December 5, 2024 • 19 mins
What if you could transform a century-old company's digital presence while preserving its cherished traditions? Caroline Webre, Ben E Keith's innovative social media marketing manager, shares her inspiring journey of revitalizing this well-established brand's online footprint. With a focus on meaningful interactions over mere follower counts, Caroline reveals her strategies for aligning Ben E Keith's family-oriented, reliable, and friendly culture with modern content platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. Her creative approach and passion have not only enhanced the company's visibility but have also strengthened connections with employees, customers, and vendors.
The heart of our conversation beats with the insights shared about building relationships in the food service industry, all while maintaining a billion-dollar company's family feel. Caroline delves into Ben E Keith's internship program, highlighting how it offers interns a panoramic view of the industry and fosters personal and professional growth. Join us as Caroline unveils the secrets of staying ahead of industry trends through social media and how those fresh experiences are really shaking things up!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, nancy Ridland.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, and welcome back toConfessions Beyond the Food.
My name is Nancy Ridland, withW3Cells, and today I have
(00:20):
Caroline Weber joining us fromVinny Key, I'm excited to be
here.
I'm so excited to have you heretoo, because Caroline is
shaking things up at Benny Keithand their social marketing.
So you are the social mediamarketing manager for Benny
Keith.
So tell me, what do you do foryour job right now?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So right now I started in this role last
October, so it's been almost ayear I am create content
strategy.
I create all the content, Iedit all the content.
I like to say that I ambringing to life in the digital
world the Vinny Keith culture.
So that way, people want tolearn more about Vinny Keith
(01:02):
instead of Googling us andseeing that we can deliver you
groceries.
They'll get a glimpse of who wetruly are as a company.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So what are those qualities that you're trying to
and culture that you're tryingto tell?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes.
So the Benny Keith culture iswhen you're there it's something
we talk about on a daily basis.
A few words that come to mindto describe it is very family
oriented.
We're a family owned company,but that really trickles down
from top to bottom and coworkerstreat each other like family is
what I've become to love aboutthe company.
(01:40):
Some other things were veryfriendly, very traditional, very
reliable, loyal.
Those are kind of allattributes that I try to
incorporate through our brandvoice.
So how we're speaking to ouraudience.
But I've noticed our audienceis kind of filled with our
employees, our customers and ourvendors.
So trying to create contentthat speaks to all of those
(02:03):
audiences.
So bringing to life fun eventsthat we have at our various
divisions, highlightingcustomers in our various markets
and what makes them special andunique in those areas and why
people should go try them, andthen showcasing the different
products.
Of course, at the end of theday we are selling food and so
trying to showcase that to ouraudience.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
That's amazing.
So Benny Heath has been aroundfor a long time.
They were established in 1906.
And one of the things that youhad mentioned is they are very
traditional.
And so what was your firstimpression coming in and some of
the challenges of taking youknow, because they have
(02:47):
wonderful core values andtradition is a great value, but
how has that been challenging orhas it not been?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, one thing that I noticed right when I started
at Benny Keith I actuallystarted as an intern when I was
still in college and what drewme to the company was that
everyone had been there for 10,20, 30, 40 years.
We have an employee that iscoming up to his 50-year
anniversary, so it was reallycool to see that people really
(03:16):
spend their whole career at acompany and go from the
warehouse to purchasing, tomarketing, to sales and get the
full experience of being in afood service distributor company
.
But, with that being said, wehave been operating since 1906
and people are very traditionaland people that have been at the
company for 40 years have donethings a certain way all this
(03:39):
time.
So coming in doing social mediahas been an interesting I hate
to use the word challenge, butinteresting opportunity, because
it's something that well, whydo we need that?
Why are you here doing socialmedia and so getting to almost
sell the idea of how this can bebeneficial for our company, how
(04:00):
it can help our sales reps whentalking to customers, talking
to prospective customers as wellas, like I said, just
showcasing who we are as acompany?
I like to think that people aregoing to social media as much
as they're going to Google whenthey want to learn more about a
topic, about a company, about arestaurant, and so playing into
(04:21):
that relevancy and making surethat we are staying up to date
with the trends and keeping toour core values while also
staying innovative.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
And you're doing that .
I mean you're bringing so muchfun and youth and energy to even
you know the food shows thatyou guys do that you do and has
made a really big impact, Ithink, on the community because
you guys have like, how manyfollowers do y'all have right
now?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Um across the different platforms, like on
Instagram.
