Post by campbeji on Dec 27, 2012 19:46:47 GMT -5
Hi,
I was just wondering if you had considered going to a food producer, importer, wholesaler etc with a bulk buy order, and if so did they offer a substantial (or small) discount?
For example, some time ago we bought some meat from the organic farm in Ballylagan, it was a side of beef, or half a cow, it went into the freezer. We got a discount on it, I think it was about 10% or so, not much but since we would have bought it anyway it was worth while. I'm sure that if we could put together a substantial order, for say 4 sides, or 2 whole cows, then we could get a decent discount, especially if we could buy when he has a surplus which happens occasionally.
It doesn't have to be there, I'm sure any farmer who is selling retail would be willing to do a deal. Perhaps we could work something out way in advance so that we could pre-buy a half ton of spuds or something, maybe even pick them ourselves :-) Of course that does present potential problems with the regulations on Organic farms (or is it farms in general) to do with contamination and disease control etc.
There is also the potential with product suppliers and manufacturers, for example there was a toilet roll manufacturer in Larne that used to sell out of a factory shop (this is maybe 25 years back - not current info), I think it was the Inver company, If they were still there they might do a deal. (I did a quick search but couldn't find them)
I'm sure that there are lots of wholesalers who will deal with the public or a buying group if they can make the minimum purchase, often as low as £50 - £100. I don't have a lot of experience with general consumable items but in my business there are wholesalers I go to that have no minimum purchase as such, and some of them aren't too fussed if you are a trading company either.
I was just wondering if you had considered going to a food producer, importer, wholesaler etc with a bulk buy order, and if so did they offer a substantial (or small) discount?
For example, some time ago we bought some meat from the organic farm in Ballylagan, it was a side of beef, or half a cow, it went into the freezer. We got a discount on it, I think it was about 10% or so, not much but since we would have bought it anyway it was worth while. I'm sure that if we could put together a substantial order, for say 4 sides, or 2 whole cows, then we could get a decent discount, especially if we could buy when he has a surplus which happens occasionally.
It doesn't have to be there, I'm sure any farmer who is selling retail would be willing to do a deal. Perhaps we could work something out way in advance so that we could pre-buy a half ton of spuds or something, maybe even pick them ourselves :-) Of course that does present potential problems with the regulations on Organic farms (or is it farms in general) to do with contamination and disease control etc.
There is also the potential with product suppliers and manufacturers, for example there was a toilet roll manufacturer in Larne that used to sell out of a factory shop (this is maybe 25 years back - not current info), I think it was the Inver company, If they were still there they might do a deal. (I did a quick search but couldn't find them)
I'm sure that there are lots of wholesalers who will deal with the public or a buying group if they can make the minimum purchase, often as low as £50 - £100. I don't have a lot of experience with general consumable items but in my business there are wholesalers I go to that have no minimum purchase as such, and some of them aren't too fussed if you are a trading company either.