How to set up an office pantry
Start with what your team wants to use: snacks, fresh food, coffee, drinks or a mix. Then decide who will stock it, where it will sit and how employees will order.
Decide what the pantry is for
An office pantry can be a place for a short snack break, a coffee stop, a fresh lunch option or all three. Ask the people who will use it what they currently leave the office to buy. That gives you a more useful starting point than copying a standard shopping list.
Look at the physical space. A shared lounge may suit a visible food corner. A smaller pantry area might suit a compact format. Keep the route to the counter simple and avoid blocking the flow of people through the office. If desk ordering matters to your team, include that in your plan from the beginning.
What to stock: a practical checklist
A varied pantry lets people choose based on their break and appetite. You can start with these groups and adjust the mix as you learn what your team buys.
- Protein: shakes, bars, boiled eggs and protein cold coffee.
- Fresh food: paneer, egg or chicken sandwiches, sprouts salad, oats and egg bruschetta.
- Dry snacks: ragi chips, makhana and trail mix.
- Drinks: water, protein shakes, familiar soft drinks and kombucha.
- Coffee: classic cold coffee, Davidoff coffee or a protein cold coffee option.
Ask about dietary preferences and allergens before finalising products. Check the packaging and ingredients for each item instead of treating the whole shelf as suitable for everyone.
Plan quantities from real use
There is no useful universal number of bars, sandwiches or bottles for every office. Start by estimating how many people are present on a typical day, how often they might use the pantry and whether they already have other food nearby. Give fresh items and shelf-stable products different attention because they are consumed and stored differently.
Watch what actually moves after launch. If sandwiches sell out while another item sits untouched, change the next order. Keep the shopping list and replenishment routine adaptable rather than locking in a fixed quantity before anyone has used the pantry.
Decide who restocks and how often
A pantry needs someone responsible for checking stock, arranging fresh items and noticing what people ask for. If you run it yourself, assign that responsibility explicitly; otherwise it can become a small daily task that no one owns.
A managed provider can take on that operating work. 30g, for example, handles its kiosk setup and stocks it daily. Your team can walk up to the kiosk or order from a desk. If your workplace already has people and processes for replenishment, a self-managed pantry may suit it. Choose based on who has the time and what level of variety you want.
Doing it yourself or using a managed pantry
| Decision | Self-managed | Managed kiosk |
|---|---|---|
| Product choice | Your office buys and adjusts the range | Agree a selection with the provider |
| Fresh food | Your office sources it | Confirm the provider's fresh range |
| Restocking | Assign an owner in your team | Confirm the provider's schedule |
| Daily admin | Your team checks stock and orders | Provider handles the agreed service |
Neither option is automatically right for every workplace. If you already have a capable pantry operation, the first may be enough. If you want a ready food corner without assigning daily stocking to your team, consider a managed service.
When 30g fits
30g is useful when your office wants fresh food, protein products, coffee and drinks in one compact place. We discuss the selection with you, handle plug-and-play setup and stock the kiosk daily. After confirmation, 30g can start in 2 days. The service is currently live at Dashverse in HSR Layout; ask us about your own office location.
For details of our offer, see office pantry services. For a shorter answer to setup and stocking questions, read the FAQ.