Podcasts about food service

Stacy Koppen-Director of Food Service for SPPS talked with Vineeta on the WCCO Morning News.

Stacy Koppen-Director of Food Service for SPPS talked with Vineeta on the WCCO Morning News.

Food and beverage expert Jen Dodd, CEO and board advisor of Main Squeeze Juice Co., explains what separates thriving food businesses from those that struggle to keep pace with a changing customer. Dodd, who has led brands including Wendy's, Dunkin', Tim Hortons, and the Melting Pot over a career spanning more than three decades, shares why authenticity, a disciplined hero product strategy and smart use of technology matter more than ever as convenience and food service continue to merge into foodvenience. With special guest: Jennifer Dodd, CEO and Board Advisor, Main Squeeze Juice Co. Hosted by: Carolyn Schnare and Harry Milloff

La maggiore disponibilità di olio italiano sta cambiando il quadro del mercato. Dopo il recupero della produzione e con giacenze nettamente superiori a un anno fa, nel 2026 le quotazioni dell'extravergine all'origine si sono ridimensionate. Un movimento importante per la filiera, che però non consente ancora di parlare di un analogo calo dei prezzi pagati da ristoranti, hotel e altri operatori Horeca.

L'innovazione nel mondo dell'ospitalità arriva a Bologna. Dal 19 al 21 ottobre 2026 BolognaFiere ospiterà infatti la prima edizione italiana di HIP – Horeca Professional Expo, format internazionale dedicato all'evoluzione del settore Ho.Re.Ca. che dopo dieci edizioni a Madrid approda per la prima volta sul mercato italiano.

Un tavolo parla troppo forte, un cliente tratta male il cameriere, qualcuno protesta in modo aggressivo oppure continua a disturbare nonostante un primo richiamo. Per il ristoratore il problema non è soltanto gestire quella persona. C'è un'altra domanda, spesso più difficile: quando un comportamento individuale comincia a compromettere l'esperienza degli altri clienti e richiede un intervento?

In this episode, the editors of Food & Beverage Magazine dive into the fast-moving trends and strategy shifts reshaping the global culinary, retail, and hospitality landscapes. From the rise of functional, GLP-1-friendly menu options like bio-hacked lentils and protein-packed beverages to the growing influence of "drop culture" in big-box retail endcaps, this episode breaks down how brands are reinventing product discovery and consumer engagement.The conversation explores how food and beverage marketers are leveraging seasonal LTOs and "social media theater"—from Halloween ghost-pepper concepts to viral flavor collaborations—to capture finite consumer attention. Additionally, the hosts examine major corporate expansion deals, franchise growth across QSR and fast-casual sectors, and critical industry benchmarks, including sustainability standards like illy caffè's B Corp recertification and key findings from national restaurant workforce studies. Whether you operate restaurants, manage CPG brands, or lead hospitality strategy, this episode provides essential insider intelligence for navigating today's competitive market.

Food & Beverage Magazine founder and publisher Michael Politz examines the economic disconnect at the heart of modern public relations, where every vendor in the PR supply chain receives compensation while media outlets are expected to contribute their hard-won audiences for free. Driven by AI automation and mass media databases, journalists now face a staggering influx of daily pitches, creating an environment where content supply has exploded while reader attention remains strictly finite. Politz addresses common industry misconceptions surrounding pay-to-play claims, emphasizing the crucial ethical difference between secretly paying to sway independent news reporting and purchasing transparent, clearly labeled advertising or sponsored distribution. Rather than expecting publishers to act as unpaid fulfillment partners for PR agency retainers, the discussion outlines how brands can strategically align earned PR for genuinely newsworthy stories with paid amplification for routine corporate updates.

Welcome to this episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, your essential briefing on the latest developments across food, beverage, CPG, and hospitality.In this edition, we break down major infrastructure and manufacturing investments, including Kikkoman opening its 560 million dollar facility in Wisconsin, Anheuser-Busch investing 23 million dollars into its Fort Collins brewery, and Juanita's Foods acquiring a 120,000-square-foot plant in Southern California.We also examine fall football and game day promotions from Long John Silver's, 7-Eleven, Crimson Coward, and Garage Beer's campaign with Jason Kelce. Plus, we explore key retail tech innovations and brand moves, from Instacart launching real-time shelf intelligence for grocers to Gong Cha expanding on college campuses, Non-UPF Verified topping 300 certified products, and The Farmer's Dog completing its first acquisition by buying Woof.

We all have horror stories right?! Tell us yours!

The DMD is here! And we chat about all your service industry jobs. What was your worst experience?!

Welcome to this episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, your monthly industry digest covering the biggest developments, product launches, and strategic shifts across food, beverage, and hospitality.In this September 2026 edition, we dive into:Seasonal LTOs and Menu Innovations: Gregorys Coffee celebrates its 20th anniversary with a Banana Foster platform and high-protein breakfast lineup; Hardee's rolls out its S'mores and Bacon Beast platforms across 1,400 units; Slim Chickens debuts a Dr Pepper Dry Rub LTO; and Insomnia Cookies hosts its 8th annual PJ Party promo across 360-plus locations.High-Impact Brand Collaborations and Pop Culture Tie-Ins: Paris Baguette partners with Dancing with the Stars for Mirrorball-themed croissants and drinks; Jollibee teams up with DreamWorks on Forgotten Island meal bundles featuring Calamansi Lemonade; Checkers and Rally's celebrates 40 years alongside Yung Gravy; and SPAM partners with Win Son Bakery on a Hot Honey LTO while becoming the official hot dog of U.S. Bank Stadium.CPG Growth and Major Retail Rollouts: Once Upon a Coconut lands full distribution across 2,200 Albertsons stores nationwide; Gorgie debuts its Berry Burst clean-label energy drink exclusively at Target; Grimaldi's Pizzeria launches its pasta sauce line at Walmart; and De La Calle rolls out a Dia de los Muertos tepache LTO across 8,000 doors.Operations, Supply Chain, and Leadership Moves: Holly Poultry opens a massive 80,000-square-foot retail plant in Maryland adding 140 jobs; Giving Kitchen appoints Carmen Jackson as Chief Operating Officer; and GoTo Foods restructures leadership across its 7,500-unit portfolio, tapping former McDonald's executive Lucy Brady to lead Jamba.Tune in for insider analysis and strategic takeaways driving the industry forward this season.

