Chicken is one of the biggest line items on most hotel and restaurant food bills in Kerala, and one of the easiest to get wrong. A supplier who is cheap on Monday but late on Friday, or whose curry cut changes size every week, costs more than the price per kilo suggests. Here is a practical checklist for kitchens in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).
1. Ask for the FSSAI licence first
Any business supplying chicken to your kitchen should hold a valid FSSAI licence. Ask for the licence number and check it on the FSSAI website. A food-safety management certification such as ISO 22000 is a further sign that the supplier runs documented processes, not just good intentions.
2. Check the cold chain, not just the price
Fresh chicken should stay at 0–4 °C from processing until it reaches your cold room. Ask how the chicken is transported, how long it is in transit, and what temperature it arrives at. If you also buy frozen chicken, ask how it is kept frozen during delivery. A cheaper rate is no saving if quality drops by the time the delivery reaches your kitchen.
3. Insist on consistent cuts and weights
Your recipes and your food cost per plate depend on every batch being the same. Agree the cuts you need (curry cut with or without skin, boneless breast, whole birds, custom portion sizes) and check weights on delivery for the first few weeks. A good supplier will cut to your specification and keep it consistent.
4. Decide your fresh and frozen mix
Many kitchens use fresh or chilled chicken for daily cooking and keep frozen stock as a buffer for busy days and events. Choosing a supplier who can do both keeps you on one invoice and one delivery schedule.
5. Agree the delivery schedule in writing
Breakfast and lunch service cannot wait. Agree delivery days, time windows and what happens if an order is short. Ask whether the supplier runs its own delivery or depends on third parties.
6. Start with a trial
Ask for samples, then run a one- or two-week trial before moving your full volume. Check freshness, cut consistency, weights, delivery timing and how quickly the supplier responds to a problem.
7. Look for one supplier for more than chicken
If the same supplier can also deliver vegetables, idiyappam, appam or chappathi, you save time on ordering, receiving and paying invoices.
Farmour Poultry in Trivandrum
Farmour Poultry, a brand of Farmour Ventures Pvt. Ltd., supplies fresh, chilled and frozen chicken to hotels, restaurants, caterers and retailers in Thiruvananthapuram. Farmour Ventures is ISO 22000:2018 certified and holds an FSSAI Central licence. Send your requirement on WhatsApp +91 82899 93000 or through the enquiry form for pricing, a delivery schedule and samples.