Grounded

Episode Overview
In this episode of Grounded, Lauren Mitchell sits down with Dustin White to demystify produce pricing, contracts, and quality management in foodservice. From a single case of lettuce to national supply chain strategy, Dustin breaks down how product moves from the field to the restaurant—and where costs, quality risks, and pricing volatility come into play.
Dustin White is part of the Fresh Division at Buyers Edge Platform, where he helps operators understand pricing transparency, contract structures, and supply chain optimization.
This episode is a masterclass for anyone new to purchasing—or anyone who wants more control, clarity, and confidence in their produce program.

5 Key Takeaways
  1. Know the full path of your product. From the field to inbound freight to distributor slotting and final mile delivery, every step adds cost—and potential quality risk.
  2. Storage matters more than you think. “Cooler geography” can directly impact yields and shelf life (and yes, tomatoes don’t belong in the cooler).
  3. Contracts aren’t always fully fixed. A fixed-with-trigger contract provides protection during volatile markets while still offering pricing discipline and supply security.
  4. Volume drives leverage. Label selection, distributor relationships, and buying power all impact turn rates, freshness, and fill rates.
  5. Transparency is everything. Operators should demand clear breakouts of FOB, freight, markup, and contract triggers—visibility is the first step to true cost control.
Quote of the Episode
“You can't treat produce the same way that you treat napkins.”
 — Dustin White, Fresh Division, Buyers Edge Platform
Connect with the Guest(s)
  • Dustin White — Fresh Division, Buyers Edge Platform
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-a-white/
    Website: https://buyersedgeplatform.com/fresh/
🎧 Ways to Tune In
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Creators and Guests

Host
Lauren Mitchell
Lauren Mitchell is the Director of National Accounts and Custom Distribution at Produce Alliance, LLC. She is a dedicated fresh produce spend & spec maximizer for multi-unit national restaurant chains & groups. She gets to know your brand and infuses your expectation for quality, consistency and transparency to create more reliability in your produce category.

What is Grounded?

Join us as we engage with top tier producers in the foodservice industry to hear their perspective from all links throughout the supply chain. Here, we discuss brand development, company culture, global supply chain strategy, culinary innovation and leadership from folks who founded, operate or manage multi-unit restaurant chains. Each show is tailored around the guest to dig deep into their unique journey and how it shapes their current procurement strategy in order to aggregate the best insights toward the future of foodservice.