Purchasing & Indent for Volume Catering — Purchase Control, SPS, Indenting Principles & Factors
Purchasing & Indent for Volume Catering — Purchase Control, SPS, Indenting Principles & Factors
Purchase control = right quality + right quantity + right price + right source + right time. In large hotels, a full-time purchase manager handles all F&B procurement. In small hotels, the chef purchases perishables directly. Here is the complete guide to volume purchasing and indenting.
Purchase control = purchasing materials of right quality + right quantity + reasonable price + right time. Process starts with materials requisition → ends with receipt and payment. Materials form the largest single expenditure in most organisations. Profitability improved by increasing sales AND controlling waste during production.
Small Hotels: Assistant Manager purchases storeroom items (food). Chef purchases perishables (meat, poultry, fish, vegetables).
Sources of Supply:
i) Direct purchase in cash from market
ii) Through suppliers — on contract or in cash
iii) Direct from wholesalers
SPS = quality standards stated in terms of grade or brand. Example: Tomato Ketchup → Kissan · Prawn → Grade A. Covers: Texture · Composition · Quality grade · Brand specification. The primary aim: obtain best quality merchandise at the most favourable price.
Indent = inter-departmental document stating requirements of goods — description, quality, specifications, units and quantity. Sent to stores who procure and dispatch to the department concerned. Similar to a requisition but used specifically for standard recipe and SPS requirements. Must be approved by departmental head before processing.
✦ Wastage control
✦ Pilferage control
✦ Correct quantity and quality distribution (no over or under distribution)
b) Revenue forecast from F&B service department
c) Day-to-day enquiries, parties, events at the hotel
d) Chef’s own experience
◆ Materials = largest single expenditure in most organisations
◆ Large hotel: full-time Purchase Manager · Small hotel: Assistant Manager + Chef for perishables
◆ 3 sources of supply: Direct cash purchase, Supplier (contract/cash), Wholesale
◆ SPS = Standard Purchase Specification · e.g., Prawn = Grade A · Ketchup = Kissan
◆ Indent = inter-departmental document for ingredient requirements
◆ Indent must be approved by departmental head before processing
◆ Indent controls: ingredients, wastage, pilferage, quantity/quality distribution
◆ Key indenting principle: larger number of people = lesser per-head indent quantity
◆ Chef uses: previous year revenue, F&B forecast, enquiries, own experience for indenting