Grocery retailers and the hospitality trade can expect a bumper month in March with the double celebration of Mothering Sunday and the Easter weekend. These are traditionally busy times when everyone gets together to spend time with family and friends, making them two of the biggest dates of the year for restaurants, hotels, pubs and the food and drink logistics industry.
Whether eating in or out, households are typically allocating more money to spend on special occasions and landmark events. Last year, saw a 12 per cent increase in spending on eating out during April when compared to the previous month, as households splashed out over the Easter break. Expenditure on food and drink for the festive weekend was also estimated to have reached £339 million in 2015, with a further £186 million spent to buy chocolate treats.
Maximising profits at the busiest times of year is of course the priority for the grocery and hospitality sectors but customer experience is also key. Ensuring that stores and establishments are well stocked with food and drink is a huge priority for food and drink logistics operators throughout the month to avoid disappointment and potential damage to customer relationships in the longer term.
Nectar Imports is one organisation that is making sure it is prepared for this hospitality peak. As a leading drinks distributor in the South of England, the company is responsible for delivering a wide range of products, from the very latest in craft beers and ciders to the trendiest gin in town, to restaurants, clubs and hotels. It has taken the decision to adopt Paragon’s routing and scheduling software to optimise its drinks logistics operation and make sure its customers have the stock they need.
Paragon’s routing and scheduling software is enabling Nectar to proactively manage its transport activities and increase the efficiency of a fleet of 20 vehicles. As a result, the company expects to benefit from reduced planning time, as well as strategic what-if modelling based on real customer data, helping them to plan ahead for seasonal demand created by peaks such as Mothering Sunday and the Easter weekend.
Why not get in touch to find out how you can benefit from using Paragon routing and scheduling software to manage the peaks in your delivery business.
