Organising a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle requires a lot of planning, preparation, and effort, but is an excellent source for revenue for a branch.  Moira Magrath, Branch Secretary for Sailability Port Macquarie has graciously provided detailed answers regarding the ins and outs of running a successful Bunnings Sausage Sizzle. Below are Moira’s insights:

• How to contact Bunnings

I expect most Bunnings stores have the same position of Bunnings Community Involvement and Activities Organiser: at Port Macquarie they have this email address:  PortMacquarieWHAO@bunnings.com.au  so I presume the same applies elsewhere. Or you can just ring the local store and ask to speak with the person who coordinates the barbecues.

• Is it easy to get a spot in their rotation?

I wouldn’t say it’s easy and you may have to pester a bit. I haven’t had one for ages, partly because there was a change in the organiser and the new one dropped me off the list. Then I was offered dates I couldn’t do – for instance I never accept a Sunday because some of my volunteers are members of the Yacht Club and they sail on Sundays. Just need to establish a relationship with the Organiser really.

• How long before getting notified regarding acceptance?

They will offer you a date which is usually well in advance but sometimes they might suddenly have a vacancy they offer you at short notice. Grab it if you can, it helps with relationship-building.

• How many people are needed to operate a successful sausage sizzle?

I like to have 10 people over 2 shifts – 5 on each. Don’t have more than 6 per shift as they get in each other’s way and everyone gets annoyed!

• When do people need to show up?   

You need to cover from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. so I ask people to nominate their preferred shift (8-12; 12-4) and I expect at least a couple to arrive by 7:45 a.m. to help me set up and start the cooking. Customers will come at 8: 00 a.m. expecting you to have sausages ready to go! The second shift can arrive around 12, remembering that volunteers will get annoyed with their relief if they are late. The roles are: 1 to cook 1 assistant relaying food to the servers 2 servers (1 of whom is responsible for continually loading the bread into serviettes) 1 to take the money

• What equipment does Bunnings provide, what needs to be brought?

Bunnings supply the barbecue and gazebo, usually has a sink and some have utensils, but I supply all of our utensils.  They also supply trestle tables and sandwich holders (like toast racks). Bunnings induction package has suggested quantities, but the volume of sales varies on the day – wet weather brings less customers. You need to supply:

• the sausages – I buy the packs of 24 from Coles which is nearby, and I order them about a week prior.
• Bread – Coles again and ordered a week prior
• Onions – our local greengrocer can supply sliced onions but they have become very expensive, so I have taken on buying and slicing my own – but you’d have to be a pretty keen volunteer to do this!
• Drinks – Coke, Coke no sugar, lemonade, Solo, 600 ml water – you can add other flavours like Fanta or Sunkist orange. I buy in advance when the packs are on special at half-price in the supermarket– do not leave this until the last minute as the full cost eats a lot of your profit
• Serviettes – about $1 per 100
• You will also need eskies – 1 large 1 for your sausages, 1 smaller for your onions and 4 or 5 for your drinks
• Ice – for the drinks as well as the sausages – on a hot day you really need to look after the meat.
• Vegetable Oil
• Condiments:
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Barbecue Sauce
  • American Mustard Sauce
  • Chilli sauce either sweet or hot or both

• I provide the utensils:
  • Knife for cutting the sausages
  • Wooden – handled scraper (paint scrapers are great) to clean down the hot plate
  • Wooden-handled tongs preferably x 2 – cooks prefer them so they reduce burnt hands when they leave the tongs on the hotplate
  • Tea towels
  • Paper towel
  • Detergent for clean-up
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Empty bottle for used oil
  • Trays for passing sandwiches to customers

• Do you need a credit card/eftpos reader?

Yes, this is pretty much a necessity now and accounted for about 40% of sales at my last barbecue a year or so ago.

• Do you need to acquire food, drinks, condiments, supplies ahead of time? If so, what restrictions does Bunnings place on these?

Bunnings insists that the sausages are fresh, so you really need to collect them that morning – or possibly the evening prior at the earliest. If you have leftovers, you cannot freeze them and use them next time. We freeze our leftovers and use them for Sailability volunteers on sailing days, so they don’t go to waste. Apart from that the only restriction is that you must sell only the sausages and drinks – nothing else.  And you can only charge their price. Bunnings provides a set of instructions when they grant you a barbecue and the information is all there.

• When does the sizzle end?

They like you to continue to serve until 4:00 p.m. but sales fall off at that time of day so be careful how much you cook after about 2:15. They will not get upset if you finish early, as long as it’s not too early. 3:30 or after is probably ok.

• How long does clean up take?

Clean-up takes around 20 minutes, and it is important to ensure that the barbecue is clean as they check it all over before you leave and they make a written report. You must remove ALL rubbish, from cardboard cartons to used oil and take it with you to dispose of elsewhere. You cannot put anything in the Bunnings bins. You must advise them of your earnings (gross) at the end of the day so be prepared with a count and review of the card reader transaction report.

• Generally, is enough money earned to make it worthwhile to do?

Yes. The last couple of barbecues earned around $1600-$1800 clear profit. It does depend on the weather.

• How is Bunnings equipment returned?

Bunnings staff come at the end of the day with a checklist they go through. When you have packed up all of your equipment, they dismantle the barbecue and gazebo.

• Have your volunteers found it to be a positive experience?

I usually get enough volunteers and they seem to have a good day. You can split into 2-hour shifts if that suits your volunteers better – remember to have a sign-on sheet as this is a Sailability activity for insurance purposes.

• Any other things a branch needs to know before deciding to do a sausage sizzle?

I am happy to share my spreadsheet Have one person coordinate the barbecue including purchases and start a week before organising your supplies. You will also need a cash drawer and a money tin. Periodically place larger notes etc in the tin away from the public. Cash float is also necessary and you need about $300 – see breakdown on spreadsheet. Only 1 person per shift handles money. The servers and cook’s assistant must wear food handling gloves, cook is exempt due to them melting over the barbecue. Money person does not wear gloves and never touches food. It is a lot of work for the coordinator. As well as the supplies obtained during the week, I usually pack the drinks and other supplies in the car the night before and start the day by collecting the onions around 7:00, then get the sausages and bread, arriving at Bunnings around 7:30. I unload then pick up the ice as soon as another volunteer arrives. At the end of the day, I collect all the eskies, utensils and other paraphernalia (including money) and head home to wash it all and count the money. I finish around 6:00. It is easier if you have help at the beginning and end of the day to collect things and organise the bump-in and bump-out but I like to know things are done so tend to do it myself. The Bunnings sausage sizzle is a great way for a Sailability branch to earn some operating money.  It’s also a great way to spread the word about Sailability.