We have a little over 7,000.
So we're slowly but surelygrowing Um.
Linkedin has been a huge one.
That's been fun to connect withum different industry leaders,
um and that one.
We're almost at 20,000followers, so that's exciting.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
That's when.
What was the number when youstarted?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
On LinkedIn we were at right over 16,000.
So after a year we've grownalmost 4,000 followers.
And then on Instagram it's beenalmost 2,000 follower growth.
So, like I said, we're slowlybut surely making waves.
And of course we're on Facebook.
I always say Facebook is whereyou post photos of your family,
and that's what we're doing isposting photos of the family at
(05:36):
Benny Keith on Facebook.
But yeah, so it's been cool tosee it grow, and while I've been
trying to focus on engaging ouraudience rather than focusing
on a certain number to grow to,it's been really fun to see how
we've grown as the contentsevolved.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
I love that, that you're focused not on the number
, but the audience.
So how?
What's the secret to yoursuccess?
Because that's really biggrowth.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Um, I have a lot of support, um from my team, from
the various leaders of thecompany it's and trusting their
people, and so I have thesegreat ideas and just get to run
with them and get to see wherethey go.
Um, especially in this yearsince it's been like I said,
(06:27):
this is my first year um headingup the social media has been
kind of let's see what's goingto work, let's see what's not
going to work.
Um, I have a lot of supportfrom our graphics team, from um
an editing perspective and, likeI said, we're able to just take
ideas and run with them and seewhat sticks and if it doesn't,
then we'll pivot and trysomething new.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And so you probably have a lot of social media
converts that may have said whatare you doing?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Why are we doing this ?
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And so now, what is their feedback?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
It's fun because, like I said at first, I think I
was talking to one of ourmanagers at a division.
I was like do you follow us onInstagram or Facebook?
And he was like MySpace.
I was like MySpace has beengone for so many years, no, and
so it's fun for them.
Then I get to see, oh, theyfollow us.
Oh, now they're engaging in thecontent, now they're sharing
(07:20):
the content Because people atBenny Keith are really proud to
work there and so if I cancreate content that they're
wanting to share on theirpersonal accounts, then I view
that as a success, because theway that they're sharing it,
then their customers see it,then other industry folks see it
, and I think it's just creatingthe awareness of what we do and
who we are.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Because every time you like a post especially
LinkedIn is awesome.
Every time you like, every timeyou engage, your whole network
sees that and that's something Imean I know our company does is
try to educate our customers,our end users, our restaurants,
our hotels like hey, engage inour social media and you'll have
(08:00):
a whole new audience.
But more importantly, I thinkthat you know the distributors,
you know getting them to.
You don't have to create newcontent, you really just need to
go and Right.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Well, and that's another thing that we really
capitalize on at Benny Keith, wehave an initiative called Eat
Locally Often and it's reallyevolving from a hashtag that was
created during COVID to get outand still support your local
restaurants in a challengingtime, evolving into a brand, and
so we are also really trying toadvocate for the industry.
(08:34):
So advocating for our customersbeing a true partner and, like
you said, sharing their contentwhen they have success, sharing
those successes and capitalizingon that.
So it's been fun because youget really plugged in into the
various markets, as ourdifferent divisions have been
communicating those with me.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Yeah, because it's really social, is free
advertising, I mean big time,and we were talking about
earlier, before we started.
Just how you know, you mayinvest a little bit more in, you
know, your tabletop setting oryour vibe, but that goes a very
long way, yeah.
(09:13):
And so how are you guys?
I've noticed you're now, likeyou said, getting involved with
your customers and going on site.
So what have you been doingwith them?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So we have a few different pieces of content and
how we highlight customers.
One was a more produced piecebefore I came on board, to our
marketing team at General Office, called Behind the Menu.
So we, our team, will go in andkind of really interview one of
our customers and get theirstory how they started, any
(09:47):
challenges maybe they faced inthe past and how they overcame
them.
I've been working on somecontent that's a little bit more
quick and fast.
Social media is quick and fastand you have to gain attention
from users within you know threeto five seconds.
And so going in there, kind ofsaying, oh you're in Dallas for
the weekend, here, five spotsyou should visit while you're
(10:08):
here and get a visual of what itlooks like in there, the
atmosphere, what we order, um,just quick and fun, and put some
fun music behind it.
So that's been fun as well as,um, like I said, capitalizing on
our customer wins.
