2020 was a challenging year for many industries, and within the food industry, the food service and restaurant segment has been impacted significantly. It had been projected that we would see a CAGR of 3.7% in the food service segment during the forecast period 2020-2025, yet we have seen an average decline of over 25% in 2020 alone. Food service businesses around the world confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing them to adjust to a new business environment and adhere to social distancing guidelines. These businesses adopted innovative new products and business practices, resulting in a new wave of restaurant trends. With more vaccine availability in 2021, it will still take a while for the food service industry get back to their forecast growth, or will the patterns of growth and innovation be completely different?
About the Panelists:
Armetha Pihlstrom is a multi-faceted entrepreneur based out of Minneapolis, MN. She is making enormous contributions to the plant-based food industry through innovative strategies and her generational thoughtprovoking leadership approach. Her clients and partners know her to be a dynamic and savvy businesswoman that
successfully manages multi-disciplinary teams spanning across the U.S to consistently deliver value.
Her growth sales accomplishments are well vetted with over 15+ years of food service industry knowledge and expertise within startups. She is a trusted advisor in every interaction and a fearless visionary in the food industry.
Her involvement in plant-based businesses is rooted in the need to make positive change for her family, her community and our environment.
Armetha is the Owner, Founder, and Chairwoman of The Board at Pihlstrom Consulting Group; National Account Manager at Impossible Foods; and Strategic Business Development Officer at Taste A Vision. She has a Masters in Human Resources Development & Organizational Change Management from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and a BSB in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management. She is affiliated with Women’s Foodservice Forum, Odyssey Media, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a 2021 Plant Based Foods Association Board Member.
Bruce Perkin is the principal scientist and operator of Robust Food Solutions LLC, a food science-based consultancy that has operated since 2017, providing strategic advice and hands on support to food businesses in the areas of quality systems and food safety, innovation, product development, and organizational design.
Across 2016, Bruce was the Chief Strategy Officer for Actionable Quality Assurance (AQA) where he led the design and commercialization of software specifically designed for restaurant companies to enable their Quality Assurance and Food Safety processes to be more efficient and effective.
Prior to joining AQA, Bruce was the Chief Research and Development Officer at Pizza...
2020 was a challenging year for many industries, and within the food industry, the food service and restaurant segment has been impacted significantly. It had been projected that we would see a CAGR of 3.7% in the food service segment during the forecast period 2020-2025, yet we have seen an average decline of over 25% in 2020 alone. Food service businesses around the world confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing them to adjust to a new business environment and adhere to social distancing guidelines. These businesses adopted innovative new products and business practices, resulting in a new wave of restaurant trends. With more vaccine availability in 2021, it will still take a while for the food service industry get back to their forecast growth, or will the patterns of growth and innovation be completely different?
About the Panelists:
Armetha Pihlstrom is a multi-faceted entrepreneur based out of Minneapolis, MN. She is making enormous contributions to the plant-based food industry through innovative strategies and her generational thoughtprovoking leadership approach. Her clients and partners know her to be a dynamic and savvy businesswoman that
successfully manages multi-disciplinary teams spanning across the U.S to consistently deliver value.
Her growth sales accomplishments are well vetted with over 15+ years of food service industry knowledge and expertise within startups. She is a trusted advisor in every interaction and a fearless visionary in the food industry.
Her involvement in plant-based businesses is rooted in the need to make positive change for her family, her community and our environment.
Armetha is the Owner, Founder, and Chairwoman of The Board at Pihlstrom Consulting Group; National Account Manager at Impossible Foods; and Strategic Business Development Officer at Taste A Vision. She has a Masters in Human Resources Development & Organizational Change Management from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and a BSB in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management. She is affiliated with Women’s Foodservice Forum, Odyssey Media, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a 2021 Plant Based Foods Association Board Member.
Bruce Perkin is the principal scientist and operator of Robust Food Solutions LLC, a food science-based consultancy that has operated since 2017, providing strategic advice and hands on support to food businesses in the areas of quality systems and food safety, innovation, product development, and organizational design.
Across 2016, Bruce was the Chief Strategy Officer for Actionable Quality Assurance (AQA) where he led the design and commercialization of software specifically designed for restaurant companies to enable their Quality Assurance and Food Safety processes to be more efficient and effective.
Prior to joining AQA, Bruce was the Chief Research and Development Officer at Pizza Hut, a division of Yum! Brands, where he led the Innovation, Quality, Food Safety and Engineering teams, and was also a Board member of the Purchasing Co-Op.
Before joining Yum! Brands in 2005, Bruce served in various innovation and leadership roles with Master Foods, a division of Mars, in Australia, and served in Innovation and QA management roles at HJ Heinz (Australia).
Bruce is a Certified Food Scientist, a Certified HACCP practitioner, and is a Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence through the American Society for Quality. He is also a Preventative Controls Qualified Individual under the FSMA regulations. He has completed Food Defense training through the FDA
and the FSPCA. Bruce is a past Chairperson of the Dallas /Fort Worth chapter of IFT, and also a past Chair of the Food Service Division of IFT. In addition, Bruce is a part time Adjunct Professor at Texas Womens University teaching NPD, Food Science and Food Safety to Culinology students.
Bruce earned his B.Sc. from the University of Melbourne, undertaking a triple major in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and organic chemistry, and subsequently completed a Post Graduate Diploma of Clinical Nutrition.
Moderator:
Casell Randle is a trusted advisor in the Food & Beverage Industry with 17 years of commodity
market and value-added sales experience. He is based in North Little Rock, AR and currently works for Tate & Lyle as a National Account Manager. At Tate & Lyle Casell drives the category growth
strategy for Natural Sweeteners & Calorie reduction solutions in the Beverage and Confection
channel. He has a successful track record in developing and cultivating deep relationships with
internal and external partners, contract negotiation, product development, and P&L management.
Casell is a founding member of Tate & Lyles Black Employee Network (B.E.N.) and he serves as the
Community Outreach Chair. He currently seats on the Chicago H.S. for Ag Sciences Advisory Board
and the board for Compassion Works for All (CWFA), a non-profit that offers healing tools for
disenfranchised and people in prison. In January of 2021, he was award Tate & Lyle 2020 Team
Heroes Award.
Casell is a proud father and husband who enjoys cooking, listening to music, eating cookies :) , and
traveling. Casell graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness/a Minor in Food Science and has a Master’s degree from The University of Arkansas in International Agriculture Economics.
