Get Your Stock and Kitchen Ready

1. Know what needs ordering ahead of time

Some items, particularly anything seasonal, bulk, or in high demand across the industry, need to be ordered weeks in advance. Other items can be left closer to the date. Work through your usual order list now and flag anything that needs an early commitment.

2. Forecast against last year, not just this week

Use last year's Christmas period sales as your starting point for stock volumes, then adjust for anything different this year. This is far more reliable than estimating based on your current, likely quieter, trading pattern.

3. Lean on your supplier relationship

A supplier who understands your business and trading pattern can help you plan realistic order volumes and flag potential shortages before they become a problem. That kind of ongoing relationship matters more during peak season than chasing the lowest price on a one-off order.

4. Run a simple kitchen and equipment check

Go through fridges, freezers and ovens, anything that will be working harder than usual over the coming weeks. Small issues, a fridge running slightly warm, a seal that's starting to wear, are far easier and cheaper to fix now than during peak trade.

5. Review your storage capacity

Higher stock volumes over Christmas need somewhere to go. Check that your coolroom, freezer and dry storage space can actually handle the increased volumes you're planning to order, rather than assuming it will all fit.

6. Have a backup plan

Know who to call if a key piece of equipment fails during your busiest week, and how quickly they can respond. A backup plan, even a simple one, takes the panic out of an equipment breakdown at the worst possible time.