SugarCreek: Brandworthy Food Solutions

5 Ways Poor Supply Chain Management Can Ruin a Fast Food Business

Posted by Craig Fissel

May 9, 2016 2:30:00 PM

For many consumers on the go, mealtimes no longer offer a regular break in the daily schedule — they’re necessities that need to be wedged into compressed time spaces between other activities. The astounding growth we’ve seen in the fast-and-fresh sector and in ready-to-eat food sales at groceries proves that.

A significant portion of modern consumers lack either the time or the desire (or both) to fit food prep into their days. And that means that they’re placing the onus on the food industry to meet their needs and taste preferences. Much of that demand is now met by QSR concerns.

But where there is great opportunity, there is also risk. Today’s consumers don’t want to wait and they don’t want to be told “we’re out.” So, the keys to profitability and success in a fast food operation inevitably come down to this: how agile is your supply chain?

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Topics: Food Service, Supply Chain, QSR

Where the Fast Food Industry Can Find Inspiration for Better Supply Chain Design

Posted by Jeff Cowles

May 6, 2016 12:00:00 PM

At the store level, the many metrics that determine a QSR's success or failure are predicated on the movement of the supply chain. Most business decisions are made with the assumption that product cost and supply chain speed will remain a constant, barring any unforeseen supply or distribution issues. This stability — something of a rarity in an industry that seems to change from moment to moment — is a benefit that C-suite decision-makers are understandably reluctant to tinker with. Innovation, however, must be incorporated into any supply chain design that hopes to stay competitive. Imagine that generations past had failed to innovate. Meats and produce might still be arriving by horse-drawn carriage in sawdust-packed glacier chunks. But if change doesn’t come from within, where can the fast food supply chain — essentially unmatched in terms of speed and varietal demands — look for inspiration?

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Topics: Food Service, Supply Chain, QSR

How Fast Food Can Harness the Power of Supply Chain Management

Posted by Chris Dixon

May 4, 2016 12:00:00 PM

Operating a successful quick service restaurant is all about ensuring the right systems are in place: the right people, at the right time, with the right tools. While there may not be fryers and grills on the fast food supply chain — unless they're being shipped, of course — the same principles apply to locking in success. The right supply chain management, much like store-level management, should be adept at not only putting initial decisions into play, but making course corrections when they're needed. To truly "own" their own supply chains and leverage all the positive benefits they have to offer, the QSR and QSR-Plus industries need to carefully weigh three aspects of smart supply chain operation.

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Topics: Food Service, Supply Chain, QSR

4 Supply Chain Management Tools Your Fast Food Business Can't Live Without

Posted by Lance Layman

May 2, 2016 12:00:00 PM

The competition between QSR businesses was cutthroat well before QSR-Plus entered the picture. Today, with QSR and fast casual duking it out for the same market share, keeping your fast food supply chain aligned with emerging trends is the best way to stay ahead of the pack. Using tools that are tuned into the rich rewards of big data streams help by adding accuracy and efficiency. If these four must-have tools aren't influencing your supply chain yet, it's time to get on board and start listening to what they have to say. 

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Topics: Food Service, Technology, Supply Chain, QSR

Fast Food Sourcing: Pricing, Premium Ingredients and the Future

Posted by Alan Riney

Apr 29, 2016 12:00:00 PM

Could the end of the ubiquitous dollar menu be nigh? Consumers, treated to an embarrassment of riches when it comes to dining out, aren't just focused on their wallets anymore. The artisanal food movement, anti-GMO sentiment and other food sourcing trends are compelling those in procurement to stay on top of their game and one step ahead of the competition. It's no longer about just adding a slice of cheese to a burger, it's about sourcing an ethically made cheddar that's not only affordable, but a favorite in focus groups as well. Once hyper-focused on cost at the expense of nearly everything else, the fast food supply chain is evolving — if only to keep pace with the customers it serves. 

