In a special episode of Crave – The IFDA Podcast, we're live in Miami at the SMart Conference with a dynamic duo: Deanna Segreto, Director of Corporate Marketing at Saval Food Service, and Mark Kwiatkowski, co-founder of Fun Day agency and creative marketing strategist.
This conversation explores how personal branding, influencer marketing, and authentic storytelling can drive engagement and loyalty in foodservice, and why food distributors should stop chasing algorithms and start leaning into human connection.
From local foodie shoutouts to Slurpee linguistics and cross-industry inspiration, this episode offers practical examples, marketing insights, and a clear message: you’re already an influencer. Now tell your story.
Topics covered include:
👉 Turning price updates into trust-building content
👉 Why email marketing still reigns in foodservice
👉 Personal branding tips for DSRs and DSMs
👉 How to collaborate with influencers for real impact
👉 Lessons from crypto and convenience store marketing
👉 Trust as the foundation of all communication
👉 The “titanium rule” of customer experience
👉 Marketing to off-hours, algorithm-resistant buyers
Timestamps:
0:00 What We’re Covering: Storytelling, Strategy, Influence
1:24 Meet Deanna Segreto & Mark Kwiatkowski
2:05 Culinary Roots, Boardroom Strategy, and Branding
2:44 Storytelling as a Human Connection Tool
3:34 Feelings Over KPIs: Why Emotion Matters
4:52 Why Foodservice is All About Relationship-Building
6:06 What Storytelling Looks Like Today
6:33 Influencers, Viral Reviews, and Local Buzz
7:14 Community Marketing Examples from Saville
8:02 How to Avoid Transactional Marketing
9:07 The Power of Nuance in Storyselling
10:24 Helping Offline Operators Get Online
10:49 Don’t Chase the Algorithm—Use It
11:45 Search is Changing: Are You Indexed Where it Matters?
12:39 Mobile-First, Then and Now
13:03 Where Foodservice Marketing Touchpoints Begin
14:20 Email Preferences and Regional Habits
14:49 Using ChatGPT for Market Opportunity Analysis
15:11 Why Data + Email Still Win in Foodservice
15:44 Impulse Marketing & Digital Hot Dogs
16:27 Creating Brand Language That Resonates
17:40 Using Data to Build Cultural and Retail Momentum
18:16 Storytelling to Influence Buying Behavior
18:48 Everyone’s a Storyteller—If They Care
19:12 Sales Reps as Influencers: Real-World Examples
19:59 Personal Branding Tips for Foodservice Pros
20:19 The Titanium Rule: Beyond Great Service
21:23 Influencer Case Study from the Crypto World
23:11 How Content Builds Trust Before the First Meeting
24:19 From Capsule to Community: Growing a Thought Leadership Platform
25:07 Using Podcasts and Newsletters to Educate, Not Just Sell
26:20 Trust as the Cornerstone of All Storytelling
27:08 Getting Out of the Algorithm Bubble
27:44 Watch, Follow, and Adapt to Your Customer’s World
28:11 What Do You Want Your Brand to Be Known For?
28:35 Practical Next Steps: Reshare, Connect, Repeat
29:15 Mentorship, Listening, and Learning by Doing
30:16 The Role of Speed and Action in Leadership
30:58 Leadership T-Shirt Game: Supportive & Collaborative
32:26 Final Reflections: Why Storytelling Is a Craft Worth Practicing
🌐 Find Saval Foodservice on LinkedIn: https://www.savalfoods.com/
🌐 Find Fun Day on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fundayagency/
🌐 Learn more about this episode here:
Learn more about Crave – The IFDA Podcast and future episodes: https://ifdaonline.org/crave-podcast/
