At Frumen, we have always believed that the role of a breadcrumbs manufacturer is not only to produce, but to be available when the customer needs us—even when their volume does not fit traditional distribution channels.
This philosophy led to the decision to open our online store to 5 kg HORECA formats: an initiative designed specifically for bars, restaurants, and small hospitality businesses that wanted to work with a breadcrumbs manufacturer like Frumen… but could not do so through conventional channels.
The idea of offering 5 kg bags through the online store did not come from a theoretical plan, but from something much simpler: customers were asking for it directly.
More and more bars and restaurants were interested in:
- Our types of breadcrumbs
- Our textures and granulometries
- Our finishes and colors
- Our consistent quality as a breadcrumbs manufacturer
However, for many of them, purchasing through traditional channels was not viable:
- Minimum order quantities that were too large
- High logistics costs
- Distribution routes designed for industry, not small businesses
- Lead times and conditions that lacked flexibility for independent hospitality operators
As a breadcrumbs manufacturer, it was genuinely frustrating not to be able to serve this customer profile—one that clearly valued our products but was excluded by a purely operational barrier.
The response was clear: if the traditional channel did not work for these customers, we needed to create an alternative one.
That is how the decision was made, as a breadcrumbs manufacturer, to open our online store to:
- 5 kg HORECA formats
- The same types of breadcrumbs we already supply through other channels
- Accessible quantities
- More manageable logistics
- Direct purchasing, without intermediaries
This allows bars and restaurants to buy directly from a breadcrumbs manufacturer and:
- Test our products without committing to large volumes
- Adjust purchases to their real turnover
- Reorder quickly when needed
- Access references that were previously out of reach
More than a sales channel: a customer service tool
Today, online sales still represent a small percentage of our total business—and that is entirely intentional.
The online store was not created as a purely commercial channel, but as a customer service tool from the perspective of a breadcrumbs manufacturer:
- To avoid excluding small professionals
- To support businesses that are growing
- To make our products accessible to those who truly value them
- To build long-term relationships, not just one-off orders
We actively maintain this channel for that reason: because we believe that a small customer today can become a large customer tomorrow, and because proximity is also part of how we work as a breadcrumbs manufacturer.
Although the online store is not our main sales channel, the data confirms that the decision was the right one. Since introducing the 5 kg HORECA formats:
- The online store has grown by approximately 35–40%
- The number of recurring orders has increased
- The customer profile has expanded (more bars, more restaurants, more small businesses)
- We have received highly valuable direct feedback on real product use
This growth has not come from large marketing campaigns, but from something far more powerful: word of mouth, repeat purchases, and genuine satisfaction from professional customers who value working directly with a breadcrumbs manufacturer.
For us, the online store also serves another strategic purpose: it is a natural entry point for new professional customers. Many bars and restaurants start by purchasing a single bag or a couple of references for a one-off test order and eventually:
- Standardize the product in their kitchens
- Increase volumes
- Move to more structured purchasing channels
- Develop a stable commercial relationship
The online store removes the initial barrier without friction or risk for the customer, creating a direct relationship with a breadcrumbs manufacturer from the very first order.
Opening 5 kg HORECA formats in our online store is not about following a trend or pursuing a purely digital strategy.
It is about something much simpler—and much more important: listening to the customer and adapting to their reality. Today, as a breadcrumbs manufacturer, we can say that:
- We have expanded our reach within the HORECA channel
- We have removed entry barriers for small businesses
- We have generated real growth in the online channel
- We have reinforced our customer-service mindset
And above all, we have shown that even a seemingly small operational decision can have a very significant impact when it is driven by common sense and true customer orientation.
You can now work directly with Frumen, a breadcrumbs manufacturer, through our online store in 5 kg HORECA bags, with no industrial minimum orders.
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