Markets to Menus by ArrowStream

This week on Markets to Menus, David Maloni has a jam-packed episode lined up. First, he's joined by John Goodwin, Senior Commodity Analyst at ArrowStream, to dig into the numbers moving the food supply chain right now: diesel prices, feed costs, and yes, even how the midterm elections could ripple through the markets. Then David shifts gears and sits down with Ryan Weaver, CEO of Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken. Ryan has a fascinating story. He traded in a career as a private equity executive to jump headfirst into the restaurant industry, and he shares what that leap taught him about running a beloved chicken brand. Connect with our host: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guests: John Goodwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goodwin-23574a129/ Ryan Weaver: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjweaver/ This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, delivering superior commodity research and forecasts powered by deep Industry expertise & cutting edge AI. Find out more about us here: https://arrowstream.com/commodityone-for-foodservice-supply-chain/

Welcome to Markets to Menus. This week, John Goodwin joins host David Maloni to break down what's shaping up to be a more encouraging picture for beef supplies, a softer table egg market, and the latest movement in coffee. They dig into the resumption of cattle imports from Mexico and what a bottom in beef production could mean heading into the back half of the year, why egg demand is still working its way back after those record grocery-store prices, and what's pulling coffee back down to earth after its summer run. David is then joined by John Davie, CEO and Founder of Buyers Edge Platform and CEO of CollectivIQ, for an in-depth conversation on AI and what it means for the future of the industry. John walks through the four divisions of Buyers Edge, why he built CollectivIQ as an "AI consensus" engine that queries every leading model at once, and how the company's new digital direct reports are helping operators do more with less. It's a candid look at where AI is taking food service — and one practical piece of advice for anyone who feels like they're falling behind. Connect with our Host: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guests: John Goodwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goodwin-23574a129/ John Davie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-davie-5788a18/ This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, delivering superior commodity research and forecasts powered by deep Industry expertise & cutting edge AI. Find out more about us here: https://arrowstream.com/commodityone-for-foodservice-supply-chain/

On this episode of Markets to Menus, I'm joined by ArrowStream Senior Commodity Analyst John Goodwin to break down the challenges facing this year's corn crop — including what the latest Pro Farmer Crop Tour yield estimates could mean for an already historically tight balance sheet — and to unpack the Trump administration's latest move to lower ground beef prices. We dig into whether suspending the out-of-quota tariff on beef imports for 90 days will actually move the needle, who stands to benefit, and why seasonality may matter more than the headline. We also get into the wheat market and the escalating disruptions in the Black Sea. Then I sit down with Telly Smith, Senior Vice President of Purchasing and Distribution at Golden Corral, who shares how the iconic buffet brand not only survived COVID but came out the other side stronger than ever. Telly walks us through his 35-year journey from washing dishes in high school to leading the supply chain, what makes Golden Corral's service-driven culture so special, how his small team manages more than 700 SKUs and hundreds of millions in spend, where he sees the food service supply chain heading, his advice for smaller and emerging chains, and the remarkable philanthropic work the brand does for military families and veterans. Connect with our host: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guests: John Goodwin, Senior Commodity Analyst, ArrowStream: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goodwin-23574a129/ Telly Smith, Senior Vice President, Purchasing & Distribution, Golden Corral: https://www.linkedin.com/in/telly-smith-9568b216/ Call to Action This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, delivering superior commodity research and forecasts powered by deep Industry expertise & cutting edge AI. Find out more about us here: https://arrowstream.com/commodityone-for-foodservice-supply-chain/

Welcome back to Markets to Menus. This episode breaks down what's happening across the food supply chain — from the global commodity markets all the way down to your bottom line. First, I'm joined by John Goodwin, Senior Commodity Analyst at ArrowStream, for a read on what's moving the markets right now: an update on the Strait of Hormuz and its ripple effects on fuel and fertilizer, why sugar prices came roaring back to life, and what you need to know about tightening chicken supplies. Then we switch gears with Brian Foster, President of Back Office at Buyer's Edge Platform, for a candid look at how independent restaurants are holding up in 2026 as food and labor costs keep climbing — plus practical, ready-to-use best practices operators can put to work today, including how AI is starting to level the playing field for smaller operators. Connect with our host: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guests: John Goodwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goodwin-23574a129/ Brian Foster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-foster-0361b119/ This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, delivering superior commodity research and forecasts powered by deep Industry expertise & cutting edge AI. Find out more about us here: https://arrowstream.com/commodityone-for-foodservice-supply-chain/

Welcome back to Markets to Menus. In this episode, David Maloni is joined by John Goodwin, Senior Commodity Analyst at ArrowStream, for a discussion on the latest developments in the grain and oilseed growing season, an analysis of last week's USDA cattle inventory report, and an outlook on pork bellies ahead of what may be their strongest week of the year. Following that conversation, David sits down with James Butler, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy Officer, and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Brinker International, to discuss the company's significant growth at Chili's, the strategies behind building a supply chain capable of scaling with that growth, and his perspective on where the food supply chain is headed. This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, the industry's leading commodity research and forecasting platform, combining over 40 years of expertise with cutting-edge AI. Connect with our host: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/ Connect with our Guests: John Goodwin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-goodwin-23574a129/ James Butler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmbutler83/ This episode is brought to you by ArrowStream CommodityONE, delivering superior commodity research and forecasts powered by deep Industry expertise & cutting edge AI. Find out more about us here: https://arrowstream.com/commodityone-for-foodservice-supply-chain/