HORECA Glossary

Hotel, Restaurant, Catering. The collective term for all commercial hospitality and foodservice businesses that purchase equipment and supplies in bulk for professional use. India's HORECA market is estimated at over ₹7.5 lakh crore.

Request for Quotation. A formal document buyers send to multiple suppliers requesting price quotes for specific products or services. On Hospiverse India, buyers post a single RFQ and receive quotes from multiple verified suppliers simultaneously.

Minimum Order Quantity. The smallest quantity of a product a supplier is willing to sell in a single order. HORECA MOQs vary widely — from 1 unit for commercial kitchen equipment to 500+ pieces for disposables and amenities.

Operating Supplies & Equipment. All the items in a hotel that are replaced regularly as part of operations — toiletries, stationery, small equipment, cleaning supplies, and guest amenity items. Distinct from FF&E (fixed furniture).

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment. All the movable furniture, fixtures, and equipment in a hotel or restaurant that are not permanently attached to the building structure — chairs, tables, beds, lighting, kitchen equipment.

Business-to-Business. Commercial transactions between companies rather than between a company and an individual consumer. All transactions on Hospiverse India are B2B — suppliers sell to hotels and restaurants, not individual consumers.

Food & Beverage. The department in hotels and standalone restaurants that manages dining operations, including restaurants, bars, banqueting, and in-room dining. F&B procurement is one of the largest cost centres in hospitality.

A large-scale food production facility that prepares food for multiple outlets or chain locations. Cloud kitchens and QSR chains operate central kitchens requiring industrial-scale equipment from Hospiverse India suppliers.

Property Management System. Hotel management software that controls reservations, front desk operations, billing, and reporting. Examples: Opera, Hotelogix, Cloudbeds.

Point of Sale. The system used to process transactions in restaurants, bars, and hotel food & beverage outlets. Modern POS systems integrate with PMS, inventory management, and kitchen display systems.

Quick Service Restaurant. Fast food and counter-service restaurants with standardised menus, quick service times, and typically lower price points. QSR chains have centralised procurement teams.

A delivery-only restaurant with no physical dining space. Also called ghost kitchen or virtual kitchen. One of India's fastest-growing F&B segments, with significant HORECA equipment procurement needs.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. India's food regulatory body. FSSAI licenses are mandatory for food businesses. Hospiverse India verifies FSSAI licensing for relevant suppliers as part of the supplier verification process.

Bureau of Indian Standards. India's national standards body. BIS certification is required for certain electrical appliances and equipment sold in India, including commercial kitchen equipment.

Conformité Européenne. European safety certification marking on products. Many international HORECA equipment brands (RATIONAL, Hoshizaki, Winterhalter) carry CE marking indicating compliance with EU safety standards.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A systematic approach to food safety management that identifies and controls physical, chemical, and biological hazards in food production. HACCP compliance requires specific equipment standards.

Gastronorm. Standardised container size system used globally in professional kitchens and catering. GN 1/1 = 530×325mm. Combi ovens and refrigeration are sized by number of GN trays (e.g., 10 GN 1/1).

Combination oven that can cook using steam, convection heat, or a combination of both. The most versatile commercial cooking equipment. Key brands: RATIONAL (iCombi Pro, iCombi Classic), UNOX (BAKERLUX), Electrolux Professional.

Commercial refrigerator that maintains temperatures between 0°C and 8°C for food preservation. Available in upright (reach-in), undercounter, and blast chiller configurations. Hoshizaki is a leading chiller brand on Hospiverse India.

Commercial refrigeration equipment that rapidly cools or freezes cooked food to safe temperatures within 90 minutes, complying with HACCP food safety standards. Essential for banquet preparation and cook-chill operations.

Commercial oven where products are baked on a flat ceramic or steel deck surface. Multiple decks can be stacked. Ideal for bread, pizza, and pastries. Salva Industrial and Moretti Forni are key deck oven brands on Hospiverse India.

Commercial bakery oven where a rotating rack evenly distributes heat for consistent baking of large batches. The Salva Sirocco series is a leading rotary oven available on Hospiverse India.

Commercial dishwashing and glasswashing equipment used in hotels and restaurants. Includes undercounter glasswashers, hood-type dishwashers, and rack conveyor systems. Winterhalter and Electrolux Professional are leading brands on Hospiverse India.

Annual Maintenance Contract. Service agreement between the equipment owner and a service provider for regular maintenance and repair of commercial kitchen equipment. Many HORECA brands offer AMC through authorised service centres.

Temperature-controlled supply chain for perishable food products. Hotels and restaurants with cold chain requirements need reliable refrigeration equipment to maintain FSSAI compliance throughout storage and service.

Relationship Manager. On Hospiverse India, every buyer and supplier account is assigned a dedicated RM — a person who manages the relationship, coordinates RFQs, facilitates introductions, and ensures both parties have a smooth procurement experience.

Used or refurbished HORECA equipment sold on Hospiverse India at below-new prices. Equipment is listed with condition grade, age, usage history, and photos. Ideal for new restaurants and cloud kitchens optimising startup costs.