Operations

Worth A Listen: CEO Xchange, a New Industry Podcast

Photograph: IFMA

“How do they do it?”—it’s something many people wonder about the CEOs who manage to pull their companies through every downturn, who have inspired teams that praise their workplace to the moon and back.

They're heroes of the industry. And outside the occasional conference appearance or ad campaign, most might never hear them speak at all, much less about what they’re doing in their businesses to make a powerful and positive impact.

Well, that’s changing! Every month, listeners now have access to exclusive conversations with food industry CEOs as they share their takes on the future of the business. 

  • Frances Allen, recently retired from her post as CEO of Checkers & Rally’s on how consumers are coping with inflation and higher costs: “Everything I’ve seen and read shows that consumers are cutting back on their visits in order to maintain the quality of their experiences. If they have a favorite restaurant or chain, they’re just going there less [rather than choosing somewhere cheaper] ...it’s more important for them to get a good experience for their money than to have a lot of visits.”
  • Lance Trenary, CEO of Golden Corral on the brand’s remarkable success since the pandemic:“We've gone through what’s like a renaissance for our company. Our sales have gone up and so have our customer satisfaction scores...we’ve taken very low price increases...we’ve had zero turnover in three years.” 

Trenary spends time on the podcast explaining how Golden Corral has been reaching more customers in more regions and tailoring their offers by location. It’s a fascinating conversation to listen in on!

President & CEO of IFMA, Phil Kafarakis, leads these journeys into the minds of some of the most remarkable industry executives in food-away-from-home. Each episode is a personal conversation between Phil and an industry leader, giving listeners direct access to their hard-won wisdom and practical insights. 

Learn a lot anddiscover how these CEOs have achieved success—they'll share how they navigate industry trends, overcome obstacles and build thriving businesses. Whether listeners are seasoned executives or just starting their food industry adventure, the Food CEO Xchange podcast has something for everyone.

Find Food CEO Xchange on these platforms: SpotifyApple Podcasts and SoundCloud

This post is sponsored by IFMA

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