The Art of Procurement: Balancing Act in Stock Management
Procurement, at its essence, is an art. It’s about anticipating needs, understanding quantities, and pinpointing the perfect timing for supply. Too little stock, and we risk falling short of our commitment to “we supply, you create.” Too much stock, and we find ourselves burdened with financial commitments, warehouse constraints, and unnecessary costs.
Optimal Stock Levels: The Key to Success
Our goal is to maintain optimal stock levels—ensuring top-notch service for our clients while keeping costs in check. Striking this delicate balance requires meticulous planning and constant vigilance. Yet, despite our best efforts, external factors such as increased demand or supply chain disruptions can throw a wrench into our plans.
Navigating Challenges: Port Congestion and Beyond
The current port congestion affecting our harbour’s is a testament to the unpredictability we face. This bottleneck strains the availability of various imported products, posing challenges as we approach the festive season. Nevertheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meeting your needs.
Diverse Offerings: Over 2000 SKUs to Meet Your Needs
Our diverse product range spans dairy and frozen products, oils, sugars, canned goods, cleaning products, packaging, and much more. With over 2000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) at our disposal, we are well-equipped to cater to your unique requirements.
Building Strong Partnerships: The Heart of Our Success
Central to our success is the network of over 200 suppliers who contribute to our rich tapestry of offerings. These partnerships, cultivated over years, are a testament to our commitment to quality and competitive pricing. We view suppliers and clients as integral extensions of our business, believing that mutual success is the only path to sustained excellence.
Looking Ahead: Long-Term Success for All
As we continue on this journey, we remain open to new opportunities, constantly scanning the market for innovative products and reliable suppliers. We’re here for the long term, understanding that success is a collective effort.
Donovan Ramsay
Procurement Manager
Kerston Foods
Meet this Month's Team Member
Jan van Rooi – Procurement driver
As a department, procurement has a top priority and focus on building partnerships with our suppliers. These partnerships are built on mutual trust and reliability, acknowledging that unexpected challenges can occasionally disrupt our operations.
In line with this commitment, our business provides customers with a unique product sourcing service. Since these products lack established purchase patterns and often originate from new suppliers, we understand the necessity of going the extra mile to ensure timely and accessible stock for our customers.
Our procurement driver plays a crucial role in securing stock promptly from the right suppliers, underscoring our dedication to meeting customer needs. Jan has played a pivotal part in our procurement team, contributing valuable expertise over the past few years to efficiently address and overcome such challenges, ensuring the timely availability of priority stock for our customers.
Jan van Rooi
Started 1 November 2014 and will be celebrating 10 years with Kerston Foods next year.
What His Colleagues Say About Him
“He is a very nice person to work with always willing to go the extra mile and a very good listener.”
Urban Vegan Prime Burger
Introducing the Urban Vegan Prime Burger Patty – a culinary masterpiece designed for those seeking a full-flavoured, juicy, and satisfyingly meaty bite without compromising on their plant-based lifestyle.
Their Prime Burger is a testament to plant-based perfection, offering a rich, full-bodied flavour and a succulent, meaty texture that mirrors the juiciness of traditional burgers.
In The Spotlight This Month
Why I do Business with Kerston Foods
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Kerston Foods as our goods, or let me say, dry store supplier.
Kerston Foods has been a valuable integration supplier, a partner and a family member of our company Vadas Smokehouse.
As a chef, I have personally grown with Kerston Foods since I’ve been in hospitality. It’s been a privilege working directly with a good sales team. I fell in love with their dedication to customer service; someone was always available for any questions or queries. They drove out to come and see what we do and followed up on products and quantities; that’s a game changer we chefs appreciate.
- Great investing.
- Great work ethic.
- Maintains a good relationship with the chef.
- Customer satisfaction rating, 100/10.
- Great consultants.
That is why I will keep working with Kerston Foods and recommend it to any business.
Anwin Klein
HEAD CHEF
VADAS SMOKEHOUSE & BAKERY
Community Outreach
U-Turn Initiative
We’re thrilled to share some heart-warming news that unfolded at our office recently—a Sarmiethon that left us not only satisfied but also deeply fulfilled.
In collaboration with U-turn, a fantastic organisation dedicated to helping the homeless, we organised a Sarmiethon right here at our office. The purpose? To craft wholesome sandwiches for those in need and spread a little warmth in our community.
The event was a tremendous success, with our team coming together to assemble a whopping 595 sandwiches! These tasty creations were made with love and care, each one representing a small but meaningful contribution to making a positive impact on the lives of others.
In partnership with U-turn, we are delighted to announce that all 595 sandwiches were distributed to the three homes operated by U-turn. These homes provide essential support and care to those experiencing homelessness, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their noble cause.
