re looking for food that is prepared outside the home. This growth in convenience predates the pandemic and shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. It’s all about getting the food customers want, when and where they want it. Well-designed equipment reduces the need for staff while increasing this viable to-go revenue stream. A few ideas:
- Operators can convert Hatco's Drop-In Modular/Ganged Hot Food Well to a to-go shelf for hot food without ever changing the footprint of their store. With those heated wells in position, Hatco’s specially designed Modular/Ganged Heated Well Cover creates a heated space to hold pre-packaged, pre-heated foods at safe serving temperatures for self-serve purposes. This saves costs and saves time.
- Experienced operators know that being prepared for peak to-go time periods is half the battle. Behind the scenes, Hatco’s Flav-R-Savor® Tall Humidified Holding Cabinet is capable of holding a larger quantity of hot foods at the optimum serving temperature range of 80°F to 200°F (27°C to 93 C) for extended periods of time. A full-view, quick-access door helps workers organize their prep and locate menu items quickly.
- Pizzas have been synonymous with to-go for many years. They’re the ultimate in portable convenience for customers. Pizzas have predictable food costs while being quick to prep and cook. Flav-R 2-Go® Pizza Locker Systems can hold multiple orders in either hot or ambient lockers with quick and secure access. And because these lockers don't require an attendant, staff is freed up for other more pressing tasks — like making more pizza!
Grow what they know
It’s tempting for customers to “prairie dog” the foodservice landscape, stick their heads up and look around. What is the competition doing that they aren’t? Who is disrupting the marketplace with a new dish or concept? As waves of economic uncertainty confront all sectors of the foodservice industry, it’s more important than ever to encourage customers to focus on what they know best. In other words, it’s time for them to double down on an area of expertise.
It could be a signature sandwich, an exclusive partnership with a farm or a proprietary secret sauce. It doesn’t matter what it is. Bonafide knowledge can be leveraged with a streamlined operation into more money on an operation’s bottom line.
- If a foodservice provider has achieved expert status, chances are their success is due to consistency. And nothing dials up consistency quite like the line of Intelligent Toast-Qwik® Conveyor Toasters by Hatco. These toasters boast Spot-On® Technology which allows the toaster to sense when a product is placed on the conveyor belt before activating the unit. Meanwhile, the patented ColorGuard Sensing System continually monitors and adjusts the chamber temperature while toasting up to 2,000 slices per hour.
- When an operation has a hit on its hands, it will need the ability to make and hold lots of it. That’s where drawer warmers come into play. A variety of shapes and sizes can fit in just about any kitchen configuration. From narrow designs to built-in or freestanding, warming drawers keep critical ingredients within arms reach, for easy staff access. Proper food safety and proper food rotation ensure that quality control is maintained.
- Sometimes operators forget that even menu stars have room to become more streamlined in their cooking processes. The Electric Salamander, for example, can achieve broiling temperatures much higher than a typical oven. Once operators get a taste of the salamander’s potential, they’ll realize this mighty, little piece of equipment has the potential to broil, melt, reheat, crisp up and cook to perfection.
Efficiency drives success.
Technology and design advancements are integrated into every facet of foodservice equipment. Today’s operators can make the most of these advancements by aligning business goals with enhanced efficiency.
By helping your customers look in the mirror and see their own data, you’re helping them identify where opportunities exist. More often than not, the right equipment will give your customer an edge in three core profitability marks: reduced labor, reduced energy and reduced food waste. Score big on these three streamlining metrics and an operation will have a winning ROI.
For more information on how Hatco’s efficient foodservice equipment makes strong operations even stronger, check out our blog.
