From the Platter to your Plate
Small businesses require standardization in order to grow
It may have been gray and cloudy outside, but the sun was shining on Bon C Bon. As I entered the LaSalle storefront of their catering kitchen, I was greeted by Caroline’s warm and endearing smile. She welcomed me as if I were invited to her home for a meal. Caroline then introduced me to her husband and her team. Christmas music was playing and the decorations made you feel like something magical was about to happen. Caroline then gave me a hat, brushed me down with a roller and I was cleared to enter the meal preparation area.
Bon C Bon prepares a different menu each week from which their clients can order online and have their meals delivered directly to their door. Only the freshest ingredients are used. But what is truly spectacular is how 300-500 meals each week can be produced looking like they were individually prepared. Watching the team manage this was like watching a symphony. Each individual performed their part and the final result was a very cohesive and happy group producing delicious meals.
I had read an article on Bon C Bon in the Montreal Gazette in March 2015 and noticed a Kilotech scale. I then contacted Caroline and asked if we could meet. I wanted to see how they used our scales and why they chose us. After several months, we finally met. By that time, she had purchased a second Kilotech portion control scale. When I asked Caroline and her husband Michael what the scale brought to their business, in unison they replied, “Standardization!” At the beginning Caroline would eyeball it. Michael would speak about “repeatability” and having the same experience every time you ordered a Bon C Bon meal. Because the portions may have been varied slightly, it was time for standardization. Caroline purchased her first Kilotech portion control scale 7 years ago after 4 months of Michael trying in vain to convince her to do so. Not only has it ensured repeatability, it has also helped her with purchasing and inventory. As Caroline said, “You need to control in order to grow.” Having the Kilotech portion control scale allows her to have consistency across the board – consistent taste, consistent weight, and consistent supplies - which leads to consistently satisfied customers. As Caroline said, “Everything is made to measure, made to scale.”
with a Kilotech portion control scale
Bon C Bon is a business that started in Caroline’s home. As the business grew, it moved to a commercial space but still retained that family touch with family members pitching in on Saturdays to help package and deliver the orders. Eventually, they had to add three staff members. Michael, Caroline’s partner in life and in business, helps with the ever-growing needs of the business. With rising costs in food, staff, packaging and fuel, it is essential to have controls in place. This ensures that Bon C Bon can continue to deliver mouth-watering meals that are consistently good. Whether it is the first packaged meal of the day or the last, they will both be exactly the same in weight and in product. Caroline’s Kilotech scale gives her that piece of mind!
Since she was 14, Caroline has spent her days in the food industry. Her passion for cooking is not only evident in the delicious meals prepared by her and the talented team of chefs at Bon C Bon, but also in the business aspect of it. Having spent 11 years under the well-respected Mr. Armando Arruda from the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Caroline knows how to run a kitchen. From the setup, to the measuring, to the cleanliness, Caroline has set up a professionally-run operation that still retains that personal touch. Kilotech is proud to provide the tools that help Caroline and Michael achieve their goals and live their dreams.
Mona Segal