So, um, it's as my role hasevolved, um and more people have
bought into this social mediaworld.
(10:31):
Um, now, the various employeeshave been key that our divisions
will communicate to me.
Their customers have one.
So I got two articles sent tome yesterday.
Uh, one of our barbecue joints.
Um, they were voted as best newchefs I think is what it was.
And then we had a fewrestaurants that our customers
across our various markets werevoted named top new restaurants
(10:54):
in the South on Yelp.
So getting those communicatedto me so I can push those out
and support those customers fromour Benny Keith account has
been.
It's been really fun.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
That is really fun because I mean the goal is I
mean I know we don't want toadmit it- but we all want to be
famous, I mean like to have youknow such a great company like
Benny Keith like promote you andget behind you.
And I mean it's just, I meanthat's amazing, I mean that's
got to make the customers feelit's it's fun to get behind you.
And I mean it's just, I meanthat's amazing, I mean that's
got to make the customers feel.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It's, it's fun to get those notes, um, because, like
I said before, you know we are,our culture is about being a
true partner to our customers.
We're not just going to show upwith a truck, um, and deliver
your groceries, and so if I cansupport that through our social
media, then I'm doing somethingright and helping shine light to
(11:48):
our customers.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
I love that and I can attest as a vendor and I've
probably said it on otherpodcasts that Benny Heath is so
good to their vendors and theirculture.
I mean just shines througheveryone.
So I love that.
That is getting you know,pushed through at the end user
level.
So tell me, how are you keepingahead of the trends?
(12:11):
Because social media you knowas well as professionally, so I
am constantly trying to stayplugged in um and scrolling when
I need to.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
I scroll on my personal pages, but I also
scroll from our Betty Keithpages um to stay locked into
what's going on in the foodservice world, so that I'm not
missing um by just keeping oneor the other, as well as I try
and stay in and tripping up overmy words but stay in track with
(12:50):
.
We as a team are really goodabout sending articles, sending
what's new, sending, like I saidhere, this customer success.
So just communicating that tothroughout the team and
throughout our marketing team.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
So that's awesome.
So what do you personally lovemost about your job?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I love the people.
Um, I am such a people person.
I love getting to meet um allof our customers um getting to
meet people from all of ourdivisions we are and we have 10
different distribution centersand we deliver to 20 different
states I think it was the lasttime I checked.
So getting to meet people allacross our footprint, whether
(13:38):
they work at Vinny Keith,whether it's our vendors,
whether it's our customers.
It's been fun now with foodshows after a year of doing them
and walking through andrecognizing people and just
getting to walk around and hugon people and all that that's
been.
My favorite part is reallygetting to meet um a lot of
people.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
It's exciting too to see Benny Keith with the intern
program and then just bringingnew fresh blood, because I think
that is the biggest challengein our industry yeah, that's how
I got my foot in the door withBen and Keith.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I interned with them when I was.
It was the summer before mysenior year of college and I
really didn't know anythingabout the industry before that.
I didn't really think much intowhere my food was coming from
when I went to go out to eat,and so the intern program is
really cool because you get tospend time in all the
(14:33):
departments.
So we spend time with thedrivers delivering groceries to
our customers and getting to seea day in their life.
We spent time in sales andseeing their relationship with
their customers and howdifferent a lot of sales reps go
about their business, spendingtime in purchasing and working
with the vendors and marketingin the warehouse, and so I think
(14:54):
it's interesting that you get aperspective of the food service
industry as a whole and thatway, like I said, I knew nothing
and so I started in purchasingbefore I moved over into
marketing, and having thatexperience and getting to see a
big picture has helped so muchin my job now and how I've
evolved in my career at BennyKeith and, like I said, it's
(15:18):
great that they're bringing infresh perspectives and really
listen to us.
I mean, it's now I'm runningour social media and I've just
saw this last group of summerinterns come through and some of
their ideas are coming to lifeand getting to see that
progression is really, reallycool that's.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I keep saying it, but that's just awesome.
You know that they're listeningand that you know, as a young
person, you have a voice andlike a very large corporation
and that's one thing that isgreat about Benny Keith is that
even though y'all are a billiondollar company, you know you're
heard and it's still.
It still has that family feeland, um, treating other, you
(16:03):
know, treating everybody on theteam with respect.
So I that's yeah, that'samazing that they're able to to.
You know, keep, keep thatintact.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So okay, so I've picked your brain on lots of
things, but I'm going to wrapthis up.
