Beyond The Buy Podcast

The first season of Beyond the Buy is wrapping up with a rebroadcast of a previous episode with Josh Sosland of Sosland Publishing. With the annual Milling & Baking Purchasing Seminar just a couple of months away (June 9-11 in Chicago), get ready for some great information and networking.

In the last of our 4-part series on the Pillars of a Commodity Sourcing Program, we dive into market outlook and strategy analysis. You have to know how things are working, as well as what you expect the market to do. Even if these often get more attention than some of the other pillars, they round out a well-run purchasing organization.

Part 3 of the 4-part series of the Pillars of a Commodity Sourcing Program is focused on tool and cash utilization for the purchasing group as well as the business as a whole. Here is where Matt and Alex really dive into all the possible hedging strategies and choices, going from simple to complex. They then discuss the cash impact to the business.

Part 2 of the 4-part series on the Pillars of a Commodity Sourcing Program focuses on personnel and controls.

The kickoff episode of a 4-part series on what makes a top-of-the-line commodity sourcing program. Matt and Alex will dive into key categories that they use to help organizations identify areas for growth and improvement. Part I will look at business integration and policy.

Julia Hofmeister of Mercaris joins the podcast to discuss the helpful data solutions that her company is providing an under-served market. Organic and non-GMO products have been notoriously difficult to source as well as find price data. Mercaris is filling that gap through some great innovation and continues to expand to fill customers' needs.

When managing supply chain for an entire region with the different nuances and challenges that China, Australia, India, and more, Mark Torrens of MARS Petcare has a lot to balance. In his role as the Senior Commercial Manager for Petcare Asia-Pacific, Mark has brought his background in trading in Australia to good use.

Dave Donnan of A.T. Kearney was an early guest on the podcast and a year in, we wanted to revisit some of our past episodes. Dave is great at utilizing social media, specifically LinkedIn, to get his message out and bring a valuable dialogue to professionals in the supply chain and beyond. See Dave's profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnan/

David Brown has seen a lot in his career which has spanned several companies and roles. These include brokerage, CPG, commodity processor, and more. Lately, he's even found himself in an entrepreneurial role. In all of those jobs, Dave has taken pieces that have come together to create a unique perspective on supply chain and how to be successful. Plus, it does not hurt to be ready to take a risk on an opportunity that presents itself.

Bama Pie's CEO Paula Marshall joins the podcast to discuss her approach to partnership. Successes are meant to be shared, and relationships developed with suppliers, team members, and customers in order to find positive outcomes for all.

Beeson & Associates, Inc. founder and president Matt Beeson joins Alex to talk about best buying practices, history in supply chain, and what are some pitfalls to avoid as a buying team.

There is a lot of advice out there for new buyers, but Spendifference's Vice President of Client Solutions Liz Longstreet shared some great insights to her success in the food and commodity supply chain.

For Ford Mennel, grain milling is a family affair. The President of Mennel Milling (one of the largest, family owned milling operations in the U.S.) joins us to talk about the history of the company that goes back five generations to 1886.

Podcast host and Beeson & Associates, Inc.'s own Alex Norton joins to discuss his path to agriculture commodity risk management. He and Matt discuss what makes a good buying team, history of the markets over the last 10 years, and industry trends to look out for.

Former Cracker Barrel Senior VP of Strategic Initiatives Edward Greene saw early on that the best success came by surrounding himself with hard-working people with the right mindset. Working together with shared goals and utilizing the strengths of the individuals elevated the group beyond the sum of its parts.

Susan Grelling of Patterson Companies, Inc. joins to talk about her unique journey through the supply chain and abroad. Susan has found a lot of success in a profession that traditionally has been dominated by men and shares her unique experience and intention for growth and development through the glass ceiling.

Matt Kelly (Senior Manager of Marketing & Retail Procurement) of Columbia Sportswear joins for a discussion on how to think outside of the box for purchasing strategies and the personal growth opportunities that come in unexpected places.

Urner Barry Senior Vice President Russ Whitman joins the Beyond the Buy team to talk about the history of the company, providing timely and accurate price quotes, and delivering the industry with quality news for protein markets.

Our own Philip Beeson joins us to discuss his upcoming trip to Kansas to be a scout on the Wheat Quality Council Hard Red Winter Wheat Crop Tour. Follow scouts along on Twitter using our tool at www.beesoninc.com/wheattour2018

Thomson Reuters ag reporter Michael Hirtzer joins us this episode to discuss the behind the scenes at how critical information is discovered and reported.