September 11, 2001, changed Bob Ellis's life, just as it changed mine. Bob was working at the Pentagon that morning and had walked out of the building only minutes before Flight 77 struck the area where his meeting had taken place. You will hear how he immediately became part of the response, helping organize emergency supplies and support for those working at the Pentagon. We also compare our experiences from two different locations that day, Bob at the Pentagon and me at the World Trade Center with my guide dog Roselle. Twenty-five years later, our conversation is about more than remembering 9/11. It is about leadership, teamwork, service, controlling fear, and deciding what we do with the life we have been given. I believe Bob's story offers lessons we can all use when the unexpected happens. Highlights: 05:29-Bob shares how his early life and military support career shaped his path. 23:53-He recalls realizing the first World Trade Center strike was not an accident. 32:59-Bob describes being just 300 yards away when the Pentagon was hit. 37:00-He explains how he helped organize emergency relief supplies within hours. 1:03:54-Michael reflects on survival, fear, and the responsibility to move forward. 1:06:55-Bob shares the lasting life lessons he took from September 11. About the Guest: Bob Ellis is the Vice President, American Logistics Association responsible for Exchange, MWR, Food Service Operations. The native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida began his career with AAFES in 1972. From 1972 through 1984, he held retail management positions as a Branch Manager, and Operations Manager Main Store. In 1985, Ellis began a string of assignments as an Exchange General Manager trainee at Fort Belvoir, VA, and Exchange General Manager, Fort Hamilton, NY and Carlisle Barrack PA, (Army War College). Assignments as Area Retail Manager and General Manager at the former Japan Area Exchange ran from 1989-1992. In 1992, Ellis was transferred to Travis AFB in California as Retail Manager, Main Store. In 1994, Ellis was selected for the General Manager's position at Travis and spent three years assisting in the design and new construction effort of the largest retail Main Store ever constructed by AAFES. From 1997 to 2002, Ellis held the position of Director of AAFES' Washington Office, serving as the principal representative of the Commander, AAFES to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Departments of the Army and the Air Force, Congressional offices and industry representatives. Notable among his accomplishments, Ellis was instrumental in spearheading AAFES support to the Pentagon after the attacks of September 11th. Within 48 hours of the event, AAFES established a mobile exchange in the shadow of the impact site to support rescue workers and investigators with critical need and personal comfort items. After Washington, Ellis moved to AAFES Headquarters' in Dallas to assume the Vice President Specialty and Consumables position. In this role, Ellis was responsible for the SD-C Category Team Managers/Buyers. In August 2003, Ellis took his a position as Vice President of Corporate Planning and Communications where he managed the development of AAFES long range and contingency planning programs, oversight of corporate public affairs and ensured compliance with Department of Defense policy guidance with the goal of preserving and protecting the exchange benefit for soldiers and airmen and their families around the globe. Bob joined the ALA on 31 July 2006 where he continues to serve a role in military resale supporting Exchange, MWR, and Food Service, operations still serving military resale over 51 years continuous service. Ways to connect with Bob**:** You can find more benefits how Branded Riches can help you build your Brand, Product, Business, and Yourself at https://www.BrandedRiches.com   Connect:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/neryk-davydov Branded Riches Audiobook by Neryk Davydov https://www.audible.com/pd/Branded-Riches-Audiobook/B0GCP9MMRB Branded Riches Book https://www.amazon.com/Branded-Riches-Increase-Income-Irresistible/dp/1987753836 $5 Free Gift for Creating A New Ovato Wallet    www.ovatoCoin.com  About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Everyone, I am Michael Hingson, the host of Unstoppable Mindset. You've heard my voice for the last 471 episodes, but I'm calling you all out today and asking you to listen to this because we're going to make a special announcement now regarding the next four episodes, starting with 472. We're going to help commemorate the historic events of September 11, 2001. Yes, they're definitely historic, although not necessarily the most positive things that have ever happened. But as many of you may know, I was in the World Trade Center working on September 11, 2001, on the 78th floor of Tower One, and escaped with my guide dog. I've delivered a speech about that, which we put in the first episode of this podcast series back in August of 2021. But this Friday, episode 472 is going to have an updated speech that I delivered just a few years ago at the Marshfield, Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival. That festival is a yearly event celebrating different kinds of things that have happened in American history, and I was invited to come and speak, which I did. I'm going to put that speech up for you as episode 472. I think you'll find it enlightening. It'll teach you something about blindness and blind people. It'll tell you my story, and it'll give you some inspiration that I hope you will find helpful. Next Tuesday, september 8, Michelle Abraham is going to interview me. Michelle is with Amplify You, the company that does all of our back office stuff and helps me with the editing and other things regarding the podcast. Michelle owns her own podcast, and she is going to interview me about September 11th and other kinds of things relating to what I've learned and things that have happened over the past 25 years. She's also going to be putting this up on her podcast Amplify You, so you can find us in a lot of different places. On September 11th, I'm going to chat with Bob Ellis. Bob was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and had literally just walked out the door of the Pentagon when the plane crashed into the Pentagon and did the things and the damage that it did, and of course generated all the things that occurred at the Pentagon. On the 15th of September, I'm going to come back and have a conversation with all of you about lessons that I've learned over the past 25 years, and just reminisce a little bit about all of that. While the podcast is occurring on September 11th, I will be actually in Kilgore, Texas, doing a speech about September 11th. So lots of things going on, I hope you listen to these episodes. I hope that you'll tell everyone that you can about them. I really enjoy all of the support that you've given us over the years, and we're going to continue to do things with Unstoppable Mindset. And of course, as always, if you'd like to come on or know anyone who would, please let us know. We're always looking for guests. Thanks very much. We'll see you on Friday with the first of these four episodes. What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. You are listening to us today, or at least I'm assuming you're listening just when this came out. But whenever you're listening, it is today, September 11th, 2026, which is needless to say, a special day. If you have kept up with my podcast from the beginning, you know that I worked in the World Trade Center on September 11th, and ever since then I've been a public speaker, traveling the world, talking about trust, teamwork, leadership, the human-animal bond, and a variety of things. But recently, I met Bob Ellis. Michael Hingson  04:40 Now, Bob, as it turns out, on September 11th worked at the Pentagon, and I have not ever really had the opportunity to talk with someone who was at the Pentagon, especially on September 11th. But we get to chat about that today, and Bob knows our rules, which are basically. He sent me a series of questions that he wants to cover, but we are doing this as a conversation, so we'll probably talk about a lot of the things that he specifically sent. But we can go any old way that Bob wants to go, so that's what we'll we'll make this really fun. And I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to talk with Bob. So again, welcome to September 11th, and Bob, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset. We're really glad you're here, Bob Ellis  05:28 Michael. Thank you for inviting me. I know you you've inquired several times, and I've debated it, and and I was just holding it for the right time, and this is the right time-the 25th anniversary of the event. Michael Hingson  05:40 Yeah, it is, and and and as as we've said, if you find anybody who needs a a speaker to come in and speak, let me know. But but for now, we get to chat about you and and hear your story, which I think is the important thing. I think we'll probably talk about both of our stories in the course of the day, no doubt about it. But I really am glad that you are here and that you are able to to talk with us today and and and talk about things. So let's start the way I love to start with people. Let's start at the beginning. Tell me kind of about the early Bob growing up and so on. Let's start with that. Bob Ellis  06:17 Well, I I grew up in let's say grew up until I was four years old. I lived. I was born in Pensacola, Florida. Lived in the Panhandle. Mother and father got divorced, and we moved to Norfolk, Virginia. And it was just my my mother and I until I was 14 years old. And I found out about my dad and found some letters from him and insisted to go see him. And so, between 14 and 15, I made a couple of unauthorized attempts to to make my way to Florida. On the third attempt, I made it, and it was quite a surprise for my father. Ended up living with him and being my closest friend up until I had he had grandkids, we had kids, and so I lived and grew up in the Destin, Fort Worth, Fort Walton area. Went to work, and this is where the story begins. I went to work at Eglin Air Force Base as a as a janitor in a gas station for the Army Air Force Exchange Service, so that I could continue to play high school football and practice, was a great job. It was an opportunity to work with the military, be around the military, and I took great pride in that feeling that that that that while I I wanted to go into the air force and I wanted to fly jets, that opportunity just never presented itself because the Vietnam War was going on and they were banking pilots instead of taking pilots. Anyway, I I ended up staying with the Army Air Force Exchange Service for 34 years. I moved all over the world. I've seen the every AOR and every combat scenario since the Vietnam War. Not in the Vietnam War, but I was in the refugee program, helping with the resettlement back in 1972, 1973. Spent the rest of my career going wherever they sent me, and and and that was from Tokyo, Japan, to to Tuli, Greenland, to California, and ultimately to to Texas. Michael Hingson  08:30 I remember during the Vietnam War, someone called me one day. I was a student at UC Irvine, and there was a refugee camp fairly close to the university, and someone said, and someone said, "There's a blind young man at the sent at the refugee center, and we should go see him. And so we we bought a transistor radio for him and went out to visit with him and spent some time with him, and I never got to see him after that. But I hope I hope he did well. He he seemed like he was doing okay, but he was a little bit lost, needless to say, because it's a whole bunch of people. There are no a lot of people who knew much about blindness and blind people, but I would presume he did reasonably okay. I hope so, but that was the only time I specifically had an involvement with him or anyone at the refugee camps. Later, when I met my wife Karen, she lived, I think, a door down, and she and her parents lived a door down from a Vietnamese couple, and he was a tailor and actually made her wedding dress, which was kind of cool, and so we got to spend a fair amount of time with the Voo's, which was was good, but what's. Interesting for me now, with with now being well so many years later. In November, I will be going to do a speech in Hanoi, so I'm really looking forward to to going over there and and experiencing it. At least it'll be a little bit cooler then than it probably is now. So we'll see, but it'll be it'll be pretty enjoyable to go and again see a different a different part of the world, and I I think we'll be fine. At least that's that's that's the plan. Bob Ellis  10:34 That that that that tour that I had at Eglin Air Force Base with the refugees, will come back to to to 911 2001 and the experiences that I had at that refugee camp replicated in the Pentagon park and lot there in 911. So we'll get to that. I'll explain it further. Michael Hingson  10:56 Yeah, I'm sure it was a a great a great lesson. Where did you do college, or did you Bob Ellis  11:03 went to went to Duke University and the University and the University of Maryland? Michael Hingson  11:10 Okay. Well, at Bob Ellis  11:12 least much of it was correspondence as well, only because I was deployed for for so many years back to back, 17 moves in 34 years. Michael Hingson  11:22 Wow, Duke University. At least you didn't go to one of those other schools in North Carolina. Boy, talk about talk about rivalries and basketball. What a what a group down there. Bob Ellis  11:35 Oh, I know, I know. Michael Hingson  11:38 I once spoke in Kentucky, and the Wildcats were in the NCAA championship that year, and I was asked to speak at an event on the night of the championship. But I was told I had to end by 630. I could not go one second past 630 because the gym I was speaking in was going to clear out. Well, I ended in time so that at 630, what they said was absolutely true. That gym cleared out. Everybody went home to watch the game. Bob Ellis  12:09 That's that's sports. Michael Hingson  12:11 Not sports. It is, but it's okay. I I learned a lot down there and got to meet a number of people, and so it was it was a lot of fun to to do it, and then years later I was in North Carolina when NC State and UNC were playing to see who was going to go into the championship. So again, pretty interesting world, and and sports ruled everything then, so it's okay. It Bob Ellis  12:43 hasn't it hasn't changed at all because my my my daughter I got her graduate studies done at NC State, and it hasn't changed a bit. It's just I'll bet it's just crazy as it's when was 20 3040 years ago, Michael Hingson  12:58 and it shall ever be, won't it? Bob Ellis  13:01 Yeah, yeah. Her undergraduate degree was at University of Texas. This was my son's, and she went on to NC State, and and he went on to medical school in in Houston. Michael Hingson  13:16 Okay. Well, UC Irvine, when I was there, had the championship water polo team, but that's what we had. But they started basketball while I was there, although it wasn't anything huge. But a couple of years ago, they made it to the Sweet 16, and that was kind of fun for UC Irvine. One of these days, it'll go all the way. Bob Ellis  13:40 Yep. Michael Hingson  13:41 Well, anyway, so you you went to college, and and what did you major in? Bob Ellis  13:45 Political science. Michael Hingson  13:47 Okay, political science Bob Ellis  13:48 and business management. With a with my two aspirations, I wanted to. I really wanted to major in in aviation science, but that that wasn't offered. So that's political science and business science, business law. Michael Hingson  14:06 But you were working for the Army Air Force Exchange Service. What is that exactly? Bob Ellis  14:11 Yeah, it's a it's it's it's a non-appropriated funded Service provided all goods. I think of it as the the Walmart or the Target of of the civilian sector, except the Army Air Force Exchange Service has stored everything from stores, every business that you can think of therein, from stores to convenience stores to gas stations to beauty shops and barber shops to dining facilities, franchise Burger Kings, anything that a soldier and his family needs at the base or overseas or in the combat arena, where we were there with it, providing it. It's been a great career. Michael Hingson  14:59 Did you? Do you have any involvement with, especially here in the U.S. the the Randolph Sheppard programs, the blind vending stand operations at any of the facilities? Bob Ellis  15:09 Yep, sure did many many times. We're still working with it. There's there's some issues present right now under the Randolph Shepherd that they're looking at. I don't know what what's going to change, but yes, sir, we were very, very close to that. Michael Hingson  15:24 Yeah, I know there. The current government's looking at it; they want to scale a lot of it back, which would, I think, not be a good thing. I think there's a lot of reasons to keep it, but we'll see. We'll see. We'll see how it goes. But I, the closest I ever came to dealing with anything from AAES was I was invited to speak once at an organizational meeting of the National Property Managers Association in the military. Are you familiar with that? Bob Ellis  15:56 I am. Yes. Michael Hingson  15:57 And when I was asked to come, the Speakers Bureau didn't do a good research job because they told me, "Oh, it's the people who rent apartments and all that. When I got down to the to the event, I will say that the National Property Managers Association certainly serves a nice breakfast. But anyway, the conversation just didn't seem like what I what I was expecting. So I asked somebody, and they told me that the organization was the organization that had complete jurisdiction over anything physical that the government owned, and Bob Ellis  16:30 absolutely Michael Hingson  16:31 that that changed my grass. Sorry, Bob Ellis  16:34 right down to the grass, right down to the grass and the concrete. Michael Hingson  16:37 There you go. Well, it also changed my speech in 10 minutes, but it was fun. They invited me back the next year, so that was good. But it's it's fun when you're you're planning to do a particular speech, and suddenly it turns out it's got to change. It's good to have the flexibility to do that. But I'm I'm glad I had the opportunity to do it, and hopefully we'll have opportunities to do it again, but you have served a lot of different kinds of of services within AAES, and and I assume that's all worked out pretty well. Bob Ellis  17:14 That that worked out very well. Yep, I had I started at the bottom and and climbed as close to the top as I possibly could, but Michael Hingson  17:23 you eventually got the the highest medal that was available for civilians when you retired or after you retired. Bob Ellis  17:31 No, the highest award that I ever received was from my man over the Pentagon 911 support program, which was a nice medoris civilian award. Michael Hingson  17:46 Okay, where is your favorite place to live in the world? Or is that really easy to say? I mean, you've been all over the place and seen a lot of different kinds of places. Don't know how much you got to two of them, but anyway, Bob Ellis  18:00 it wasn't the two places that I that I went overseas, which was Japan and Greenland. Those were the longest tours of my life. Beautiful country in Japan, and and great facilities and support in tuning Greenland. But I would I would guess throughout the United States, I had a great assignment at the Army War College, and I had a great assignment at Travis Air Force Base here in Michael Hingson  18:26 California. Yeah, Bob Ellis  18:28 yeah. Michael Hingson  18:30 I've spoken. Bob Ellis  18:30 My son was born in Japan. He's dual citizen as a result on the Air Force Base, and my daughter was born in California. So it was a great time, mainly because the kids were younger and and and and we were in great climate areas. Michael Hingson  18:48 When people ask me what my favorite place in the United States is, I say everywhere. I I just enjoy meeting people wherever I go in the U.S. It's so many different cultures and customs and ways of doing things. It is so fun to to see all the different places and see how they are. People ask what I like, where I like outside the U.S. And so far, it's been New Zealand. I would say is probably the best, but Japan has to be up there too. I've really enjoyed being in Japan. I've been there a couple times, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bob Ellis  19:23 it. I, I had, I think the most the the greatest thing about the assignments was some of the people I I got to to meet in in my in my tours. One of them would be the Crown Prince of of Thailand, who who is now the king of Thailand, King Rama, got to meet him when he was a pilot, and supported him when when I was at Yokota Air Base, and multiple other celebrities. I I had the opportunity as a kid to attend the funeral. For Douglas MacArthur, and and his his memorial was right across the street in North Virginia from where my mother worked. And 20 years later, I had the opportunity to to meet mrs. Mcarthur, Jean MacArthur, at Gracie Mansion in New York, and I I I wrote protocol. I when it came time for her to to meet me and meet meet her, I got down on one knee and I held her hand and I said, "I want to tell you a little story, ma'am. And she said, "Well, certainly, absolutely. And I told her the story how when the general had died in in 1964, I was required by my my mother to go to the funeral, and the most fascinating person I'd ever seen in my life was herself, and she just got she just turned red. Well, long story short, I was at an army command at Fort Hamilton. The next day, the the group the the installation commander called me over to his office, very angry, but he wanted me to know that I was going to be the first civilian aide for the old lady, which was mrs. Mcarthur, and he had to take one of his lieutenants off. And I got to know the family and and the Mcarthurs as a result of that. So lots of opportunities, just absolutely amazing. 911, and we'll get to it. I got to meet President Bush momentarily, but I I got to meet him and have a short conversation. Michael Hingson  21:32 I got to meet him in 2005. We went to the Oval Office, and we were supposed to have a two minute photo op, but he kept wanting to interact. We ended up talking for about 15 minutes. He kept the Italian ambassador or prime minister waiting, but it was a was a great conversation. I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to meet with him. Bob Ellis  21:53 Yeah, he was remarkable. Michael Hingson  21:54 Yeah, in in so many ways. If Speaker 1  22:00 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson  22:33 So that's that's pretty cool. So as you were going around to all these different places, what would you say you were learning. Bob Ellis  22:41 I was learning business. I was learning relationships. I was learning marketing. Pretty much anything that you wanted to do as a general manager or a vice president, the exchanges let you do it. You know, until you got too far gone, and they they reel you back in. But I love being able to run multiple businesses on the installation, and and be accountable for them, and run them at a profit, and and at the end of the day, do great things for military families. Michael Hingson  23:16 Wow! So you um, you you've you've had a lot of challenges and and had to learn a lot of different things. Needless to say, but I would would think that you've you've been able to to keep a lot of that and use it. And you know we've referred to September 11 th, and so let's let's get to around that time. The first thing I would ask, and people have asked me, but you're in a better position in theory than I. Did you have any inkling that something like September 11th was going to happen? Bob Ellis  23:53 Well, actually, September 11th was was happening. I left for work about 4:30 in the morning. I lived out in the suburbs in Centerville, Virginia, and it was one of those days that you just wished you didn't have to go to work. It was the as the sun was coming up, it had a little cold breeze to it. The skies were blue. It was just one of those days that you just wanted to sit out in the yard and and relax or go bicycling, whatever. But I did my duty and I drove in to the Washington D.C. area and reported to my office on time, which was right around 5o'clock. My staff showed up around six and some at seven, and my secretary came in, and I don't know exactly what time it was, but it was shortly after, right around 9o'clock in Eastern Time, when the first airplane had hit the the trade center. Michael Hingson  24:49 Yeah, Bob Ellis  24:49 846-940-6846, Yes, right, 846. Yeah, and and so I I went in to look at the. The the television monitor standing there it was just her and I at the time and and and I said that's not an accident and she says how do you know that I said look at the skies that was an airliner they were talking about it was a little small private aviation well I'm a pilot I've been a pilot for 40 years 41 years I knew exactly, you know, that that where it was, what it was doing, and that wasn't a it wasn't an accident. And and my inkling was is that I was in a in rented space in Arlington, Virginia, because we had been moved out because the wedge that got attacked was the one that was still under construction. My office had not been completed there, and and I had a meeting in that wedge at 9o'clock that morning. And my secretary said to me, "You know, Bob, the Pentagon is next. And I paused for a minute and I looked at her and I said, "How in the world could you even imagine that, you know that that that's a fortress? Who would be crazy enough to attack the Pentagon? And she says, I I just I don't want you to go over, you know, just just just do it by phone, which I I probably could have done. And I said, No, I'm I'm going to go over there. If they're going if they're going to attack the Pentagon, I'm going to go down with it, and that was kind of my philosophy. So, in the back of my mind, seeing that airplane hit the Trade Center and her telling me that certainly made me wonder if it wasn't a possibility. Michael Hingson  26:33 So, you didn't. You don't think that anyone, and I've never heard of any such, but that anyone had any advance notice? There wasn't chatter. There wasn't anything that made people suspect what might be getting ready to happen. Bob Ellis  26:47 No, I I I think that is the the worst our country has ever been off guard. It reminds me of you know the the attack on Hawaii and that you know in in Pearl Harbor. We were completely unprepared, and I thought we were completely unprepared on 911. And in fact, after the attack, I knew we were unprepared when I saw the two jets fly over with no armament on the wings. So no, I don't think anybody had any idea. Michael Hingson  27:18 Well, the other side of it, and I've talked about this in in some talks I've given. I talk a lot about trust and teamwork, and like it or not, one of the things that I observe is you had 19 terrorists who functioned well enough as a team that they didn't talk about it. They didn't let anything come out. So no matter how much armament or whatever we might have had, I'm not sure whether we could have predicted that on September 11th, what occurred was going to happen. Bob Ellis  27:49 You know, all the indicators were there. You know, those those 19 trained at private airports, and they and during their training, it was it was reported multiple times that all they were interested in was taking off, not landing. I mean, first clue, you know. Okay. Why would you just be interested? He's taking off an airplane, and and I always found that very curious, and I'd heard it several times. That should have set alarm bells off. Should have. It didn't. Apparently, it did. Michael Hingson  28:20 Good point, and you know the the thing is though that, as as you pointed out, who would have thought that anybody would attack the Pentagon, the fortress that it was? Who Bob Ellis  28:33 yeah, Michael Hingson  28:33 who would have thought? So again, you can only go by what you got, and so nobody, I think, would have ever imagined that. Well, of course, the first plane hit the World Trade Center, and at first, people didn't really know what happened because there were really not very many people who who saw it. In fact, we only have the few photos that were taken by the French photographers who were there for something else, but then a little after nine, the second plane hit, and that changed the dynamic and changed the perspective a lot. Although a bunch of people who started seeing it on TV thought it was just a movie, and it wasn't true, but the second plane hitting changed the attitudes. I think for most people, and that's when people knew something was going on. Bob Ellis  29:24 Yeah, I didn't know anything about the second trade center. I had left my office in Crystal City, and I had headed to the Pentagon. And the meeting, the meeting that I had was with the Army Personnel Chief and several other folks. And as it turned out, that is exactly the window that the airplane flew into. That was ground zero for the for the for the target for the airplane going in just above the first floor for the Pentagon. So I didn't know anything. I was I was trapped at that point. I was trapped. Couldn't go um. Wouldn't go um. Didn't want to go um. And I had lived in New York City for five years, and I was my biggest. I was always impressed by the New York City Fire Department. I mean, they're they're just walking heroes if you've ever seen them. I mean, they were like they were like giants when you got next to them, and that they would they were just superhumans. And I always wondered upon the top floors how in the world you would get a fire put out at the top of the World Trade Center, and and I did not know until two days later when I made it home. That was my first question to my family: How did they get the the fire out at the top of the World Trade Center? And I and and it was repeated to me centers, and I said, What are you talking about? Centers in my family, and they said, "Bob, the World Trade Centers are gone. I said, "I don't understand. How could they be gone? And that was that. That was you know two days later that I found out about that. It was quite a shock to me to learn what it actually while I was on on the Pentagon mission. Michael Hingson  30:58 Well, when the first plane hit. Well, in the second plane, the firefighters were going up the stairs carrying all their equipment, and I had had had known about that and asked people, "Well, why are you or would you be carrying equipment? Because I met I I didn't meet the FDNY people ahead of the World Trade Center attacks, but I did meet with other people to learn about emergency preparedness and so on because I felt as the leader of an office, it was my job to know because I wasn't going to be able to read signs, and I love information, so I was trying to learn all I could, and they told me that where would if you if you had equipment stored in the in the towers, then people would go to it. Firefighters would go to it and get the the equipment. What floor do you put it on? Because no matter what floor you put it on, what if the fire broke out one floor below? You know, you can't get to the equipment. So the only way they could get up the stairs to fight the fires was to carry all of the equipment with them, yep, yep. Not enough is said about those guys in history. No, and I met a number of them coming up the stairs as we were going down, and they wanted to escort me down, and I didn't want them to do that because I knew they were a team, and I I pushed back pretty hard and said, no, you guys go up and we'll go down unless we can help you fight the fires, and they said no. The reason they eventually let me go down without any assistance was I had a friend with me who could see, and I said, "Look, David can see. Don't worry about us. And David and they turned to David and they said, "You're with him. And David said, "Yeah, leave him alone. He's fine. So we went on down, and they went up. I don't know whether the people we interacted with made it down or perished up above. It was about 10 after 10 after nine or so when we got to the 30th floor where we met them. So it was another hour and almost 20 minutes before the tower collapsed, but I don't know where the firefighters were, or how many people from the groups that we interacted with perished, or if they all made it out. I don't know, but Bob Ellis  33:12 yep, I I memorized all those numbers. You know, 189 between the airplane and the Pentagon, 200 injured, but 189. 