So what is your confessiontoday?
Speaker 2 (16:23):
My confession um, and this might not be that exciting
, but I eat breakfast for dinnerprobably three times a week,
working in the food world.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
So, okay, I have to ask what is your favorite
breakfast?
Oh, just eggs and bacon.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Eggs and bacon Very simple girl, Gotta have your
bacon.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, do you get to do a lot of tastings.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yes.
Yes probably too much.
There's always, I would say,working at Benny Keith and being
in this world, there's alwayssomething new coming along
something to try.
It's fun whenever you like.
We would ride with the salesreps or ride with the drivers,
and customers want you to tastetheir food, and so that's really
fun, trying things thatprobably I wouldn't have thought
(17:09):
to try in the past.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
so that's it.
That's amazing.
So, um, I just love thisbecause even if you're not in
marketing or if you, I'm sorry,not in food service, if you're
not in food service, I thinkthis podcast can be for any
translate, for anyone.
Yeah, because you know whatcaroline has done is she has
(17:32):
come in, you know, with fresheyes and understood the company
and it's such, not not just likewhat are our values, but really
dug into the company and reallyunderstood what they do, you
know on the operation side, andwhat they you know, and what the
customers you know, having thatcustomer engagement and that
(17:53):
full circle.
I know I did that, as you know,in my entry to food service and
it changed everything.
It changes your perspective andcause you think about all the
you know, you think about all ofthose and I think that has made
you, I mean, very successfuland so you are such a bright
light in our industry.
(18:14):
And I mean, when, when Tracymet you, she's like, oh my gosh,
you got to meet Caroline.
She's, you're going to beobsessed with her and I mean,
and I kind of am so fan girl so,but I'm just, I'm really
thankful you came on today andso.
But I'm just really thankful youcame on today and I mean I'm
just really excited to see whatyou're going to do.
(18:35):
And I think it's cool becauseusually when somebody starts
something, you know, I mean itreally makes an impact, not just
on you know where you're, youknow at Benny Keith, but beyond,
because it helps, like you said.
Like it just it starts thisrolling ball and you just got to
.
You can't be scared to takechances, yeah, and you just have
(18:56):
to put yourself out there.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
So thank you so much for coming on today, thank you
for having me.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
This was so fun.
I can't wait to have you again.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Awesome.
Well, check out Caroline Weberon Benny Keith Benny.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Keith.
Follow us, Benny Keith Foods,on Facebook, Instagram and
LinkedIn.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Yeah, Check her out.
Have a good day, guys.
For more inspiration, followour social media at W3Sales,
Please like, comment andsubscribe.
You know all the things wewould love to connect with you.
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, nancy Ridland.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, and welcome back toConfessions Beyond the Food.
My name is Nancy Ridland, withW3Cells, and today I have
(00:20):
Caroline Weber joining us fromVinny Key, I'm excited to be
here.
I'm so excited to have you heretoo, because Caroline is
shaking things up at Benny Keithand their social marketing.
So you are the social mediamarketing manager for Benny
Keith.
So tell me, what do you do foryour job right now?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So right now I started in this role last
October, so it's been almost ayear I am create content
strategy.
I create all the content, Iedit all the content.
I like to say that I ambringing to life in the digital
world the Vinny Keith culture.
So that way, people want tolearn more about Vinny Keith
(01:02):
instead of Googling us andseeing that we can deliver you
groceries.
They'll get a glimpse of who wetruly are as a company.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So what are those qualities that you're trying to
and culture that you're tryingto tell?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yes.
So the Benny Keith culture iswhen you're there it's something
we talk about on a daily basis.
A few words that come to mindto describe it is very family
oriented.
We're a family owned company,but that really trickles down
from top to bottom and coworkerstreat each other like family is
what I've become to love aboutthe company.
(01:40):
Some other things were veryfriendly, very traditional, very
reliable, loyal.
Those are kind of allattributes that I try to
incorporate through our brandvoice.
So how we're speaking to ouraudience.
But I've noticed our audienceis kind of filled with our
employees, our customers and ourvendors.
So trying to create contentthat speaks to all of those
(02:03):
audiences.
So bringing to life fun eventsthat we have at our various
divisions, highlightingcustomers in our various markets
and what makes them special andunique in those areas and why
people should go try them, andthen showcasing the different
products.
Of course, at the end of theday we are selling food and so
trying to showcase that to ouraudience.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
That's amazing.
