Whether or not you’re new to the food service industry, discovering the many benefits that food and beverage online communities offer can be advantageous and profitable. Restaurant owners and employees say that food online communities help them gain significant product information and industry knowledge. Food and beverage chat rooms as well as food and beverage bulletin boards connect you with owners and operators in your field.

Companies that started food and beverage social networks online say they found motivation by the desire to let other industry professionals know they’re not alone in terms of starting, running and promoting a foodservice business. Since foodservice owners wear many hats, regular contact with a food online community puts you in touch with potential employers, job openings, market research, available equipment and significant events, such as trade shows and auctions. Take advantage of the following services, which reputable food and beverage online communities offer:

1. Access daily market updates food and beverage online communities publish.

2. Locate new and used restaurant equipment through timely listings reported by food online communities.

3. Check out food and beverage chat rooms to learn about new approaches to everyday concerns in food service.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get the scoop on product availability with reports that online food communities provide

The key to your operation lies in providing top quality products. Discover how environmental and regulatory issues can affect product availability and pricing.

I recommend: FoodService.com publishes a weekly market report on grains, seafood, meats, poultry, dairy and produce items. The reports focus on many factors affecting the markets for those products. FoodOnline.com presents exhaustive market reports on ingredients, raw and processed foods and food packaging. It also provides skilled analyses of financial data, operating costs and market forecasting.

Discover how a food and beverage online community can help you locate restaurant equipment

Finding new equipment and replacing old equipment remains a frequent and time-consuming challenge for restaurant owners.

I recommend: Food and Beverage Underground has devoted itself to creating a forum where foodservice owners and employees find out how and where to buy equipment that suits their needs. RestaurantOperator.com provides information on products, distributors, opportunities and available equipment, both new and used.

Join food and beverage online chat communities for answers to common questions

Here you'll find handy tips on starting, running or working in a restaurant as well as important issues, such as food safety and regulatory compliance.

I recommend: Bizwomen allows women in business to share ideas and results they've learned from owning food businesses. There is a separate archive for the food and business category. Trade Show Week connects business leaders with blogs that professionals post explaining how they've dealt with issues facing many business owners.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many online food communities prepare electronic newsletters with significant market information that you can sign up to receive before publication.