189 total were 64 on the airplane, 125 in the Pentagon, and I'll never forget those numbers. Yeah, I'll never forget the time. I looked at my watch at 9:17, and and I have to tell you that on 9/11, I always sit very quietly until I get past 917, not 937. I'm sorry, 937. Michael Hingson  33:48 So Bob Ellis  33:48 in the morning. Michael Hingson  33:49 So, how close were you to where the plane came into the Pentagon? Bob Ellis  33:56 About 300 yards. When when it was clear that the meeting wasn't going to happen because the air traffic control system had been shut down. They released us to go back to our our offices, and I was going out the front door. I left about 930. It was supposed to start at nine 930. The generals said we'll just reconvene, and and I agreed. And from his office on on the south portico, I was walking out the front door. Literally, I heard the engines spool up. I had been in the AOR in rail combat munitions, and and I've heard cruise missiles, and and I could hear this one spinning up, and I thought it was a cruise missile, and so when it hit when it hit the building, it was just it was just a horrendous sound. But my first impression was to run to it to see what happened, what what what caused that, and there was nothing there. It was just four or five cars burning and smoke billowing out of the building. And and the the rest turned into a you know a rescue and a a recovery. Michael Hingson  35:08 AOR is what Bob Ellis  35:10 the area of responsibility. Michael Hingson  35:13 Okay, area of responsibility. Okay, Bob Ellis  35:16 yeah, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, wherever we are, it's it's N A O R, and that's your A O R. That's state. That's where you are. So that that's where I encountered first first and only live person coming out of the building, and which was a which was a really big surprise. But I knew that there was something that I I had to do, and and one of the things was to, if he needed assistance, getting him assistance. And there were several people. He was he was he was burned third degree burns over his whole body. He lived. I said one prayer was for him. And as it turned out, he became a a great ambassador. Turned out to be a great friend, and is actually back in the Pentagon to this day, just steps away from his old office as a civilian, went went back on a presidential appointment. Michael Hingson  36:09 So, you mentioned the general a while ago. Was did he survive? Bob Ellis  36:15 No, he was the he was the highest ranking person that we lost in in the entire encounter, and it was the entire office was just instantly vaporized. So he did not survive. Michael Hingson  36:33 Well, so you heard the engines revving up, and you went after you heard the explosion and so on. You went over to see what was going on, and then what did you do? Because it certainly had to be a major surprise and a shock by any standard. Bob Ellis  36:49 Yeah, I went that side of the building, saw the hole in the building, kind of convinced myself it was a cruise missile, but I never heard such a loud engine noise. As it turned out, it was it was two big engines off of a 757 200, and so I immediately tried to figure out you know what can I do? What should I do? Should I even be here? And that's when I saw the colonel coming out of the building, and I was able to walk with him and four others over to the the road, the Washington Boulevard that goes around the Pentagon, and and I sat down on the telephone pole, a light pole that the airplane hit going in. Now I'm a pilot, and and I have to tell you to take an airplane going at Mach point eight seven, and hit a target, hit the building, and not hitting the ground was just absolutely amazing to me. So as they got the colonel into an SUV and and and got him out of the the scene, I sat there. Just it was almost like a movie I was watching. The triage was being set up. The Pentagon was burning. The emergency services units were starting to show up, and we had very intermittent phone capability. And I had I had a a friend, my my the commander that I worked for in Dallas at the time. This secretary's husband was a bodyguard for Secretary Rumsfeld, and and Secretary Rumsfeld was actually carrying litter patients, carrying people out of the debris area and out of the offices. He was actually helping people, and he he realized that something needed to be done. So he gave Jerry a note, a piece of paper. We called them snowflakes, but it was a tablet, and he had listed what needed to be done and what needed to be done now. And Jerry found me sitting over there and gave me that that piece of paper, and it had everything listed on it. He wanted a a tactical field operation in place. He wanted it now, not yesterday. He wanted something in the interim, and it was to provide emergency relief supplies. So I I sat down on that telephone pole and I called our our local dist not local our largest distribution center in the world was down in Newport News, and I got the director on the phone and I said, I have an official order from you coming from the Secretary of Defense, and and don't override, don't just just follow my instructions until we can get to the commander at AFIS headquarters, and so I gave him the list. I just gave him the full list of things that we needed to get rolling, and I called another gentleman that was just across the river, the American Logistics Association, which owned all of the brokers and manufacturers, and I gave him a list of stuff that we needed now, like Gatorade boots. the The surface was over 2000 degrees, and the emergency service boots were melting almost upon contact. So I had I had 1000s, hundreds of 1000s of dollars of equipment. And supplies coming in, and we set up the USO tent, put everything in the USO tent. We raided all the stores in the in the Washington D.C. area. I was able to contact the region manager, and I told him, you know, what we needed to take it off the shelf, put it in the back seat of the cars, don't account for it, and get it to me. And that's what we did the entire first night was setting up the USO trailer, and the next morning I had two tactical field tractor trailers coming up the ramp just as the sun was coming up, and they were loaded with supplies, and that's what stayed in place for the next two months. Over $2 million worth of merchandise, emergency recovery type merchandise, everything from linens to the towels to eye wash, and and and we had to actually have some special boots made out of leather for the dogs because the dogs' feet were so it was it was quite an operation. We ended up well running within within 24 hours of the attack, Michael Hingson  41:04 why is it that you are able to stay pretty focused through all of this? Bob Ellis  41:08 I you know I you know I I've often asked that question. I wanted to go home. Alls I could think of is my kids, my wife. What what are they doing? What are they thinking? They're watching this on the news, and I had I had drifted over to which my car was very close, and it was taped off. The parking lot was taped off. It was a crime scene. There was no going anywhere. There was no transportation. If I wanted to walk 40 miles, I guess I could have, but because I couldn't go anywhere, I had to do something there on the scene, so that's that's that's what I did, and and it wasn't until the next day when the phone started working again, our two star in Dallas was able to get through to me on on my BlackBerry, and he wanted to know what the situation was, and and and I told him, and and he said, what what are we going to do? And I explained to him what we had done already, and he says, "How did you do all of that? I said, "I picked up the phone and I told him I was working for Secretary Rumsfeld, and this is the order. And and he says, "How are we going to pay for all of this? I said, "Sir, this is our finest hour. We're not. We're going to donate. These are all donating goods, and and it really was an interesting. I I just I just don't know. I was compelled. He he he ordered me on that second day to go home, and and I said I had no way to go home. And he said go to the motor pool. I'm going to call the motor pool. He had been the commander of the Air Force One Squadron, so he had a lot of connections in Washington, and he he got me a car, and I went home long enough to change clothes and and and to come back out. So it was it was just out of adrenaline, I think. Somebody had to do something, and and everything that I've told you here today is not written anywhere in history. I own every bit of what happened in in in that story, other than some of the people that were working there. Michael Hingson  43:07 What phone did you use that first day? You said you're you're it was the second day or the next day that you're phoned. So how were you able to communicate? Bob Ellis  43:17 We had Blackberries, and and until the networks got completely overrun, we were able to use it. And and so by the second third day, we we had pretty consistent communication, because the the the commander called me back that same morning, and and he said, you know, he said, how come you haven't been home? And I explained to him, and he says, "Will you do me one favor? And I said, "I would. He said, "Will you go back into the building? Said, "Sir, the building's on fire. He says, "Well, well, you get in the front, and I'm looking at it. He was looking at it on television, and the military clothing store was in the very front, within 100 feet, probably of that door that I went out of. And he says, "Would you see if our people survive, and if the store itself survived? It was sitting near the the area. I went in the store. I went into the building, into the burning building, and was able to look in the door, and I could see that the the room was full of smoke, and the door was locked. So I told him I would assume that our people made it out, alive and okay. And they say that was a, and they did, and they absolutely did. And in fact, everybody that that that that had any kind of supervisory capability around the Beltway, they volunteered to come over and work for me and and operating that facility for 2024 hours a day, seven days a week. Wow! So and not and not to shorten the the question, I wasn't there, but because of what I was doing in the in the Pentagon, my old homestead was at Fort Hamilton. Fort Hamilton picked up the same thing and went over to the Trade Center area, and they gave them a place to put a mobile. Food truck, and they brought supplies in and pretty much supported the firefighters and the and the and the police there. So so we had quite an operation going for a long time. Michael Hingson  45:11 Yeah, and and needed to, but it was interesting and commendable that in both places people were able to focus, and were able to carry out missions. I know at the World Trade Center when the two towers collapsed. Of course, it was it was unexpected, but we know now, of course, why they collapsed. It wasn't that the planes hit; it's that they were they were full of what 36,000 pounds of jet fuel each, and that exploding jet fuel is what damaged the infrastructure of the buildings to cause them to be able to collapse. But as well as at the Pentagon, but very quickly people were able to start to move and deal with issues and put procedures in place that were able to, I'm sure, keep more people from perishing and keep kept more people being able to focus throughout the whole the whole sequence of events. It it certainly was very scary, but it is something that that people like you were able to do. I know for me, the reason I was able to focus was because I had learned what to do in an emergency at the World Trade Center. I spent time with people and I learned how the whole building was structured, so I knew when the building tipped, why it tipped, and and things like that. You Bob Ellis  46:40 felt it. You you felt it. Michael Hingson  46:43 Oh yeah. Oh my god. We moved probably at least 20 feet, and then it came back, and oh my Speaker 2  46:48 god, it Michael Hingson  46:48 got vertical again. It got vertical again, and then a few seconds later, it dropped about six feet because the expansion joints went back to their normal configuration. But Bob Ellis  46:59 we uh we we knew from 937 till about 5o'clock that evening there would be no more survivors. It was over, and and and the dogs were getting depressed because they were they were they were not cadaver dogs. They were recovery dogs, and they were used to fight. And we we actually had ceremonies for the dogs every day, where we sewed flags onto their collars, and they had special water and special food. So they played a big, big role in morale, mine especially. Michael Hingson  47:33 And at the same time, I know people had to do drills to keep the dogs focused because they weren't able to find people, as you said, so they had to do things to give them something to find to keep them happy, which was was so important. Bob Ellis  47:50 Yeah, that we had two two tractor trailers lined up. It was just just two 300 feet from where you went into the damaged area of the Pentagon, and those dogs and their handlers would get up underneath those trailers and sleep, and they would play with the dogs. We actually had some carpets brought out, tarps brought out, and that's kind of where that was kind of their headquarters during 911. We had to make it up as we went along, and and the other interesting part of this story is in 1972 at the at the refugee camp, I was sleeping in the back of a van because there was just no way to go home. It was too it was too far to drive home to turn around and come back at 8o'clock the next morning, and I heard somebody knocking at the door, and and and I and I opened up the door, and it was a military colonel in uniform, and there was a civilian standing there with him. And he says, "Are you part of this operation? And I said, "Yes, sir, I am. He said, "Who are you with? And I said, "The Army Air Force Exchange Service. And and he says, "You're not provided any other facilities. This, I said, that was my choice. And as it turned out, I was speaking to Secretary Rumsfeld during his first administration as Secretary of Defense, and it was interesting that when he found out that what I did in in that program, I won the Indo Indo China Award for service, and then of course you you move ahead to to 2001, and we we knew each other. I had briefed him several times, and we we knew each other in the Pentagon. And that day, he knew that I would know what to do for the support role, and that's why he sent the letter up. And as it turned out, when he retired and and left the Pentagon, he was on a book tour, and and the the general secretary and myself got an invite to come to the book tour with him and and have lunch with him. And he handed me a book and he said, "I want you to have this, but I don't want you to open it up until you, Bob. I don't want you to open it up till you get home. I don't want you to give it to your wife. And and it was like this. Sure, I'm not not a problem, and so I got I got home. You know, this is this is 10 years later, and handed the book to her, and I said, "Open it up. I'm not wasn't allowed, and there's a nice thank you page on the front from Secretary Rums for allowing him to use me on 9/11, and you just you just that's the best reward that I could have ever ever expected. A guy that I just idolized to do that. Michael Hingson  50:26 When you got home, so you weren't able to talk to your wife before you got home, or did you ever get communication so you could call her? Bob Ellis  50:33 No, I didn't. I when I finally got the phone back up and running and got in the car. I had lost the battery, so I said, "I'm gonna be home in in an hour. I'll just be there. But General Wax called up, and she answered the phone. She went. She went sometime during that day and pulled the kids out of the private school, brought them home. She could see my car. It was a yellow SUV, and she could see it in the South parking lot in the news choppers going around. She said that was my car where my spot was, and General Wax got her on the phone and she and and she answered the phone and he said this is C J Wax and she thought that was the call. She thought that was it, and she alls I could do was drop to my knees and and and C J said and it's it's okay. I've ordered him to come home. He's all right. He's running. He's running a a program for us for for recovery. And if he's not there, he should be there shortly. And then by the time I got there, I got to the front step. I'm asking the question about the World Trade Center, how they got the fire out, and I was ordered that I could not go in the house because I smelled like smoke. So, so two minutes before that, I was the most important person in the world, and and then all of a sudden, I was I was back to Bob, and I wasn't going to wear that that suit in the house to to smoke it. So anyway, that's that's how she found out. He he called her up. I asked him. I think I asked him if he would get in touch with her at our last conversation, and he did. Michael Hingson  52:06 Soon after both towers collapsed, like a minute or so later, I called and got through to my wife Karen. I had talked with her before we left our office, and then when we got downstairs, I couldn't get through to her because the circuits were busy, and it was obvious that everyone we learned later was saying goodbye to loved ones, and so the circuits were busy. So after both towers collapsed, I was able to get through to her, and as I tell people, there were tears on both sides of the phone at the when that conversation started, but she was the first one who told us how two aircraft had been crashed into the World Trade Center towers, one to the Pentagon, and at that time, the fourth one was apparently still missing over Pennsylvania, and of course, then it crashed at Shanksville. Bob Ellis  52:52 I love it. Michael Hingson  52:54 Yeah, but we, you know, we talked, so she knew I was okay. Then a friend of ours, Tom Painter, who had been a friend of Karen's at high school out in California, but Tom, over the years, had ended up moving to New Jersey. He came down to stay with her, not knowing until he arrived whether I was in the office that day or out with a customer or what was going on. And of course, then she told him, and so he drove her to the train station to pick me up. When, when I got back out to Westfield, we went home. And you talk about with with dogs. We got in the house, and I took Roselle's harness off because I was going to take her out, and she would have none of it. She ran off, grabbed her favorite tug bone and started playing tug of war with my retired guide dog Linny, and I talked to the veterinarians at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael the next day, and they said, "Did anything threaten her? And I said, "No, not directly. And they said, "That's why she ran off because it was over. Nothing threatened her. Bob Ellis  53:58 Comfortable. Michael Hingson  53:59 She, they don't. Dogs don't do what if like we do, and so she was comfortable. She was happy. She wanted to play, and then then she did go out. But by the same token, the the whole point was that she was able to deal with with all of it and was able to to focus. Then we got her outside and and came back in, and she ate and and all that. But the the the thing is that she focused all day, and and she did a a wonderful job. And the reason that she focused and did so well was mainly because I worked at keeping her focus by telling her every chance I got. You're a good girl. What a good dog! Good dog. You're doing a great job. Keep going. I did that all the way down the stairs in the World Trade Center, and I was very deliberate about that because I knew she had to sense the fear and what was going on, and I wanted her to know that I was okay and I was going to be there for. Her, which is of course what teamwork and support is all about. You understand that very well. You you proved it in so many ways. I kept working with Roselle and kept her focused, and you know it all it all really went well. I still think one of the most relevant things for me in the World Trade Center. I went down the stairs with a guy named David Frank. David was from our corporate office in California, and David and I were going to be conducting sales seminars that day, teaching some resellers how to sell our products. And we got down to about the 50th floor, so David was there to talk about the the pricing and so on. I was going to do the majority of the presentation because I was going to be their technical contact, anyway, and we got to about the 50th floor, going down, and suddenly David said, "Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as I tell people, since I got a teaching credential, I had learned all about the secrets of how to yell at students. So I just said, "Stop it, David. If Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he then immediately said that I brought him out of his spunk, and he told me that later as well. But what he told me was that he wanted to walk a floor below me on the stairs and shout up to me everything that he was seeing. He had to take his mind off of what was going on, and so he asked if I cared, and I said, "No, go ahead. That's what you need to do. That's fine. So I got like down to the 48th floor, and he yelled, "47th floor, Mike. All's clear here. Going on down. So we went down several floors that way. Eventually, I got to 45, and he was 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And the reason I mention it is because I think what David did is one of the unsung things that is so important from September 11th. He kept shouting up to me everything that he saw, but the reality is, anyone in the sound of his voice heard that there was someone who was okay going down the stairs, and he had to keep panic out of people's senses for so many individuals, because they just heard him, Mike, 43rd floor, all's good here. Going on down the stairs, all the way down the stairs. He had to have been able to keep so many people focused because he was able to keep his mind off of what was going on by shouting to me, and I think that that's so important, and so I'm. I always tell that story. I've been telling it for many years now because I want people to know what he did to keep so many people focused going down the stairs, and he had to have done that. Bob Ellis  57:31 Well, you know, I have. That's that's the first I've heard that, and and and and I read everything that I followed your story very closely, as well as the colonel who I was so close to, but there there are a couple of stories that are just never mentioned, not talked about, and one of them where we had to do every day. There was an update that the military gave the families an update as to what is happening, what was found, what was recovered, what to expect, and they would bring the kids in to listen to these brutal military briefings. I mean, just you know, these were these were soldiers, these were these were combat folks, and this is the way they briefed. And the therapy dogs were brought in, and there wasn't but about a dozen of them, and I will never forget not only the kids on the floor with the arms around those dogs, but some of the adults were as well. And I thought, what what a moment! That was the most touching moment of my entire life witnessing that. I mean, I could have done without it, but it was it was a very special moment. And then the the other thing that the world doesn't know about is on the second day, I got a I got a phone call from Secretary Rumsfeld's office that the VA was completely out of coffin flags. We had nothing in inventory to to cover the remains or the caskets for burial, and what could I do? And and right right from the Pentagon parking lot, I I called one of the buyers that bought American flags in Dallas, and then I asked her who do you get flags from, and she says it's American Flag Company. I'll give them credit for that, and and I said you need you need to get their entire inventory. We need to get it flown in, whatever expenses cover it, and get them here. The Pentagon doesn't have them, and New York doesn't have them. And those flags came in. They were they were there about that midnight that that that night. Now boxed up, thrown in the bag box, whatever tape they were bound, but everybody that came out later, you know, the recoveries as we got deeper into the debris, that had a had a flag that that came that came from us in the as well as at the Pentagon, and they put two very big special flags in there. I mean, like you see flying over a car dealer. And they hung that on the side of the Pentagon. And if you look at any of the any of the news willers of that time, it was on day two that flag was hanging that that came in with the rest of the other flags. So it was it was quite impressive. You never know what the next moment was going to bring you on you know from my side and and and can I meet the challenge? That was what I constantly worry about. How could I let any of this down? And I've got to do something. And and we were making it up as we went along. Michael Hingson  1:00:33 Yeah, that's all you could do. And so when I go back to Bob Ellis  1:00:37 to to this to this day, you know, we go back. They've got 184 markers. I don't know how many people attend it, but it's it's right in that zone, right outside the building, in that grassy area where they they they've made that memorial. And 184 people, to include I think two infants, are are memorialized there forever, which is very touching. It was a that was a hard place to go back to. Still was New York City when I went to it because I'd never I had never been 20 years 20 years yet 18 years before I ever went to to New York City to see the recovery there. I've never I've not been to the to the to the Pennsylvania field. I plan to go. I want to go. Just hadn't been convenient to get there, but but if I do that, I will have seen all all the sites. Michael Hingson  1:01:26 Yeah, I haven't been to Pennsylvania either. In 2017, I did make it to the World Trade Center Museum. In well, so we moved out of Westfield, and I moved back to California in late January, beginning of February of 2002, to work for Guide Dogs for the Blind and and speak from there. And traveled around and speak. Karen was there for a couple more months selling our home, and then she came out. But in May of 2002, Roselle was going to be honored by Hart's Mountain, the pet food and pet supply company. So, so we went back to New York, and while we were there, I met one of the police officers with with one of the service with one of the rescue dogs that that had been around the World Trade Center, and he arranged for us to get in a vehicle and drive down into the pit that was where the World Trade Center was, and they had built an artificial, well, a temporary road, and they were bringing things up, but we got to go down to what would have been the seventh sublevel, the bottom of the tower, and it was just a for me just imagining it standing in that dirt area in a hole seven stories deep and remembering what what it was like, and then in 2017 I went to the World Trade Center Museum and got to spend a little bit of time there, and of course everything had been rebuilt. The reflecting pool was there, and so on. But it was nothing like what I remembered from having been in the World Trade Center, and I walked around with someone who was able to be aware and describe what was where we were and what was above us, or what part of the building we were in as we walked through the complex. But of course, it was totally different. So it was it was such a strange feeling to experience all of that. But we did it, you know. And so now I've been to the museum, and actually there is a there's an animal exhibit in the basement, and Roselle's collar is is part of that exhibit. We donated that to oh Bob Ellis  1:03:50 really, oh really, oh God, I I was I was thinking that when I asked you that question earlier today, and I was thinking about that that has got to be remarkable, you know that that that's what touched me so much at the period. That the fact that the two of you were such a team, and I read everything that newspapers printed and watched. I guess there was some there was some CBS specials and so forth too, where you were interviewed, and it was it was just it was just absolutely amazing. Michael Hingson  1:04:21 Well, it is. you know, it is a an awe-inspiring sort of thing. And you know, people always say, you know, don't you feel guilty about surviving when so many people didn't? And and I said, no, I I didn't have any control over that. But what I do have control over is having been a survivor. What am I going to do about it? It's my responsibility to decide how I'm going to deal with moving forward after something like that. And of course, the opportunity opened to travel and speak, and so I've been doing it ever since. And I believe my job is. Is to educate people about what happened on September 11th, and let them know t

