When you’re interested in doing business with a particular turkey wholesaler for a long period of time, you want to know from the beginning that you are getting great value. After all, you’ll be continuing to purchase from them and perhaps expand your orders with them over time as your business grows, so make sure that you’re getting the high-quality, choice turkey that you’re looking for.
Whether you’re purchasing turkey wholesale because you are processing them into another product or you are a local restaurant looking to establish a long-term relationship with a reputable supplier. Maybe you represent a grocery chain, or maybe you have a series of hospitals or long-term care facilities that are looking for quality meat for meal prep. Whatever the case, be prepared when you’re negotiating a contract with a turkey wholesaler, and you will get the best long-term deal.
Making sure you get great turkey
With the low wholesale cost of turkey, it is a meat that many people choose higher quality so they can enjoy higher flavor and most delicious overall results. Because both white and dark meat are popular, turkey is a versatile meat that can be served in a range of dishes, making it easy to combine with other flavors but also having a distinct and pleasant taste of its own.
Today’s farms offer a range of GMO and soy-free birds, as well as birds who were raised in free-range or cage-free environments. Maybe you need Halal or Kosher turkey. Some birds are raised in the most traditional manners, which some people swear results in the most flavorful meats. Especially when combined with local seasonings and cheeses, turkey becomes a meat that nearly everyone can enjoy.
Fast farm-to-table means better meat
Look for a turkey wholesaler who guarantees as short of a farm-to-table turn-around time as possible. Less than three days is preferable. Turkey will keep for up to one week if refrigerated lower than 40 degrees Fareinheit, and it will keep for months if properly sealed and frozen. Talk to your wholesaler about options for fresh and frozen meat, and what kind of delivery systems they use for each.
Often, turkey wholesalers will provide deli turkey meat as well, so you can get it pre-smoked, cooked or roasted and delivered to your facility with all its own flavoring. 
Knowing your turkey is bad
If the fresh turkey delivered from your wholesaler has a foul odor or is shiny or grey-colored in appearance (rather than pink and white), the meat may not have been correctly prepared or stored. Take photographic or video evidence before discarding of the spoiled meat.
Making sure you get great service
If you have any trouble with your turkey wholesaler, such as having a box of bad meat delivered or having a certain percentage of every shipment be spoiled meat, a good company will fix the situation immediately. If you have any type of complaint and your turkey wholesaler does not take any safety or health concerns seriously, immediately end the contract and look for another wholesaler. Because you are a food services business, you are automatically concerned with the services and products you serve to your customers, and you can’t afford to get stuck in a long-term relationship with a business with low service or public health standards.
Turkey wholesalers should be prepared
Of course, turkey is one of those meats that may be more or less seasonal in some parts of the country, and in certain industries. If you are are a business who expects to have a rush and need more turkey during a certain time of the year, make sure you address that with your wholesaler and ask them what their plan is to accommodate for those seasonal rushes. For example, if you run a restaurant that always offers a Thanksgiving and Christmas seasonal menu that features turkey dinners, but the rest of the year turkey isn’t as prominent on your menu, then you know that you will place a higher demand on your wholesaler during the winter months.
If a wholesaler can’t guarantee you supply during those months, or if the price is negotiable on demand, you’ll want to consider continuing discussions with a different turkey wholesaler.