Food Inventory Control Procedures
You can control your food inventory by installing a system of checks and monitoring procedures. Follow your inventory from the first moment the food arrives at your door until it finally meets its tasty end. Also, involve other members of your staff to be extra eyes and hands to keep your stock safe and organized. When you are comfortable with your inner working of your food inventory, you will be able to save time and money on your next order.
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Receiving
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The path of documentation for food inventory starts with the receiving order that is signed when the food is first delivered. This piece of paperwork is like the birth certificate for everything on the form. Personnel in charge of receiving must fully check every single delivered order for accurate quantity and usability. Do not allow acceptance of items that are not documented or the signing of delivery order forms that are deemed incomplete. Receiving is the inventory gateway and it must be well controlled to properly manage the flow of food.
Storage
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All foods have optimal storage conditions that must be met to sustain usability. Carefully research every item in your food inventory to be sure that you are providing a safe temperature and humidity range for long-term storage. Design efficient storage zones of related products with similar needs. Doing this will reduce waste due to early expiration and contamination. Organize your food cold and dry storage areas so all items are visible and turned so labels easily read. Make restocking heavy items easier by storing them lower if possible.
Rotation
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Keep your food inventory on a steady rotation to reduce spoilage and waste. Make your staff aware when food items are in danger of going bad and create menu specials to reduce perishable stock quantities. Clearly label all perishable items that are made in house with dates that correspond to their creation and estimated expiration. Instruct your staff to always grab the foods items from storage that are closest to expiration. Also ask that any food items that are beyond expiration be evaluated and thrown out if they have spoiled.
Schedule
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Set a schedule of regular counts and checkups to keep a close record of your fluctuating food inventory. Making regular inventories of your stock will give you insight into the regular of flow of food through your storage. This will help you understand and predict ordering needs and reduce the incidence of shortages. Enlist subordinate employees so they too feel involved in keeping an organized record of the food stock. Demonstrate to your staff how important food costs are to your bottom line by scheduling inventory write-ups.
Security
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A major source of inventory discrepancies is employee and customer theft. Evaluate the safety of your food storage and consider improving your systems to reduce loss. Install cameras along with signs that announce their existence to any would-be thief. Make sure that dry and cold storage zones are well locked every night to avoid after hours break-ins. Limit the number of people who have access to your more expensive food items by storing them in a separate locked area. Ask employees to keep a record of any food that was wasted along with an explanation as to why.
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