Rationality dictates

Ákos Bősze, business development manager at METRO HoReCa cannot detect an exact trend in the field of purchasing by the HoReCa sector. On market operators’ side he has seen efforts of a constant adaptation and an increase in the demand for high-quality ingredients. This trend, however, has recently been somewhat curbed by inflation and the resulting drop in purchasing power.

Csaba Fonyó, purchasing manager at Chef Market told that in response to current challenges, restaurants tend to order less but more frequently to ensure freshness and sustainable business operation. “It is still a challenge to find trained workforce, as a result of which restaurants’ purchasing habits have shifted towards convenience products, we must offer a range of processed meats to customers that simplifies kitchen work.”

Product development is mainly about adaptation

“Based on the responses from our business partners, we wanted to help simplify their processes with convenience meat products” – András Benkő, commercial and marketing director of Kaiser Food Kft. explains. The portfolio of packs tailored to the sector of sliced products has been a joint development with partners.

“For HoReCa-partners, we offer 500-1,000g packs of processed meat products” – Ákos Bősze explains. Smoked and smoked-cooked bacons sell well no matter whether cut in cubes or slices. Restaurants with international cuisine can choose from a range of premium Spanish and Italian hams and Italian salamis.

“Vegan meat alternatives represent the latest trend” – Csaba Fonyó argues –, “and we keep widening our range. As regards meat preparations, we see innovations in packaging every day.”

András Benkő underlines that they can fully satisfy the needs of different target groups in the HoReCa-sector with meat preparations. Based on feedback received, their griller assortment proved to be a success this year.

Preparing for tomorrow

“Customers today are increasingly health-centred and the demand for turkey meat has been rising rapidly” – Erzsébet Nagy stresses. Gallicoop offers a wide range of modern products, a highly successful one of which is turkey bacon.

“Chef Market keeps aligning its webshop and offer with the changing needs” – Csaba Fonyó tells. “We prepare for a possible recession by using renewable energy carriers and warehouse-optimization.”

“Lately, we’ve witnessed a huge development” – András Benkő points out. “Food safety is already a cornerstone in every caterer’s ordinary course of business.”

“Significant transformations are to take place and the number of HoReCa-outlets will surely fall” – Ákos Bősze concludes. METRO will further improve its services and products by the use of which chefs and owners can ensure profitable operation. //