How to Stay Relevant with Today's Foodservice Customers: Part 2 4/29/2015
ORLANDO, Fla. — Foodservice purveyors in all channels of trade strive to remain relevant and top of mind to consumers, but must be careful not to chase every trend, which can lead to brand confusion and brand identity erosion.
At a recent panel discussion at ECRM’s foodservice event in Orlando, foodservice operators from various channels of trade and expertise –– from convenience store chains and college dining services to full-service restaurants –– offered their perspectives on the most important foodservice trends today and what they see coming down the pike.
Panelists included:
- Bob Derian, corporate executive chef for RaceTrac Petroleum Inc., operator of 370 convenience stores in the South, based in Atlanta;
- Cairon Moore, assistant director of dining services, University of Colorado at Boulder, which operates 10 retail markets and grab-and-go formats plus more than a dozen dining concepts on campus;
- Mike Turner, vice president of culinary training for Walk-On’s Enterprises, a full-service restaurant and sports bar franchise that specializes in southern cuisine; and
- Larry Miller, principal of Miller Management & Consulting Services.
Maureen Azzato, a regular foodservice contributor to Convenience Store News, moderated the panel.
From left: Larry Miller, Cairon Moore, Bob Derian, Maureen Azzato, and Mike Turner
Principal of Azzato Enterprises with more than 25 years of strategic business-to-business content development and management, including digital publishing, print, social media, face-to-face conferences and events, sales and marketing management, and new business development.