Hospitality and catering buying specialist Lynx Purchasing has appointed two new Directors of Business Development as it continues to grow its customer base.

Jeroen Homan and Tim Wehrle join Lynx with the business experiencing unprecedented demand for its expertise, as operators across the sector deal with the effects of rising prices on margins and profits.

Lynx Purchasing managing director Rachel Dobson said: “With inflation forecast to continue to rise sharply for the rest of the year and into 2018, more businesses than ever are recognising the value of working with a purchasing specialist.

“Jeroen and Tim bring a wealth of experience both as hospitality operators and from the supplier side, and will enable us to increase the support we give to existing customers as well as helping us to open up new business.”

Wehrle, whose operational experience includes hotels, pubs and restaurants, was most recently a national account manager with Direct Seafoods, and before that worked for 3663 and M&J Seafoods. He is based in Andover in Hampshire.

He said: “I understand exactly what operators are looking for in terms of value, as well as what suppliers have to get from any deal, and that experience will be invaluable in my new role with Lynx.”

Homan, who has worked as an operator in contract catering as well as in hotels and restaurants, was a national sales manager with Town and Country Fine Foods before joining Lynx, and has also  worked at Brakes. He is based in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.

He said: “There are chefs working in the industry who have never experienced the challenge of inflation on the scale we’re seeing now, as well as the fierce competition for customers in the current market, and our role is to help them understand the benefits that disciplined buying can deliver.”

Lynx Purchasing works with more than 2,200 hospitality and catering operators to match them with the best suppliers and get the best possible prices on food and drink, as well as a whole range of essential products and services. Lynx’s buying experts help operators buy better and save time and money, year after year.

For more information on Lynx Purchasing, visit www.lynxpurchasing.co.uk  email savings@lynxpurchasing.co.uk or call 01325 710143.