Layla Taha Ripit (21:05)

Hey Scott, how are you?

Scott Lewton (21:07)

How are you doing?

Layla Taha Ripit (21:08)

I'm great. Thank you for having us. This is awesome.

Scott Lewton (21:11)

Well, you know, right, right. When we connected this earlier today, the whole excitement factor, I mean we need to tap in, we need to connect you to the local power grid and we power the 50 states, you know, from start to finish. So great to have you here with us today, Laila. Now, little fun, warm up question.

Layla Taha Ripit (21:30)

Yeah.

Scott Lewton (21:30)

Right now we're both food lovers and we're kindred spirits. A number of different levels but yesterday, August 20 was national bacon Lovers Day. Now, I want to ask you, I've got a couple of guesses on my end, but what is one of your favorite dishes with bacon, Layla?

Layla Taha Ripit (21:45)

So I am in love with our million dollar bacon. So imagine it, it's got cayenne pepper in it and it has maple syrup on it and it is cooked to perfection and you want to have it. So if you haven't tried it, come in. It is, it is so good.

Scott Lewton (22:04)

Oh, I love what you know. I stole a picture from your site early. This is the, this is a Monterey Club and of course bacon's on it. Delicious turkey, but you got me at the sourdough bread and I'm sure those tomatoes are, are fresh and ready to go. So I'm gonna have to join my local First Watch and take in this Monterey Club, huh?

Layla Taha Ripit (22:24)

That's awesome. Please do. We'd love to have you come in and try it.

Scott Lewton (22:28)

All right, so folks, as we continue on with Layla, we'd love to get your favorite bacon dishes, whether it's a popular one or maybe something that's one off and especially to you and your family. All right, so Layla, for our audience here, they don't have the benefit of, of of our pre show and, and our homework we did on you and your background for perspective and context. Share a little bit information about your background, Leila.

Layla Taha Ripit (22:51)

Sure. So I'm first generation American, Lebanese from Detroit. And I started out, my family had grocery stores and bars, so I didn't veer too far away from food service. It is an area that I love and have a strong passion for. So my career has taken me from working in operations to working in supply chain. And about seven years ago I had the privilege and I was really excited for this offer to come through to join First Watch. So we're doing things non traditional here for supply chain. Love to share that with you as well, but First Watch is my love. I'm here and we're having a lot of fun.

Scott Lewton (23:36)

I believe it. We can tell it, we see it. Before my quick follow up question, Josh says bacon wrapped Dutch oven chicken with chives and cream cheese.

Layla Taha Ripit (23:45)

Man, I could get into that. Josh.

Scott Lewton (23:48)

I could too. All right, so really quick question before we move on. So you grew up in Detroit, but now you're in Sarasota, right? So any sports allegiances that you might can share with us, Layla?

Layla Taha Ripit (24:00)

Oh, you won't believe this, but every now and then I'm still watching Detroit Tigers. You know, you have to, you're here. What I do. So that's my allegiance.

Scott Lewton (24:11)

Love it. And I think. I think Miguel Cabrera is wrapping up a Hall of Fame career this year, if I'm not mistaken, with the Tigers. As an Atlanta Braves fan, we watched him kill us in the early days of his career with the Florida Marlins. All right. See, we say bacon. Will's like bacon with literally anything. Will, me and you are probably cousins. Second cousins, maybe. I'll agree with you. All right. So, Layla, as we discovered in the pre show, which I figured, we are big believers and really lovers of the people that make up the restaurant industry. You've been, as you mentioned, in the industry for quite some time. What is one thing that folks don't know or maybe they underestimate about supply chain management in the restaurant industry?

Layla Taha Ripit (24:56)

I think that for us, it's having a lens on operations and how important that is, but that you have collaboration across every single department, whether it's it or marketing or anything that's happening, even with construction, on how buildings are built and all of these pieces that come together. So for me, if I could send one message out to my peers, it's the importance of collaboration, how you move your business faster by doing that.

Scott Lewton (25:26)

Absolutely.

Layla Taha Ripit (25:27)

Yeah.

Scott Lewton (25:27)

And, you know, I would submit to you that I think collaboration has. Has really meant and been cliche for a long time. And then the pandemic hits, and then we're reevaluating how important these relationships are, especially those outside the four walls, so to speak, and that the term collaboration all of a sudden was reinvented with a lot, I think, a lot more practicality. Would you subscribe to that, too, Layla?

Layla Taha Ripit (25:52)

I would. Although it's kind of unique here. I want to tell you a little story, if you wouldn't mind, Scott, just so I can share with you how we work a little different here, and that's that culinary and supply chain are tied together. We do no sourcing for culinary. Culinary does all the sourcing. Now, that doesn't mean that Chef Shane and I don't talk every single day to talk about who are the right suppliers. We should be aligned with who has the right product, all of those things. But by working so collectively, we're able to get to market faster. Think of all that in between, of getting samples in and sending them out and trying to record it and what works and what doesn't, and asking about equipment, all that detail when you have the right person who's going to move the ball forward, and then you support them by coming in to know it's the right Supplier and take care of the logistics and the pricing behind the scenes. Getting the five hours right, you're able just to move the business real fast.

Scott Lewton (26:53)

All right, so I'm going to have. I'm. I got a follow up question on when it comes to successful sourcing with a lot of ingredients. But before that you said the five Rs. Can I ask you, your five Rs may be different than my five Rs. What are they for you?

