A different tub on the shelf
The Tuesday delivery arrives during prep. The kitchen porter puts it away. Among the boxes is a tub of mayonnaise from a brand you do not normally use; the wholesaler was out of stock and substituted it. The delivery note lists it with a new product code. Nobody checks, because the tub looks the same and is in the same place.
It might be fine. But the specification for this product is not in your folder, its ingredients may differ from the one you normally use, and any recipe or allergen record built on your usual product may no longer match what is on the plate.
Substitutions arrive quietly on paperwork nobody reads
Wholesalers substitute when they are out of stock, and some tell you in advance. Many only show it on the delivery note or invoice. Checking a delivery against the order during prep is hard enough; checking it for substitutions against a list of approved products is rarely done at all.
- Substitutions appear as a different product code or name on the delivery note.
- The kitchen checks quantities and condition, not brands.
- Specification sheets are requested when a product is first bought, then filed and forgotten.
- Several suppliers use different codes for similar products.
A worked example: a sliced bread substitute arrives for the week. It contains an ingredient your usual loaf does not. Three dishes use that bread. Nothing on the menu changes, but the information you give guests about those dishes no longer matches the product in the kitchen, and nobody knows.
Why unnoticed substitutions matter
Products have different ingredients, allergens, weights and prices. An unnoticed substitution can put your allergen information out of step with the food, change the taste of a dish and change its cost. Chasing the specification after the product has been used is harder than asking for it on the day.
The paperwork cost is real too: a folder of spec sheets that nobody is sure is complete.
Substitutions also cluster at the worst times. Bank holiday weekends, bad weather and busy seasons are when wholesalers run short, and they are also when your kitchen has the least time to read labels. A check that depends on someone noticing is weakest exactly when it is needed most.
How we build a supplier product register
- Your approved products are listed once, with each supplier's code, the product name and a link to its specification document.
- Delivery notes are photographed at goods in, and invoices are read as they arrive by email, using document extraction.
- Each line is checked against the approved list. A product code or name you have not approved before is flagged as a possible substitution.
- The flag goes to the chef or manager with the product details, and a request for the specification can be sent to the supplier from the same screen.
- Once the specification is received and reviewed, the product is approved, rejected or approved for a limited time, and any recipes that use the original are shown for a check.
- The register shows every product in use, its specification and when it was last reviewed.
| Event | Before | With the register |
|---|---|---|
| Substitute delivered | Put on the shelf | Flagged from the delivery note |
| Specification | Not requested | Requested from the supplier |
| Recipes affected | Unknown | Listed for the chef to check |
| Spec sheet folder | Incomplete, unsure | Register with review dates |
The chef and your own procedures decide whether a substitute can be used. The register makes sure the question is asked.
Deliveries with fewer surprises
Substitutions are spotted on the day they arrive. The chef decides with the specification in hand, and recipes and allergen information that depend on the product are checked. The spec sheet folder turns into a register that shows what is missing.
It also becomes obvious which suppliers substitute most often, which is worth raising with them.
Is this your kitchen?
- Substitutions are noticed only when someone reads the label.
- Delivery notes are filed without being checked against approved products.
- Your spec sheet folder is incomplete or out of date.
- Recipes are not linked to specific supplier products.
- Suppliers substitute without telling you in advance.