One of the leaders in this trend is the Acosta Cornerstone group and recently we had a Q&A session with Dan Rodenbush, EVP – General Manager in charge of non-foods – including tabletop – within the foodservice industry at Acosta Cornerstone.
Q: As an experienced sales and marketing expert on both the agency side and non-foods manufacturer side of the foodservice industry, what is your role at Acosta and what stops has your career journey taken to get here?
A: The foodservice channel has been my career for over twenty years. I have been fortunate to work on both the manufacturer and agency side of the business with respected brands like Oneida, Hoffmaster, Scott Paper Company, and now, Acosta Cornerstone.
A: We want to bring the full solution to the operator so that we can build business with our distributor partners. When operators think about their menu offerings they want suggestions on how to cook, present, take out, and store. We offer those solutions. In addition, supermarket and convenience store foodservice is a growing segment and a great opportunity for growth.
Q: How would you describe the approach Acosta has towards the foodservice segment? And, what is the footprint for Acosta’s coverage in the foodservice non-food segment?
A: We have built a national sales model. Our objective with our manufacturers is to offer a professional sales team that can deliver a national plan with the same level of consistency in Boston as in San Diego. We have built a leading edge CRM program that allows us to target pre-qualified sales targets based upon syndicated data and report results back to our manufacturers in a consistent fashion to measure results.
Q: Since TabletopJournal is focused on the hospitality tabletop segment…..where does tabletop fit into the Acosta portfolio? Is tabletop an area for possible expansion within your organization?
A: Tabletop is very important. We feel if you secure the tabletop business other sales opportunities follow. We have several associates that have brought many years of experience in this category to our company. Tabletop is a dynamic and creative sale
Q: What specific benefits would tabletop companies who work with Acosta realize versus having their own in-house sales organization or individual groups of manufacturer’s representative organizations?
A: The relationships we have cultivated with operators throughout the U.S. allow access to decision makers when they are making a tabletop change. It also allows us to utilize the open doors we have as a result of working with our foodservice colleagues. This team approach has delivered many new installations for our company and our distributors.
Q: What role does Acosta see tabletop playing in the dining-out guest experience?
A: Tabletop is critical to the dining experience. It differentiates an operator from their competitor down the street. There is no doubt that great food is the number one prerequisite to a top restaurant however, how the food is presented creates ambiance which educated diners are looking for. This can lead to additional profits for foodservice operators.
Q: In today’s foodservice world, do brands matter anymore? Or are operators looking more and more to price?
A: We believe operators are looking for value, but quality is very important. During the recent recession operators were postponing their tabletop purchases unless they needed to replace lost or broken product. With the improvement in business we see new budgets for tabletop purchases. We feel it is all about selling the operator ambiance and functionality. If you buy a dinner plate, for example, and it costs you half the amount of a respected brand but it does not hold up in service, it ends up costing more because you are realizing replacement needs more frequently. Consumers are looking for a dining experience and quality tabletop brands will always be a part of adding value to the dining experience!
Q: What does the term “distributer aligned, operator savvy” mean and, more importantly, what does it mean to the brands that Acosta represents in foodservice?
A: This simply means that we value our distributor partnerships and have a commitment to work with their sales team to build new operator business. New business is the lifeblood of our industry. If you are not focused on generating new business every day, you risk your leadership position in our industry.
Q: It sounds like Acosta has come a long way in foodservice in the past 2-3 years. What will Acosta’s foodservice presence be – again, particularly in the nonfoods/small wares/tabletop area- in the next 2 years?
A: Our objective was to build the best and most effective sales team in the industry. We are proud of our people and what they bring to our company and our customers. We are continuing with a dual strategy of acquisitions and organic growth.
Q: We always like to finish with something a little personal. Since you’re a strong New Englander, our question today has to be about the Red Sox. They’re currently 8 games back in the Eastern Division of the American League. Where do they finish the year and will there be playoff baseball in Boston in the fall?
A: I love the Red Sox! It’s early in the season. We have great players, managers, coaches and owners. They know how to win. I have confidence in our team. Remember, in 2013 we can from “last to first”.
