Empowering Emerging Brands: Highlights from Catermind’s Sixth Session
The sixth Catermind session, also the second in the Emerging Brands series, brought together representatives from six outstanding brands—Rasa, Freebirds World Burrito, Dos Hermanos, Naanstop, Teriyaki Madness, and McAlister’s Deli. Focused on 2025 planning, the session explored critical topics like sales strategies, technology upgrades, and tools for success. Here are the session’s most impactful moments and insights.
Key Themes of the Session
1. Strategic Sales and Marketing
Moderated by Byron Duncan, this panel delved into leveraging slow periods for strategic planning. Josh Peebles highlighted the importance of a 90-day marketing and sales plan, emphasizing event-focused campaigns such as Cinco de Mayo. Kimberly Carducci shared her success in tapping into school and community calendars to generate substantial recurring orders.
2. Catering Technology
Nader Samadyan led the second panel, exploring how emerging brands can harness technology for growth. Allie Matthews discussed modern lead-generation tools like AI-powered platforms and subscription services. Preet Saini underscored the value of combining low-tech solutions with consistent processes, demonstrating that even simple tools like spreadsheets can lead to franchise success.
3. Delivery Excellence and Reward Systems
In the final panel, Tara Brown moderated a discussion on ensuring seamless delivery and creating impactful customer rewards. Samir Idnani and Dhruv Patel highlighted the significance of first-party delivery for quality control and client satisfaction. Innovative reward systems, such as Catering Rewards integrated with Omnicart, were praised as tools for enhancing customer loyalty.
Looking Ahead
Catermind also announced free monthly training calls for catering sales teams starting January 2025. These sessions aim to prepare teams with insights into upcoming opportunities and effective sales strategies, underscoring the community’s commitment to knowledge sharing and growth.
🎥 Missed the session? Watch the full video summary here: