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Everytable: Nourishing Change with Sam Polk - Grounded Podcast: Leaders in Produce, Food Service & Restaurant Supply Chain

/ 35:53/E17
Join us in welcoming our esteemed guest, Sam Polk, Founder & CEO of Everytable, for an enlightening conversation with Lauren Mitchell! Together, they delve into the critical issue of health disparities in underserved neighborhoods and explore Everytable's mission to create a more equitable world. Sam provides valuable insights into the company's commitment to accessibility and profitability, making this conversation an inspiring and impactful exploration of the transformative work happening at Everytable. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion!

Takeaways:
  • Everytable provides an inviting space with tables for dining and a diverse menu of freshly prepared items, such as sandwiches, salads, wraps, and popular hot plates like roast salmon. They offer gluten-free and many vegan bakery items and desserts.
  • Sam spent the last decade focused on addressing health disparities in underserved neighborhoods. He initiated a non-profit initially named Grocery Ships (now FEAST) to assist parents in these communities in achieving better health. 
  • Peer support groups in South LA helped Sam realize the demand for healthy food. This led to him investigating the food system and understanding the complexities. Ultimately, he was able to develop a method to provide fresh, healthy, farm-to-table meals at a lower cost than fast food. 
  • The emphasis on accessibility and profitability, particularly in underserved communities, is catering to less fortunate individuals with ambitious goals. This means that Everytable’s implementation of dual pricing reduces costs, but also means they accept lower gross margins to maintain affordability.
  • The overarching goal of Everytable is to contribute to a more equitable world while building a robust and economically powerful business. While considering franchising, they acknowledge the capital benefits and risk distribution it offers, aligning with major chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell.
  • EveryTable overcomes challenges in the traditional restaurant model by centralizing production in large commissaries in Los Angeles and Brooklyn, sourcing directly from farms, and cooking from scratch at scale to address the affordability issue and offer high-quality, cost-effective meals.
  • Fresh prepared food’s short shelf life contrasts with longer-lasting shelf-stable items like packaged foods. Everytable addresses this challenge by applying the efficiency of processed, shelf-stable systems to fresh, whole food, meeting the growing demand for healthier alternatives.
Quote of the Show:
  • “We want to do things that make the world a more equitable place while also building a massive economically powerful business.” - Sam Polk
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Ways to Tune In:
Grounded is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Creators and Guests

Lauren Mitchell
Host
Lauren Mitchell
Lauren Mitchell is the Director of National Accounts and Custom Distribution at Produce Alliance, LLC. She is a dedicated fresh produce spend & spec maximizer for multi-unit national restaurant chains & groups. She gets to know your brand and infuses your expectation for quality, consistency and transparency to create more reliability in your produce category.
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Bekah Chenel
Producer
Bekah Chenel
LinkedIn
Everytable: Nourishing Change with Sam Polk - Grounded Podcast: Leaders in Produce, Food Service & Restaurant Supply Chain

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