A Quick Look at Your Kitchen Right Now

• Who are the people we should involve in this conversation (role and name if known)? Options: Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, F&B Director, General Manager/Owner, Procurement Manager, Kitchen Manager, Other
• How many covers or meals do you serve on a typical day and how does that change by season?
• Which of these best describes your current supplier mix? Options: Single broadline distributor, Broadline + multiple specialty vendors, Mostly specialty vendors and cash-and-carry, Direct store deliveries (multiple vendors), Other
• How do you currently measure food cost performance (systems, cadence, and who reviews it)? Options: Weekly P&L review, Monthly audit, Point-of-sale integrated tracking, Manual spreadsheets, Ad-hoc reviews, Other
• What would you say is the single most time-consuming task related to receiving and reconciling deliveries?

When Deliveries Break, What Really Happens?

• How often in the last 60 days have you received partial or missing deliveries that forced an emergency purchase? Options: Never, Once or twice, Several times, Weekly, Multiple times per week
• Tell me about the last time an emergency purchase changed a menu or cost—what item, where did you buy it, and how did it affect service or cost?
• Which product categories trigger emergency purchases most often? Options: Proteins (beef/pork/chicken), Seafood, Produce, Dairy, Dry goods, Specialty artisan items, Paperware/chemicals, Other
• When you need to buy emergency items, what channels do you use and why (speed, availability, price)? Options: Local cash-and-carry, Retail supermarket, Another distributor, Direct-from-producer, Other
• How does your team typically feel when those emergency purchases are required—frustrated, resigned, defensive with owners—what’s the emotional impact? Options: Very stressed, Frustrated but resilient, Annoyed occasionally, Neutral

Is Cost the Real Problem—or the Symptom?

• If your current food cost is above target, how much of that gap do you attribute to higher prices vs. supply failures and emergency buys? Options: Mostly higher prices, Mostly supply/fill-rate failures, Even split, Unsure
• Which top-50 items would you expect to drive the biggest change in a 60-day cost comparison (list categories or specific SKUs)?
• How important is consistency of protein cuts and produce appearance versus day-one price savings? Options: Consistency far more important, Both equally important, Price slightly more important, Price far more important
• Walk me through a recent invoice or vendor order where price looked good but something else cost you—was it substitutions, wrong quantities, or hidden fees?
• When you think about the 60-day top-50 comparison your owner expects, what counts as a win beyond pure dollar savings (e.g., fewer emergency buys, better plate yield)? Options: Lower overall spend, Fewer emergency purchases, Improved plate yield/quality, Better order accuracy, More consolidated deliveries, Other

What Would Losing Menu Quality Cost You?

• How would you react if a new distributor’s protein cuts or produce quality caused even a small decline in your signature dish? Options: Not acceptable, Minor adjustments acceptable, Willing to test substitutions, Depends on compensation/pricing
• Which menu items are non-negotiable in terms of cut, trim, or appearance—if those changed, would you pause the trial?
• How do you currently validate incoming protein and produce quality—temperature logs, yield tests, chef taste checks, photos? Options: Yield testing, Chef sensory checks (taste/appearance), Temperature/food-safety logs, Random sampling, Digital photos on delivery, Other
• Tell me about a time when a substitution saved cost but caused a customer/guest complaint—what happened and how was it resolved?
• What level of substitution policy would feel acceptable during a short trial (e.g., notify first, no substitutions for top 10 SKUs, automatic substitutions allowed)? Options: No subs for top items, Notify and approve for substitutions, Pre-agreed acceptable subs list, Automatic substitutions allowed

Are You Getting the Full Picture from Your Vendors?

• How transparent is your current distributor about fill rates, out-of-stocks, and expected delivery issues? Options: Very transparent, Somewhat transparent, Limited transparency, Not transparent
• Have you ever received proactive communications about substitutions, shortages, or pricing changes before they impacted an order? If yes, how helpful were they? Options: Always helpful, Sometimes helpful, Rarely helpful, Never
• What reporting or dashboards would make you feel informed every morning about risk to your top-50 items? Options: Daily fill-rate report, Real-time OOS alerts, Weekly forecast & shortages, SKU-level price tracker, Delivery accuracy scorecard, Other
• If you had a culinary specialist or rep walking the kitchen weekly, what specific things would you want them to look for and measure?
• How would you prefer to see trial performance communicated—daily texts for exceptions, weekly scorecards, joint review meetings, or another cadence? Options: Daily exception alerts, Weekly scorecard, Bi-weekly in-kitchen review, End-of-trial report, Combination

If We Could Rebuild Your Supplier Setup, What Would It Look Like?

