Insights / Brand Supply Chain Expertise

How Buyers Edge Platform Can Help Operators Navigate Tariffs

How Buyers Edge Platform Can Help Operators Navigate Tariffs

With a new wave of tariffs taking effect, foodservice operators across the country are faced with a tough decision: raise menu prices or absorb rising costs. Either option creates operational challenges—but the real question is, how can you get ahead of the impact before it hits your bottom line?  At Buyers Edge Platform, we believe that cost volatility doesn’t have to dictate your margins. With the right data, supplier relationships, and procurement tools, you can build a smarter, more resilient strategy—even during tariff uncertainty.  What Are the New Tariffs—and Who Do They Affect?  On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs, including:    A 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods, effective April 5, 2025 (White House). Increased “reciprocal” tariffs ranging from 11% to 50% on imports from 57 countries identified as having nonreciprocal or discriminatory trading practices, effective April 9, 2025. For instance, imports

On the Menu: Top 5 Growing Ingredients Operators Should Know About

On the Menu: Top 5 Growing Ingredients Operators Should Know About

On the Menu: From the back-of-house to the customer’s plate, growing ingredients can tell us a lot about what’s driving operational decisions and consumer preferences. Whether it’s to reduce prep time, meet flavor expectations, or streamline ordering, smart operators keep a pulse on what’s gaining traction. Based on recent data pulled from Buyers Edge Platform, here are the five growing ingredients that saw the most growth within our member operators at the end of 2024—along with tips on how you can make them work harder in your kitchen.  1. Westminster Oyster Crackers  📈 +16% in Concepts | +7% in Locations  These classic crackers are making a comeback—likely thanks to seasonal menus featuring soups, chowders, and bisques. They’re cost-effective, easy to portion, and add to that nostalgic crunch guests crave. This item is a perfect example of growing ingredients being driven by seasonal demand and comfort food trends. How to Use

Buyers Edge Platform Launches Foodservice Rewards – The Only GPO Points Program That Rewards Loyalty

The Only GPO Program That Rewards Loyalty

What if your everyday foodservice purchases could earn you more than just savings? Buyers Edge Platform just made that possible with the launch of Foodservice Rewards—a first-of-its-kind loyalty program integrated directly into our Digital Procurement Network (DPN).  This division combines traditional group purchasing organization (GPO) benefits—such as price savings and rebates—with advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and now, loyalty rewards.  Foodservice Rewards is the first loyalty program of its kind in the GPO industry. It enhances rebate earnings by offering additional value from participating manufacturers on top of what operators already earn. Loyalty points earned through Foodservice Rewards can be redeemed for items that support restaurant operations or used as employee perks—turning everyday purchasing into meaningful rewards.  With Foodservice Rewards, operators can now:  Earn points automatically on qualifying purchases—no extra steps required, no reduction in rebates. See and claim valuable and exciting rewards in real time within your Launchpad (our member

How Buyers Edge Platform Can Help Your Restaurant Stay Profitable

How Buyers Edge Platform Can Help Your Restaurant Stay Profitable

With 39% of restaurant operators reporting unprofitability in 2024, it’s clear that food costs, supply chain challenges, and operational inefficiencies are taking a toll. To stay ahead, restaurants need strategic solutions that cut costs, streamline purchasing, and optimize spend management. And with 48% of operators expecting competition to be more this year, standing out through operational efficiency and strategic cost management is more important than ever.  That’s where Buyers Edge Platform comes in. Through our four key divisions—Digital Procurement Network, Fresh Solutions, Supply Chain Management, and SaaS Software—we empower restaurants to reduce costs, enhance supply chain resilience, and improve margins on the items they already buy.  Here’s how our solutions help maintain your restaurant profitability and navigate today’s industry challenges:  Instantly Reduce Costs and Earn Cashback with Our Digital Procurement Network  Save big on over 175,000+ food and supply items through strategic supplier partnerships.  Cashback rebate programs turn everyday purchases into

what is launchpad

What is Launchpad?

