“Restaurants Directly Improve Their Margins with Our Data”

5 QUESTIONS FOR Frank De Meulder, CEO of Growzer.

As an entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Frank De Meulder works through Growzer to streamline the sector's supply chain. © FDM

Competition among management platforms is heating up with the arrival of a French HR-focused startup on the Belgian market. Skello's publicly stated ambition to become No. 1 in Belgium is a direct challenge to Shyfter, its already popular Belgian counterpart.

This recent development invites us to explore the digital tools available to the hospitality sector to optimize operations. Human resource management accounts for one-third of restaurant costs, notes Amaury Marescaux, CEO of Gondola Foodservice (GFS). But logistics management -including raw materials- accounts for another third.

"Cost control isn't about cutting for the sake of it. The most successful restaurant concepts manage to limit volatility by integrating simplicity and efficiency into the core of their model, through data," the GFS leader noted last June in the industry analysis report, The Financial Anatomy of Horeca in Belgium.

It is therefore worth examining other digital applications that help to better control these inventory costs. For example, the tools from the Antwerp-based company Growzer, which are integrated into its online management platform designed for the Belgian foodservice sector. By bringing together multi-supplier orders, inventory tracking, invoicing, cash registers, reservations, and loyalty systems, this all-in-one solution aims to increase profitability for restaurateurs by simplifying their processes and increasing their operational efficiency. Here is a short Q&A session with Frank De Meulder, the CEO of Growzer.

Gondola Foodservice: How do you help hospitality professionals simplify order and inventory management?

Frank De Meulder: We digitalize ordering and stock management, eliminating double entries, errors, and manual admin. This reduces process-related costs , often up to 20% of total expenses — while cutting waste and optimising purchasing.

Many IT solutions often highlight improved communication between stakeholders. Is that also the case for you?

Growzer acts as a single hub for restaurants, suppliers, and wholesalers. Orders, delivery notes, and invoices are centralised and transparent, enabling faster communication, fewer errors, and higher operational efficiency.

Do you have a use case that illustrates how your digital tools help horeca businesses increase their revenue in practice?

Yes. I’m thinking of a multi-site restaurant that uses Growzer to monitor its inventory and automate invoice checks. The data revealed consistent over-ordering in a certain product category. By adjusting purchase volumes, they reduced food waste by 12%.

How does the integration of an online management platform concretely improve decision-making and, in turn, restaurateurs’ financial health?

We consolidate purchasing, stock, and sales data into actionable dashboards. This empowers managers to adapt pricing, streamline menus, and negotiate better terms , directly improving margins and cash flow.

Your platform helps objectify and forecast logistical aspects. Does it also help hospitality professionals stay aligned with market trends and customer expectations?

Growzer leverages real-time supplier and sales data to identify shifts in demand early, from sustainable sourcing to new dietary trends. This foresight helps hospitality businesses stay relevant, attract more guests, and boost performance.