RECIPE FOR SCHOOL VENDORS

Director Of Food Services on Best Vendor Attributes

Brian Rathgeb’s journey in the food industry began in high school as a banquet server at a local country club. Now, with 19 years of experience across small, medium, and large school districts in both rural and suburban areas of Pennsylvania, Brian has honed his expertise in the field. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management, Brian also holds two master’s degrees: one in Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development, and an MBA from Elizabethtown College. Brian, the Director of Food Services at Columbia Borough School District, has invaluable insights on the critical factors schools should consider when forming vendor relationships.

What makes reliability and consistency one of the top attributes you look for in a vendor, and why is it crucial for K-12 schools? 

A vendor must have experience working with school districts, which demonstrates an understanding of school needs. In order to truly service schools, vendors must show remarkable flexibility. For example, there may be days when schools close due to inclement weather and the rest of the world continues onwards. Therefore, vendors must be able to work with schools to reschedule and figure things out.  

How do you evaluate a vendor’s cost-effectiveness, and why is this attribute critical for K-12 administrators?

I highly encourage all schools to join a purchasing group. The committee of our purchasing group evaluates each vendor. In some instances, we award multiple vendors based on pricing. As you can imagine, profit margins are small, so it is critical that schools save in all areas—including food costs.  

“We understand that companies have many accounts, but we need transparency and accessibility.”

– Brian Rathgeb, Director of Food Services at Columbia Borough School District

Why is technological innovation a key attribute for a good vendor, and how does it benefit K-12 schools?

When I first started in this business, reps would actually physically pick up the orders. Of course, today every major food vendor has a website and/or app where can place your orders. Technology is constantly morphing and utilizing data analysis tools is part of our everyday life. But, vendors must keep finding ways to help us work smarter through their sites and communication tools.

Can you explain why alignment with educational values is important when choosing a vendor, and how it impacts the school community?

Schools are different than other institutional facilities, so some vendors may not be equipped or have an understanding of what it takes to work with schools. For example, working with USDA Commodity foods, some vendors may not be set up for this nor understand how this operates.  So, gaining the understanding of each school’s procurement process is paramount. When we choose our main food vendors, we must ensure they are following our unique procurement guidelines. 

How does excellent customer support and responsiveness play a role in your decision to partner with a vendor, and why is it essential?

This is a big one for us. We want vendors to be attentive and expect responses within a 24 to 48-hour period on our issues. We want them to be knowledgeable about K-12 institutions because they are very different than restaurants, hospitals, or other institutional facilities.  Finally, we believe availability is critical. We understand that companies have many accounts, but we need transparency and accessibility. We get concerned if vendor representatives hide behind emails. We simply require a more intimate relationship to have a good working relationship and customer support.