Managing Ingredient Stock So You Never Run Out at Peak Hour

Running out of milk during the evening rush is a double loss: the cancelled orders, and the customers who may not return. What is interesting is that this is rarely about buying too little. It is almost always about not knowing when to buy.

The reorder point

The formula is simple: average daily usage multiplied by supplier lead time, plus a safety buffer. That buffer absorbs busier than usual days and late deliveries.

So the moment milk stock touches 36 litres, the supplier order goes out that same day, not when only a few cartons remain.

Why this number needs revisiting

• Usage shifts with the season. Fasting month, school holidays, and the rainy season change the pattern considerably.
• A popular new item can quietly double the usage of one ingredient.
• A supplier that normally takes two days can take four around the end of the year.

Ingredients that should not share a rule

Fresh and dry goods need different treatment. Overstocking flour carries little risk, overstocking fresh milk risks waste. For perishables, keep the safety buffer smaller and shop more often.

In Kelola, ingredient stock is deducted by recipe on every sale, so daily usage comes from data rather than guesswork. The Reorder Center flags ingredients that have hit their reorder point, and the supplier order can be raised from there.