​Could your best customers be across the country?

What if your customers could be anywhere in the country – or even the world? It’s an appealing thought at a time when operators are struggling to manage high inflation, supply chain fluctuations and general uncertainty in the market. But the creative solutions that have come out of the industry in the past two years have the potential to transform the industry into one of greater opportunity for all. In a recent segment on CNBC, Joe Ariel, the CEO of Goldbelly, discussed how the Omicron variant and inflation concerns have triggered a surge in food e-commerce. He expects more companies – his among them – to take an omnichannel approach to food sales going forward. Imagine if a family was craving a wide selection of regional specialities – Philly cheesesteak, New York cheesecake, Chicago pizza – and they could enjoy authentic versions of them at the same meal? Or perhaps your restaurant gets a lot of summer traffic and guests who have been coming to you for years want to be able to enjoy your food year-round. Are there stars on your menu – memorable entrées, secret sauces, special desserts – that you could serve to a worldwide audience with the right marketing and packaging? How can you take what you do best and get it out to your best customers?

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