In this episode of the Food & Beverage Magazine Podcast, the editors dive into the September 2026 Visionary Horizons issue. Feature stories include cover star Kristin Cavallari on launching Fizzen to redefine the functional protein beverage market, alongside Manischewitz and Kosher.com exploring how traditional Jewish foods and recipes are connecting with a new generation. The conversation also covers Bulletproof's new Brain Octane C8 MCT Powder format, Cuss Worthy Cafe's model for experiential hospitality and community investments , EcoBev by DHL's sustainable solutions for unsaleable product recovery , Dan Abrams' Drinks with Benefits non-alcoholic trade summit, and Cray Protected's drink safety kits for nightlife venues. Plus, the hosts highlight Editor's Top Picks in artisan spirits, specialty foods, and restaurant technology.Visit fbmagazine.com for full articles and industry insights, and explore our network syndication at foodservice.media

Today lets talk about probably one of the most recognized, most used, most abused, and quite possibly most underestimated pieces of material-handling equipment in our industry. The pallet jack. You know the one. Two forks. A handle. A couple of wheels. And maybe a battery. And depending on which version we are talking about, maybe an operator standing behind it, walking beside it, standing on it, or flying down the dock on it like they’re qualifying for the warehouse version of the Indianapolis 500. And that last one, of course, is exactly what we are not supposed to be doing.  Today we’re going to talk about where the pallet jack came from, why it became such an important part of warehousing and distribution, the manual pallet jack, the electric walkie, the platform rider, and the single, double and triple pallet trucks. And being Marty, with Warehouse and Operations as a Career I’m going to take another opportunity to sprinkle in a little of the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 standard along the way! As we’ve learned, once we put a motor on our pallet jack, we haven’t just made our job easier, we’ve entered the world of powered industrial trucks.  Ok, before we talk safety, let’s give this little workhorse some history. Material handlers were experimenting with low-lift trucks and platforms more than a 100 years ago. By the early 1900s, the industry was looking for better ways to move heavier quantities of material without requiring workers to carry, drag or hand-truck everything individually.  The development of the pallet changed everything. We learned a lot about its introduction back in Feb of 2019, I think it was episode 124. Anyway I digress there a bit. Well, then came an innovation that seems simple today but transformed material handling. George Raymond Sr, founder of what became The Raymond Corporation, and employee William House developed the hydraulic hand pallet truck. On November 7, 1939, they were granted a patent for that design, along with the double-faced wooden pallet designed to work with it. Think about that combination. A standardized platform for freight and a small machine capable of slipping underneath it, raising it a few inches and moving the entire load. That changed material handling. Instead of moving fifty cases individually, we could move fifty cases as one unit. Instead of handling every carton five or six different times, we began handling palletized units. And that was our industry’s first efficiency lesson. The pallet jack isn’t really about lifting. It’s about eliminating touches. Every unnecessary touch costs time and requires labor. And creates another opportunity for damaged product or injury.  So let’s start with the one most of us meet first. The manual pallet jack. Sometimes called a hand jack, hand pallet truck or pump jack. We insert the forks beneath the pallet and pump the handle, which activates a hydraulic system. A few pumps later, the pallet rises just enough to clear the floor. A pallet jack isn’t designed to lift a load six feet into the air. Its job is to lift the load just enough to travel. You’ll see manual jacks in grocery stores, warehouses, manufacturing plants, trailers, production areas and back rooms in the retail world everywhere. But don’t confuse simple with harmless. A loaded manual pallet jack may be carrying thousands of pounds. Once those thousands of pounds start rolling, your arms and legs are not going to win the argument. I’ve seen people try to stop a rolling pallet jack with their foot. That’s a bad plan. I’ve seen people pull a load downhill toward themselves. Another bad plan. The equipment may be manual. But the consequences are still powered by gravity.  Then somebody said “Why are we pulling this thing ourselves?” And electricity entered the equation. Battery-powered low-lift trucks existed early in the development of modern material handling. Yale’s history, for example, traces battery-powered low-lift platform trucks back to 1919 and 1920. By 1951, Clark was introducing electric powered walkie-type pallet trucks. Now we had something capable of moving heavy palletized freight without the operator supplying the muscle. And productivity increased dramatically. But something else increased too. Risk. Because now the machine could accelerate, travel farther, and travel faster. And it could generate considerably more force when something, or somebody got in its way.  Then comes the walkie. The electric walkie is probably one of the most common powered pallet trucks. The operator walks with the unit while controlling it through the control handle. Forward. Reverse. Raise. Lower. A Horn. And usually some type of emergency reversing or belly button switch designed to help protect the operator if the control handle comes back toward them. The walkie can be incredibly efficient for moving pallets short to moderate distances.  One danger here is where operators can get comfortable. Way too comfortable. The most obvious danger is getting pinned. You have a machine behind you. A rack, wall, pallet, column or trailer wall in front of you. If you don’t maintain space, suddenly you’re the meat in a pallet-jack sandwich. Not today’s career goal. Another danger is our feet. The drive wheel and load wheels don’t care how expensive our shoes or boots are. We need to know where we’re standing. And its important  to remember that the forks themselves extend several feet beyond the body of the machine. I’ve watched operators clear a corner with themselves while forgetting they still had about four feet of forks following them.   Then we step up to the rider pallet truck. These units allow the operator to ride on a platform instead of walking alongside the equipment. If you’re working in a large distribution center and moving freight hundreds of feet at a time, you can immediately see the productivity advantage. Walk 300 feet. Walk back. Walk 300 feet. Do that all shift long. Now place the operator on a powered rider pallet jack. Completely different productivity equation! But rider units introduce their own hazards. Speed, cornering, and pedestrian interaction becomes much more important. And keeping our arms, legs and feet within the running lines of the truck becomes extremely important. The rack upright isn’t going to move because our feet are sticking off the end of the platform.  Alright, the traditional powered pallet jack usually moves one pallet at a time. And in many operations, that’s exactly what we need. But high volume distribution created another question. What if we could move two at a time? Now we start talking about double pallet trucks. These are designed to transport two pallet positions together, depending on the equipment and the application. Think beverage distribution, Foodservice, Grocery. High volume selecting and loading operations. Moving two pallets instead of one can reduce travel dramatically. And travel is often one of the biggest components of warehouse labor. If an operator or selector spends 50 percent of their time traveling, then every opportunity to safely reduce unnecessary travel can create tremendous productivity gains. I always stress to operators that there’s a tradeoff for that productivity. More freight means more weight. More length and turning radius. More stopping distance needed and more opportunity for load instability. Your empty double pallet jack and your fully loaded double pallet jack are two very different animals, and you have to be treating them as such. That’s where experience and training come in.  Next up are the triples. Yes, there are operations using triple length pallet trucks capable of handling three pallet positions. Potentially thousands upon thousands of pounds of product. That isn’t just a bigger pallet jack. It is a long, heavy moving piece of industrial equipment. You need room and visibility. You need to understand your turning radius. And you need to understand stopping distance. And you absolutely need to understand the equipment you’re authorized to operate. We all know, or should know, that certification on one powered industrial truck does not magically make us qualified on every powered industrial truck in the building. And this brings us to our friend. OSHA 1910.178  29 CFR 1910.178 covers powered industrial trucks. This specifically includes fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. That means our powered pallet trucks belong in the conversation. The standard requires employers to make sure powered industrial-truck operators are competent to safely operate the type of truck they’re assigned to use. And training isn’t  “There’s the jack. Here’s the key. Don’t hit anything.” 1910.178 requires a combination of formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator’s workplace performance. Formal instruction might include classroom discussion, videos, written materials, or computer-based learning. Practical training means demonstration and hands-on exercises. Then comes the evaluation. Can the individual actually operate the equipment safely in the workplace? That’s an  important piece. Watching a thirty-minute video doesn’t make somebody an operator. And knowing where the throttle is doesn’t make somebody an operator. Oh, and having driven one at your last job doesn’t automatically qualify you at this job. Training must address the truck and the workplace. That includes things like controls, steering, maneuvering, visibility, vehicle capacity, stability, inspections and fueling and battery charging to name a few.  And workplace topics include surface conditions, load stability, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps and other hazards unique to that facility.   Now here’s another piece I think gets misunderstood. You may hear people say: “My forklift card is good for three years.” That’s not exactly what the regulation says. The standard requires an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator’s performance at least once every three years. But refresher training may be required before that. For example, if an operator is observed operating unsafely, or is involved in an accident or near miss, fails an observation or evaluation, is assigned to operate a different type of truck, or workplace conditions change in a way that affects safe operation. Those events can trigger refresher training. The calendar doesn’t protect anybody. Competency does. I urge every powered industrial truck operator to check out the full standard. I promise you you’ll find some very interesting parts to it. And while I’m on the subject. I want to mention the importance of, or in my opinion anyway, that wither we’re equipment operators or machine operators, that we read our equipment’s owners or operators manual. And it goes without saying to never, ever, get on or touch a machine or piece of equipment we haven’t been trained on and certified to operate. Period ladies and gentlemen.   And you know I wasn’t going to let us get through an equipment episode without talking about the pre-trip. Before we start using that powered pallet jack, inspect it according to the manufacturer’s procedures and your company’s requirements. Look at the forks. Load wheels. Drive wheel. Control handle. Horn. Emergency reversing device. Brakes. Battery condition. Hydraulic functions. The raise and lower controls. We’re looking for obvious damage and or unusual sounds. Test the controls. And if the equipment is defective or unsafe? The standard says powered industrial trucks needing repair, or found unsafe, must be taken out of service until restored to safe operating condition. Seriously, if it doesn’t stop correctly during the pre-trip, it probably isn’t going to get better when you put 4,000 pounds on it. Tag it, if that’s your company’s procedure. Report it immediately. And make sure it is removed from service.  Pallet trucks spend a lot of their lives around docks and trailers. And those environments deserve extra respect. Before entering that trailer, we need to know it’s secured according to our facility’s procedures. We need to know the dock plate is properly positioned and capable of supporting the load and we need to look at that trailer floor. Water damage. Rot. Holes. Weak flooring. And debris of any kind can be dangerous. Remember, we’re not just calculating the freight weight. We’ve got product weight plus pallet weight plus equipment weight plus operator weight. That’s a lot of pressure concentrated onto a trailer floor.  Now let’s talk about the most unpredictable thing in any warehouse. Us. People. Why? Because pedestrians don’t always follow predictable paths. Someone steps out of an aisle. Walks through a staging lane. Comes around a blind corner. Looks down at a scanner. Or assumes the operator sees them. And operators make assumptions too. “They’ll stop.” “They see me.” “They know I’m turning.” Assumptions and moving equipment don’t mix. Use the horn. Slow down at intersections. Maintain visibility at all times. Follow pedestrian right-of-way and facility traffic rules. And don’t let productivity pressure convince you that five seconds of safety is wasting time.   Ok, it’s true. The hand pump pallet jack doesn’t get the attention that the big equipment gets. Nobody walks into the warehouse and says “Wow! Look at that beautiful manual pallet jack.”  The counterbalance forklift, the reach truck, and order picker gets the attention. But the humble pallet jack? It just goes to work. Every day. Receiving and Shipping, Production, Order selection, Cross-docking, Loading and unloading trailers. It quietly connects almost every part of our operation.  From a simple manually pumped hydraulic jack to today’s electric walkies, riders, doubles and triples, the purpose really hasn’t changed. Move more product. With fewer touches. Using less labor. In less time. And do it safely. That’s the lesson.  And the bigger, heavier and faster our equipment gets, the more responsibility we accept when we grab that handle. So the next time you step onto that rider pallet jack, grab the handle of that walkie, or pump up that old manual jack, remember, that simple piece of equipment represents more than a hundred years of material-handling innovation. Respect its capacity, its limitations, and respect the pedestrians around you. Know your equipment. Perform your pre-trip and follow your training.  We do all that to reach our number one goal. We want everybody walking back through those turnstiles, through that guard shack, or out that employee entrance in the same condition they came in for the shift. Maybe just a little more tired. And hopefully a little more knowledgeable. Until next time, be safe, keep learning, and keep building that career. 

