CIO Leadership Live: How Edward Don & Co. Uses AI to Transform Food Service

Date: January 21, 2026
Guest: Tim Walter, CIO at Edward Don & Co.
Host: Lucas Marion, Computer World Magazine

Episode Overview

This episode features Tim Walter, CIO of Edward Don & Co., discussing how the company harnesses AI and digital tools to revolutionize the food service equipment supply chain. The conversation spans AI use cases from e-commerce and logistics to bidding, kitchen design, supply chain forecasting, organizational change, cybersecurity, and the evolving IT talent landscape—offering a candid look at the challenges and opportunities in modernizing a traditional industry.

Key Discussion Points

1. Leveraging Digital Tools & AI to Enhance Customer Experience

[00:44–01:50]

• Edward Don & Co. is moving customers towards an e-commerce-first experience, with 65% of orders now coming through their digital platform.

• AI-driven order tracking offers restaurants Amazon-like transparency on deliveries, crucial for lean-operations environments where staff need to prep for incoming shipments.

• Early AI integration includes reporting, upselling (e.g., “What haven’t you bought in a while?”), and suggesting ancillary or replacement products, tailored to menu and operational changes.

  "Restaurants run on very lean margins... We all live with this in Amazon, we all get excited when our packages are on the way. We have our own trucks, so we're telling people, 'Hey, our truck's on the way.'"
  — Tim Walter [00:53]

2. AI Applications in Quoting, RFPs, and Kitchen Design

[01:50–03:33]

• AI aids in managing large-scale RFPs ("requests for proposal") and inventory/color matching for large clients like cruise ships.

• The company is piloting AI-powered kitchen blueprint design: optimizing layout, plumbing, and flow to improve restaurant efficiency.

  "We're using AI in a virtual sense to help [clients] look at how your kitchen flow is going to be... Maybe this kitchen's smaller than your typical location. How can we help you?"
  — Tim Walter [02:18]

3. Award-Winning RFP Automation Project

[03:34–05:20]

• A flagship project automates matching product lists from customers or competitor quotes to Edward Don’s equivalent items.

• Previously, aligning a 1,600-line RFP took 5–6 weeks; with AI, initial matches are 85% accurate within 20 minutes, and the process finalizes in 4–5 days.

  "Now, using AI, we're able to put it through our engine... about 85% of the time correct in 20 minutes. Then we're using humans over the next three to four days to make sure we're getting you the best price."
  — Tim Walter [04:36]

4. Demand Forecasting and Supply Chain Optimization

[05:20–06:33]

• AI identifies regional demand trends (affected by weather, regional practices), helping the company and its clients adapt menus and inventory allocations.

• Early warnings on shifts in tariffs or demand patterns add resilience to supply chain planning.

  "You might see the weather make a change, so then our system says, 'Well, you need different products, different amount of product.' So in the south, if it's still hot and sunny, but in the north, it's starting to turn fall, we might change the menu."
  — Tim Walter [05:45]

5. Data Quality and Consistency

[06:49–07:14]

• Data integrity is managed via SAP systems and strict controls around data entry, minimizing errors and supporting robust automation.

  "Garbage in, garbage out... So it really is about making sure that you can only enter the correct data."
  — Tim Walter [06:58]

6. Navigating the Skills Gap & Building IT Teams

[07:14–09:58]

• The primary challenge is balancing legacy system knowledge with new technology fluency.

• Edward Don uses strategic partners to bridge talent gaps while developing in-house capabilities.

• Company culture values motivation, loyalty, and a drive for continuous improvement over just technical skills.

• Flexibility, such as remote work, helps attract the needed talent nationwide.

  "I can teach skills. We can all learn skills, but it's really the motivation of a person. Why does a person stay loyal to a company? Because they feel that the company is part of them and they're part of that company."
  — Tim Walter [09:03]

7. Company Growth & Future Outlook

[10:04–10:43]

• Edward Don & Co. is expanding into Canada and was recently acquired by Sysco Foods, opening new markets and opportunities for synergy.

• Fast growth and adapting to new, large-scale customers are top priorities, with a continuing focus on high service levels and logistics efficiency.

  "We're moving into Canada, so that's really going to expand our abilities... We recently got purchased by Sysco Foods, which opens a lot of doors for us."
  — Tim Walter [10:04]

8. Cybersecurity Awareness in Non-Tech Environments

[11:05–11:51]

• Cybersecurity is approached through awareness, protection, and recovery.

• Regular weekly training—including for front-line warehouse and field staff—fosters a security-conscious culture.

• Emphasis on a mindset of thoughtful vigilance and questioning unusual requests or behaviors.

  "It's really getting a mindset that everybody pauses: Is this really something that I should be doing?... Wait, this looks a little funny. Maybe I should ask before I jump."
  — Tim Walter [11:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI transforming RFP processing:
  "It went from five to six weeks... Now, using AI, we're able to put it through our engine... about 85% of the time correct in 20 minutes."
  — Tim Walter [04:36]

• On culture and longevity at Edward Don & Co.:
  "Our longest employee was 77 years. Our average employee in IT is 23 years. So we have a lot of people who stay and are loyal to the company."
  — Tim Walter [08:40]

• On combining old and new tech experience:
  "Our biggest challenge is finding people that have some of that older knowledge, but also some of the newer innovations."
  — Tim Walter [07:33]

• On practical AI deployment:
  "A lot of AI projects have failed... We want to make sure we're going to do the right thing. And when we bring those people on board, they're here for a long time."
  — Tim Walter [08:25]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---|---| | 00:44 | Leveraging AI for Customer Experience & E-commerce | | 01:43 | AI in Inventory, Upselling, and Kitchen Design | | 03:33 | Award-Winning RFP Automation Project | | 05:20 | AI Forecasting Demand & Supply Chain Optimization | | 06:49 | Ensuring Data Quality with SAP | | 07:14 | Addressing the IT Skills Gap & Building Culture | | 10:04 | Company Growth and Sysco Acquisition | | 11:05 | Cybersecurity Awareness Across All Departments |

Conclusion

This episode offers a comprehensive look at how Edward Don & Co. merges technology, tradition, and company culture to innovate in food service supply and distribution. From AI automating complex sales and supply chain processes to strategies for team building and cybersecurity, Tim Walter's insights reveal both the practical realities and big-picture transformation in this evolving industry.