In institutional food service, the unit of measurement for supplies is not kilograms but servings. The price of a 25-kg bag on its own means nothing; what really matters is how many servings that bag yields and how many lira each serving costs. Cafeteria procurement is all about keeping this calculation accurate every day.

Santral Gıda has been providing corporate supply services since 1995; we make deliveries to Istanbul’s 39 districts six days a week using our own vehicles. We supply bulk-packaged products to factory cafeterias, institutional cafeterias, catering companies, and mass food producers.

The primary unit for group meals: cost per serving

Any procurement decision made without calculating the cost per serving is merely an estimate. The calculation consists of three inputs: the unit price of the product, the weight in grams specified in the recipe, and the shrinkage/yield ratio during cooking. The third is the most commonly overlooked and most misleading factor—dried legumes gain weight during cooking, while meat and vegetables lose weight.

The rhythm shown in the table is not a rule, but a starting point; your storage space and menu cycle will affect it.

Is larger packaging always cheaper?

No. Large packages are only cost-effective if the product is consumed within its shelf life. For items with a long shelf life—such as dried legumes, rice, flour, and sugar—buying in bulk is almost always the right choice. But for products that spoil or go stale quickly after opening—such as oil, tomato paste, dairy products, and spices—the situation is reversed.

Spices are the clearest example: the unit price is low in a large package, but the volatile aromatic compounds fade over time once the package is opened; six months later, you’ll need to use more to get the same flavor from the same weight. The apparent savings are offset by the increased usage.

Rotating Menu and Order Planning

Most institutional food service providers use a four-week rotating menu. This is a major advantage from a supply perspective: once the four-week menu is set, the product requirements for that four-week period can be calculated, and ordering becomes a matter of estimation.

For businesses that share their menu rotation with us, we plan deliveries based on that rotation—since we know which items will be in high demand each week, we can reduce lead time. Notifying us of menu changes one week in advance is critical, especially for items sourced from a single supplier.

Pulses and grains: the backbone of communal meals

In Turkey, the backbone of a communal meal menu consists of legumes, rice, and pasta. Within this group, differences in quality are reflected more in portion size than in price: well-sorted legumes with uniform grains cook more evenly, break less, and result in less waste in the pot.

This group is available in bulk packaging in our catalog: 25 kg of Baldo rice, 25 kg of Dermason dried beans, 13–14 mm chickpeas, 5 kg of red lentils, and 5 kg of pasta. The entire group is listed in the Pasta, Grains & Legumes category.

The specification of bean size (in millimeters for chickpeas, by caliber for beans) is no coincidence: it determines whether they will cook in the same pot in the same amount of time. When placing an order, specifying the caliber is much more reliable than simply saying, “The same as last time.”

Oil management: a factor in both costs and regulatory compliance

In institutional food service, oil is both one of the largest cost items and the one most subject to inspection. The shelf life of frying oil is limited by temperature and the total polar substance content; oil that has reached the end of its shelf life must be replaced, and this is documented.

In practice, three factors determine the cost: maintaining control over the frying temperature, regularly straining the oil, and choosing the right package size. Our Cooking Oils category offers both tin and jug packaging; we’ve covered frying oil management and temperature limits in detail in our frozen potatoes guide.

Warehouse space and inventory turnover rate

In a foodservice operation, the storage area is where cash is kept. Every bag sitting in the warehouse is tied-up cash; but running out of stock brings production to a halt. The right balance is to maintain different inventory levels depending on the product category: 3–4 weeks for dry goods with a long shelf life, and 2–3 days for products with a short shelf life.

The benefit of our 6-day-a-week delivery service is that it allows you to significantly reduce inventory days for products with a short shelf life. For businesses with limited warehouse space, this is just as effective as renting additional warehouse space.

Where does a fire start?

In group meals, waste accumulates in three areas, all of which are related to procurement:

• In the warehouse: products whose shelf life has expired or that have been stored under improper conditions. Solution: proper packaging size and adherence to the first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle.
• During preparation: loss due to sorting and cleaning. Solution: Purchase properly graded, clean, and sorted produce—in this case, cheap produce ends up costing more.
• In the kitchen: portions that are prepared but not served. Solution: a rotating menu and a production plan based on the actual number of guests.

The use of tomato paste, canned goods, and ready-to-use bases significantly reduces preparation waste. Examples of bulk packaging: 5/1 tomato paste, boiled chickpeas, 1,705 g of professional-grade tuna. Canned & Jarred Foods for the Group.

Cleaning supplies and consumables should be included on the same order list

In the cafeteria, dishwashing detergent, surface cleaners, gloves, and single-use packaging are used just as regularly as food. When purchased from separate suppliers, both the price advantage is lost and the risk of running out increases. Our Cleaning & Supplies group is delivered in a single order with a single shipment.

How do orders and deliveries work?

You place your order by phone, WhatsApp, or email; we prepare a quote based on the product list and quantities. Once you approve it, the order is added to the next day’s delivery route. We deliver to all 39 districts of Istanbul 6 days a week using our own vehicles; products requiring a cold chain are transported in refrigerated vehicles.

Since 1995, we have been exclusively serving corporate clients—we do not offer retail sales or online payments. Prices are determined on a quote basis, and special volume-based pricing is available for regular purchases. You can view our entire product lineup in our catalog and contact us for a quote.

Our Other Areas of Activity

You can visit our pages on hospital food supply for hospital kitchens, school cafeteria supply for school cafeterias, and hotel kitchens for hotels. For an overview of all the sectors we serve, please visit our “Areas of Operation ” page. We’ve outlined what to look for when choosing a supplier in this guide.