PHOENIX —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
The annual gathering, sponsored by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, featured an array of panelists who explained their approaches to everything from supply chain management to marketing. Sessions were devoted to several topics, from trends in menu flavors to a word currently on many people’s lips: sustainability. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
In a panel titled “Building Relationships for Lasting Success,” Bob Nilsen, chief executive and president of the Utah-based Café Rio Mexican Grill chain, said suppliers can be effective in helping to keep prices down, but the communication has to be open and frank. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
He cited one supplier who said to Café Rio: “Here’s the situation. Here’s what’s happening with our costs. Let’s really see what we can do together, and let me tell you the things that we are doing to try hold the line for you.” —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
“As a result,” Nilsen said, “we ended up changing the way our products were delivered. There was a proactive solution.… It made an enormous difference.” —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
The buzzword “sustainability” was addressed in a panel that featured Alison Dennis, director of supply chain management for the 39-unit Burgerville chain of Vancouver, Wash. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
She said the family-owned company has emphasized socially and environmentally conscious choices, from providing affordable health care to its employees of six months or more to the local sourcing of many foods. The company also uses wind-power credits for all of its energy purchases and composts or recycles 85 percent of its garbage. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
Burgerville also is planning for sustainable growth by looking at turning used oil into biodiesel fuel, Dennis added. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
An assistant manager in one Burgerville unit, who launched a composting program, was invited to design a companywide program, Dennis said, explaining that the initiative is expected to save $100,000 annually in hauling fees alone. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
“There’s definitely business sense in doing the right thing,” she said. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
Keynote speaker David Bell, a senior advisor to Google and inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2007, said restaurant companies must be aware of the technologically savvy consumer. —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
“The consumer is the new chief marketing officer,” said Bell, who is the former chairman and chief executive of True North Communications and the Interpublic Group Inc. “The consumer is undeniably in charge. We learned how to market to consumers in the past; today, we can only market with consumers.” —As the economy continued to hand the foodservice industry a wide range of challenges, restaurant operators and suppliers gathered at the Chain Operators Exchange here Feb. 24-27 sought solutions to those problems.
