Page 12 - Ohio Restaurant Association Summer 2022

PREFERRED VENDORS
SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES
Cade Twitty
Workstream
hiring today is TOUGH. Between government programs, increased wages, and more jobs than applicants, capturing the attention of prospective candidates is harder than ever.
If you’re still using paper applications or manually posting ads on job boards, you're moving too slow for the current hiring market.
Thankfully there are tools you can use to optimize your hiring.
Here are three ways you can gain an edge:
1. Act fast: You need to connect with applicants before your competitors.
2. Use text messages: The majority of applicants in 2022 are mobile-first.
3. Get an applicant tracking system: Automating your hiring process makes it easier to stay staffed up.
Contact Info:
cade@workstream.is
Visit ohiorestaurant.org/ workstream to learn more and contact your ORA Workstream Representative Ryan Anderson at 931.409.1440 or at ryananderson@ workstream.is.
COMBATING INFLATION: SOLUTIONS GO BEYOND RAISING MENU PRICES
Kathleen White
Gordon Food Service
for restaurants, rising food costs is a huge challenge. To combat inflation, higher menu prices are often inevitable. There are other tactics you can take.
Raise menu prices strategically
Using data to make small changes drives profitability. Assess your menu mix, then consider
small price increases on top items. “Customers are becoming more understanding ... and if something’s the most popular item and you slightly raise the price, you’re not likely to see much attrition,” says Josh Sharkey, founder and CEO of recipe software company Meez.
Add a surcharge to tickets
Some restaurants are simply
adding a universal surcharge, ranging from 3% to 15%, on every ticket. Transparency is important when customers receive the check. Use this as an opportunity to provide insight into the challenges your restaurant is facing.
Minimize waste
Restaurants are tightening menus strategically. Datassential,
a food industry market research firm that analyzed over 4,800 menus across the U.S., found
60% of restaurants reduced menu size in 2021. Smaller menus bring two obvious advantages: They’re generally easier for staff to execute and they encourage ingredient cross-utilization that reduces waste.
Stay current and communicate
Product prices change seasonally. Your vendors should have market reports, so establish relationships that provide a heads- up on when ingredient prices are about to increase. It helps you remain flexible and in step with trends.
Visit gfs.com/ideas for the full article and more restaurant industry insights and solutions. www.gfs. com/ideas/how-adjust-and-adapt- your-restaurant-menu-combat- inflation
Visit ohiorestaurant.org/ gordonfoodservice to learn more.
Despite volatility, you can take control of your energy costs
As prices for nearly everything – especially energy – continue to rise, this summer could be a challenging time to manage your operating expenses. The team of experts at IGS Energy – ORA's preferred energy supplier – is constantly watching the market to make the best decisions for customers.
As an ORA member, you can take advantage of a no-cost analysis from these experts. For more details, reach out to Andrea Wilkins at Andrea.Wilkins@igs.
com, call 216.253.3207, or visit ohiorestaurant.org/energysolutions.
Visit info.igs.com/energy-trends- report-2022 to access the full 2022 Energy Trends Report.
Andrea Wilkins
IGS Energy
production and consumption this year. Here are some of the report’s highlights, focusing on what’s most likely to impact ORA members.
HOW ENERGY TRENDS COULD IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS
Market volatility continues
The year has already proven to be more volatile than 2021, a year where prices fluctuated wildly. While prices in the U.S. aren’t likely to hit the extraordinary highs seen in Europe, Americans will undoubtedly pay much more for their energy in 2022.
Renewables remain competitive
As energy prices rise, the falling cost of renewables become increasingly attractive to consumers interested in a cleaner energy option. Of the wind, solar, and other renewable sources that came online in 2020, 62 percent were cheaper than the cheapest new fossil fuel.
in their 2022 Energy Trends Report, IGS Energy explores several trends that will impact
Global energy demand makes a significant leap
Though there was a significant drop in energy usage at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent surge in
global demand is straining energy markets and prices have hit historic highs around the world. Global energy consumption is projected to increase nearly 50 percent by 2050.
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