Supplier Network Co-Presidents' Letter
Dear Supplier Network,
We‘ve chosen to end our musical salute to 2020 with the message so strongly articulated by Gloria Gaynor, We Will Survive.
This was a message driven home loud and clear by the panelists on our recent
COVID-19 Phase Two Vigilance panel. Each of the panelists (
Alec Leach - Taylor Farms, Ed Sanchez - Lopez/Dorada, Trina Bediako - New Horizon Foods and Ron Dunford - Schreiber,) shared their learnings as the second wave of COVID surged throughout the country in order to assist their fellow Suppliers in their ability to combat the spread of this disease. Very specific ideas were presented that each of our panelists has chosen to implement in their own organizations. They also discussed how these learnings have transformed their companies and that many of these ideas will be carried forward due to the positive impact that they have had. One key learning expressed by all four panelists was that we need to continue to be creative and flexible in our approach to this disease. If you missed this presentation, go to the Events tab on our website to view it in its entirety.
As promised, September featured a virtual
Executive Meet and Greet with Bob Stewart, Corporate Vice President Global Strategic Sourcing Food/Digitization. Bob described his new role at McDonald‘s and graciously answered all of the questions that were submitted. We then presented three separate
Department Spotlights featuring the New Products Supply Team. The first gave us
An Introduction to the New Products Supply Team and in our second spotlight they teamed up with
Culinary to take us thru a
Virtual Innovation and Commercialization process. They again came together for a joint webinar in which they detailed their plan
Setting Us Up for Success in 2021. Other popular events featured
HAVI detailing their
Supply Chain Planning and Visibility Services and
ConnXus providing
Portal Training on B2B Diversity and Diversity Spend Reporting. Again, check out the Events tab to listen to the recordings and view the presentation decks for these webinars.
We recently completed our 2021 Supplier Network Strategic Plan and we have exciting plans to keep you connected, informed and involved. Please let us know how we can improve on this by filling out a brief survey that will be coming out soon so that we can add value to you and your businesses. And back by popular demand, another look at our
5-year anniversary video that includes memories from our Board of Directors, as well as congratulatory notes from several McDonald‘s partners.
We began our letters this year noting, What a long, strange trip it‘s been. We had no idea at that time that COVID-19 would have such a significant and lasting impact on our world. But we persevered and knew that We were ready for this. Years of being part of a Supply Chain servicing the largest QSR in the world trained us to expect the unexpected and to prepare accordingly. Suppliers up and down the chain came forward with ingenious ways to ensure the safety of their people while ensuring supply. And as the treatments evolve and vaccinations become more widely available we know, We will survive.
Stay safe and best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Jan Perrino and Shari Antonissen – Supplier Network Co-Presidents
Jeanne Gannon - Emerita
All members must be current suppliers to the McDonald‘s system in North America. A supplier is defined as those suppliers who have a signed Business Relationship Agreement with McDonald‘s, and who have been approved by McDonald's to offer products and/or services to the McDonald‘s system or whose pricing is nationally managed by McDonald‘s North American Supply Chain. Other suppliers or service providers who don‘t meet the above definition but would like to participate in the SN may be granted membership at the discretion of the SN‘s Board of Directors and with McDonald‘s approval.
To read archived Letters from the Presidents, click here 
