The Food Institute Podcast

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the hottest retail technology, and more.

This Episode is Sponsored By: RSM US LLP

Tom Hamill, a food and beverage senior analyst for RSM US LLP, joined The Food Institute Podcast to recap the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show. Hamill shares his thoughts on burgeoning trends from the show and how emerging specialty food brands can best navigate economic factors in the years to come.

More About RSM US LLP:

RSM helps food and beverage clients navigate changing market demands, rising costs, and evolving supply chain challenges with digital transformation and operational strategies. RSM US LLP is the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent assurance, tax, and consulting firms with 64,000 people in 120 countries. For more information, visit rsmus.com/foodandbeverage.

More About Tom Hamill:

As a food and beverage senior analyst for RSM, Thomas works alongside the firm’s chief economist and his fellow senior analysts to understand, forecast and communicate economic, business and technology trends affecting middle market businesses. He is also a senior manager in the transaction tax automation practice, assisting clients with managing indirect tax requirements through process improvement and digital innovation.

Further Reading/Listening:

RSM US LLP’s Website: https://rsmus.com/

RSM’s Real Economy blog: https://realeconomy.rsmus.com/

This Series is Sponsored by BMO

In the seventh and final episode of the “Foodservice Gamechangers” series, US Foods SVP and chief merchant Dave Poe connected with special guest host and Food Institute advisor Pat Mulhern to discuss Poe’s 26 years at US Foods. Poe shares thoughts on leadership styles, merchandising strategies, and the challenges emerging for the food industry associated with labor issues and inflation.

More about Dave Poe:

Dave Poe is SVP & Chief Merchant for US Foods which is a Foodservice distributor serving well over 200,000 customers across the country.

Dave is a seasoned Foodservice veteran with over 25 years of Merchandising experience within Distribution and Non-Commercial. He currently serves as SVP, and Chief Merchant for US Foods, responsible for ensuring our product value proposition exceeds our customers expectations, while overseeing our Category Management Function and our Specialty Manufacturing businesses. Dave spent 17 years at US Foods developing his Merchandising skills before spending some time with Premier (Healthcare GPO) helping to lead their Foodservice sourcing efforts. He rejoined US Foods in 2016 holding a number of senior level Merchandising roles since his return. Dave’s experiences have helped build a broad skillset in Category Strategy, Contract Management, P&L Improvement, and Customer Satisfaction focused on competitively priced, high quality, consistent products.

Dave holds a BS in Finance from the University of Maryland Robert H Smith Business School. He is married with 2 young boys that love to play Baseball and Soccer, so he spends a lot of his weekend time on the sports fields in the Chicagoland area.

More about US Foods:

US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With 30,000 employees and more than 70 locations, we provide our customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology, and business solutions. Learn more at: https://www.usfoods.com/.

Thanks to Our Sponsor: BMO

Whether you’re a producer, processor, retailer or distributor every company throughout the food continuum needs a financial partner that understands the factors that impact their business. From emerging consumer trends and industry consolidation, to commodity fluctuations and economic cyclicality, BMO’s Food, Consumer, and Agribusiness Group understands the issues affecting your company and are dedicated to serving the entire food industry – from farm to consumer. To learn more about how they can help, visit commercial.bmo.com/food.

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine why so many hourly employees plan to leave foodservice soon.

This Series is Sponsored by BMO

In the sixth episode of the “Foodservice Gamechangers” series, Performance Foodservice SVP of procurement Scott Barnewolt joined Food Institute advisor and special guest host Pat Mulhern to discuss the accelerated pace of change in the post-pandemic world. Additionally, the pair discuss the challenges and benefits of working from home, and how artificial intelligence may impact the foodservice industry in the years to come.

More about Scott Barnewolt:

Scott is graduate of the College of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, earning a bachelor’s degree Marketing in 1987, he was a 4-year starter on the baseball team as a Pitcher. His college career included being named Team Captain, Conference MVP, and 2-time NAIA World Series participant. He is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Kenan Flagler Business School Executive Program.

His foodservice distribution experience spans 35 years. His professional experience in the foodservice industry has included Buyer, Regional Buyer, Corporate Product Manager, Regional Sales Manager, National Marketing/Procurement Manager, Corporate Senior Category Manager, Corporate Category Director and Vice President of Procurement. Past employers include Kraft Foodservice, Riceland Foods, Jennie-O Foods, and Alliant Foodservice. He is currently Senior Vice President of Procurement for Performance Foodservice Corporate. His tenure with Performance Foodservice is over 23 years and resides in Manakin Sabot Virginia a western suburb of Richmond Virginia with his wife Kay.

Scott has been married for 35 wonderful years to his wife Kay and his family includes their son, Bryce (26) graduate Virginia Tech University May 2020 currently living in Charlotte NC working in the residential mortgage industry. Their daughter Meredith (23) graduate of Virginia Tech University in May 2023 and is a Civil Engineer for Dewberry Civil Engineering in Fairfax, VA. Scott is originally from Chicago land area and a big Chicago Sports Fan. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, exercising, watching sports and is a car enthusiast.

More about Performance Foodservice:

As one of the largest foodservice distributors in the nation, commitment to quality ingredients, personalized customer service, and on-time deliveries form the core of our service. Learn more at: https://www.performancefoodservice.com/.

Thanks to Our Sponsor: BMO

Whether you’re a producer, processor, retailer or distributor every company throughout the food continuum needs a financial partner that understands the factors that impact their business. From emerging consumer trends and industry consolidation to commodity fluctuations and economic cyclicality, BMO’s Food, Consumer, and Agribusiness Group understands the issues affecting your company and are dedicated to serving the entire food industry – from farm to consumer. To learn more about how they can help, visit commercial.bmo.com/food.