In this episode of Table Talk, Rosanna Caira, editor and publisher of Foodservice and Hospitality magazine hosts a roundtable discussion featuring five industry leaders and educators from the hospitality sector who share their insights and innovative solutions for navigating the challenges posed by recent funding cutbacks to the education sector. From creative program adaptations to community partnerships, these thought leaders discuss actionable pathways that can empower the next generation of hospitality professionals. Find out how forward-thinking strategies, and collaboration can collectively re-shape the future of education in Canada's hospitality industry.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, hosted by the Editors of Food and Beverage Magazine. In this week's episode, we explore major distribution deals, international franchise agreements, and the technology and consumer trends reshaping the food, beverage, and hospitality sectors. We kick off with major business and distribution updates, starting with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors expanding its reach into the Southeast through a strategic partnership with Inland Foods. We also discuss Red Robin's massive ninety-six million dollar refranchising push with the sale of one hundred and sixteen restaurants, TGI Fridays entering the Balkans with a new ten-unit franchise deal, and WOWorks expanding its footprint to two hundred and forty units with dozens of active locations in its development pipeline.Next, we look at seasonal flavor rollouts and products capturing consumer attention as we transition into the autumn months. We discuss the return of Jersey Mike's Hot Italian sub for the NFL season and PrimoHoagies bringing back its PrimoPilgrim limited-time offer, alongside Chocolove introducing an apple cider SKU to its fall lineup and Culture Pop launching a sparkling probiotic apple soda. On the CPG and grocery shelves, we cover Mars launching Cheez-It and Club crackers in convenient resealable canisters, Applegate's regenerative beef hot dogs posting a unique Omega fatty acid ratio, and Power Crunch relaunching under Ferrero with a refined protein formulation.Finally, we highlight operational milestones and major hospitality updates. We cover Chipotle expanding its global footprint by opening its first East Asian location in Seoul's Gangnam district, while luxury travelers look to Augustus Resort's new dining concept, Bistrot Villa Agnelli in Versilia. We also address critical supply chain developments, including food service operational costs surging as the ISM prices index hits a four-year high, and a massive consumer shift as GLP-1 medication users drive high demand for protein-rich frozen and refrigerated foods.For full articles on these stories, exclusive insights, and daily industry news, visit fbmagazine.com. Be sure to also check out our network syndication at foodservice.media, which gives brands, buyers, and operators a direct path to the categories that matter most. Thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss the latest trends.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, hosted by the Editors of Food and Beverage Magazine. In this week's episode, we highlight the intersection of local culinary favorites, national seasonal rollouts, and major leadership updates across the food, beverage, and hospitality sectors. We kick off in sports and stadium concessions with the exciting news that the legendary Shakespeare's Pizza is joining the local food lineup at Mizzou Stadium to elevate the game-day dining experience for Missouri fans. We also cover business changes as premium syrup and honey maker Runamok appoints a new CEO and CMO, paving the way for its founders to step back from daily operations while continuing their vision.Next, we look at the seasonal sweet treats and bold marketing campaigns capturing consumers as we head into autumn. We discuss the return of BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse's popular Spooky Pizookie, Tillamook's eye-catching giant cheddar loaf installation along historic Route 66, and Zaxby's rolling out its colorful Nerds Strawberry Milkshake across all one thousand locations. In addition, we unpack major menu collaborations, including Burger King launching a massive Dragon Ball Super limited-time offer across nineteen thousand units and Duke Cannon partnering with Mountain Dew for a Walmart-exclusive grooming collaboration.Finally, we explore regional expansion and concept innovations driving industry growth. We spotlight the Michelin-recommended Nan Xiang opening its newest soup dumpling location on Staten Island, Colony Grill planning units in Newington and South Windsor, and Traveler's Table bringing global cuisine to Fort Thomas. We also look at brand loyalty strategies, discussing Original ChopShop's push into the dinner daypart and Uno Pizzeria relaunching its Pizza Pass to reward dedicated diners.For full articles on these stories, exclusive insights, and daily industry news, visit fbmagazine.com. Be sure to also check out our network syndication at foodservice.media, which gives brands, buyers, and operators a direct path to the categories that matter most. Thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss the latest trends.

