# #140  Buyer Spotlight: Foodservice Buying with Lizz Ingrassia & Allie Cotter, Fresh Thyme

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-04-30
- Length: 44m
- Episode: 34
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-04-30-140-buyer-spotlight-foodservice-buying-with-lizz-ingrassia-allie-cotter-fresh-th
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/be073324

## Summary

Lizz Ingrassia, Senior Category Manager for Food Service, and Allie Cotter, Category Manager for Deli and Prepared Foods at Fresh Thyme Market, discuss the nuances of foodservice buying in retail. They detail how Fresh Thyme balances labor constraints with the demand for high-quality, restaurant-style packaged meals, highlighting partnerships with brands like Kevin's, Bolani, and Wonder Monday. The conversation covers operational strategies, including the use of detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for in-store assembly, distribution logistics through KeHE, and the importance of being first-to-market with local and national brands to drive customer loyalty.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Lizz Ingrassia and Allie Cotter at Fresh Thyme Market
2. Backgrounds and the Shift from Restaurant to Retail Food Service
3. Operationalizing Prepared Foods: SOPs and International Meal Kits
4. Branded vs. Private Label: The Role of Kevin's and Bolani
5. Distribution, Sampling, and Launching Products like Wonder Monday
6. The Strategy of Being First-to-Market and Local Brand Partnerships
7. Consumer Shopping Behavior and Dietary Drivers (Gluten-Free, Plant-Based)
8. Handling Recalls, Contract Negotiations, and Vendor Relationships
9. Final Advice for Brands: Store Visits, Follow-ups, and Trade Shows

## Topics

- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Fresh Thyme Market (company)
- Kevin's (product)
- Bolani (product)
- Wonder Monday (product)
- KeHE (company)
- Haven's Kitchen (product)
- Yaso Pop (product)
- Boar's Head (product)
- Delallo (product)
- Freestyle Snacks (product)
- Boris (product)
- Kasia's Pierogies (product)
- Lucky's (company)
- Aramark (company)
- Meyer (company)
- IDDBA (other)
- Simply Depo (company)
- Hummingbirds (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [333 - The Chasm is Real: Dragging Packaging into the 21st Century with Jamie Lo from Laibl](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2025-12-18-333-the-chasm-is-real-dragging-packaging-into-the-21st-century-with-jamie-lo-fro) (People of Packaging)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 2](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-25-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-2) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-02-19-advice-line-with-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali-of-chomps) (How I Built This)
- [A Behind-the-Scenes Look into Pizza Manufacturing with Nick Fallucca of Palermo’s Pizza](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-16-a-behind-the-scenes-look-into-pizza-manufacturing-with-nick-fallucca-of-palermos) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-18-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-1) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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