Welcome to Farm to Fork: The Innovators. Today’s guest is Arah Tan, the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics at OTG Management—a leading foodservice company operating in high-traffic venues like LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Airports.

In this episode, we dig into the unique challenges of airport food operations. Arah shares how OTG navigates complex logistics, vendor contracts, and the unpredictable nature of disruptions—from hurricanes to global pandemics. She brings a unique lens as someone who started in restaurant operations and climbed into supply chain leadership, making this conversation especially insightful for those curious about the intersection of hospitality, logistics, and innovation in constrained environments.

Host and Guest Social Media Links:

David Maloni’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmaloni/

Arah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arahtan/

Timestamps

00:00:00

00:01:17 – David introduces the podcast and Arah’s role at OTG
00:02:09 – Overview of OTG’s operations and Arah’s responsibilities
00:04:13 – How OTG operates both national and proprietary food brands in airports
00:07:14 – Security and logistical barriers to airport food supply
00:09:09 – Arah’s career journey and how she got into supply chain
00:13:05 – The COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point in supply chain strategy
00:16:20 – Complexity of managing supplier relationships across locations
00:20:07 – Leveraging vendor flexibility while meeting brand requirements
00:22:07 – Impact of airport type and seasonality on supply chain demands
00:25:21 – Economic conditions and their effect on travel and food sales
00:27:08 – Preparing for disruptions and maintaining resiliency
00:30:13 – Operations experience informs better supply chain decisions
00:33:01 – Importance of food safety and proper packaging in airport delivery
00:34:09 – Arah’s vision for technology and transparency in the next decade
00:36:05 – Sourcing locally and partnering with community vendors
00:37:00 – Arah’s pick for best airport food: Bobby’s at LaGuardia

00:39:23 – Reflections on motherhood’s role in shaping leadership

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