So Benny Heath has been aroundfor a long time.
They were established in 1906.
And one of the things that youhad mentioned is they are very
traditional.
And so what was your firstimpression coming in and some of
the challenges of taking youknow, because they have
(02:47):
wonderful core values andtradition is a great value, but
how has that been challenging orhas it not been?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, one thing that I noticed right when I started
at Benny Keith I actuallystarted as an intern when I was
still in college and what drewme to the company was that
everyone had been there for 10,20, 30, 40 years.
We have an employee that iscoming up to his 50-year
anniversary, so it was reallycool to see that people really
(03:16):
spend their whole career at acompany and go from the
warehouse to purchasing, tomarketing, to sales and get the
full experience of being in afood service distributor company
.
But, with that being said, wehave been operating since 1906
and people are very traditionaland people that have been at the
company for 40 years have donethings a certain way all this
(03:39):
time.
So coming in doing social mediahas been an interesting I hate
to use the word challenge, butinteresting opportunity, because
it's something that well, whydo we need that?
Why are you here doing socialmedia and so getting to almost
sell the idea of how this can bebeneficial for our company, how
(04:00):
it can help our sales reps whentalking to customers, talking
to prospective customers as wellas, like I said, just
showcasing who we are as acompany?
I like to think that people aregoing to social media as much
as they're going to Google whenthey want to learn more about a
topic, about a company, about arestaurant, and so playing into
(04:21):
that relevancy and making surethat we are staying up to date
with the trends and keeping toour core values while also
staying innovative.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
And you're doing that .
I mean you're bringing so muchfun and youth and energy to even
you know the food shows thatyou guys do that you do and has
made a really big impact, Ithink, on the community because
you guys have like, how manyfollowers do y'all have right
now?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Um across the different platforms, like on
Instagram.
We have a little over 7,000.
So we're slowly but surelygrowing Um.
Linkedin has been a huge one.
That's been fun to connect withum different industry leaders,
um and that one.
We're almost at 20,000followers, so that's exciting.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
That's when.
What was the number when youstarted?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
On LinkedIn we were at right over 16,000.
So after a year we've grownalmost 4,000 followers.
And then on Instagram it's beenalmost 2,000 follower growth.
So, like I said, we're slowlybut surely making waves.
And of course we're on Facebook.
I always say Facebook is whereyou post photos of your family,
and that's what we're doing isposting photos of the family at
(05:36):
Benny Keith on Facebook.
But yeah, so it's been cool tosee it grow, and while I've been
trying to focus on engaging ouraudience rather than focusing
on a certain number to grow to,it's been really fun to see how
we've grown as the contentsevolved.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
I love that, that you're focused not on the number
, but the audience.
So how?
What's the secret to yoursuccess?
Because that's really biggrowth.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Um, I have a lot of support, um from my team, from
the various leaders of thecompany it's and trusting their
people, and so I have thesegreat ideas and just get to run
with them and get to see wherethey go.
Um, especially in this yearsince it's been like I said,
(06:27):
this is my first year um headingup the social media has been
kind of let's see what's goingto work, let's see what's not
going to work.
Um, I have a lot of supportfrom our graphics team, from um
an editing perspective and, likeI said, we're able to just take
ideas and run with them and seewhat sticks and if it doesn't,
then we'll pivot and trysomething new.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And so you probably have a lot of social media
converts that may have said whatare you doing?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Why are we doing this ?
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And so now, what is their feedback?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
It's fun because, like I said at first, I think I
was talking to one of ourmanagers at a division.
I was like do you follow us onInstagram or Facebook?
And he was like MySpace.
I was like MySpace has beengone for so many years, no, and
so it's fun for them.
Then I get to see, oh, theyfollow us.
Oh, now they're engaging in thecontent, now they're sharing
(07:20):
the content Because people atBenny Keith are really proud to
work there and so if I cancreate content that they're
wanting to share on theirpersonal accounts, then I view
that as a success, because theway that they're sharing it,
then their customers see it,then other industry folks see it
, and I think it's just creatingthe awareness of what we do and
who we are.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Because every time you like a post especially
LinkedIn is awesome.
Every time you like, every timeyou engage, your whole network
sees that and that's something Imean I know our company does is
try to educate our customers,our end users, our restaurants,
our hotels like hey, engage inour social media and you'll have
(08:00):
a whole new audience.
But more importantly, I thinkthat you know the distributors,
you know getting them to.
