Hospitality Purchasing Managers’ Forum (HPMF) is a consortium of like-minded purchasing managers from the hospitality industry representing star hotels, catering companies, stand-alone restaurant chains and airlines. We believe in the power of networking and sharing work experiences.

The Indian hospitality industry has been rapidly evolving for the last two decades and has witnessed a spurt in the number of domestic and international players entering the market with ambitious and world-class projects. This has resulted in quantitative and qualitative needs which are far more complex than before. Today, the hospitality procurement industry is pegged at an annual figure of 10 billion dollars. But considering the sustained economic development and an impressive GDP ratio of India, the hospitality procurement needs are expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years. The hospitality procurement is not only scattered but needed some reference body to assist them at every stage. There were no formal education institutes or bodies to assist. And also, everyone working in their organizations was working in xylose!

With this in mind, the purchasing managers came together to form Hospitality Purchasing Managers’ Forum (HPMF).

An idea first came into the mind of Mr Nitin Shankar Nagrale who realized the importance of a collective approach, the power of networking and the importance of work experience. He convinced like-minded purchasing professionals to be part of this innovation. It took more than a year to bring a few professionals together to form a core team. The team consists of experienced and qualified purchasing professionals in the hospitality industry who work under the guidance and leadership of Mr Mohan Deshpande.

HPMF is optimistic about a possible savings opportunity of 10% and it plans to achieve this by organizing the hospitality industry and streamlining the procurement process. A non-profit organization registered with the Charity Commissioner’s office, HPMF is the first of its kind in India which aims to provide a platform for buyers from the hospitality industry.

What are the USPs?

Training and Development of procurement professionals, Consolidated procurement, industry product standardization, volume discounts, improved professionalism in the purchasing process, development of potential vendors, green initiatives, and corporate social responsibilities are some of the key elements of HPMF.

HPMF has already started linking procurement and supply, the vital ends of the procurement chain. It is looking forward to creating a better purchasing environment by developing the knowledge and expertise of hospitality purchasing professionals through education, guidance and use of the latest techniques. Through this forum, HPMF intends to set up best practices in the industry and channel the wealth of expertise in the subject of Logistics, Purchase and Supply Chain / Materials management. With the implementation of best practices, HPMF wants to ensure overall long-term benefits for the Hospitality industry.

One of the core objectives of the creation of HPMF is to encourage procurement of high quality and high standard products to upgrade the overall standard of the industry. HPMF is also committed to Sustainable Development and Green Initiatives.

This forum is already acting as an information gateway for developments taking place in the procurement industry. It provides inputs and recommendations relating to relevant Law Commission, government departments and existing /proposed Legislation to its members. It also acts as a reference point and sounding board for Government, the Law Commission and others on compulsory purchase issues and proposals.

HPMF encourages a free exchange of views, experiences and advice amongst its members. It provides a networking base for professionals in the material management industry through participation in several trade exhibitions like Aahar (New Delhi & Chennai), Food Hospitality World (Mumbai and Bangalore), HOSTS (Mumbai & Milan), Index, HOTEC (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), Projects Prestige (Doha), CPO Forum (New Delhi & Mumbai, Hotelier India Summit (Mumbai) and Purchase Connect (Chennai).

HPMF sees itself playing a crucial role in shaping hospitality procurement by making it more organized and technically equipped through training initiatives, lectures and seminars on Hospitality purchase topics for members. HPMF feels that these measures will organize and streamline the Indian hospitality procurement industry, which will at the same time correspond to a halo effect on the domestic and international vendors dealing with hospitality requirements. HPMF plans to affiliate with reputed Universities and Institutes for special

courses on the subject and provide them assistance on purchasing management topics.

The initiative started with one member as Founder and has grown to more than 6000 members, who have registered themselves. HPMF is anticipating a leap in the number of memberships soon as there is an overwhelming response to this initiative across the industry. HPMF will utilize this collective procurement power which would result in increased profits for the members and the suppliers and benefit the Indian economy.

HPMF has now got a national footprint where professionals from different cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Pondicherry, Cochin, Goa, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nasik, etc. became members. Today, HPMF has members from cities like Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi as well.

 

Objectives of HPMF

• To bring together and channel the wealth of expertise in the subject of Logistics, Purchase and Supply Chain / Materials management.

• To promote this important area of work and to foster a basis for best practices.

• To provide a sounding board for change in this sphere and also to make comments & provide recommendations relating to relevant Law Commission, government departments and existing /proposed Legislation.

• To promote Sustainable Development and Green Initiatives to save the world

• To encourage procurement of high quality and high standard products to upgrade the overall standard of the organization

• To promote training initiatives together with opportunities for those in purchasing/materials management professions to network and share experience and knowledge.

• To establish a multi-disciplinary association of persons involved in purchasing decisions.

• To enable the free exchange of views, experience and advice.

• To provide correspondence and newsletters to members by e-newsletters and e-mails.

• To promote lectures, seminars, and similar events, on Hospitality purchase topics for both members and non-members.

• To provide networking opportunities for members.

• To liaise with Universities / Institutes to assist in purchasing management topics.

• To create an affiliation with these Universities / Institutes for special courses on the subject

• To act as a reference point and sounding board for Government, the Law Commission and others on compulsory purchase issues and proposals.

• To obtain vendor information like key vendors / new vendors / potential vendors etc.

• To obtain product information like new products in the market/substitutes etc.

• To obtain a fair amount of information on average industry rates of “A” category products.

• To utilize collective procurement power resulting in increased profits and to benefit the overall Indian economy.