When trying to get beef out to the masses, there's a step in the supply chain that has a lot of influence on what beef goes where: foodservice distributors. Hear from BJ Johnson and Pat Shepherd, who represent both the buy and the sell side of that equation. From sourcing and procurement to restaurant partnerships and consumer expectations, the message is clear — they don't want beef they have to push, they want pull-through demand. The pair covers the emerging Prime trends, how they combat volatility and the importance of being able to talk about all the work that happens back on the ranch.  HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully  GUESTS:  BJ Johnson, director of sales, Buckhead Meat of Atlanta Growing up near his family's farm in Huntsville, Ala., where they raised Angus cattle, cotton and soybeans, BJ developed a deep appreciation for agriculture and the food industry. He attended the University of Alabama, where he studied management, and later graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in Culinary Arts in 2002. That same year, he began his career with Sysco.  Over the past two decades, BJ has served in roles across Alabama, Charlotte, Atlanta and Chicago, holding leadership positions in three of those markets. Alongside his teams, he helped launch two highly successful Certified Angus Beef® programs in North Carolina and Georgia and was honored as Certified Angus Beef® Marketer of the Year. Today, BJ serves as director of sales for Buckhead Meat of Atlanta where he leads a team of 26 sales consultants across the Southeast. Together, they proudly lead the nation in Certified Angus Beef® Prime sales. Pat Shepherd, director of beef procurement, Buckhead Meat of Atlanta Pat oversees beef sourcing and purchasing strategies for Buckhead Meat Company, the specialty meat division of Sysco, one of the nation's leading foodservice distributors. A University of West Georgia graduate with a culinary background, Shepherd joined the company in 2010 and discovered a passion for the beef industry. Today, he collaborates across the supply chain to ensure consistent quality, manage inventory and procurement, and help foodservice operators deliver an exceptional beef experience to consumers.   SPONSORS:   SenseHub Cow Calf®: Cattle reproductive success has relied on visual observation for decades ...  until now. SenseHub® Cow Calf provides a new approach to breeding success and time management. Learn about 24/7 collection of data and insights you can use to detect heats and more at SenseHub-CowCalf.com.  Angus Media: Don't let a busy schedule stop you from being the most informed breeder in the room. Click here to subscribe to the AJ Daily or the AJ Weekly. Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