• Imagine a 60-day test that actually reduced your emergency buys—what would need to change on day one for you to relax?
• What level of catalog coverage do you need from one supplier to feel comfortable consolidating (percent of spend, categories covered)? Options: >95% of spend, 80–95% of spend, 60–80% of spend, Under 60% but key categories covered
• Would you accept a phased transition (start with proteins/produce then move to pantry/supplies)? If so, which categories should come first? Options: Proteins, Produce, Dairy/Frozen, Dry goods, Paperware/chemicals, All at once
• How would you like to document agreed trial boundaries and acceptance criteria so there's no misunderstanding later? Options: Signed trial scope with KPIs, Email play-by-play with checkpoints, Shared dashboard with live metrics, Weekly joint review meetings
• What internal approvals or sign-offs will be needed to start a trial (who signs the scope, who signs off on final comparison)?

What Would a Fair 60-Day Comparison Require?

• If we ran a 60-day top-50 comparison, what metrics would you require for success beyond price (choose all that apply)? Options: Fill rate %, Delivery on-time %, Order accuracy %, Product quality score (chef-rated), Number of emergency purchases, Net cost including emergency buys
• What minimum fill-rate would you accept during the trial before pausing or escalating? Options: ≥98%, 95–97%, 92–94%, <92%
• How should we treat substitutions when calculating the comparison—count them as failures, allow pre-approved subs, or measure chef-acceptance? Options: Count as failures, Allow pre-approved subs, Measure chef acceptance separately, Case-by-case
• What penalties or remediation would make you feel protected if agreed SLAs were missed during the trial? Options: Price credit, Refund on failed SKUs, Operational action plan, Right to pause trial
• Who on your team will be responsible for daily verification (checking delivery, photographing quality, logging substitutions) during the trial?

What’s Holding You Back from Switching Right Now?

• What is your biggest fear about switching distributors mid-season? Options: Protein/produce quality drop, Increased emergency buys, Operational disruption in receiving, Hidden costs/pricing creep, Loss of specialty items
• How long would you tolerate a short dip in service quality if the long-term cost and reliability were demonstrably better? Options: No tolerance, 1–2 weeks, Up to a month, Depends on clear mitigation
• What previous supplier switches taught you the most about risks and how they should be managed?
• If we promise faster consolidation of deliveries and fewer invoices, what operational support would you need from us to make that transition smooth? Options: Training for receiving staff, Onsite rep/culinary support, Staggered category rollout, Dedicated account manager
• What would make you say 'yes' to a trial this week instead of waiting for a quieter season?

Agreeing Next Steps: What Would Make This Easy?

• How soon could you commit to a scoped 60-day pilot if the terms match your acceptance criteria? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within a month, Need more time/seasonal constraints
• What information do you need from us before you can sign off on a trial (price list, fill-rate guarantees, product samples, references)? Options: Price list for top-50 SKUs, Fill-rate SLA proposal, Sample deliveries/chef tasting, Customer references in same vertical, Trial scope doc with KPIs
• Who needs to be present for the initial kitchen walk and menu-profitability review? Options: Executive Chef, Kitchen Manager, F&B Director, Procurement, Owner/GM, Culinary Specialist
• What would be the ideal cadence for check-ins during a 60-day trial (daily exceptions + weekly summary, bi-weekly onsite, end-of-trial deep dive)? Options: Daily exceptions + weekly summary, Weekly onsite review, Bi-weekly calls, End-of-trial only, Combination
• Before we leave this conversation, what’s one outcome from a successful trial that would make you—and the owner—decisively prefer our service?

