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 hotel and restaurant sector has a combined economic footprint estimated at over ₹7.5 lakh crore, of which the B2B procurement market for HORECA supplies and equipment represents a significant and growing subset.

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 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. Also called a Central Production Unit (CPU) — the term used in FSSAI Central Licence applications and HACCP documentation. Cloud kitchens and QSR chains operate central kitchens requiring industrial-scale equipment.

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. Valid FSSAI licensing is a required credential for food-related suppliers listing on Hospiverse India.

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. GN containers also carry a depth specification — 65mm, 100mm, 150mm, and 200mm are standard. Combi ovens, refrigeration, hotel pans, and bain-maries are all sized by GN tray count and depth (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, available in a range of capacities measured in GN tray count. Key brands: RATIONAL (iCombi Pro, iCombi Classic), UNOX (CHEFTOP, BAKERTOP), Electrolux Professional.

Commercial refrigerator that maintains temperatures between 0°C and 8°C for food preservation. Available in upright (reach-in), undercounter, and pass-through configurations.

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 examples of established deck oven manufacturers.

Commercial bakery oven where a rotating rack evenly distributes heat for consistent baking of large batches. The Salva Sirocco and similar rack oven systems from Spanish and European manufacturers are examples of this category.

Commercial dishwashing and glasswashing equipment used in hotels and restaurants. Includes undercounter glasswashers, hood-type dishwashers, and rack conveyor systems.

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. FSSAI requires chilled foods to be maintained at 0–5°C, frozen foods at -18°C or below, and hot-held foods above 63°C. Cold chain management means maintaining these temperatures without interruption from supplier origin to kitchen receipt.

In hotel operations, RM commonly refers to Revenue Manager — responsible for pricing, channel management, and yield optimisation. On Hospiverse India specifically, RM refers to Relationship Manager: every buyer and supplier account is assigned a dedicated RM who coordinates RFQs, facilitates introductions, and ensures a smooth procurement experience.

Used or refurbished HORECA equipment — sometimes marketed as 'Preloved' by platforms like Hospiverse India — sold at below-new prices with condition grade, age, usage history, and photos listed. Ideal for new restaurants and cloud kitchens optimising startup costs.