YEAR ELEVEN

2001 SUMMER EXAMINATION REVISION

SNACK FOODS – STANDARD COMPONENTS

 When manufacturers plan to make their products they need very careful planning – everything has to dovetail in.    Lots of considerations have to be thought about – for example -

v          Cost of each part of the product                
v          How to ensure each product turns out the same
v          How quickly the product can be made in the factory

Manufacturers MAY find it cheaper to buy in some of the ingredients from another supplier instead of making it in the factory themselves.
The supplier has to be chosen very carefully, as if he supplied a different type of component, it would alter the specification.

For example –

A cake manufacturer has decided to buy in marzipan for their cakes instead of making it.   They want yellow, green, blue, red and orange.
Suddenly, when one consignment of marzipan arrives, the colour is different.   That would mean that the cakes you had sold for someone’s birthday in the shape of say a yellow basket, would suddenly be different.

SO CARE HAS TO BE TAKEN WHEN DECIDING WHO WILL SUPPLY STANDARD COMPONENTS!!

THE PHRASE TO USE ABOUT THE PRODUCT ALWAYS LOOKING AND TASTING THE SAME IS

CONSISTENCY OF OUTCOME.

So what is a standard component –

Pizza bases                                                           sachets of gelatine

Pie filling                                                               sponge flan cases

Stock cubes                                                         already chopped vegetables

Chopped herbs                                           yeast

Gravy browning                                                grated cheese

Advantages of using standard components

v          Maybe cheaper

v          Less skill needed from the workforce – just open a packet

v          Good stock control as some ingredients last a long time – no panic running out of a particular ingredient

v          Keeps the production line running – e.g. 24 hours a day

Potential problems when using standard components

Supplier can go bankrupt

Supplier can be late delivering components

The supplier himself may have trouble obtaining certain ingredients

All this makes the original specification wrong at the factory

It  means the quality of the product may be altered

It may also mean the taste, shape, size may be altered

It may mean sales go down if the manufacturer finds another supplier who may be able to supply quickly but has a lower quality product  - it may be a question of this or not making the product and closing down a particular line in the factory.

So suppliers have to be reliable.    Manufacturers try and find two who can supply the same goodies – so they are not left in the lurch – good idea!!