• Pre-Walkthrough Data Alignment (Remote)
• Onsite Kitchen Profitability Review & Walkthrough
• Operational Trial Planning & SOP Alignment
• Trial Measurement & Decision Gate Alignment

• Schedule and confirm onsite walkthrough date and attendee list.
• Identify any operational constraints (storage, prep steps, packaging) that would prevent adoption and plan mitigations.
• Produce a mutually approved set of sample approvals for private-label or alternate SKUs.
• Seller to deliver a proposed order guide mapping and SKU substitutions with per-item expected cost delta for the agreed pilot SKUs.
• Customer chef to sign off (or annotate) accepted private-label/sample SKUs and list any quality non-starters.
• Seller to produce a draft measurement matrix showing data sources and formulas for each trial metric (price, fill-rate, quality acceptance).
• Operations to note storage/packaging constraints and propose any short-term accommodations required during trial.
• Review Agreed Pilot Scope and Metrics
• Establish a concrete operational playbook for the 60-day pilot with clear SOPs for receiving, substitution handling, and credits.
• Configure the order-guide and catalog to reflect chef-approved SKUs and substitutions to avoid order mistakes during the trial.
• Assign accountable owners and escalation paths to resolve issues fast and measure adherence to SLAs.
• Set a monitoring cadence and reporting format so that trial progress is objectively tracked and reviewed.
• Seller ops to publish a trial-specific order guide with locked product mappings and substitution rules.
• Customer to designate receiving staff and sign-off authority plus provide staff availability for a 60-day monitoring window.
• Seller to configure and share a trial dashboard showing weekly fill-rate, order accuracy, per-item price comparisons, and quality exceptions.
• Both parties to agree and document the credit/substitution resolution SLA for the pilot period.
• Restate Future State & Proof Statement
• Lock the measurement framework so outcomes are indisputable and acceptable to both sides.
• Agree explicit numeric thresholds and remediation/renewal decision rules before the trial begins.
• Schedule and staff the midpoint and final review meetings to ensure decision-makers are present.
• Seller to deliver the final measurement matrix and a sample 60-day comparison report template.
• Both parties to sign the trial measurement and decision rule document (or confirm via email) prior to trial start.
• Schedule 30-day checkpoint and 60-day final review on shared calendars and assign presenters and data owners.
• Achieve a one-sentence, signed-off description of the current state that will drive the onsite review.
• Make the operational and financial consequence explicit and quantified for use during the Solution Experience.
• Confirm all pre-work artifacts (top-50 list, invoices, forecasts) and set deadlines so the onsite session can be investigative and evidence-based.
• Lock in onsite attendees and logistics to ensure decision-makers are present.
• Customer to upload top-50 items with 60-day spend and current vendor price data.
• Customer to provide last 60 days of invoices and a list of recent emergency cash-and-carry purchases with dates and reasons.
• Seller to prepare initial hypothesis of substitutions, private-label opportunities, and a suggested trial metric template to bring onsite.
• Introductions & Objectives
• Restate Current State, Consequence, and Future State
• Prove substitution and portioning opportunities with chef validation rather than theory.
• Agree and record the set of pilot SKUs and the explicit 60-day success metrics and numeric thresholds.
• Confirm Current State (One Sentence)
• Catalog & Order-Guide Configuration
• Kitchen Walkthrough (Receiving, Storage, Line)
• Measurement Matrix Walkthrough
• Top-50 SKU Mapping to Menu Items
• Numeric Acceptance Thresholds & Decision Rules
• Delivery Cadence, Cutoffs, and Receiving SOP
• Quantify Consequence
• Substitution & Credit Policy for Pilot
• Define Future State Hypothesis
• Substitution & Portioning Workshop (Live Scenarios)
• Midpoint (30-day) Check & Remediation Paths
• Sign-Off & Calendarization
• Pre-Work & Data Requirements
• Roles, Escalation Paths, and Training
• Private-Label & Equivalent Tasting/Inspection
• Logistics & Attendees
• Define 60-Day Trial Metrics & Acceptance Criteria
• Reporting & Monitoring Plan
• Close & Next Steps
• Agree Trial Boundaries and Pilot SKUs
• Document Decisions & Immediate Next Steps