Megan Jacobson of Gill's Onions joins The Fresh CrEd from the IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey for a conversation about where foodservice innovation begins and how far its influence can travel. Megan explains why foodservice has become more than 70% of Gill's Onions' business and why connecting with chefs remains such an important part of the conference. The conversation also turns to the company's growing involvement in K-12 foodservice, where fresh ingredients can help school nutrition teams build flavor while meeting changing menu requirements. Plus: stadium onions, caramelized onion chocolate chip cookies, 42 years of Gill's Onions and the origin of the self-proclaimed California Onion Queen. Recorded at the IFPA Foodservice Conference in Monterey, California. Coverage presented by Wiggins Farms, with featured support from SunFed and IFCO.

At the National Restaurant Association's annual restaurant show this summer, senior editor Andy Hanacek met with Jenna Hagerich, senior brand manager at Campbell's Foodservice, and they talked about the various brands and trends driving their product offerings currently. Many of the insights Hagerich shares easily cross over from foodservice to the retail channel, and she dives into the Campbell's “master brand” strategy as well as detailing the ways each of the company's brands across soup, energy drinks, beverages and snacks are trying to take advantage of the trends.

Varejo e foodservice parecem mercados parecidos. Mas quem está dos dois lados sabe que as necessidades, os desafios e até a forma de consumir são completamente diferentes.No episódio #311 do Foodness Talks, Henrique Vidoz (@henriquevidoz), da Fhom Alimentos (@fhomalimentos), fala sobre como a indústria enxerga essas duas vertentes e o que está mudando no comportamento do consumidor que impacta os dois mundos ao mesmo tempo.A conversa passa pelas diferenças fundamentais entre desenvolver e vender produtos para o varejo e para o foodservice, pelo movimento da saudabilidade e como ele está migrando do consumidor final para dentro dos restaurantes. Também falamos sobre como marcas e fabricantes podem se antecipar às novas escolhas e expectativas do consumidor e ainda sobre o que a indústria enxerga hoje que o mercado ainda está começando a perceber.Porque o comportamento do consumidor muda cada vez mais rápido. E adaptar antes vira vantagem. Adaptar depois vira necessidade.Patrocinadores do episódio: searafoodsolutions

Welcome to the latest episode of the Food and Beverage Magazine Podcast, hosted by the Editors of Food and Beverage Magazine. In this week's episode, we explore major mergers, seasonal menu launches, and technology platforms shaping the future of food, beverage, and hospitality. We kick off with major business moves, discussing Ferrero's strategic acquisition of the better-for-you brand Purely Elizabeth to deepen its breakfast footprint. We also explore massive franchise expansions and retail milestones, including Big Chicken opening its second Massachusetts location, Paris Baguette's aggressive goal of hitting one thousand US units by 2030, and Cousins Maine Lobster introducing its mobile concept to Des Moines.Next, we look at the seasonal product launches and flavor innovations driving consumer engagement this autumn. We spotlight Peet's Coffee bringing back its thirty-day Cold Brew Pass alongside its fall lineup, Philz Coffee's new Apple Cinnamon Roll and Pecan Pie cold brews, and Einstein Bros Bagels launching its pumpkin-infused menu. In the snacking and beverage aisles, we cover the limited-edition Reese's Peanut Butter Latte collaboration with The Nitro Bar, Hershey's expansion of its Halloween portfolio to twenty SKUs, and Waterloo Sparkling Water's eye-catching packaging refresh.Finally, we dive into the technology and logistics transformations redefining restaurant operations. We examine how Yanolja Cloud Solution is launching its AI concierge globally, Coco robots managing last-mile pizza runs for Little Caesars, and how POS systems are integrating directly with back-of-house intelligence platforms to cut down on missed QSR calls. We also travel to the high seas to highlight how Four Seasons Yachts is bringing premium wellness and longevity programming onboard with Lanserhof.For full articles on these stories, exclusive insights, and daily industry news, visit fbmagazine.com. Be sure to also check out our network syndication at foodservice.media, which gives brands, buyers, and operators a direct path to the categories that matter most. Thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to the newsletter so you never miss the latest trends.

Helping Hearts: join Peggy with baker Janet Cullen from Forest Fritter Friends to find out about foodservice training for adults with developmental disabilities.

Walmart's grocery strength helps boost Q2 sales, preserving one's convenience-store price advantage is one way to drive foodservice category growth in a slow foodservice environment, and the FTC takes a closer look at surveillance pricing. 

What happens when a founder decides to pull a product off 400 store shelves not because it failed, but because scaling the wrong economics is a fast track to killing a company. In this masterclass on CPG entrepreneurship, Omar Atia, Co-Founder & CEO of ZeroCarb LYFE, joins host Rose Hamilton, CEO of Compass Rose Ventures, to break down the mechanics of building a resilient, high-value enterprise.  Omar traces his evolution from corporate R&D to startup leadership, delivering a candid blueprint for navigating the hidden traps of rapid expansion, commercializing novel manufacturing processes, and making disciplined financial trade-offs. Key Takeaways & Business Frameworks: * Unit Economics Over Top-Line Growth: Why exiting 400 Sprouts locations was the smartest move for long-term enterprise value, proving that revenue without margin is just noise. * Bridging R&D and Commercial Scale: The operational reality of transforming a four-ingredient, kitchen-table innovation into a scalable, patented manufacturing system. * Positioning for Market Realities: How tracking customer behavior led ZeroCarb LYFE to pivot its core value proposition from "low-carb" to "highest protein-to-calorie ratio," proving why messaging must evolve alongside the market. * Omnichannel Strategy Demystified: A tactical breakdown of how to use direct-to-consumer for immediate feedback loops, food service for margin stability, and selective retail for broader reach. * Capitalizing on Structural Consumer Shifts: How to build product strategies around macro health shifts, including the rise of GLP-1 medications, by prioritizing high-protein, calorie-efficient nutrition. Whether you are scaling a CPG brand, refining your go-to-market strategy, or evaluating channel profitability, this interview serves as a practical guide to operational discipline and sustainable growth. For more on ZeroCarb LYFE visit: https://zerocarblyfe.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don't forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this!

The International Dairy, Deli, Bakery Association has a new president and CEO, convenience stores should assert their right to win the foodservice category, and Publix comes out with new subs. 

Welcome to this week's episode of the Food & Beverage Magazine Podcast! Join the Editors of Food & Beverage Magazine as we break down the major restaurant expansions, corporate acquisitions, and menu innovations reshaping the hospitality industry.Here is what we are covering on today's program:Massive Mergers & Corporate Moves: First up, the Editors of Food & Beverage Magazine analyze Ferrero's strategic acquisition of better-for-you breakfast brand Purely Elizabeth to deepen its U.S. breakfast footprint. We also dive into Chicken Salad Chick appointing GoTo Foods veteran Drew Travis as CFO during its aggressive expansion push, Chipotle's international milestone with its first restaurant opening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Red Robin's major $96 million refranchising strategy involving 116 of its locations.Menu & Retail Innovations: Discover how brands are winning back budget-conscious consumers. We discuss Red Lobster reviving its legendary Endless Shrimp deal with five fall flavors, Saladworks rolling out promotional "$6.99 Tuesdays", and Cracker Barrel launching its value-driven $9.99 fall chicken deals. On grocery shelves, we look at Sun-Maid wrapping its classic raisin six-packs in a Pokémon Pikachu design and the retail reunion of Club Crackers and Butter Wines for an exclusive co-promotion.Sustainability & Hospitality Tech: We round out the episode with a look at back-of-house advancements, including Power Knot relaunching its BCG Shredder line to streamline kitchen food waste processing. Plus, we explore how Galaxy Macau has partnered with Ant Bank to launch an innovative resort fintech services station, setting a new bar for digital guest convenience.As the Editors of Food & Beverage Magazine, we are committed to bringing you the actionable insights and trends driving the global B2B culinary market. Catch the full coverage of all these stories by visiting us at fbmagazine.com. For more daily news updates and operator resources, make sure your team is bookmarked at fbmagazine.com. To subscribe to our newsletter and keep up with what's next, head over to fbmagazine.com.

