Buying direct from producers: a shorter supply chain for your kitchen

Tomatoes from a farmer, cheese from a small cheesemaker, flour from a mill and honey from a beekeeper: cooking with local produce tastes better and gives guests a story to tell. The problem starts in the office. Ten suppliers mean ten orders, ten bank transfers and ten deliveries.

Why buy direct

• Freshness. Products don't sit for weeks in a middleman's warehouse.
• Price. Without several markups along the way, more money stays with the producer and with you.
• Seasonality. Your menu follows what's growing right now.
• Story. A farm's name on the menu is a selling point guests remember.

What usually gets in the way

Every producer takes orders in a different way and has a different minimum, a different delivery schedule and a different bank account for payment. With several suppliers, organizing purchases starts to take more time than cooking.

How a marketplace sorts it out

On a purchasing platform, products from many producers are in one store. You place one order and pay once, and the payment is split among the individual producers. A courier delivers on a set schedule.

Townely says that on its marketplace, producers receive 85–97% of their price, depending on the delivery setup, and chefs receive their goods in under 26 hours on average.

A seasonal menu, step by step

1. Plan your menu for the quarter and list the seasonal products.
2. Agree on quantities and delivery dates with your producers.
3. Set minimum stock levels for your key products.
4. Check goods on delivery: freshness, temperature and paperwork.
5. Describe where your products come from on the menu and tell your team about it.

Questions to ask a producer before your first order

• What is the minimum order, and are there discounts for larger quantities?
• On which days do you deliver, and how fast?
• How do you pack your products, and how do you keep them at the right temperature in transit?
• What happens if goods arrive damaged or incomplete?
• What documents will I get with the delivery, for example an invoice and information on origin?
• What does availability look like in and out of season?

Regional and traditional products

A good source of inspiration is the List of Traditional Products kept by Poland's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It includes cheeses, cured meats, breads, honeys and preserves from all over Poland, along with their history.