• Next-Day Multi-Temperature Delivery
• 97% Fill-Rate Pick, Pack, Fulfillment
• Chef-Specified Protein Fabrication
• Hand-Selected Produce Pack-Outs
• Private-Label Product Fulfillment
• Consolidate Multi-Vendor Orders into One Shipment
• Same-Day Emergency Replacement Fulfillment
• Portion-Control Vacuum Sealing & Case Packing
• HACCP Traceability Documentation per Shipment
• Onsite Offload and Pallet Staging
• EDI/CSV Line-Item Electronic Invoicing
• Returns, Credits, and Shelf-Life Pick-Up

Next-Day Multi-Temperature Delivery

• Do you require guaranteed next-day delivery for all orders or specific categories? Options: All orders, Specific categories only, Flexible / not required
• Which temperature streams do you need on your routes? Options: Frozen, Refrigerated, Ambient (dry), All three
• What are your preferred delivery days and windows (e.g., mornings, evenings)?
• What is the maximum acceptable lead time for reorder-to-delivery? Options: Same day, Next day, 48 hours, 72+ hours
• Do you require temperature-verified offload (e.g., handoff temp readings) at delivery? Options: Yes, No, Only for certain SKUs
• Are there site access or scheduling constraints we should plan for (dock hours, gated facility)?

97% Fill-Rate Pick, Pack, Fulfillment

• Is a 97% fill-rate a contractual requirement or a target goal for the trial? Options: Contractual requirement, Target goal, Informal benchmark
• Which product groups are highest priority to achieve the 97% fill rate? Options: Proteins, Produce, Dairy, Frozen, Dry Goods, Supplies
• What substitution policy should be applied when items are out of stock? Options: No substitutions, Substitute with chef approval, Auto-substitute with equal or better item and notify, Notify only, no auto-substitute
• What notification timeframe do you require for anticipated fill failures? Options: Immediately at pick, 24 hours before delivery, 48 hours before delivery, No advance notification required
• Do you require backorder tracking, recovery plan, and reporting for missed items? Options: Yes, No, Only for top-50 benchmark items
• Over what measurement window should fill-rate be reported (for acceptance and SLA review)? Options: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, Custom

Chef-Specified Protein Fabrication

• Do you require chef-specified fabrication (custom cuts, trim levels, portioning)? Options: Yes - full program, Yes - select SKUs only, No
• Which protein categories should be included in fabrication services? Options: Beef, Poultry, Pork, Seafood, Game, Other
• Please specify cut, trim, and yield tolerances or attach your specs (e.g., portion weight, fat cap).
• What packaging do you prefer for fabricated proteins (vacuum-sealed, case-packed, portioned trays)? Options: Vacuum-sealed, Case packed, Portioned trays, Blow-packed / cryovac
• What are your minimum order quantities and acceptable lead times for fabricated orders? Options: Per case, Per lb, Per portion, Custom - specify
• Do you require HACCP or lot-level documentation for fabricated protein lots? Options: Yes - per shipment, Yes - per batch, No

Hand-Selected Produce Pack-Outs

• Do you require hand-selected produce pack-outs for quality-sensitive items? Options: Yes - all produce, Yes - select SKUs, No
• Which produce items need hand selection (e.g., herbs, leafy greens, specialty fruit)? Options: Leafy greens, Herbs, Specialty fruits, Citrus, Vegetables, Other
• What specific quality standards should selectors meet (ripeness, size, color, Brix, blemish tolerance)?
• Do you require photographic confirmation or live QC notes with delivery for pack-outs? Options: Yes - photos, Yes - QC notes only, No
• What substitution or downgrade policy is acceptable for produce when ideal pack-out specs can't be met? Options: No substitution, Substitute with approval, Auto-substitute with equal/near grade
• Do you require FIFO labeling, shelf-life dating, or rotation guidance on packed produce? Options: Yes - FIFO labels, Yes - shelf-life dating, No

Private-Label Product Fulfillment

• Do you plan to include private-label SKUs in the trial or rollout? Options: Include in trial, Add after onboarding, Not pursuing
• Which categories do you intend to convert to private label (e.g., pantry, disposables, sauces)? Options: Protein, Dairy, Dry Goods, Frozen, Supplies, Condiments
• What are your minimum packaging, labeling, and brand guidelines for private-label items?
• Do you require product testing, shelf-life validation, or ingredient spec approvals prior to fulfillment? Options: Yes - testing required, Yes - spec approval only, No
• What are expected monthly volumes per private-label SKU (to plan production and inventory)? Options: Low (<50), Medium (50-500), High (>500)
• Do you require segregated storage, special handling, or labeling for private-label inventory? Options: Yes - segregated storage, Yes - special handling, No

