Today, ArrowStream revealed key takeaways and insights from its recent re:Supply Innovation Summit, which is the only forum dedicated exclusively to the foodservice supply chain industry.
Through a series of workshops, panel discussions, and networking events, it was revealed that many of the nation's top restaurant operators, distributors, and manufacturers are facing many of the same challenges and have been grappling with making difficult technology and supply chain decisions. While collaboration has generally been a challenge in the industry, there has been a clear shift. Overall, both speakers and attendees agreed actionable data is more important than ever and collaboration across all aspects of the supply chain is the key to overcoming these universal, shared challenges.
"The re:Supply Innovation Summit really proved that having an open and honest conversation about the issues we have experienced over the last few years is the first step in getting everyone on the same page to help solve these problems and alleviate the burden we are all feeling," said Mike Schwartz, SVP Member Value, of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association. "It was great to see operators, manufacturers, and distributors on one panel agreeing to share data through the ArrowStream network and actually see these concepts put into action."
When it comes to managing turnover, labor shortages, and employee satisfaction, Debbie Pagliai, Vice President of Supply Chain at Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc., revealed in a panel discussion that Einstein's is finding success in placing an emphasis on work-life balance. As a result, retention has increased significantly compared to pre-COVID levels. Furthermore, attendees and speakers alike, agreed that owning your own supply chain when possible, and building and investing in strong relationships with reliable vendors and manufacturers when not, is imperative to maintaining a strong, sustainable supply chain that can withstand the current market volatility.
"I don't know how anyone could have gotten through the last couple of years without ArrowStream," said Pagliai. "They have been a strategic partner for 15 years and are critical to our day-to-day mission at Einstein's, driving consistent year-over-year savings. ArrowStream's annual summit is one of foodservice's most important collaboration events. After all the challenges the past few years, it was great to have our mutual supply chain partners together to network, and work towards positive changes for the industry."
At the conclusion of the event, ArrowStream announced the winners of the re: Supply Innovation Awards, which honored the most innovative and influential companies in the foodservice industry. The awards and their respective winners are as follows:
- Raising Cane's was awarded the Visionary Award, which honors organizations that are setting new industry standards and raising the bar for all. As the recipient of the Visionary Award, Raising Cane's has demonstrated the ability to redefine innovation, leverage emerging technologies, and establish itself as a market visionary.
- Inspire Brands was awarded the Problem Solvers Award, which recognizes organizations that have embraced the industry's greatest challenges and are solving real-world problems with proven ROI and customer satisfaction. As the recipient of the Problem Solvers Award, Inspire Brands has proven its ability to tackle industry barriers head-on and without fail.
- True Food Kitchen was awarded the Sustainability Leadership Award, which celebrates organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership and efforts in the fight against climate change. As the recipient of the Sustainability Leadership Award, True Food Kitchen has demonstrated a measurable reduction in the industry's impact on our climate and has a proven blueprint for a more sustainable path forward.
"We host this annual Summit to bring together the best and brightest in the industry - all in one room, in person - and curate an environment where ideas, data, big wins, and even losses are discussed in an open and collaborative environment in order to help solve the challenges and complexities we all face," said Jeff Dorr, President, ArrowStream. "This has become one of the must-attend conferences for our customers and partners. We strive every year to lead with relevant and actionable content that will drive a positive impact on our industry."
The re:Supply Innovation Summit returns July 2023.
https://www.arrowstream.com/
