How Can You Differentiate Wholesale Bakery Suppliers?

Whether you run a restaurant, a small bakery shop, or a confectionery business, you’re going to need wholesale bakery supplies from time to time. That’s just a matter of conducting business. The question is, who do you buy from and why? Or, even more importantly, how can you determine or recognize the value in a partner when you find it?

You might have thought, as many doubtless do, that the only way to differentiate wholesale bakery suppliers is by price. That certainly is one way to do it, and the bottom line is important in any industry, but the simple truth of the matter is that it’s not the only way. Consider these questions the next time you are reevaluating your procurement strategy.

1.Do they offer a ton of brands?

For brand-loyal shoppers, a good collection of brands is essential. While we understand the importance of price, sometimes the assurance of quality through a good selection of brands is, to put it simply, more important.

We have one of the largest collections of brands in wholesale baking supplies on the internet. Check them out for yourself on our brands page, and if you don’t see something that you want to see, give us a shout.

2. Do they offer a large assortment of specialty products, including packaging?

If you don’t shop by brand and put the onus on yourself, you’ll be glad to know that we also have one of the largest collections of ingredients and raw materials for baked goods, pastry chefs, and confectioners in the industry.

To enumerate it would be flat out exhausting, but know that we offer everything from generic ingredients like flour and sugar to extracts, flavorings, and essences along with specialty products like couverture chocolates and Henry&Henry Redi Paks.

3.Do they care about quality?

You might also want to ask yourself how important quality is to you, or to your supplier in question before you pick one out. Some suppliers are out there for one reason and one reason only - to churn out as many bakery and restaurant supplies as is practically possible.

We’re not - we’re out there to satisfy the customer, and that means we put a lot into how we care for our products, how we select them, how we store them, and even how we recommend them.

4.Do they care about freshness?

To the note above, we care about freshness, and when it comes to baked goods and candy making, the thing that matters most in the quality of the finished product is the freshness of the raw materials and ingredients you use.

With so many years of experience in the business, we know just what makes freshness, and just how to preserve it. That’s one of the reasons we operate our own freezers, to ensure that everything is handled and stored appropriately.

5.Do they have an experienced team?

Experience in wholesale bakery suppliers matters enough for all of the reasons already addressed, but it also is important because it can impact your relationship with your supplier.

Is your supplier someone you can turn to in order to gain some words of wisdom or advice, or is your supplier literally just an incorporated entity that you go to for nothing more than wholesale prices - you decide.

6.Can they offer you useful advice and tips?

Most wholesale suppliers don’t know enough to offer advice for processes or production because they don’t know enough. Others just can’t afford to spare the time. Whatever the reason, it makes for a poor customer experience.

Here at Stover & Company, we’ll always be a team you can rely on for help, whether you just read our blog for pointers or call us up personally for assistance.

7.What does their history suggest?

Another thing to consider is company history. How long has a company been in business and what are their reviews like?

We’ve been around since 1948, and we have a spotless record of faithful customer service. Both of those things are hard to pull off, but we’re proud of them.

8.Are they willing to work with you?

Finally, ask yourself if your supplier is willing to work with you. Sometimes, this comes back to price. Some suppliers set a price and end the bargaining there. We like our customers to walk away from a deal feeling well served and not used. Give us a call and see for yourself - we’ll work with you, even on pricing.

Still not convinced? That’s fine, give us a call and we’ll get to the bottom of what matters to you in a wholesale bakery supplier for a partner. We know that everyone has their own needs in supply partners, and customer service is just one of the ways we set ourselves apart. We aim to prove it to you, too.

So whether you’ve come here in search of wholesale cake supplies like flour, sugar, or dairy products, or other baking ingredients like leaveners or even packing supplies, you’ll get them right here. Check out our collection while you’re here, and if you want more help, call us up at 724-274-6314.