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BEEF: Last week's harvest was 59K head. I thought the prior week of 512K was low, so let's take another step down, with packers keeping pressure on availability with less product available.  This puts our year-to-date output down 8.1%.  A pretty sizeable decline.  They seem to be pretty effective, as pricing is moving higher next week; I think we'll continue on this ramp-up right into Labor Day.  After that, I do think we'll see a reset on many items.  Right now, ribeyes and tenderloins are leading the market higher. Chucks and rounds are up a bit; briskets have found support moving higher. We do see some declines in flanks and sirloin flap… and ground beef is down again. I'd continue to stay ahead of your needs, but not too far out; better pricing is coming in September.   POULTRY:  Chicken is moving back up.  Up for next week: boneless skinless breasts and party wings.  Tenders, however, have another week moving lower.  Production continues strong, though I do hear we could see some lower production numbers in the last quarter.  But right now, chicken is moving out, and there is strong demand.  On the avian flu, one new case affecting 75K turkeys.  It was a good three-week run.  GRAINS:  Black Sea violence is keeping wheat prices moving higher, with two Russian grain terminals hit. Corn is moving up a bit, with the close today at $4.69/bushel, up from last week's $4.51.  Soy is trending about the same as last week. I was hoping we'd see continued declines, but it looks like we are at the bottom of this market, at least for now.  Grains will continue to be a strength for our domestic market.   PORK:  Pork bellies should be about topped out here, with today's close of $166 up from last week's $164.  The next move should be lower; it's just how quickly this decline will go.  The rest of the pork complex is moving a few pennies down on butts, loins, and ribs.   DAIRY  Another split on the dairy markets, today's CME close had the barrel down 1, but block ticks up 6.  Butter declines 2.  I don't see much that should be pushing this market higher, so we'll see where this goes. Savalfoods.com | Find us on Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn

BEEF: I'm going to start with the weekly beef harvest.  Last week's total was 512K head; the prior week was 528K head.  I don't recall this small a weekly harvest on a non-holiday week.  Packers will continue to try and tighten availability to support pricing.  They are having some success as Ribeyes and tenderloins are moving higher heading to Labor Day.  Overall, though prices are moving lower, we should see some appreciation as we get closer to Labor Day.  Grinds and rounds are moving lower; thin meats are mixed as briskets have new support while flanks and sirloin flap continue to decline.  I think we've got a week, maybe two, before we see this market move higher again.  Stay ahead of your needs; product will be tight, but better values will be available.  POULTRY: Chicken market is back to moving a bit higher.  Up with Boneless skinless random breast and wings.  Tenders still showing some weakness, moving a few pennies lower.  This year's robust chicken production growth is expected to cool off heading into fall, so this market could turn higher, but I'm not seeing anything yet.  On the avian flu report, another week, no new cases, and we will take that win every time.  GRAINS: Grains continue to decline from the surge we saw two weeks ago.  Corn closed at $4.51, down from last week's $4.69; soy at $11.53, down from last week's $11.71, and wheat closed at $6.07, down from last week's $6.30.  We are in the height of the growing season for corn and soy, and we do have some drought in parts of the country to deal with, but that is mostly west of the prime growing areas.  Still looks like another big crop year.  PORK: Pork bellies, they moved higher again this week, today's close $164 up from last week's $159.  I do think we are about at the top of this market, just looking to see when we'll start moving lower.  Right now, I'd buy just what I need.  Pork loins are up a nickel, ribs and butts holding steady.  Once we get past Labor Day, I do expect some declines.  DAIRY: Thursday's CME close saw both barrel and block decline 2 while butter recovers from the recent declines up 6.  We have plenty of raw material for dairy, so I don't expect too much from this recent run. Savalfoods.com | Find us on Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn

Major Brendan Nottle told Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece had promised funding for the program, but that funding had never come.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pepsi, Gordon Food Service, and a Full Preview of the Independent Restaurant ShowOn this episode of Nashville Restaurant Radio, Brandon and Vince share some major updates from the Nashville Area Restaurant Alliance and preview everything coming to the Independent Restaurant Show on September 1.They begin with the announcement that Pepsi has joined the event as its new presenting sponsor. Brandon and Vince discuss what the partnership means for the show, NARA, and the independent restaurant community throughout Middle Tennessee.They also highlight Gordon Food Service and explain why GFS has been such an outstanding partner to Nashville Restaurant Radio. From its commitment to independent operators to the support its team continues to provide, Gordon Food Service has played an important role in helping NRR deliver real value to the restaurant community.Brandon and Vince then break down nearly every vendor participating in the Independent Restaurant Show, discussing the products, services, expertise, and opportunities each company will bring to the event. Whether restaurant owners are looking for new suppliers, ways to reduce costs, operational support, technology, insurance, staffing solutions, marketing resources, or stronger vendor relationships, this episode provides a detailed look at who they will meet and why those conversations matter.They also preview the food, drinks, networking, live entertainment, giveaways, and other experiences planned for the show—along with a major surprise guest taking the stage at 4:45 p.m.The Independent Restaurant Show takes place Tuesday, September 1, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at The Reserve at Fat Bottom Brewing in Nashville. The event is free for independent restaurant owners and operators.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Rene Dacosta, vice president for food, beverage and QSR at Brake Time Corner Market (BTCM). The Houston-based chain of more than 240 convenience stores was featured on the cover of CSP magazine's July issue. Brake Time Corner Market is No. 35 on CSP's 2026 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by U.S. store count. BTCM has grown its store count significantly through new builds and acquisitions over the last few years. Now, it's looking to up its foodservice game with Dacosta's help. In this podcast, Dacosta shares how he got into the convenience-store industry after working at pizza companies, and what consumers' impressions are of c-store food.  

Send us a message!In this episode we will be covering Facebook Live Questions 7/13-7/20/26  from Dana's free Facebook Group Registered Dietitian Exam Study Group with Dana RD! Start your free trial here. Grab the Practice Question Log here. Join the RD Exam Prep Mastery Program for access to the Situational Practice Questions,  Key Topics Review, Vocab Classes, Wed 8pest Group tutoring , study guides and a new trouble area video each week!Need a Crash Course before your exam? Check out the 5 part Pre-Exam Crash Course: Key Topics Review.Get the free RD Exam Prep Masterclass here. test out the recorded classes with the Free Trial.  Looking for additional tutoring service? Visit my website! Shop all recorded courses at https://danajfryernutritiontutoring.teachable.com

Mike Wagstaff, president of Holiday Oil, joins hosts Carolyn Schnare and Mosely Group CEO Harry Milloff for the first of a two-part series documenting one Utah convenience retailer's deliberate move from a fuel-first business to a food-first one. Hear how peer group conversations and a frank look at fuel's uncertain future pushed Holiday Oil to stop playing defense and start building toward something more durable. With special guest: Mike Wagstaff, President, Holiday Oil Hosted by: Carolyn Schnare and Harry Milloff

Employers are increasingly paying for more and more food to boost recruitment, productivity, retention and “earn the commute” of their workers, Fooda Founder and CEO Orazio Buzza tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Buzza sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the foodservice company’s unique, asset-light business model. He also comments on workplace attendance trends, catering growth and the benefits of owning their own tech stack.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that people who are incarcerated typically receive poor quality food that contributes to poor mental and physical health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Jessi Silverman, MPH, RD, Deputy Director in the Programs Department at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. CSPI and the Carceral Nutrition Project produced a report and webinar which explore the consequences of private food service companies taking over food services at prisons and jails. This report specifically focuses on Aramark, which has the largest share (35 percent) of the US correctional food services market. Aramark has also been a party to litigation regarding carceral food conditions in more than 500 cases since 2000. These cases reveal widespread allegations of nutritionally inadequate, unsafe, and contaminated food.  Most legal claims have been brought under the Eighth Amendment, arguing that inadequate or unsafe food constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.  Related Websites:  https://www.cspi.org/PrivateFoodPublicHarm-fullreport

- Grant and Danny react to a ranking of fast food service, but then an argument emerges about Burger King fries. - Grant and Danny analyze Jayden Daniels' comments where he says he's done talking about last year, which could reveal that he's fired up and motivated after last season's struggles.

Stephen O'Brien, Founder and President of SOBx2, discusses food service program challenges, sustainability, declining enrollments, supply chain issues, and regulations impacting the future of school nutrition.

 In this week's episode of The Boxoffice Podcast, Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Romeo Duchene cover the stellar opening weekend for A24's BACKROOMS and the surging demand for Focus Features' OBSESSION. In our forecasting segment, Romeo Duchene offers the latest tracking for Paramount's SCARY MOVIE (2026) and Amazon MGM's MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE. In our feature segment, Rebecca Pahle is joined by Hormel's Tim Bortner and Beth Fehrenbacher (HormelFoodservice.com) for a look at the latest expanded menu options available at the concession stand.

 This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Romeo Duchêne break down a stronger-than-expected Memorial Day weekend at the box office, including the opening performance of Disney's The Mandalorian and Grogu, the continued breakout success of Obsession, and the surprising early tracking for A24's internet horror phenomenon Backrooms. Then in the feature segment, Daniel speaks with Mary Jo Cecil, Brandon Schenkman, and Eric Hynes of the Jacob Burns Film Center about the organization's 25th anniversary, its role as a community-driven cultural hub in Westchester County, and how filmmaker conversations, education programs, and curated theatrical experiences continue to shape the future of independent cinema. 

Peter Bracchi of Vancouver argues that Share House's Hot Meals Program — serving 96,987 meals in 2024 — operates under a different public-health standard than any comparable food-service site near the Vancouver Waterfront would ever be allowed to. He says Public Health needs to answer for it. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-food-service-public-health-and-the-mens-share-house-question/ #Opinion #PublicHealth #ShareHouse #Homelessness #Vancouver #ClarkCounty #FoodService #WashingtonState ---

In this episode of Food for Thought Leadership, Chris Campbell, George Hajjar and Anna Kinder examine how consumers are adapting to mounting economic pressure, rising gas prices and shifting travel behaviors in 2026. From staycations and micro-vacations to scaled-back road trips and reduced air travel, the FI All-Stars explore how households are reevaluating spending while still searching for meaningful experiences and moments of indulgence.

During Potato Expo 2026, we were joined by the dynamic duo leading that charge at Potatoes USA: Culinary Director Chef RJ Harvey and Executive Sous Chef Aurora Hollenbeck. These two experts are redefining the potato's role in the culinary world through their unique perspectives as registered dietitians and scientists.Join us as we look inside the day-to-day operations of Potato USA's Spud Lab and how it provides practical solutions for major foodservice operators, as well as how Potatoes USA is working to promote potatoes as a profitable and exciting menu fixture in high-volume chain restaurants.

Topics Discussed:⚡ Intentional NRA networking ⚡ Booth strategy essentials ⚡ Being smart with lead follow-up ⚡ Foodservice relationship building ⚡ Industry trends evolving

Takeaways Entering retail can make or break your business. FOMO should not be the reason to enter retail. Retail can distract from core competencies. Creative alternatives to retail. Engaging with the community is crucial for success. Staffing is a major challenge in retail. A merchant's heart is essential for retail success. Understanding the costs of retail is vital. Food can bleed money in retail. The best cafes have a narrow focus. Retail is incredibly competitive today. Have a clear concept and plan. Don't leave any stone unturned in planning. Never do a handshake deal for business agreements. Streamlined operations lead to better profitability. Experience in retail is crucial for roasters.     Part of The Covoya Coffee Podcasting Network TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY Visit and Explore Covoya!

Sysco just made a $29.1 billion move to acquire Restaurant Depot—and it could reshape how independent restaurants buy food forever. In this breaking-news style episode, the Restauranttopia crew unpacks what this deal really means for pricing, competition, and the future of distribution. From cash-and-carry economics to delivery margins, this isn't just industry gossip—it's a shift every operator should be paying attention to. If you rely on Sysco, shop at Restaurant Depot, or work with a local distributor… this one matters. The real reason Sysco wants Restaurant Depot (hint: it's not just volume) How Restaurant Depot achieves ~13% profitability with a low-cost model Why this deal could push Sysco toward $100B+ in total sales The difference between delivery vs. cash-and-carry economics What happens if one company controls both truck delivery AND in-store pricing The hidden labor and time costs of self-shopping for inventory Food safety risks operators take when transporting product themselves How this impacts:

Even as uncertainty continues in the overall marketplace, foodservice operators have reasons for optimism and opportunities for growth. David Portalatin, SVP and industry advisor, food and foodservice at Circana, joins the podcast and unpacks what's happening – and could happen – in the away-from-home arena.

Since Bunnie Xo is on a wild LA run… here's a throwback Ask, Tell, Confess that might ruin fast food for you forever. (Originally aired 4/25/25)On this episode of Ask, Tell, Confess, Bunnie Xo, Meme and Hailee spill some of the most unhinged fast-food horror stories you'll ever hear. From managers crossing major lines, cooks getting high on the job, and truly foul food tampering, to firsthand confessions about sketchy restaurant practices—nothing is off limits. They swap personal work-war stories (yes, including Waffle House and recycled salsa), call out what really goes down behind the scenes at chain restaurants, and remind everyone why being kind to service workers matters… especially after you hear this.Watch Full Episodes & More: YouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.