Founded in 2007, Crown Resorts consists of a mix of hotels, events, conferencing, theatre, gaming, and restaurants across two properties in Perth and Melbourne. With a mission statement around “creating memorable experiences”, the company instills its core values at every level of the business, particularly as it gears up to open Crown Resorts Sydney in the next 8-12 months.
According to Thomas Tuszynski, Head of Procurement – Goods, the company aims to bring value to the community. “There has to be a level of local provenance,” he explains. “My team and I are making regular trips to Sydney to find the suppliers who can bring that uniqueness to the property and a sense of community.”
Tuszynski has over 20 years’ experience in the procurement field, with the last seven at Crown Resorts. “One thing I like about procurement is you don’t realise how much value you add to the community and the industry,” he says. “I love negotiating terms that are mutually beneficial and create value.”
Tuszynski says that, in partnerships, he looks beyond transactional supplier-customer relationships, seeking parties interested in growing alongside Crown Resorts. “One thing we manage is very good supplier relationships, trying to go deep,” says Tuszynski. He is confident in the value of face-to-face interaction. “When there’s an opportunity to go see a producer in another country, I take it,” continues Tuszynski. “We invest that time to go meet the producers and understand their practices.”
Crown Resorts ensures quality by taking advantage of the assets it already has available. “Crown has given me great opportunities to innovate in a procurement function,” states Tuszynski. “It has more flexibility and creativity than most companies.” When Tuszynski first started at the company, its two properties operated on a decentralised procurement model. Within nine months, his team shifted into a centralised procurement division, leveraging the commonalities in supplies between Perth and Melbourne. “We were finding new ways of delivering value rather than thinking in isolation,” he continues.
With over 40 restaurants across two properties, and more to come once Sydney opens its doors, Crown Resorts optimises spending by buying in bulk and consolidating brands for base kitchen ingredients. “We work with our chefs to choose the most premium ingredients, then go for critical mass and volume to negotiate prices,” Tuszynski says.
