Count it properly, once
A full physical count, valued correctly, so there is a real opening position instead of an assumption.
Operations & control
Stock control that closes the gap between what you bought and what you sold
Classification and codification, counting systems, par levels, variance reporting and store room discipline.
- Counts that reconcile
- Variance you can explain
- Par levels that hold
The challenge
The count says one thing. The store says another.
The gap gets written off, and next month it is there again. Most owners assume the difference is theft. Usually it is not — it is portioning, unlogged staff meals, wastage nobody records, deliveries signed for without being checked, and a count done by whoever happened to be free that day. Process failure is boring and fixable, and it is almost always the bigger number.
What we handle
Close the gap between what you bought and what you sold.
Build the control points
Goods received checked against order and invoice. Issues recorded, transfers signed at both ends, wastage logged.
Set the count rhythm
Full counts monthly, spot counts weekly — by someone who does not also do the ordering.
Explain the variance
Every month, the gap between what the books say and what is on the shelf, with a reason attached.
Train the team
The people counting learn why it matters, so it holds after we step back.
What you get
The difference it makes
- Stock that reconcilesAnd variance with a reason attached.
- Purchasing on real usageNot on what you assumed.
- Less cash tied upIn slow-moving stock.
- Controls that surviveA change of staff.
You may also need
What clients usually need next
What owners ask us about stock
If your question is not here, message us. We answer questions without opening a file on you.
We already count stock. Why is it not working?
Usually one of three things: the person counting also does the ordering, the count is not valued consistently from month to month, or nothing actually happens when a variance appears. Counting is not control. Acting on the count is control.
How often should we be counting?
A full count monthly, with weekly spot checks on the high-value, fast-moving lines, counted by someone who does not also do the ordering. Counting more often than that is usually a sign that something else in the process is broken. Counting is not control — acting on the count is control.
Our stock never reconciles. Is it theft?
Sometimes, but far less often than owners assume. In most kitchens the bigger number is portioning drift, unlogged staff meals and comps, unrecorded wastage, and deliveries signed for without being checked. Most owners assume the gap is theft; usually it is portioning — and unlike theft, portioning is fixable in a fortnight without accusing anybody.
Let’s make the business easier to manage.
Tell us what you need help with and we’ll help you work out the next step.