Consolidate Multi-Vendor Orders into One Shipment

• Do you want consolidation of all current vendors into a single shipment or phased by category? Options: All vendors at once, Phased by category, Partial consolidation only
• Please list the incumbent vendors/categories you currently receive deliveries from and want to consolidate.
• What consolidation frequency do you prefer (daily, 2-3x/week, weekly)? Options: Daily, 2-3x per week, Weekly, Custom schedule
• Do you require itemized vendor-level pricing or aggregated pricing on consolidated invoices? Options: Itemized by vendor, Aggregated, Either
• Are there supplier-origin, traceability, or contract restrictions that prevent consolidation for certain SKUs? Options: Yes, No, Unsure - need review
• Would you like a phased transition plan with milestones for vendor consolidation? Options: Yes, No, Maybe - discuss

Same-Day Emergency Replacement Fulfillment

• Is same-day emergency replacement required during business hours, after hours, or both? Options: Business hours only, After hours included, Not required
• What is your cutoff time for same-day emergency requests?
• Which categories should be eligible for same-day emergency fulfillment (proteins, produce, dairy, supplies)? Options: Proteins, Produce, Dairy, Frozen, Supplies
• What fee structure is acceptable for emergency fulfillment (included, flat fee, per-item surcharge)? Options: Included in service, Flat emergency fee, Per-item surcharge, Case-by-case pricing
• Do you require proof of delivery (photo, signature) and inventory adjustment notes for emergency replacements? Options: Yes - photo + signature, Signature only, No
• Estimate the frequency of emergency replacements you expect (weekly/monthly/rarely). Options: Weekly, Monthly, Rarely, Unknown

Portion-Control Vacuum Sealing & Case Packing

• Do you require portion-controlled vacuum sealing and case packing for proteins or other SKUs? Options: Yes - all relevant SKUs, Yes - selected SKUs, No
• What target portion sizes and acceptable weight tolerances do you require?
• What packaging materials and labeling requirements must be met (nutrition/weight/allergen labels)?
• Do you require weight verification or nutrition panel validation per portion? Options: Yes - weight verification, Yes - nutrition panel, No
• Are barcodes or serialized labels required for traceability on portioned units? Options: Yes - barcode/serial, No, Only for select SKUs
• What lead times and batch frequencies are acceptable for portion-controlled runs? Options: Per order, Weekly batch, Bi-weekly batch, Custom

HACCP Traceability Documentation per Shipment

• Do you require HACCP and lot-level traceability documentation for every shipment or select SKUs? Options: Every shipment, Select SKUs only, Not required
• Which documents are required with deliveries (COA, lot numbers, temp logs, supplier certificates)? Options: COA, Lot numbers, Temperature logs, Supplier certificates, All of the above
• Do you require electronic delivery of HACCP docs integrated into your systems (PDF/EDI portal)? Options: Yes - electronic, Paper acceptable, Both
• What retention period do you require for traceability records? Options: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, Custom
• Who on your team will accept, review, and store HACCP documentation (role/title)?
• Do you need automated alerts for traceability issues (e.g., temp excursions, missing docs)? Options: Yes, No, Only for critical SKUs

Onsite Offload and Pallet Staging

• Do you require drivers to offload and stage pallets onsite or is dock delivery sufficient? Options: Onsite offload & staging, Dock delivery only, Hybrid - heavy items only
• Average and peak pallet counts per delivery? Options: 1-5, 6-10, 11-20, 20+
• Describe any site constraints (no dock, stairs, elevator limits, narrow corridors).
• Do you require time-restricted staging (kitchen-side placement) or just staging in a receiving area? Options: Kitchen-side placement, Receiving area staging, Either based on SKU
• Do you require driver sign-off, photos, or digital confirmation when offload and staging is complete? Options: Photo + sign-off, Sign-off only, No confirmation required
• Are special equipment needs required (liftgate, pallet jack, tailgate) at your site?

• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Trial Terms & Acceptance Criteria
• Pricing Guarantee & Price Protection
• Fill-Rate Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Substitution & Product Quality Policy
• Delivery Schedule & Logistics Agreement
• Order Guide & Catalog Coverage Signoff
• Quality Acceptance & Rejection Process
• Billing, Payment & Invoicing Terms
• Responsibilities & RACI Matrix
• Implementation & Onboarding Plan
• Change Order & Amendment Process
• Renewal, Transition & Post-Trial Commitment
• Termination & Escalation Terms
• Authorized Signatures & Final Authorization

• 60-Day Outcomes Review & Decision
• Culinary Quality Validation (Chef + Culinary Specialist)
• Operations & Logistics Handoff
• Commercial & Contract Finalization
• Ongoing Success Cadence & Continuous Improvement Kickoff

• Obtain agreement on signature owners and contract effective date.
• If remediation required, create a remediation plan listing root causes, corrective actions, owners, and a verification timeline.
• Share consolidated 60-day evidence package with stakeholders and file into the account record.
• Opening & Purpose
• Obtain explicit chef validation for benchmark items that meet culinary standards.
• Identify and document specific items that fail culinary acceptance and require remediation.
• Finalize item-level quality acceptance metrics to be added to the acceptance record.
• Culinary specialist to source alternate cuts or suppliers for failed items and deliver replacement samples within agreed timeline.
• Create an item-level acceptance table (photos, yield targets, allowable substitutions) and add to the account order guide.
• If systemic, open supplier quality escalation with legal/quality team and target corrective action dates.
• Opening & Operational Objectives
• Confirm operational readiness for full transition or targeted remediation execution.
• Establish clear delivery cadence, order guide configuration, and returns process.
• Assign operational owners and training schedule to eliminate handoff gaps.
• Publish a final delivery schedule and order-guide export to customer and operations teams.
• Set up SLA monitoring dashboard (fill-rate, OTIF, credits) and hand over access to customer and ops owners.
• Schedule rep and culinary onboarding sessions and create a quick-reference ops playbook.
• Opening & Commercial Objectives
• Secure commercial agreement (pricing, SLAs, renewals) that reflects trial outcomes.
• Define remedies and escalation mechanics tied to SLA failures post-transition.
• Opening & Objectives
• Legal to prepare final contract reflecting agreed terms and circulate for signature.
• Finance to validate billing setup and any credit/adjustment mechanics required.
• Schedule contract signing and confirm effective date for full transition or remediation period start.
• Opening & Purpose
• Establish a durable governance model and communication channel for ongoing issue resolution.
• Agree on the KPI dashboard and monitoring cadence to detect regressions early.
• Create an initial continuous improvement backlog with owners and timelines.
• Set up the shared communication channel (invite list, channel rules, response SLAs).
• Build and share the KPI dashboard and grant access to stakeholders.
• Schedule the first 30/60/90 review meetings and circulate agenda templates.
• Publish the continuous improvement backlog with owners, priorities, and target completion dates.
• Determine whether the 60-day acceptance criteria are met for full transition.
• If criteria are not met, agree on a clear remediation plan with owners and timelines.
• Assign owners and dates for next actions needed to finalize transition or continue trial.
• Ensure both parties have the same factual record of the 60-day outcomes.
• Produce a signed decision record (Accept / Remediate / Extend) with owners and dates.
• If accepted, finalize go-live date and full transition checklist (catalog mapping, delivery cadence, billing).
• Current State Logistics Summary
• Chef's Current State Statement
• Current State (one-sentence)
• Review 60-Day Financial Delta
• Define Success Metrics & Dashboard
• Consequence for Menu Operations
• Consequence Summary (one-sentence)
• Communication Channel & Governance
• Consequence for Kitchen Operations
• Proposed Pricing & Price-Protection Terms
• SLA Commitments & Remedies
• Future State Definition (one-sentence)
• Delivery Performance Deep-dive
• Side-by-side Inspection & Tasting
• Issue Triage Playbook & RACI
• Data Walkthrough: Top-50 60-Day Comparison
• Substitution & Private-label Review
• Continuous Improvement Backlog
• Order Guide & System Mapping
• Contract Mechanics & Renewal Cadence
• Cadence & First 30/60/90 Reviews
• Operational Metrics: Fill-rate, OTIF, Order Accuracy