Anyone who has ever lived remotely, far beyond the highways and cities, will know that life comes with some unique challenges – even just sourcing essentials can be difficult. For catering and replenishment services off the beaten track such as those at correctional facilities, military bases, and mining camps, the challenge of procurement, stock management and logistics is dialled up even further. “One major issue can be the limited access to suppliers, which can result in longer lead times and higher costs for goods and services,” says Ryan Suttorini, Procurement Director at Serco. “This makes it crucial to forecast demand accurately and manage stock levels carefully to avoid shortages, as replenishment can take additional time.”
Servicing locations well off the beaten track – it could be areas as remote as Grafton, Yongah Hill or even Christmas Island – and the challenge of preparing thousands of meals per day means ensuring suppliers can deliver the essentials. For procurement professionals like Serco’s Senior Buyer Amanda Tramontano, it pays to be prepared for anything – often with plans A, B and C in place to ensure reliable and consistent supply. “Having to put ingredients on [Christmas Island] on a ship, and then deal with the swell season – you don’t know if the ship’s going to make the journey,” says Tramontano. “What you think might take three months could be six months away.”
The challenge of distance and isolation reinforces the importance of forming close relationships with a wide range of local suppliers to keep feeding the thousands of hungry mouths. “When you’re trying to pull product to service that many people in one go, it gets a bit tricky, to the point that trucks aren’t even big enough for your demand,” Tramontano explains. “If I want to buy milk, I’m going to need to pull in six pallets at a time in Clarence [Correctional Centre]. But, because it’s such a small regional community, no one else in that area requires a truck that can fit six pallets.”
No matter the size or how difficult these facilities can be to supply, the demands on the inside remain the same. To ensure a smooth service, core kitchen and catering staff could be supplemented by additional help – inmates in training or others looking to up-skill, for
example – and, depending on the facility, service could come in a range of styles. “Anything from cafeteria-style service – bain maries and dishing up in a line – to pre-packaged, almost aeroplane-style meals,” says Tramontano.
When you’re trying to pull product to service that many people in one go, it gets a bit tricky, to the point that trucks aren’t even big enough for your demand.
When catering remotely, the challenges of access and supply are compounded by legal requirements and nutritional obligations. It means that, for those cooking way beyond the city limits, it’s vital to keep supplying for a health-conscious menu. “As a general rule, we tend to use a cyclical menu on most of our sites – anything from a 28-day cycle up to a 12-week menu cycle,” says Tramontano. “Everything’s got a recipe card[…]and it’ll go through a dietitian endorsement. There are particular guidelines that we have to adhere to for the country’s dietary standards.” Menus in remote locations might include roast dinners, pasta and stir-fries but, even in the face of supply challenges, it’s important to vary the dishes on offer. “There’ll be percentage targets where we can’t repeat the same dish more than 10% of the time over the course of 12 weeks, so forget about having spaghetti bolognese every Thursday,” says Tramontano.
Ensuring that remote facilities are serviced and catering runs smoothly is a task fraught with complexity but, for buyers like Amanda Tramontano and Ryan Suttorini, it offers a challenge with some real, tangible rewards for all involved. “What I truly love about my role is not only the strategic impact I can make, but also the incredibly talented and supportive team I work with,” says Suttorini. “Their expertise and collaboration are a huge part of what makes the role so fulfilling.”
