Joining a group purchasing organization (GPO) is a smart move for any caterer looking to cut costs without sacrificing the quality of inventory.

If you’re not familiar with GPOs, here’s a brief rundown of what they are and the benefits of membership. As its name describes, a group purchasing organization is a group of industry professionals that come together to increase buying power when making purchases. This concept isn’t specific to the catering and events industry — in fact, GPOs started out in healthcare before making their way to foodservice and hospitality among other industries.