Find Top Hospitality Supplies Near You

Hospitality Supplies & Equipment 

You have a lot on your plate when you run a business in the hospitality industry. Regardless of whether you run a cafe, restaurant, food truck, B&B or local tour operator business, one of the most important things you need to do is source quality supplies and equipment. The equipment and supplies you use have a direct impact on the quality of your products and services, your customer experience and your business’s bottom line. 

At SavvySME, we can help you connect with key suppliers and industry professionals to start and grow your business including:

• Wholesale hospitality suppliers: Wholesale catering, kitchen and hospitality suppliers provide you with essential items, equipment and consumables such as kitchenware, crockery, furniture, bedding and staff uniforms.
• Wholesale food distributors: Wholesale food suppliers prepare and deliver fresh produce and food items such as cheese, desserts, breakfast foods, meat, seafood and fruit and veg.
• Venue managers: Venue managers are in charge of event space or locations such as conference centres, hotels, theatres and galleries. You may liaise with venue managers if you’re in the catering or events industry.
• Event planners: Event planners are hired to organise events and ensure everything runs smoothly. You may liaise and work with them if you work on weddings, large birthday parties or corporate events.
• Shopfitters: Shopfitters specialise in commercial hospitality fitouts for hotels, cafes, bars, etc and provide a wide range of services including floorplanning, kitchen installation and custom-built fittings and fixtures. 

What supplies do I need for my hospitality business?

The type of equipment, supplies and products you need depends on which sector of hospitality you’re in and where you operate from. For example, the kitchen equipment for a food truck looks very different to a large hotel kitchen. We’ve listed typical supplies for businesses in the three key hospitality sectors:

Supplies for food and beverage businesses (e.g. cafes, restaurants, bars):

• Kitchen equipment: ovens, dishwashers, grills, coffee machines, refrigerators 
• Furniture: chairs, tables, bar stools
• Kitchenware: catering trolleys, bakeware, food storage, cookware, scales, cooking utensils, cutting boards, crockery, glassware, food display, cutlery, buffet display, bar and counter service equipment 
• Uniform: staff uniform, chefs clothing, chefs apparel and tools 
• Consumables: packaging, takeaway cutlery, beverage cups, bags, napkins, skewers, containers
• Cleaning and safety: cleaning equipment, cleaning chemicals, washroom supplies 
• Fresh food produce: fresh produce and pre-prepared food items such as bread, cheeses, baked goods

Supplies for accommodation businesses (e.g. hotels, B&Bs, motels, lodges):

• Furniture: beds, desks, wardrobes, chairs, sofas, barstools 
• Housekeeping: laundry bags, trolleys, bathroom accessories and consumables 
• Linen: bedsheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, mattress protectors, bathroom towels
• Cleaning: cleaning equipment, cleaning chemicals, washroom supplies 
• Hotel accessories: lamps, bins, coat hangers, safes, luggage racks, slippers, robes
• Electrical: hairdryers, radios, clocks, TVs, irons, kettles, toasters 
• Kitchenware: cookware, crockery, glassware, barware, cutlery, buffet and serving tools
• Fresh food produce: fresh produce and pre-prepared food items such as bread, cheeses, baked goods

Supplies for tourism businesses (e.g. tour operators, travel agents, recreation service providers):

• Office set up and supplies: desks, chairs, sofas stationery, brochures, leaflets
• Vehicles and equipment: cars, vans, recreational equipment 
• Staff uniforms: branded t-shirts, caps, sweaters
• Software: booking and systems management systems 

It’s important to determine the essential equipment and supplies you need to operate. If you’ve purchased an existing business you may already most of what you need. 

How do I choose suppliers for my hospitality business?

Every business has a slightly different process when choosing a supplier, but there are some guidelines you can follow:

• Don’t compromise on quality
• Choose a company with a wide product range 
• Choose a company that adds additional value 

Firstly, never compromise on quality for the sake of cutting costs. Look at the products you choose through your guests’ eyes - would you be satisfied with your service offering if you were a paying customer? They say the proof is in the pudding, and the quality of the products you choose has a knock-on effect on your customers’ experience.

Aim to find a supplier with a large product range so that you can get the bulk of what you need in one order. This simplifies the ordering process and keeps delivery costs down. A good supplier will also update you on supply and seasonal demands so you can prepare in advance.

It’s important to find a company that adds value to your orders. This might be a consistent effort to offer you unique and seasonal flavours for your menu, giving you a consolidated list of products instead of sifting through an extensive list or advising you on product ranges that align with your business values.

What questions should I ask hospitality suppliers?

Below are some key questions to help you find and choose the right suppliers for your business:

• What are your payment options and do you offer discounts for bulk orders?
• Do you have minimum/maximum order quantities?
• What is your order availability?
• What is your quality assurance process?
• Do you have a mobile app or online ordering options?
• Can you provide a liability insurance certificate?

As well as finding reliable, high-quality suppliers that you can rely on, there is a range of software and tools designed specifically for small hospitality businesses. These tools can help you streamline your workflow, manage staff, track your inventory levels and much more. 

If you already know what type of products and equipment you need, simply answer a few questions and we’ll introduce you to the best suppliers who can help. You can also browse our articles or post a question to get advice from other hospitality businesses, suppliers and industry professionals.