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Distributor US Foods wants to put its own items on the menu, CEO says

The company is one of the largest food service suppliers in the country. But to stand out in a competitive field, it’s coming up with recipes, too.

"Logistics is a very important part of what we do," US Foods CEO Pietro Satriano says. "We have 6,000 trucks on the road."
"Logistics is a very important part of what we do," US Foods CEO Pietro Satriano says. "We have 6,000 trucks on the road."
Courtesy of US Foods

If you’re eating out, there’s a decent chance something on your plate will have come from US Foods. It’s one of the largest food service distribution companies in the country, supplying restaurants, schools, hospitals — just about anywhere that’s not your home.

But the food supplier industry is competitive, and according to CEO Pietro Satriano, US Foods wants to stand out by making and selling its own premium products, not just provide the raw foodstuff.

“A few years ago, we launched a Hollandaise sauce,” Satriano told host Kai Ryssdal. “It’s a very finicky product. And we have a product that is all-natural, clean ingredients and just allows the restaurant to save a little bit of time and focus on what’s going to make them famous, which is the rest of the recipe, the rest of the dish.”

Click the audio player above to hear the interview.

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