**Australia**: Riverina Fresh, a dairy producer, is addressing supply chain complexities for cafés. With automated ordering and accounting integration, their solutions aim to enhance operational efficiency, allowing owners to focus on core business activities while improving cash flow and reliability.
Riverina Fresh has positioned itself as a key player in assisting cafés across Australia in managing the complexities of their supply chains. This long-established dairy producer is well-regarded for providing high-quality products and practical solutions that aim to enhance stock and inventory management, which is crucial for the smooth operation of daily business activities.
Asher Davies, the General Manager of Riverina Fresh, highlighted a significant challenge faced by café owners: the issue of being time-poor. Speaking to BeanScene Magazine, Davies explained, “This time crunch can affect various aspects of operations, from placing orders to managing payments.” He elaborated on how many cafés continue to rely on manual processes such as reviewing and approving invoices individually, which can consume valuable time and resources.
According to Davies, the accumulation of time spent on these tasks can create inefficiencies and ultimately impact profitability, particularly for small businesses that are already juggling multiple responsibilities. In addition to time constraints, he pointed out the ongoing challenges posed by staff shortages and high turnover rates, which further undermine service quality and operational efficiency.
To combat these inefficiencies, Riverina Fresh offers a range of services designed to support café owners in focusing on their primary business goals. One of the key strategies involves providing an extensive product assortment that allows cafés to minimise the number of suppliers, thus streamlining procurement processes. “One of the key solutions we offer is our broad product range, which allows cafés to reduce the number of suppliers they work with,” said Davies.
Riverina Fresh has collaborated with an online ordering platform called Ordermentum, providing café owners with the capability to set up standing orders that ensure a regular supply of needed stock. Davies remarked, “This eliminates the need for cafés to manually place orders each week and helps them stay on top of inventory without added effort.” Moreover, the platform enables cafés to automate payments, allowing invoices to be settled either by credit card or direct debit without requiring time-intensive manual processing.
The implementation of these systems is intended to alleviate the administrative burden on café owners. As Davies noted, automating or streamlining orders can improve cash flow management and shield cafés from unexpected costs associated with supply delays. Furthermore, the reduced potential for human error, by minimising manual interventions, decreases the likelihood of disruptions to operations.
Another advantage of Riverina Fresh’s offerings is the seamless integration of their systems with accounting software, which simplifies financial management and facilitates more efficient year-end tax preparation. Davies stated, “Café owners don’t need to worry about sifting through piles of paperwork or entering data manually. Everything is already organised, ready to be accessed, and synced for tax time or any other financial reporting needs.”
Café owners have responded positively to the user-friendly nature of the online ordering platform, appreciating the transparent visibility it provides. “Many of them appreciate the ease of being able to browse our full product range online. This gives them clear visibility of everything we offer,” remarked Davies. A notable feature that cafés find advantageous is real-time delivery tracking, which enhances reliability and planning capabilities for their operations.
Davies emphasised the importance of product consistency, highlighting that cafés can depend on their milk to perform uniformly, which is critical in ensuring the creation of high-quality coffee. Although Riverina Fresh’s premium products may come at a higher price point, the overall savings from fewer deliveries and a streamlined administrative workload can greatly benefit a café’s financial health.
In summary, Riverina Fresh adopts a comprehensive approach to supply chain management for cafés, emphasising efficiency, reliability, and the minimisation of complexities involved in daily operations. With their focus on quality and innovation, they aim to support café owners in optimising their operations to foster better customer service and growth. Further details about their offerings can be found at riverinafresh.com.au.
Source: Noah Wire Services



