Competition forces suppliers to deliver

zoom

Clarke says rapid growth results in poor service.

Suppliers to Dubai's food and beverage industry are being forced to deliver more efficiently due to increased competition in the market, according to chefs and F&B directors.

Dubai's expanding foodservice portfolio is attracting new companies with bigger inventories, hoping to tap the region's current industry boom, explained Le Méridien Al Aqah Fujairah chef Pravin Bagali.

"Suppliers are not yet fully equipped to meet our market demands and ensure consistency in deliveries.

"We look for alternative suppliers if one cannot deliver consistently. We cannot afford to change menus every month because of the costs involved."

An increase of suppliers in the market has allowed chefs to diversify their product source commented Matt Pickop, executive chef, Verre by Gordon Ramsay, Hilton Dubai Creek.

"There's a massive range of produce available now. I'm always sampling products from different suppliers and we change pretty much every month depending on the seasons and what I'm looking for at the time."

Consistent supply is important, but after-sales care is "an equal consideration", said Monarch Dubai F&B director Tim Hansen.

"We have new suppliers every day offering new items, but we select the best products based on our relationship with the supplier and their customer service policies, which is very important," he said.

Coffee specialist Orbis Roastary's chief executive officer Justin Clarke said that customer service is one effective way of distinguishing company values from those of the competition.

"I'm acutely aware that, in Dubai, companies grow very quickly and what suffers is the customer service - and in our case the quality of the coffee - and I want to make sure that doesn't happen, by managing client relationships exceptionally well," he said.

From a supplier perspective, efficient delivery comes down to having the right partners said general manager of Gunter Facilities Supplies, Martin Koebke.

"It's extremely important to have a close relationship with very reliable producers to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

"There's so much competition out there and you have to factor in the human element to set yourself apart. It's not all to do with bank accounts."

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

USER COMMENTS (0 COMMENTS)

POST A COMMENT

CLICK HERE TO POST A COMMENT

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.