Seasonal stock management is a major area of stock management for nearly all catering and hospitality businesses. It is only normal that the mere thought of stock seasonal management is enough to give any catering or hospitality business owner a headache.

Of course you can look at previous years business to predict the seasonal highs and lows so you can predict how much stock is needed, but historical stock data doesn’t tell you exactly what you will need this year. Instead it will calculate an average turnover ratio but this can result in disappointing or costly situations.

For example, last Christmas you may have felt like Mulled Wine was the only thing people were drinking so you order lots in this year to make sure you don’t run out like you did before. However, last year mulled wine may have had a celebrity endorsement and this is why it was so popular.

However, this year all the celebrities have been pictured drinking Baileys and if you don’t prepare yourself for this with good seasonal stock management then this could be the wet stock product you are continually selling out of this season.

While effective stock management systems can be useful to help you understand which products are best sellers and which are not selling as much, you do still need to keep a close eye on perishable items, and ‘on trend’ items. While you don’t want to embarrassment of telling a large Christmas party that you are out of the drink they’ve been ordering so far that night, you also don’t want a cellar full of wet stock that won’t sell after Christmas.

Here at Sterling Stock Auditors we would highly recommend that you never take your eye off your stock levels. An annual stock take will not be enough to ensure effective seasonal stock management.

If you would like help with your seasonal stock management, at any time of the year, then contact us now. WE would be happy to help you make sure your seasonal stock is properly managed.