A Sampling of Profitable Food Facilities' Projects:
Case No. 1 - A Private Country Club
The Client: A long-established private country club in Arizona, with a large membership base, generating just under $2 million in annual food and beverage sales.
The Situation: Although a not-for-profit operation, the food & beverage operation was far into red ink; food and labor costs were a combined 80%. The client wanted to at least break even, with hopes that any profits could be channeled into other property projects, including a mature kitchen needing rejuvenation.
The Strategy: Working with kitchen management and the accounting department, Profitable Food Facilities launched a set of systems and procedures to closely monitor and measure weekly results. The "tools" were new to the food & beverage team; PFF worked closely with the members to explain how the tools would benefit their situation. Periodic monthly visits combined with weekly phone communications gave momentum to the process.
The Results: Within six months, the food & beverage operation was showing positive margin swings exceeding 10% in food and 2% in labor adding more than $200,000 to the bottom line. Systems in place and the food & beverage is well on the way to its first profitable season in a long time.
Case No. 2 - Golf Course Kitchen & Consulting
The Client: A newly designed high end daily fee public golf course in Northern California, with first year food and beverage sales of $800,000 coming from a temporary facility.
The Situation: A request from the client to design a new kitchen and banquet facility in a newly planned clubhouse while simultaneously assisting in finding a new executive chef and aiding a newly appointed food and beverage manager in improving the food and labor cost percentages.
The Strategy: PFF designed the kitchen layout in the allotted space within 30 days and established systems for reducing costs in the same time frame. Their food and beverage team was unfamiliar with advanced procedures for researching food cost problems and needed a well-defined outline to follow. Monthly visits and continuous phone communications were critical to the success of the master plan.
The Results: The kitchen plans were executed on time and 20% under budget resulting in a savings of $31,000 while providing a more efficient kitchen operation. Margins were improved by 7% within 120 days, adding an additional $56,000 to the bottom line. Also, all new manuals and systems were in place for the transfer of the entire food and beverage operation to the new facility.