Question about selling to restaurants?

yotetrapper · February 13, 2010

I see a lot of people here talking about selling tomatoes to restaurants, something I guess I've just never thought of?

I guess my question is how do you first go about making the contact? Do you call, go in person? Ask for.......who? Main chef? Not knowing how to do this without being seen as a nuisance, lol. Also, do you take samples the first time you go or........??

brokenbar · February 14, 2010

All of the above! I took my sun-dried tomato's on the road...I gave every restaurant I visited a bag and a jar of them in olive oil. I also had handouts with 25 recipes printed up to give to them and that included a price sheet. I also sent flyer's to restaurants as well.

Make sure you go to restaurants during a slow period of the day...between breakfast and lunch (if they are open for breakfast) or between lunch and dinner.

Take sample tomato's...I would have a small bag with 1 each of maybe 5 of the varieties I was selling to give to each chef. I would also have tomatos I could offer a taste sample from on the spot.

Give a price list and for each variety, a paragraph about the origins/merits/special characteristics of that variety. Highlight how special heirlooms are and the HUGE difference in taste between them and commercial varieties.

I took me two years to develop a clientèle and to really start moving a lot of product. I gave away more than I sold the first year.

As I do not sell "fresh" and my Husband only sells at the Farmer's Market, I may be over-looking something. I know there are several others on this forum that sell directly to Chef's and they can probably give you some more specific advise.

**carolyn137** · February 14, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by yotetrapper

I see a lot of people here talking about selling tomatoes to restaurants, something I guess I've just never thought of?

I guess my question is how do you first go about making the contact? Do you call, go in person? Ask for.......who? Main chef? Not knowing how to do this without being seen as a nuisance, lol. Also, do you take samples the first time you go or........??

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=9809

There already is a very long thread ( link above) in this Forum about selling fruits to restaurants and many who have done that, including myself, posted in that thread which has 56 responses and there's tons of good info there about how to contact, taking samples with you, when to contact, and all the other questions you asked, it's all there.

yotetrapper · February 14, 2010

Thanks brokenbar, and thanks for the link Carolyn, going to look at it now.

February 13, 2010	#1
yotetrapper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Oakland MS Posts: 231	Question about selling to restaurants? I see a lot of people here talking about selling tomatoes to restaurants, something I guess I've just never thought of? I guess my question is how do you first go about making the contact? Do you call, go in person? Ask for.......who? Main chef? Not knowing how to do this without being seen as a nuisance, lol. Also, do you take samples the first time you go or........??

February 14, 2010	#2
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	All of the above! I took my sun-dried tomato's on the road...I gave every restaurant I visited a bag and a jar of them in olive oil. I also had handouts with 25 recipes printed up to give to them and that included a price sheet. I also sent flyer's to restaurants as well. Make sure you go to restaurants during a slow period of the day...between breakfast and lunch (if they are open for breakfast) or between lunch and dinner. Take sample tomato's...I would have a small bag with 1 each of maybe 5 of the varieties I was selling to give to each chef. I would also have tomatos I could offer a taste sample from on the spot. Give a price list and for each variety, a paragraph about the origins/merits/special characteristics of that variety. Highlight how special heirlooms are and the HUGE difference in taste between them and commercial varieties. I took me two years to develop a clientèle and to really start moving a lot of product. I gave away more than I sold the first year. As I do not sell "fresh" and my Husband only sells at the Farmer's Market, I may be over-looking something. I know there are several others on this forum that sell directly to Chef's and they can probably give you some more specific advise. __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time."