If you own and operate a restaurant, café or catering business in Australia, chances are you’ve heard of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of Australia, or R&CA, before. But what exactly is R&CA and what can they do for your business?
Well, the answer is that they can do quite a lot! If you’re not currently an R&CA member, you’re likely missing out on a lot of benefits and savings for your business. Read on to learn more about who R&CA is and how they can help your business thrive.
As R&CA, puts it: they are the voice of the hospitality industry. R&CA is a not-for-profit association that supports restaurants, cafés and catering companies, helping them remain informed about industry trends and regulation changes, and remain profitable through discounts and services.
R&CA offers a membership subscription with attractive benefits for small business owners. Benefits include discounted merchant and transaction fees, supplier discounts, discounted software, training resources, legal resources, admittance to industry and trade events, and much much more. You can view the full list of R&CA membership benefits here.
R&CA provides a lot of excellent resources, services and discounts for its members. And with more than 47,000 members they certainly have some clout with their offered service! Here are some of our favorites:
The coronavirus pandemic has been especially difficult and confusing for the hospitality industry, but R&CA acted quickly to create a coronavirus information hub on their website to help keep business owners updated during the coronavirus outbreak.
Their coronavirus information hub is updated regularly with the latest information and resources from government health officials, reputable news organizations and other government and industry sources.
R&CA maintains an extensive directory of suppliers in industries ranging from accountancy to worker’s compensation and everything in between. Easily search on their website for businesses that provide exactly what you need and receive supplier discounts.
R&CA provides a high level of expertize and knowledge to the hospitality and catering industry by providing a variety of accreditation programs to help businesses succeed and perform at the top of their sector. They offer a variety of professional accreditation programs, including a Gold License Caterers Accreditation, Sustainability Accreditation for a Greener Environment (SAGE), and Certified Professional Restauranteur Accreditation. They provide significant discounts to members, but anyone can enroll.
In addition to their accreditation programs, R&CA provides other education and training to its members and those in the industry. R&CA is a nationally recognized Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that has provided excellent vocational training and education within the hospitality industry since 1999. Their training and education services have helped many small business owners be successful, learn new skills and stay profitable in the industry.
R&CA produces and publishes Restaurant & Catering Magazine along with a blog and newsletter, providing business articles on management, marketing, technology, design, and food; industry happenings, member spotlights, and more to their readers. It is a recommended read for small business owners in the hospitality and catering business!
Throughout the year, R&CA hosts an ongoing calendar of events and awards for the restaurant and catering industries. You can join them for local, exclusive member events, including Q&A sessions with industry experts and lunches with panel discussions about select topics in the industry.
R&CA provides up-to-date industrial relations information for its members, such as federal and state industrial relations legislation including key changes to the Fair Work Act 2009, National Employment Standards, interpretations of Modern Awards, occupational health and safety matters, recent case law, and other important industrial matters.
They also have made the R&CA Industrial Relations Advice Line and their advisers available for general advice and guidance on legal matters regarding industrial relations. R&CA also provides legal services for matters related to the Fair Work Commission.
R&CA can provide guidance and opportunities for those who decide to become members. It is important to spend time deciding who and what organisations are the right choices for you and your business to partner with. FoodStorm Catering Software knows choosing the right technology partner can be daunting, but our Support and Implementation Team will take the time to understand your catering business' unique needs and develop a solution fit to your goals.
Contact us today to speak to a specialist and learn how FoodStorm can take your business to the next level.