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the current state of worker satisfaction in foodservice.

This Series is Sponsored by BMO

Todd Baker, Gordon Food Service EVP of North American merchandising, joined Food Institute advisor and special guest host Pat Mulhern for the fifth episode of the “Foodservice Gamechangers” series. Baker shares insights about his leadership style, how to best build supplier relationships, and how to learn from employees within your organization.

More about Todd Baker:

Todd Baker is the Executive Vice President of North American Merchandising for Gordon Food Service, a foodservice distribution company with operations in the U.S. and Canada.

Todd provides strategic leadership for category management, direct and indirect procurement, brands, marketing, and merchandising operations.

He began his career at Gordon Food Service in 1992 as a Sales Representative in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by several leadership roles in marketing and procurement in the U.S. Todd also served on the GFS Canada leadership team as Senior Manager of Marketing and Procurement before becoming the leader of North American Merchandising.

More about Gordon Food Service:

For 125 years, we’ve delivered the excellence, expertise, and quality products our customers need to design successful food operations and experiences. We’ve grown to become the largest family-operated broad-line food distribution company in North America by upholding the same business approach since 1897—being passionately committed to the people we serve. Learn more at: https://gfs.com/.

Thanks to Our Sponsor: BMO

Whether you’re a producer, processor, retailer or distributor every company throughout the food continuum needs a financial partner that understands the factors that impact their business. From emerging consumer trends and industry consolidation to commodity fluctuations and economic cyclicality, BMO’s Food, Consumer, and Agribusiness Group understands the issues affecting your company and are dedicated to serving the entire food industry – from farm to consumer. To learn more about how they can help, visit commercial.bmo.com/food.

This Series is Sponsored by BMO

In the fourth episode of the “Foodservice Gamechangers” series, Sysco SVP and chief merchandising officer Victoria Gutierrez joined Food Institute advisor and special guest host Pat Mulhern to discuss the importance of fostering a growth mindset and embracing digital transformation in the foodservice distribution industry. The duo also discussed the need for adaptable problem solving and resilience in the workforce.

More about Victoria Gutierrez:

Ms. Gutierrez has served as Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer since August 2022. Previously, she served as Vice President of Category Management after joining Sysco in July 2021. Prior to joining Sysco, Ms. Gutierrez was a Partner with the Boston Consulting Group (“BCG”) from September 2014 to June 2021, serving as a lead member of BCG’s Retail, Large Scale Change and Operations practices, as well as a firm expert in transformation management, merchandising analytics, and private brands. Before joining BCG, she held several positions in the beverage industry as a certified sommelier and entrepreneur. Ms. Gutierrez holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management and a B.S. with Honors from Northwestern University.

More about Sysco:

We build relationships through quality products, intelligent systems, and an extraordinary community of associates. We want to be your most valued and trusted business partner, investing in your success with fresh ideas to grow your business. Learn more at: https://www.sysco.com/.

Thanks to Our Sponsor: BMO

Whether you’re a producer, processor, retailer or distributor every company throughout the food continuum needs a financial partner that understands the factors that impact their business. From emerging consumer trends and industry consolidation to commodity fluctuations and economic cyclicality, BMO’s Food, Consumer, and Agribusiness Group understands the issues affecting your company and are dedicated to serving the entire food industry – from farm to consumer. To learn more about how they can help, visit commercial.bmo.com/food.

This Series is Sponsored by BMO

In the third episode of the “Foodservice Gamechangers” series, Independent Marketing Alliance president and CEO Rob Mould speaks with special guest host and Food Institute advisor Pat Mulhern about selecting and managing suppliers, and the need for more suppliers in certain categories. The pair also discusses how leadership styles have adapted to a changing workplace, and the need for purposeful and proactive leadership in the foodservice distribution workplace.

More about Rob Mould:

Rob Mould believes in fostering a strong, collaborative company culture focused on people and solutions that deliver outstanding results. He was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, and attended Washington and Lee University for his undergraduate education. He later attended the University of South Carolina where he earned an M.B.A.

Rob spent 20 years in the grocery retail industry focused on category management and all merchandising elements followed by eight years in foodservice. He began his career in private brands and moved into category management working for various top tier grocery retailers, spending the last ten years in senior level positions in center store and produce.

Rob Mould joined Independent Marketing Alliance (IMA), a foodservice buying group headquartered in Houston, in 2015 as its President and CEO. The primary company focus is “exclusive brands” or “private brands”, but a total category growth mindset is the goal.

More about Independent Marketing Alliance:

Independent Marketing Alliance (IMA) is an exclusive network of the highest producing foodservice distributors, delivering better business through its exclusive alliance. For over 20 years, members have benefited from expert category and supplier management, exclusive brands marketing, business planning, quality assurance, and more. Learn more here: https://imafoodservice.com/.

Thanks to Our Sponsor: BMO

Whether you’re a producer, processor, retailer or distributor, every company throughout the food continuum needs a financial partner that understands the factors that impact their business. From emerging consumer trends and industry consolidation to commodity fluctuations and economic cyclicality, BMO’s Food, Consumer, and Agribusiness Group understands the issues affecting your company and is dedicated to serving the entire food industry – from farm to consumer. To learn more, visit commercial.bmo.com/food.

In this week's food industry news in 2 minutes, we examine the trendy Planetary Health Diet and more.