Titans of Foodservice

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Chris Nisi, Founder and CEO of Nisi’s Craft Bakery. Chris shares his fascinating upbringing in an Italian-American family and how those roots influenced his career in the food service industry which now spans over 25 years. He discusses the unique processes behind creating his bakery’s high-quality frozen artisan bread, emphasizing the importance of long fermentation times and using century-old natural starters. Quotes"I've been making people rich my entire life, so in a way, building this company and being an entrepreneur was assisted by the training I received in helping other brands grow their businesses." -Chris Nisi“In our sourdough, we use only a natural starter. Ricardo got a super old starter that's over 100 years old. So he's been keeping it alive for 30 years. He's got it growing in six different places so that nothing ever happens to it." -Chris NisiTIMESTAMPS(00:12) Italian Heritage and Food Service Industry Success(06:50) From Food Sales to Bakery Success(12:50) The Journey of Building a Successful Food Service Business(23:04) Disrupting the Baking Industry with Frozen Artisan Breads(27:59) Nisi's Bakery's Success and DistributionRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Eric Martin, Chief Performance Officer at Food Sales East. With an extensive career in the food service industry spanning over three decades, Eric has a wealth of experience and expertise, having navigated significant industry changes and scaled Food Sales East through pivotal expansion phases. Eric shares his strategic decisions during the industry's nationalization phase, and how Food Sales East navigated the consolidation trends of the 2010s to become a dominant regional player. Nick and Eric discuss the pivotal role of technology in modern food brokerage, particularly the adoption of Power BI for data visualization, which has revolutionized their operations and client interactions. Quotes"Organizations rise and fall on leadership.” -Eric Martin"Food Sales East wanted to prove that we could deliver results for any manufacturer, regardless of their brand. What we have to offer is our ability to produce volume for anybody." -Eric MartinTIMESTAMPS(03:29) Nashville's Must-Eat Spots and Favorite Food Memories(09:27) Building a Food Brokerage Empire in the Southeast(21:22) Navigating Industry Consolidation and Strategic Decisions in Food Brokerage(25:03) Building a National Food Service Broker Network(28:05) The Impact of Power BI on Food Service BrokerageRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Reed McCord, the innovative founder and CEO of First Bite. Reed shares his experiences and the challenges he faced while building First Bite. He explains how First Bite helps businesses in the food service industry by offering a vast database of restaurant information, contact details, and sales tools. Nick and Reed discuss predictive revenue opportunities, team management, and data-driven sales strategies. Reed also discusses the potential of bringing operators into the platform and facilitating direct transactions. Quotes"The future for us is bringing operators into the story and helping manufacturers reach out to the operators that want to be reached out to.” -Reed McCord"Food service is bigger than people think. It's where people try new things, and it's bigger than retail from a consumer spend perspective." -Reed McCordTIMESTAMPS(00:36) Reed's Journey and Innovations in the Food Service Industry(04:11) Exploring Huntington Beach's Food Scene and Culinary Preferences(10:25) Disconnecting from Technology and Attending Industry Expos(17:22) Streamlining Restaurant Sales with Data-Driven Workflow Tools(27:35) Expanding Data Capabilities for College and University Markets(32:31) Subscription-Based Solutions for the Food Service IndustryRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Jen Roth, Vice President of Away from Home and Small Format for Hain Celestial and Emily Mark, National Sales Manager for Away from Home Food Service and Vending at Hain Celestial. Nick, Jen, and Emily discuss Hain Celestial's intentional efforts to revolutionize the food service sector by integrating a health-focused and consumer-driven approach. Jen and Emily discuss the importance of internal culture, and strategic brand development, and share the challenges of launching a division within a well-established company while bringing better-for-you options to wider audiences. Quotes“You can underestimate the importance of choice. Whatever form, whether it's the grocery store or the queue line at your hospital, when you're going to visit someone and you're grabbing a bite, to have that choice available is really key. You don't know how your consumers are eating at home.” -Jen Roth“The