Fragmented procurement in aged care quietly affects both commercial outcomes and resident experience. Different facilities often purchase multiple brands for the same category, for example three gravy brands, four dessert bases and several thickened fluid suppliers.

Individually these decisions make sense. Collectively they dilute buying power, complicate operations and make it harder to achieve consistent food outcomes for residents.

The missing link for operators is visibility, and that is where FoodByUs leads the sector.

By centralising procurement data across all facilities, FoodByUs provides a realtime portfolio-wide view of category spend, brand usage, and site-level distribution. Operators can clearly see where volume is fragmented, which brands dominate and where leverage exists.

For example, a gravy category across 14 facilities may look like this before harmonisation:

FoodByUs is a procurement software and reporting system that lets you do all your ordering and delivers realtime visibility into category spend, brand share and site-level purchasing. Using FoodByUs data, operators can make informed decisions about supplier strategy. Post-harmonisation, the same category could be consolidated around strategic partners:

This is where FoodByUs’ strong relationships with manufacturers come into play. By giving operators transparent data and working closely with suppliers like Unilever Food Solutions, FoodByUs enables providers to:

●      Negotiate better pricing and rebates – Consolidated volume creates stronger commercial leverage.

●      Access training and menu support – Unilever Food Solutions can provide product guidance, recipe development and technical training when volume is visible.

●      Engage in strategic category discussions – Operators can show true portfolio share and unlock support beyond transactional negotiations.

FoodByUs provides the intelligence and manufacturer connections that allow providers to make informed, confident decisions. The benefits extend across the portfolio: improved pricing, simplified SKUs, predictable food outcomes for residents and operational efficiency. Operators can negotiate with manufacturers like Unilever Food Solutions knowing they are backed by clear, actionable data.

In a sector where margins are tight and care quality is under scrutiny, FoodByUs transforms fragmented purchasing into a strategic advantage, enabling both providers and manufacturers like Unilever Food Solutions to achieve better commercial outcomes and deliver consistent care for residents.