Editor’s Note: The following article is brought to you by MyRouteOnline in partnership with the Supply Chain Network.
As summer comes to a close, schools around the country are getting ready to welcome students back into their halls. The logistics around the first day of school is a lot to handle, and the staff needs to be prepared with route optimization for school buses and catering, as well as school supplies.
One of the most important things that help children focus and excel in school is good nutrition. With that, school meal programs are an important part of the school year. Many institutions turn to catering delivery services, as they can be more cost effective than having a full kitchen operation in the school, especially for a small educational facility. The cost of running a food operation within the school can be exorbitant, between pay roll, equipment, repairs, and of course, cost of goods.
Catering companies looking for new institutional clients are positioned well if they can target whole school districts, serving schools from elementary through high school. The trick here is to keep the costs at a level that makes it not only profitable for the company but cost effective for the school. Prepared food costs much more than wholesale goods, but a good catering company can offset some of the cost through volume.
The benefits of volume help catering companies save money on cost of goods. because buying food in bulk has steeper discounts. Not to mention a mass production of menu items allows for less labor to be used. Catering companies that look for cost effective methods of doing business will find themselves poised to win profitable contracts from school districts.
Another large cost for catering companies is the cost of transportation. Fleets require maintenance, fuel. and of course, drivers. To save on these high ticket items, implementing MyRouteOnline's Route Planner will see immediate and significant savings from day one. The route planner offers up to 350 stops on a route, all which are organized in the most cost effective way to save time, gas, and wear and tear on vehicles. MyRouteOnline is an inexpensive investment that will help catering companies that deliver to schools save even more money, increasing the profit margin on their contracts.
Autumn is fast approaching and catering companies that have been busy all summer will ramp up even more in September when school is in session. MyRouteOnline is ready to assist in making the transition for catering companies as smooth as possible.