You don't have to create newcontent, you really just need to
go and Right.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Well, and that's another thing that we really
capitalize on at Benny Keith, wehave an initiative called Eat
Locally Often and it's reallyevolving from a hashtag that was
created during COVID to get outand still support your local
restaurants in a challengingtime, evolving into a brand, and
so we are also really trying toadvocate for the industry.
(08:34):
So advocating for our customersbeing a true partner and, like
you said, sharing their contentwhen they have success, sharing
those successes and capitalizingon that.
So it's been fun because youget really plugged in into the
various markets, as ourdifferent divisions have been
communicating those with me.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Yeah, because it's really social, is free
advertising, I mean big time,and we were talking about
earlier, before we started.
Just how you know, you mayinvest a little bit more in, you
know, your tabletop setting oryour vibe, but that goes a very
long way, yeah.
(09:13):
And so how are you guys?
I've noticed you're now, likeyou said, getting involved with
your customers and going on site.
So what have you been doingwith them?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So we have a few different pieces of content and
how we highlight customers.
One was a more produced piecebefore I came on board, to our
marketing team at General Office, called Behind the Menu.
So we, our team, will go in andkind of really interview one of
our customers and get theirstory how they started, any
(09:47):
challenges maybe they faced inthe past and how they overcame
them.
I've been working on somecontent that's a little bit more
quick and fast.
Social media is quick and fastand you have to gain attention
from users within you know threeto five seconds.
And so going in there, kind ofsaying, oh you're in Dallas for
the weekend, here, five spotsyou should visit while you're
(10:08):
here and get a visual of what itlooks like in there, the
atmosphere, what we order, um,just quick and fun, and put some
fun music behind it.
So that's been fun as well as,um, like I said, capitalizing on
our customer wins.
So, um, it's as my role hasevolved, um and more people have
bought into this social mediaworld.
(10:31):
Um, now, the various employeeshave been key that our divisions
will communicate to me.
Their customers have one.
So I got two articles sent tome yesterday.
Uh, one of our barbecue joints.
Um, they were voted as best newchefs I think is what it was.
And then we had a fewrestaurants that our customers
across our various markets werevoted named top new restaurants
(10:54):
in the South on Yelp.
So getting those communicatedto me so I can push those out
and support those customers fromour Benny Keith account has
been.
It's been really fun.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
That is really fun because I mean the goal is I
mean I know we don't want toadmit it- but we all want to be
famous, I mean like to have youknow such a great company like
Benny Keith like promote you andget behind you.
And I mean it's just, I meanthat's amazing, I mean that's
got to make the customers feelit's it's fun to get behind you.
And I mean it's just, I meanthat's amazing, I mean that's
got to make the customers feel.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It's, it's fun to get those notes, um, because, like
I said before, you know we are,our culture is about being a
true partner to our customers.
We're not just going to show upwith a truck, um, and deliver
your groceries, and so if I cansupport that through our social
media, then I'm doing somethingright and helping shine light to
(11:48):
our customers.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
I love that and I can attest as a vendor and I've
probably said it on otherpodcasts that Benny Heath is so
good to their vendors and theirculture.
I mean just shines througheveryone.
So I love that.
That is getting you know,pushed through at the end user
level.
So tell me, how are you keepingahead of the trends?
(12:11):
Because social media you knowas well as professionally, so I
am constantly trying to stayplugged in um and scrolling when
I need to.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
I scroll on my personal pages, but I also
scroll from our Betty Keithpages um to stay locked into
what's going on in the foodservice world, so that I'm not
missing um by just keeping oneor the other, as well as I try
and stay in and tripping up overmy words but stay in track with
(12:50):
.
We as a team are really goodabout sending articles, sending
what's new, sending, like I saidhere, this customer success.
So just communicating that tothroughout the team and
throughout our marketing team.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
So that's awesome.
So what do you personally lovemost about your job?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I love the people.
Um, I am such a people person.
I love getting to meet um allof our customers um getting to
meet people from all of ourdivisions we are and we have 10
different distribution centersand we deliver to 20 different
states I think it was the lasttime I checked.
So getting to meet people allacross our footprint, whether
(13:38):
they work at Vinny Keith,whether it's our vendors,
whether it's our customers.
It's been fun now with foodshows after a year of doing them
and walking through andrecognizing people and just
getting to walk around and hugon people and all that that's
been.
