We sell 95% to restaurants. We may be selling a few items to small regional "chains" this year for the first time but nothing is cast in stone yet. And that is a key thing to remember when working with any food service establishment. Nothing is cast in stone. Most chefs follow trends with one or 2 signature dishes. if you want to get their attention and the premium dollars out of them you need to offer something they cant get any where else which normally isn't that hard to do. Keep the quality up. They appreciate service and relationships and love being asked what you should be growing for them. It can be a difficult market as the more creative the chef the more ummmmmmmmm interesting the personality. Look for places that offer seasonal or daily menu changes and find the new restaurants as they often havesous chefs from other kitchens who are now the executive chef and looking to make a name for themselves.
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