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Topics: Food Service, Supply Chain, QSR

How the Fast Food Industry Can Make Sustainability Affordable

Posted by Frank Barcelona

Apr 25, 2016 12:00:00 PM

We know that "sustainable" doesn't come cheap. As we've recently discussed, it can take a long time and a tremendous financial investment just to develop a sustainable supply line — especially for niche ingredients. But Millennial consumers are clearly engaged with the sustainable food movement. Fast casual success stories like Chipotle — which takes great pains to source sustainable, non-antibiotic and non-GMO ingredients — prove it.

"Red Lobster, Olive Garden, TGIFridays, IHOP, Applebee’s and Chili’s combined are worth less than Chipotle," noted EcoWatch. "We won’t likely see any of the major fast food brands slip away any time soon, but they will have to reinvent their offerings to appeal to a new generation of diners."

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Topics: Food Service, Sustainability, Supply Chain, QSR

The Modern Food Supply Chain Must Be a Waste-Reducing Machine

Posted by Steve Shutte

Apr 20, 2016 12:31:00 PM

Initiatives like sustainable sourcing have a large impact on consumers in the food industry, but focusing on incoming ingredients or products is only half of the ethical marketing equation. As much as shoppers are voting with their wallets for companies that avoid disturbing the ecosystem during production, they're also very interested in the end of the product cycle.

  • How much was discarded or used to make this item?
  • How much packaging does it require, versus how much it uses?
  • Is it packaged in reasonable, useful units to prevent spoilage during storage in warehouses and consumer homes?

These questions are only a fraction of the scrutiny that will be turned on your food supply chain in a marketplace dominated by informed consumers, so prepare your brand accordingly with these tips.

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Topics: Supply Chain

One Thing Every Fast Food Procurement Director Must Understand About Sustainability

Posted by Jerry Leeper

Apr 18, 2016 1:00:00 PM

Food procurement managers know: When you're leading a fast food franchise in the charge toward sustainability, your ability to source sustainable ingredients will almost always be outpaced by consumer demand. Tastes change quickly, but production capacity takes time to bring online.

The problem is, you can't afford to ignore changing consumer tastes. And you can't afford not to understand how they were derived.

Wendy's story serves as an illustration. The venerable Columbus-based fast food chain needed a way to appeal to Millennial consumers who had been deserting them in favor of fast-and-fresh concepts like Chipotle. So Wendy's test kitchen developed a new series of seasonal salad products that incorporated fresh fruits in unexpected flavor combos.

The problem? Blackberries.

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Topics: Food Service, Sustainability, Supply Chain, QSR

5 Tips for Handling Fast Food's Most Difficult Sourcing Issues

Posted by Dan Barton

Apr 15, 2016 11:30:00 AM

Climbing to the top of the QSR food chain means optimizing the supply chain that feeds its growth, unique demands and all. As customers demand more — quality, expediency, price and ethical operation — from the foods they eat, procurement teams are compelled to juggle more than ever before. Getting the best results requires a broad-spectrum approach to sourcing and smart decisions at every step of the way.

There are five important considerations that should be on every procurement professional's to-do list.

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Topics: Food Service, Supply Chain, QSR

Why the Fast Food Industry Needs Better Supply Chain Metrics

Posted by Jerry Leeper

Apr 11, 2016 2:00:00 PM

If the pervasiveness of dollar menu mentality is any indication, price points are crucial to competitiveness in the fast food industry. So why is big data underutilized or outright ignored in the typical fast food supply chain? Still caught in a lingering procurement cycle plagued by shortages, safety scandals and other — admittedly important — distractions, the fast food industry is understandably hesitant to tackle yet another potential issue. As big data sweeps through industries like healthcare, leaving cost saving efficiency in its wake, it's becoming harder to ignore the benefits of data scrutiny.  So what can big data really do for fast food, an industry typically too focused on the road ahead to pay attention to the road behind? 

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Topics: Food Service, Technology, Supply Chain, QSR