quality of the food, the ingredients in the food, those are things that matter. One of my primary goals was to work for a company that had better items that gave solutions to people that not only offer better things that they can eat but also can heal their bodies." -Emily MarkTIMESTAMPS(01:49) Driving Hain Celestial Forward in Food Service Industry(04:31) Revamping Hain Celestial's Sales and Food Service Strategy(08:22) Blending Startup Spirit With Legacy Brand Expertise(20:09) Healthier Food Trends in Healthcare and Educational Institutions(23:30) Sleepy Time Bear's Surprising Social Media Stardom(27:28) Defining Brand Values and Making Decisions Aligned With Them(30:11) Expanding Diversity Through Inclusive Hiring PracticesRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo delves into the grueling yet exhilarating world of Ironman triathlons, connecting his personal journey with universal lessons in business and personal growth. Following his participation in the Ironman Texas event, Nick shares an honest and detailed recount of his rigorous training and the unfolding of race day, illustrating the parallels between athletic endurance and professional ambition.Quotes“Success is a fleeting feeling. If you want to achieve greatness, it's not just being successful one time. It's about doing something many, many, many times.” -Nick Portillo"To go fast, you have to learn how to go slow." -Nick PortilloTIMESTAMPS(01:27) From Ironman Triumphs to Bucket List Adventures(09:50) The Grueling Journey to Becoming an Ironman(16:00) Triumph and Turbulence in an Ironman Challenge(21:56) Defining Success and Greatness in Business and Sports(27:30) Transcending Limits Through Self-Proof Rather Than Proving Others WrongRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Charles Bililies, Founder & CEO of Souvla, a Greek-inspired restaurant that has burgeoned into a culinary staple in San Francisco. Charles boasts a rich lineage rooted in the food service industry, with his family's restaurant background paving the way for his introspective approach to hospitality. Charles shares his journey in the food service industry, including his experience working at renowned restaurants like the French Laundry and Bouchon Bistro. He also discusses the unique investment structure of Souvla and his plans for expanding the brand to other major cities in the United States.Quotes“We are very, very thoughtful about how we grow, about where we go, and about what these projects look like. So it does slow down the overall timeframe, but it hopefully prevents the story that we see play out so often of these other restaurant brands that take on these big capital partners. They get the headline and they raise tens of millions of dollars, start growing really fast, and things can go sideways very quickly.” -Charles Bililies [29:20]"Restaurants don't scale like a piece of software or a widget or things like that. They are incredibly people-intensive businesses." -Charles Bililies [30:05] TIMESTAMPS(02:00) Dining Fantasies and Presidential Encounters(09:01) Charles’ Culinary Heritage and High-End Restaurant Experience(16:32) The Toll of Dedication in Fine Dining(21:42) Investment Structures and Real Estate in Restaurant Business(28:07) Expanding Souvla's Reach Thoughtfully Without External CapitalRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Mark Chavez, Director of the Tustin Unified School District. With a strong background in the food service industry, particularly within school nutrition, Mark shares his deep understanding of the complexities and responsibilities inherent in feeding students healthily and efficiently. Listen this week as Mark sheds light on the day-to-day operations of a school nutrition program, revealing the strategic planning involved in menu development, compliance with dietary guidelines, and the innovation necessary to keep students both nourished and interested in their meal choices. Quotes"School nutrition, in particular, is the hidden treasure of the food service industry." Mark Chavez [10:59]“Think about the football player, the wrestler, the volleyball player, the water polo player, the dance team, and the cheer team. Every student has a different extracurricular activity, and they need a little more nourishment to get them by in the totality of their activities.” -Mark Chavez [24:57]TIMESTAMPS(02:08) Fiery Five Food Service questions(07:40) Mark Chavez's background and profession in school nutrition(13:24) Challenges and issues in large vs. small school districts(17:33) Tailoring menus based on district size and student preferences(26:13) Culinary arts programs in the Tustin Unified School District(33:32) Mentoring colleagues and seeing their career growthRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Paul Fournier, president