Far less attention is paid to non‑food, despite it typically representing a significant, fully controllable area of spend – as well as a major opportunity to improve margin, resilience and sustainability. For many operators, the non‑food supply chain remains an under‑used lever for value, and especially for those rolling out new sites.

Across multisite operations, non‑food purchasing often evolves organically over time. Suppliers are added incrementally, deliveries increase to meet local preferences, packaging volumes rise, and processes become fragmented.

“While each decision may make sense in isolation, the cumulative effect is higher cost, operational inconsistency, and also environmental impact,” says Joanna Pethard, sales and marketing director for supply-chain specialists United UK.

Consolidating non‑food supply is one of the most effective and proven levers operators can pull, she adds. In practice, United has found that businesses that rationalise suppliers, ranges and delivery schedules typically unlock 15-20% cost efficiencies - driven through improved buying power, removal of duplication, standardised pricing and simpler stock management.

“To put this into context, for an operator spending £5m per annum on non‑food, consolidation and smarter procurement can equate to £750k–£1m plus of annual value, combining first‑year rationalisation benefits and ongoing efficiencies,” says Pethard.

Beyond direct cost savings, the operational benefits are material too. Site teams typically save significant time through simpler goods‑in processes, fewer deliveries and consolidated invoicing. United estimates:

• Circa 20 minutes saved per site per delivery by moving from multiple suppliers to a single consolidated delivery
• £20 saved per invoice by reducing invoice processing volume

“These efficiencies all free teams to focus on guests and people, rather than admin,” says Pethard.

Environmental payback

The sustainability impact is equally compelling – and was a core focus at this year’s Planet Peach Sustainability Summit. Fewer, better‑planned deliveries directly reduce Scope 3 transport emissions. Product rationalisation and standardisation cut excess packaging, waste and embedded carbon, while supporting compliance with evolving EPR and waste regulations. For many operators, non‑food consolidation represents one of the fastest routes to measurable carbon reduction without compromising availability or guest experience.

“However, consolidation only delivers sustainable value when it is underpinned by a resilient, scale‑ready supply chain. Operators need absolute confidence in availability, service continuity and consistency, particularly across geographically dispersed and growing estates. Efficiency without reliability simply transfers risk rather than removing it,” adds Pethard.

This is why supply partners that are ‘scale-ready’ matter for the operators in growth mode. Poorly managed roll‑outs, inconsistent specifications and reactive purchasing at launch stage introduce unnecessary cost and complexity, precisely when operational focus should be at its sharpest, she says.

Structured launch and rollout programmes play a critical role. By embedding consolidated, standardised non‑food supply from day one, aligning specifications, coordinating deliveries and supporting site teams, operators can reduce launch‑related wastage, avoid emergency ordering and accelerate time to full operational readiness. Standardisation also improves data quality, strengthening both cost control and sustainability reporting.

United UK, working with a number of major groups, has a track record of removing unwarranted cost from non‑food supply agreements while supporting year‑on‑year revenue growth for hospitality operators. Typically, this is delivered through:

Annual Cost Reductions

• 1 – 2.5% year‑on‑year savings through leveraging purchasing power and smarter procurement to secure improved commercial terms
• 1.5 – 3% annual savings driven by ongoing product rationalisation
• First‑year savings of 10 – 15% commonly achieved through initial range rationalisation and product switching

Revenue & Operational Uplift

• Improved availability and reduced downtime
• Stronger brand standards through consistent, fit‑for‑purpose products
• Introduction of more efficient and sustainable solutions that enhance guest experience

About United UK

As a longstanding partner to the UK hospitality sector, United UK works closely with operators to build non‑food supply chains that are efficient, resilient and designed to scale. Through structured models such as its LaunchAssist programme, United UK supports growth by ensuring new openings are operationally ready, commercially controlled and aligned with wider sustainability ambitions from the outset.

In an industry under intense margin, labour and sustainability pressure, non‑food should no longer sit in the background. When approached strategically, consolidated non‑food supply becomes a powerful driver of margin improvement, operational simplicity and responsible growth.

United UK is a Planet Peach partner.