Managing Your Menu Through Supply Chain Uncertainty – Shamrock

Sponsored by Shamrock Foods

Supply chain irregularities due to labor demand, transportation challenges, material shortages and unpredictable consumer demand are affecting restaurant operators across the globe. It’s never been more important for operators to shore-up inventory and menus to navigate product availability challenges. This quick guide helps outline strategies you can take to lessen the impact of the supply chain and put the control back into your kitchen.

YOUR CHECKLIST:

1. Define Your Dish: What are the non-negotiables of your plate and how do you protect that element?
2. Create An ABC List: Outline your hard specs as A = Absolute, B = Basic Need & C = Commodity Level
3. Search for Swaps: Identify 2-3 alternative ingredients for your core product list.
4. Build Your Alternative Order Guide: A substitutions order guide with pre-vetted alternatives will help smoothly navigate a supply chain issue.
5. Check Your Inventory: It’s never been more important to have an accurate up-to-date inventory of your kitchen.
6. Stock Up: What nonperishables can you stock up on, and what perishable items need to be ordered as needed?
7. Tap Into Our Insights: Share your plan for your key items as well as alternatives with your Shamrock Foods team. We have access to new and innovative ways to work around the same problems everyone else is having – why not tap them for their insights?

MENU BUILDING:

1. Keep It Simple, Still: A smaller, easy to execute menu will reduce waste and labor needs.
2. Less Is More: Look for ways to consolidate your ingredients or use them in multiple ways across your menu.
3. Shift Your Labor: Precut vegetables means more prep time for meaningful labor, like breaking down a single protein source.
4. Join The Family: Shamrock Foods exclusive brands are sourced and delivered with consistency in availability and pricing.
5. The LTO: AKA the “Limited Time Offer”, take some of the pressure off of the current high demand items. Talk to your rep about abundantly available products to try.
6. Advocate For Change: Build a promotion around change, like a seasonal menu centered around available products.
7. Reinvent The Wheel: Look at food trends and turn them on their head with available products. Shamrock’s team can help you think outside the box.

TOOLS:

1. Market Outlook: Keep track of the market with our reports published weekly in My Shamrock
2. Suggested Alternatives: Find helpful swaps in ShamrockORDERS
3. Back In Stock Notifications: Turn on notifications for your must have products in ShamrockORDERS

With flexibility and innovation, restaurants can flourish in this time. Your Shamrock Foods Sales Representative Shamrock Foods Sales Representative, Shamrock Foods consultants and specialists are ready to help you navigate supply chain issues and collaborate on your menus to find what works best for you.