Welcome to the newest episode of Grounded! Join us as we hear from top-tier producers in the food service industry to hear their perspectives from all links throughout the supply chain. Each guest will discuss their brand development, company culture, global supply chain strategy, culinary innovation, and leadership. Please welcome our guest, Matthew Runkle, Vice President of Supply Chain at Pei Wei. Matthew shares the principles that Pei Wei meticulously follows ensuring their culinary delights are perfect for their guests. He joins host Lauren Mitchell to talk about the positive impact COVID had on their company, catalyzing a significant surge in traffic and patronage.

Takeaways:

• Pei Wei has a crucial principle that brought them remarkable success: thinking about the customers. By envisioning themselves as their guests, Pei Wei embraces the customer's perspective. Whenever they introduce updates to their menu or products, they prioritize the customer experience above all else. Matthew always considers whether the changes would resonate with their valued guests.
• Matthew's business strategy revolves around leveraging the expertise of his company, including the growers, farmers, processors, and slaughterhouses. By creating a strong partnership, Matthew's company navigates towards its objectives, consistently having the freshest, highest-quality products at the most reasonable prices.
• Pei Wei faces challenges in managing their labor resources effectively. Matthew created a strategic approach to working with manufacturers who supply his company with the finest products. During this process, Matthew recognized that collaborating with these external partners will introduce a couple of additional steps, generating an approach to ensure perfect execution.
• Matthew finds it important to achieve consistency in their produce. The impact of slight variations in thickness can change the cooking process completely. This change could jeopardize the look and value of the customer's dish. To ensure that every ingredient is perfect, Pei Wei prioritizes the reputation of their food and the dining experience for their valued guests.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew noticed the decreased value of their customer's products being delivered to their doorsteps. This made Matthew think of a plan to ensure that Pei Wei's signature items were maintained at their desired temperatures throughout the delivery process. This change has increased results in their delivery requests. By creating partnerships with industry leaders like Kitchen United and the Reefs of the World, Pei Wei successfully extended its reach from their stores to the convenience of customers' homes. This amplifies their commitment to delivering delicious dining experiences at every doorstep.

Quote of the Show:

• “Everyone’s opinion is equal.” - Matthew Runkle

Links:

• Matthew Runkle’s LinkedIn
• Pei Wei’s Website
• Pei Wei’s Twitter

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Grounded is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/