The foodservice supplier’s sales environment: The case of small meat processors

This study is designed to assist small meat processors seeking to expand their sales volume. The analysis pertains to a procurement survey of 191 restaurants. Fifty-one different variables are analyzed by means of cross-tabulations among different restaurant groups. For example, three restaurant annual sales groupings (under $500, 000, $500, 000 to $2, 000, 000, and over $2, 000, 000) are used to examine which of these fifty-one restaurant variables significantly differ by group. Other cross-tabulations are also presented regarding dinner ticket price levels, management structure, and chain affiliation, respectively. Many significant differences are found to exist in terms of food quality, delivery methods, product types, and more. Small meat processors will be able to develop more effective sales growth strategies through gaining an understanding of such differences. This study should be of value to small food manufacturers interested in direct marketing to restaurants. For example, based on the general findings of this study, small food manufacturers should place greater emphasis on product quality rather than price when selling their products to larger restaurants since supply quality is of greater importance than cost to these restaurants.