Shaping the Future of Procurement

Zachary McCarthy
Dec 17, 2025
3 min read

How Club Managers can change the face of procurement and combat outdated perceptions of the sourcing function.

Reshaping the Future of Procurement: A Call to Club Managers

Procurement is evolving—and it’s time the private club industry caught up.

For too long, procurement has been seen as a transactional function.

A necessary evil. A cost gatekeeper.

But in today’s economic environment—marked by rising costs, fragile supply chains, and increasing expectations from members—procurement has become one of the most powerful levers club managers can pull.

As leaders in the club space, you have the opportunity to reshape the perception of procurement—from a back-office task to a strategic force that drives growth, resilience, and innovation.

Why Procurement Still Gets a Bad Rap

An interesting article from ChiefExecutive.net highlighted how procurement somehow remains misunderstood in many organizations—and it’s no different in the club world.

Outdated perceptions persist: that procurement is slow, bureaucratic, or overly focused on cutting costs at the expense of quality or service.

Often, this comes from past frustrations: denied requests, confusing processes, or unclear value.

But here’s the truth—procurement today is not what it used to be.

Procurement’s New Role in the Club Ecosystem

Modern procurement can (and should) be a driver of long-term club success. Here’s how:

It protects continuity during supply chain disruptions.
It supports sustainability and ESG goals through smarter vendor selection.
It unlocks cost efficiencies without compromising member experience.
It brings visibility and control to capital projects, renovations, and daily operations.
It reduces risk by streamlining contracts and compliance.
It fosters innovation by partnering with the right suppliers.

And perhaps most importantly—it frees up time for club managers and department heads to focus on what they do best: serving their members.

From Gatekeepers to Enablers: What Needs to Change

The future of procurement starts with a mindset shift—from both sides of the table.

For procurement professionals: the focus must expand beyond savings. Education, collaboration, and adaptability are essential.

For club managers: it’s time to stop viewing procurement as a hurdle and start seeing it as a strategic asset.

That begins by asking:

Are we engaging procurement early in our planning process?
Are we using procurement to evaluate long-term value, not just short-term price?
Are we tapping into procurement to solve problems, not just process orders?

When both sides come together, incredible things happen.

Making Procurement Relatable Again

Not everyone at the club knows what procurement does—or why it matters.

That’s why your ability to articulate procurement’s value in clear, relatable ways is more important than ever.

A great starting point? Ditch the jargon. Talk in terms of outcomes:

“Procurement helped us get our kitchen renovation done 12% under budget, without sacrificing quality.”
“We secured a reliable new food supplier thanks to a smarter sourcing process.”
“Our contract with XYZ vendor now includes protections against tariff spikes.”

A Partner for the Future of Procurement

At Club Capital, we work alongside club managers, chefs, superintendents, architects, and GMs to transform how procurement is executed—and how it’s perceived.

We help clubs: