3 ways foodservice manufacturers can help operators take on delivery

Takeout and delivery have become table stakes for restaurants. Since 2013, digital orders have grown at an average annual rate of 23% according to The NPD Group, and are expected to triple in volume by the end of 2020.

Yet, because of this rapid growth in the delivery sector, there is little information out there to help operators navigate this new territory. Operators are forced to juggle between driving traffic to their restaurant and developing an off-premise plan – whether that means managing a new delivery partner relationship or understanding how to staff with this new revenue stream – all while remaining profitable.

Here are 3 ways foodservice manufacturers can support their operators in taking on take-out:

1. Provide suggestions on how to serve your products so they taste just as good at home.

Not all delivery food is created equal. Pizza and Pad Thai often last the car ride much better than French fries and tacos. How can you help your operator ensure their food makes the trip, and still tastes delicious? Consider creating specific preparation instructions and recipe inspiration for your products so that they work well for delivery. These can be communicated via case inserts, follow-up emails after orders, or sales sheets.

2. Incentivize purchase with on-the-go packaging.

Packaging is an important piece of delivery – not only does it ensure the safe (and tasty!) arrival of food, it also gives diners their first impression of a restaurant. Utilize rebate redemptions or limited time offers to incentive purchase by offering delivery containers, napkins and cutlery that work well for your products. Get inspired by Lamb Weston, who not only developed a specific recipe for delivery, but also a special container to ensure their fries are always as crispy as when they are served fresh. Bonus points if you use compostable containers!

3. Create customizable marketing materials to promote delivery options.

If a restaurant is investing time and money in a delivery system, menu and process, they need actual sales to justify the costs. Ease the burden of promoting takeout and delivery options by offering some value-added marketing materials for your operators. Ideas include:

• • Digital and social templates that restaurants can easily add their logo to
  • Customizable flyers that restaurants can deliver to their local neighborhoods
  • How-to sheet for advertising with major restaurant delivery partners
  • Email template that operators can copy and paste to notify their customers
  • Customizable menu inserts to encourage future delivery orders

Delivery is a fast-growing trend and presents a golden opportunity for foodservice manufacturers to position themselves as true partners with their operators. Consumers are informing operators’ priorities by increasingly asking for takeout options, and in turn operators are relying on YOU to help them make takeout easy and profitable. Of course, helping operators delight their patrons is in your best interest too! Build the collaborative partnerships that will keep operators coming back for your products by helping them expand their business into the delivery space.