Staying ahead of the curve is essential for foodservice success. One of the most powerful tools at a foodservice operator’s disposal is technology-driven insights that offer a deeper understanding of the health of their operation. By leveraging advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and intelligent reporting, businesses can gain valuable visibility into every aspect of their foodservice operations. This proactive approach not only enables them to identify inefficiencies, streamline processes, and cut costs but also empowers them to deliver an unparalleled dining experience to their customers. In this rapidly evolving landscape, harnessing technology insights is not just an option; it is becoming a necessity to thrive and flourish in the competitive foodservice market. At Buyers Edge Platform, we’ve been leading the forefront of leveraging technology to help restaurants save time and money. We’ve taken historically dirty food service data and disrupted the industry by applying our AI tech tools to clean

From Source1: 5 Hotel Trends to Watch for in 2022

From Source1: 5 Hotel Trends to Watch for in 2022

2022 is just a few short weeks away and it’s likely there will be an increase in travel in the coming new year, whether it’s for business or leisure. As challenges continue to grow within the supply chain and labor shortages are at an all-time high, it’s important to take advantage of solutions that will help you run a profitable hotel operation. Let’s take a look at 5 hotel trends you should watch for in 2022: Partnering With Supply Chain Experts One trend to adopt in the coming new year is to partner with Supply Chain Management experts, such as Source1. With the unpredictable state of the supply chain, hotel operators are having trouble procuring the necessary supplies to keep their operation up and running – including food and beverage products By leveraging supply chain management experts, you can reduce costs, optimize your purchasing, and ensure you’re getting high-quality products at

From Consolidated Concepts: How to Run an Efficient Restaurant During a Labor Shortage

From Consolidated Concepts: How to Run an Efficient Restaurant During a Labor Shortage

To run a restaurant operation during the current labor shortage is one thing. Running an efficient one is another. With the continuation of the pandemic and no relief in sight, especially before the holidays, restaurant operators are seeking alternatives to what was once known to them as their traditional, every-day way of running their operation. There’s no doubt that times are changing, and everyone is doing their part to keep up. These changes are fairly easy to make and will not only help you run a more efficient business, but will also put money back in your pocket. Let’s take a look at three different ways Consolidated Concepts experts say you can run an efficient restaurant during the current labor shortage: Technology Can Streamline Processes Technology has played a massive role in restaurant operators lives, especially since the beginning of the pandemic. From QR code menus and mobile ordering to inventory management, there’s nothing technology can’t do to help streamline your operation. One way we encourage restaurant operators to

From Dining Alliance: Look Out For These Menu Trends in 2022

With the new year right around the corner and restaurant operators preparing for what’s ahead, we thought it would be a great idea to introduce some menu favorites to look out for in 2022. According to the new 2022 Culinary Forecast from the National Restaurant Association, many food items, beverages, flavors, and much more will be hitting menus in the coming New Year. Some trends new, some old. Some that may be surprising, and some not so much! Let’s take a look at a few menu trends you should be prepared for come the New Year: Three Meals of the Day Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s a great way for customers to earn energy bright and early and an easy way for you to put money in your pockets. If you weren’t already serving breakfast at your restaurant operation, now’s your chance! Top 3 trends to

From Dining Alliance: 3 Challenges the Produce Industry is Currently Navigating

In partnership with Produce Alliance Due to the pandemic, many challenges continue to be identified in all areas of the foodservice industry—with produce being one of them. Even before COVID hit, there were already issues that growers and shippers were presented with such as unexpected weather conditions and low wages. Ever since the peak of the Pandemic in March of 2020, the produce industry has taken significant hits that may take months or even years to recover. Even though the industry is still experiencing various negative impacts from the Pandemic, the following continue to get more challenging to navigate. Labor Shortage The Produce Industry is facing issues in its ability to find qualified workers. As the worry for labor shortages in the industry continues to grow, operations in all other areas involved are now affected as well. From restaurants to food retail, filling positions is more complicated than it was pre-COVID when farm

From Dining Alliance: Solutions to Tackle Labor and Supply Chain Shortages

The restaurant industry continues to experience inflation driven by supply/demand, labor challenges, and driver shortages. According to Tyson Foods, restaurants are still short 1.5MM jobs and labor costs are forecasted to rise in 2022. The Labor Shortage is impacting many areas of the industry. Not only does the shortage in workforce affect the front-of-house and the back-of-house, but it even challenges the trucking and transportation companies who move your ingredients from one location to another as they are seeing a critical shortage in drivers. As an operator, you can’t control what happens in the supply chain – but you can control how you prepare for and handle the challenge of minimized staff and shortage of ingredients. Keep consistent customer satisfaction and decrease the time spent on prep with these menu solutions! Speed-Scratch Items Prepping for the busy morning or afternoon rush can be time consuming and require a lot of