How to Bring More Diversity into Your Supplier List

The sourcing decisions made by restaurants and other food businesses have a direct impact on communities, livelihoods and local economies. Your procurement strategy isn’t just about buying the items you need: it represents an opportunity to do real good. 

Every item in your restaurant — from ingredients and drinks to napkins and uniforms — comes from somewhere, and someone. Rather than keeping money circulating within the large-scale companies that already dominate the market, your supply chain can — and should — support ethical business practices and reflect the diverse communities it serves. 

This can include buying from: 

The benefits of a diverse supply chain 

Ethically speaking, diversifying your supply chain makes space for a variety of business ventures. In resisting the lure of large-scale corporate suppliers, you’re helping to support a healthier mix of businesses of all shapes and sizes. Not only does this support economic growth within local and regional communities, it also helps to promote equity and inclusion, making it feasible for small operations to stay afloat and for people from any background to earn a living. As businesses recognise the value of supplier diversity, they’re creating pathways to innovation and long-term competitive advantage. 

It also means a stronger supply chain. By reducing your dependency on a limited number of companies, you’re building resilience; sourcing from a varied mix of suppliers means your business is less likely to feel the effects of supply chain disruptions caused by extreme weather events, climate shocks, natural disasters, international conflicts or pandemics.  

How can I go about diversifying my supply chain? 

1. ANALYSE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN 

First, make a clear list of every business you buy from: big wholesalers, specialist importers, direct suppliers and producers. For each one, note who owns the business, where the product comes from, how much you spend with them and any ESG information you can find. This also helps you see where most of your money goes, helping you to understand where the biggest impact lies. 

Keep your list in a spreadsheet you can update over time, or use a platform to track it. It’s okay if you don’t know everything right away — just be clear about what you know and what you still need to find out. 

2. ASK WHO BENEFITS FINANCIALLY 

Next, take time to better understand your supply chains so you can see where the money goes. Ask questions like, “How is the payment divided between the producer, the supplier and any middlemen?”.  This helps you see whether most of the value stays with the people who are growing and making your products or is getting lost along its way through the supply chain. 

3. DEFINE YOUR BRAND VALUES 

Bring your team together and talk about what you stand for. Decide what your top priorities are when it comes to who you buy from — whether that’s supporting the local economy, working with businesses owned by underrepresented groups, giving back to community projects or backing those who are trying to do better for the environment. 

Once you agree, write these values down, then work together to create a realistic target for shifting your procurement strategy so that your money is redirected accordingly. 

4. BRING DEI INTO YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN 

Check that your supply chain matches your internal policies on diversity, equity and inclusion. Be proactive about ensuring a significant proportion of your spending goes to businesses owned by people from underrepresented communities, rather than just a few large companies. 

5. EXPAND YOUR SUPPLIER LIST 

If you’re not sure where to start or who to support, ask around. Talk to other local chefs or restaurateurs for recommendations, or look online for directories and networks with lists of diverse suppliers you can connect with. You can also explore collaborative purchasing models, which work to connect foodservice businesses directly with local farmers, fishers and producers. 

6. TAKE PARTICULAR CARE WITH HIGH-RISK ITEMS 

Some food products carry a particularly high risk for human rights abuses; these include coffee, tea, beef, chocolate, chillies, palm oil, soy, sugar, citrus fruits, avocados, nuts, coconuts and some types of shellfish. Check for certifications like Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, which set clear standards on pay and working conditions. If you can, consider buying direct from roasters or importers who are open about their pricing and committed to providing fair pay for farmers, fishers, pickers and producers. 

7. HONOUR INGREDIENT ORIGINS 

Where your menu features culturally significant products, make sure your money is going to businesses owned by those communities. For example, if you serve mezcal, look for brands owned by Mexican producers rather than multinational companies. If you’re buying ingredients traditionally grown in certain regions, consider whether you’re sourcing them from farming communities who work hard to grow them sustainably — like Indigenous communities — rather than from large-scale producers who don’t always share the benefits with farmers. 

8. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY 

Really get to know what’s being produced in your local area. Let this lead your menu design, creating dishes around what’s available and in season locally, rather than devising recipes first and then looking for ingredients. This helps you build strong, reliable relationships with the people at the heart of your supply chain and create a unique, localised offering based around provenance. Knowing exactly who you’re buying from makes it easier to tell great stories about your food to your team and your customers. 

9. INCLUDE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES 

Don’t forget about all the non-food items in your space; there are plenty of businesses and social enterprises actively creating social impact through the products they make. Perhaps you could find ceramics made by a cooperative working with marginalised groups; uniforms produced by a social enterprise that employs people with disabilities; or furniture built by a local workshop that gives jobs to people experiencing long-term unemployment. Some businesses also donate a percentage of their profits to support community initiatives. 

10. SET CLEAR TARGETS 

Set clear targets based on measurable numbers. For example, you could aim for 60% of your food spend to go to local suppliers. Add timeframes for achieving these targets and track your progress regularly. 

11. CREATE A PROCUREMENT POLICY 

A simple policy document helps everyone in your business understand what’s expected when ordering. Write down your priorities along with your targets and deadlines for improvement, then share it with your team. 

12. GO FURTHER THAN PROCUREMENT 

You don’t have to stop at reviewing your sourcing; go further by raising money for community projects that help producers, co-organising an event or promotion to give them more exposure, creating a special dish to highlight their work or arranging volunteering days so your team can see first-hand how your spending helps communities. 

13. SHARE THEIR STORIES 

Use your menu, website and social media to share the stories of the people behind the foods and drinks you serve. This celebrates and acknowledges their work and helps your diners to understand that every item has a rich context and the work of many hands behind it. With many customers keenly interested in the provenance of the foods they choose, it’s also a highly effective marketing tool.  

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