My favorite part is reallygetting to meet um a lot of
people.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
It's exciting too to see Benny Keith with the intern
program and then just bringingnew fresh blood, because I think
that is the biggest challengein our industry yeah, that's how
I got my foot in the door withBen and Keith.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I interned with them when I was.
It was the summer before mysenior year of college and I
really didn't know anythingabout the industry before that.
I didn't really think much intowhere my food was coming from
when I went to go out to eat,and so the intern program is
really cool because you get tospend time in all the
(14:33):
departments.
So we spend time with thedrivers delivering groceries to
our customers and getting to seea day in their life.
We spent time in sales andseeing their relationship with
their customers and howdifferent a lot of sales reps go
about their business, spendingtime in purchasing and working
with the vendors and marketingin the warehouse, and so I think
(14:54):
it's interesting that you get aperspective of the food service
industry as a whole and thatway, like I said, I knew nothing
and so I started in purchasingbefore I moved over into
marketing, and having thatexperience and getting to see a
big picture has helped so muchin my job now and how I've
evolved in my career at BennyKeith and, like I said, it's
(15:18):
great that they're bringing infresh perspectives and really
listen to us.
I mean, it's now I'm runningour social media and I've just
saw this last group of summerinterns come through and some of
their ideas are coming to lifeand getting to see that
progression is really, reallycool that's.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I keep saying it, but that's just awesome.
You know that they're listeningand that you know, as a young
person, you have a voice andlike a very large corporation
and that's one thing that isgreat about Benny Keith is that
even though y'all are a billiondollar company, you know you're
heard and it's still.
It still has that family feeland, um, treating other, you
(16:03):
know, treating everybody on theteam with respect.
So I that's yeah, that'samazing that they're able to to.
You know, keep, keep thatintact.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So okay, so I've picked your brain on lots of
things, but I'm going to wrapthis up.
So what is your confessiontoday?
Speaker 2 (16:23):
My confession um, and this might not be that exciting
, but I eat breakfast for dinnerprobably three times a week,
working in the food world.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
So, okay, I have to ask what is your favorite
breakfast?
Oh, just eggs and bacon.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Eggs and bacon Very simple girl, Gotta have your
bacon.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Yeah, do you get to do a lot of tastings.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yes.
Yes probably too much.
There's always, I would say,working at Benny Keith and being
in this world, there's alwayssomething new coming along
something to try.
It's fun whenever you like.
We would ride with the salesreps or ride with the drivers,
and customers want you to tastetheir food, and so that's really
fun, trying things thatprobably I wouldn't have thought
(17:09):
to try in the past.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
so that's it.
That's amazing.
So, um, I just love thisbecause even if you're not in
marketing or if you, I'm sorry,not in food service, if you're
not in food service, I thinkthis podcast can be for any
translate, for anyone.
Yeah, because you know whatcaroline has done is she has
(17:32):
come in, you know, with fresheyes and understood the company
and it's such, not not just likewhat are our values, but really
dug into the company and reallyunderstood what they do, you
know on the operation side, andwhat they you know, and what the
customers you know, having thatcustomer engagement and that
(17:53):
full circle.
I know I did that, as you know,in my entry to food service and
it changed everything.
It changes your perspective andcause you think about all the
you know, you think about all ofthose and I think that has made
you, I mean, very successfuland so you are such a bright
light in our industry.
(18:14):
And I mean, when, when Tracymet you, she's like, oh my gosh,
you got to meet Caroline.
She's, you're going to beobsessed with her and I mean,
and I kind of am so fan girl so,but I'm just, I'm really
thankful you came on today andso.
But I'm just really thankful youcame on today and I mean I'm
just really excited to see whatyou're going to do.
(18:35):
And I think it's cool becauseusually when somebody starts
something, you know, I mean itreally makes an impact, not just
on you know where you're, youknow at Benny Keith, but beyond,
because it helps, like you said.
Like it just it starts thisrolling ball and you just got to
.
You can't be scared to takechances, yeah, and you just have
(18:56):
to put yourself out there.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
So thank you so much for coming on today, thank you
for having me.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
This was so fun.
I can't wait to have you again.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Awesome.
Well, check out Caroline Weberon Benny Keith Benny.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Keith.
Follow us, Benny Keith Foods,on Facebook, Instagram and
LinkedIn.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Yeah, Check her out.
Have a good day, guys.
For more inspiration, followour social media at W3Sales,
Please like, comment andsubscribe.
You know all the things wewould love to connect with you.
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