Precursor Ventures’ Post

https://lnkd.in/eiEuVwbe With this and Advantage selling their foodservice business is the day of the traditional foodservice broker at an end? GPOs, AI and Chains are closing the door to this dying breed

Exciting News: Rgand Launches $100 Million Accelerator for Global Suppliers! 🚀 I’m thrilled to announce that Rgand is launching a $100 million accelerator program to support global suppliers and transform the foodservice industry. This initiative fosters innovation and growth, enabling suppliers to scale efficiently and thrive in today’s dynamic market. For restaurants, this means direct access to high-quality products at competitive prices, along with the convenience of 60-day payment terms, ensuring smooth cash flow and expanding menu options without the burden of upfront costs. At Rgand, we’re committed to driving positive change, creating value for both suppliers and restaurants, and shaping the future of foodservice. Read more in my Forbes interview below! 👇 https://lnkd.in/e8gcnQFf #FoodProduction #FoodSupplyChain #FoodInnovation #FoodExport #SustainableProduction #GlobalTrade #B2BMarketplace #DirectSales #AgriTech #FarmToTable #RestaurantIndustry #FoodService #RestaurantBusiness #CulinaryInnovation #RestaurantManagement #FoodTrends #RestaurantSupply #MenuDevelopment #SustainableRestaurants #HospitalityIndustry #RestaurantSuccess

US Foods Holding Corp. plans to acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores for $970 million in cash. The deal excludes Smart & Final, which was separated before the agreement with Apollo Global Management. Smart Foodservice will operate as a separate business unit within US Foods, aiming to accelerate growth in the cash-and-carry foodservice market. The acquisition will help US Foods reach independent restaurant operators and expand its presence in the growing cash-and-carry channel.

It’s happening. We’re launching a foodservice concept. In Berlin. In 2024. Are we nuts? I know, it’s such a cliche. Almost everyone sooner or later starts to think that it would be nice to… ✅ write a book ✅ open a bar or a coffee shop. Since books I have already written, I know that it’s not nearly as romantic as most people think. And with 7+ experience in foodservice, I should have thought twice before venturing into this red ocean of never-ending competition. Having even a small dining establishment is like having a baby — a 24/7 job. Hard, demanding, excruciating. Costs are constantly going up — and profits down. And don’t even get me started on the labor shortage. All this is true. And yet… With my partner, we’ve been talking about this for years. It felt like Berlin could have benefited from some new ideas. And we had one that we couldn’t let go. Between the two of us, we had a perfect set of skills that you’d need for a food startup. My partner could do great product and design — and I knew a lot about operations and finances (at least in theory 🙂). But most importantly, spending less time staring at the screens and more time away from them seemed like a healthier lifestyle — and something that could give us a feeling that we truly belonged in this city. So last year, we finally reached a point when we had to try it — or stop talking about it. We couldn’t stop talking. So… We’re doing it. In 2024, we’ll be setting up a company, looking for a location, fleshing out the product — and hopefully launching the first shop of (hopefully) a strong local foodservice brand that would expand far and beyond. We’ll be building this foodservice concept “in public.” The way software startup founders build their companies nowadays. Expect insights, failure stories, revelations… all the good (and bad) stuff. But the question remains: are we nuts?

Is Chick-fil-A the Fast-Food Chain To Beat? Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center seems to be maintaining a lead in the fast-food industry without much of a hitch. How do its recent innovations reflect broader trends in retail and fast food in response to changing consumer behaviors and market pressures? Read the article & panel discussion here: https://lnkd.in/e4-YcPNX Shepard (Shep) Hyken "In any industry, the brand must innovate to keep up and, as in Chick-fil-A’s case, stay ahead of its competition." Mohammad Ahsen (Socially Ahsen) "Its innovative service models and content diversification boost customer loyalty and set new industry standards, encouraging competitors to blend convenience, quality, and entertainment to stay competitive." David Biernbaum "A fast food franchise like Chick Fil A has all the ingredients for a near-perfect operation. Customers are treated with genuine hospitality and kindness as part of their customer service philosophy."

With rising prices and concerns over the economy, consumers seek value, and food service operations that provide value will succeed. Check out this article on how the food service industry faced challenges in 2023 and how successful restaurants embrace Technology to increase sales.

As the c-store foodservice landscape continues to change, CStore Decisions outlines 6 factors for success. https://lnkd.in/g4hmwqHi #quantumSERVICES #foodservice #cstores

Great insights on what helps make a successful foodservice program in C-stores. 

With each subsequent generation, there is an increased reliance on foodservice. “What does this mean?” asked Robert Byrne, director of consumer and industry insights at Technomic, Inc. “Hopefully, it means more occasions, more trips, more purchases out of them. But it also means that foodservice needs to be able to solve more consumer need states. Make foodservice for more than just convenience." Read more of Robert's insights below.

Health-forward restaurants are facing challenges as higher commodity and labor costs impact their profitability. Clean Juice, a health-focused juice bar franchise, has seen costs rise across various areas, including paper goods, meat, dairy, and produce. To address these challenges, Clean Juice has introduced marketing strategies focused on price, such as offering products for under $6 and a pick-two menu for under $13. The company is also working with franchisees to identify underpriced or overpriced items and making changes to the menu to offset cost pressures. Additionally, Clean Juice has implemented initiatives like a tipping prompt and incentives for mobile app orders to support employees and improve labor efficiencies. Playa Bowls, an açai bowl chain, is also navigating inflation by carefully balancing pricing, menu engineering, and labor optimization. The company has faced challenges with rising costs of ingredients like blueberries. Playa Bowls has taken small pricing actions on select items and delivery menus, while also focusing on inventory management and highlighting more profitable items. The Playa Rewards platform helps shape pricing decisions through engagement data and direct communication with loyal customers. Similarly, Salad and Go, a fast-food chain focused on healthy salads, uses a hyper-efficient supply chain and labor model to keep prices low. The company delivers ingredients from farms to central kitchens, reducing the need for in-store team members. Salad and Go has implemented contract management strategies with suppliers and closely monitors factors like weather and seasonality to avoid major price hikes. The company's streamlined operations enable it to pay competitive wages while maintaining affordable prices for customers. To read more, click the link below. #commercialrealestate #retail #tampabay #healthfood #shoppingcenters