at TacticWare Resources and a highly sought-after food service consultant. Nick and Paul talk about the evolution of the broker industry, the importance of maximizing broker relationships, and how manufacturers can work with brokers to achieve their sales objectives. Paul shares why clear communication, setting goals and objectives, and maintaining a positive culture can improve collaboration. Listen this week as Nick and Paul explore the current dynamics of food broker relationships and how to optimize performance.Quotes"The broker serves three roles. One is the brokers need to achieve their sales plan and objectives. Secondly, the broker is responsible for local relationships with operators and distribution and that's a major role. Third, the introduction of innovation, and that is what keeps the lifeblood going in this industry's new products." -Paul Fournier [05:23]“It's about everybody working together as a team. If we work together and we establish those values, the broker should be in that position. I've never been an advocate of letting things simmer. I'd rather confront it and say, look, we're not getting it done, but let's talk about why. Let's come up with some solutions to improve where we're going and how we're getting there.” -Paul Fournier [19:26]TIMESTAMPS(00:10) Paul Fournier intro(05:23) The three roles of brokers(09:42) Maximizing return on investment during market visits(14:27) Communication and culture(17:56) Leading with kindness and collaboration(20:58) Connect with Paul RESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Hannah Lopez, the Director of Marketplace for Food Service at the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA). Nick and Hannah discuss exciting developments in the plant-based food movement, recent legislation in Los Angeles County, and Hannah's background in starting a juice business. Hannah also shares her passion for promoting plant-based options in the food service industry and the importance of consumer preferences in driving change as plant-based dishes begin to emerge as leading dishes on menus across America. Quotes"Fifty-one percent of consumers that are purchasing plant-based foods are omnivores. They're eating meat as well. And so it's no longer just about the two to 3% vegan market, which is a very strong misconception, especially in our world of food service, where we're working with foodservice operators that have been in the game for thirty plus years in some cases." -Hannah Lopez [20:33]"We're very data-driven. We tap into the consumer because really what they're spending their money on is going to dictate the future of plant-based foods. And we're not slowing down, we're sustaining. The entire food market dipped last year, but plant-based foods in retail alone, we're still over an $8 billion industry and we're still very steady around the trajectories that we set out for seven years ago, so we're not slowing down." -Hannah Lopez [18:01]TIMESTAMPS(00:34) Hannah’s background(07:48) The challenges of scaling a business(10:50) Managing large teams in decision making(16:49) A day in the life of Hannah at PBFA(21:54) Turkey’s recent ban on vegan cheese(24:01) Plant-based foods gaining support in congress(28:19) Connect with HannahRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]

In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo takes an intimate look at the nearly nine-year journey of his company, Portillo Sales and Marketing. Nick talks about the importance of having a strong founding team, investing in key hires, and embracing change and innovation. He shares how building a strong company culture and valuing excellence has steered his company through the challenges and triumphs of the industry. Nick also reflects on the impact that leveraging relationships has had on both himself as an individual and on his business.Quotes"This journey has been full of highs, it's been full of lows, and it's been full of a lot of in between those two extremes. But it has been worth it." -Nick Portillo [01:22]"When you're starting off, you have to convince people to overcome the fact that you are new and that it's okay to change. People want to partner and be with winners. They want to partner and be with people who have been around, who have done it, who they have confidence in to grow their business." -Nick Portillo [05:40]TIMESTAMPS(03:11) Overcoming the challenges of being a new business and building a reputation(09:14) Selling service business(14:08) Differentiating between cash basis and accrual basis in business investments(19:41) Finding great leadership(26:23) Embracing change and innovation(30:40) Responding to clients with empathy (34:09) Building trust and reputation through expertise and team capabilitiesRESOURCESPortillo SalesCONTACT Nick: [email protected]