Layla Taha Ripit (27:06)

Right product, right quality, right place, right time, right price.

Scott Lewton (27:13)

Love it. Okay, man. And you mentioned a chef too. What was that chef's name you talk to every day?

Layla Taha Ripit (27:19)

Chef Shane.

Scott Lewton (27:20)

Chef Shane.

Layla Taha Ripit (27:21)

Please go on our white or on our website and look him up and check out his blog and you'll get a better understanding. It is, it is so cool to work collectively and be able to look at all kinds of dishes and just progress.

Scott Lewton (27:35)

First watch forward, Layla. Absolutely. And Greg makes it points out a really important thing, breaking down the silos. We talked about that a lot here. And really, you were just talking about that as you were talking culinary and supply chains, y' all work together each and every day, right? Yeah.

Layla Taha Ripit (27:52)

And as well as with all other departments. I mean, it is a. That is one of the unique things here and why I was so excited to join first watch is really comes from the top. Right. So our CEO is like that. Right. He really wants us to work collectively, work things together. So whether we're working with marketing, qa, culinary operations, all of our departments are working collectively together and that is key to our success.

Scott Lewton (28:21)

I'm with you.

Layla Taha Ripit (28:22)

It's also part of our culture. Right. When we think of our culture, our culture is built on you first. And so in order to do that, it's that respect with one another and how we, how we continue to grow the business.

Scott Lewton (28:36)

All right, you got three more hours later. We're going to need three more hours a day. So let me back up for a second. We're going to talk about sourcing in just a second. You shared something there that really. Oh, going back to my KitKat story, I was talking on the front end. Now, it's interesting as you were describing, all this collaboration with, with the Nestle story, their supply chain team's successes and real outcomes as they made progress on finding 100 sustainably sourced cocoa in certain parts of the region. Well, that's a win in and of itself. But what makes it even better, as your point, kind of alluding to Layla, is it gives the sales and marketing team outstanding fodder to Bake into how they position the product. Right. And just become such a nice symbiotic relationship that everyone wins.

Layla Taha Ripit (29:23)

I think we spoke about it when in the pre meeting, when I said that as a customer, you are really only as good as the supply chain of your suppliers. Knowing then you've got a players who are out there really moving forward, really thinking about ESG or other areas of how they can innovate and take their business forward really helps us, and we need to be able to do that. So we're looking. When we're evaluating a supplier, understanding their supply chain team is part of the cocktail of determining if you're going to work with someone or not.

Scott Lewton (30:02)

Layla, I love that. All right, so getting back to the gauntlet, I bet that Chef Shane, probably the rest of your team has thrown down that's sourcing fresh, delicious products. Critical priority for first watch. Not going to compromise.

Layla Taha Ripit (30:17)

Right.

Scott Lewton (30:17)

If you could share what's a couple of best practices, especially as it relates to the ingredients that your team has developed when it comes to successful sourcing.

Layla Taha Ripit (30:27)

Right. So for us, watching and having fresh produce in our restaurants is everything. We're juicing all day long. So we're bringing in, you know, fresh beets and fresh English cucumbers, fresh kale. Everything that we bring in, we're sending through the juicer, and that's really important. So today we're watching what's going on with the weather in California, Hurricane Hillary. To understand how that's going to impact us all. That leads to our mantra of what we do called follow the sun. So if you go on our website or you talk to any of our folks in our restaurant, you will hear us. Or if you came and saw us here, we would talk about following the sun, using the freshest, best quality. When mother nature tells us it's ready, man.

Scott Lewton (31:19)

Okay. Following the sun. And it's not, as we like to talk around here, Layla, we don't know lip service, leadership allowed deeds, not words. All in the action. And it sounds like to me, Layla, what I'm gathering from my due diligence and in our conversations, that you mean what you say and you do what you say, huh?

Layla Taha Ripit (31:38)

We do. We really do. And we try and do that on everything and be really thoughtful about it. It's so important that we tell a story and we serve good quality, Right? Quality and culture go together. For me, when I think about that, you know, serving quality and your culture together, those are the winning ingredients.

Scott Lewton (32:00)

Yes, absolutely. And I see that as I share with you. Pre show, I'VE been in several First Watch restaurants around Atlanta. But as much as I see it there, I see it in other other retail and food environments. You can tell when the team is bought in to what they're doing there. It just makes all the food taste better. So I love what you're describing there. And Victor loves those five R's and follow the sun. Now. I'm with you, Victor.

Layla Taha Ripit (32:26)

Thank you.

Scott Lewton (32:27)

All right, so let's go broader a little bit here. Right. We're kind of talking about in a tactical ingredient level when it comes to sourcing. But generally speaking, I would argue, as been illustrated once again in recent years, if not a million times in recent years, building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with your suppliers. Extremely important in global supply chain. You need them on the good days, you need them on the bad days, and all points in between as you survey that and what you're leading and contributing to. Now with First Watch, what's a couple of core elements that are really critical to your approach when it comes to building those relationship with suppliers?

Layla Taha Ripit (33:06)

So for us, it's being transparent with a supplier. I don't know if your audience knows this, but I want to share that. We run five limited time offers a year, so every 10 weeks, our menu is changing. So imagine sitting down with a supplier saying, do you want to work with us for 10 weeks? We're probably never going to talk to each other again. That's kind of a hard sell at a hard buy. But that's what we do. So that's important. Right, because it helps us to set something new for our consumer. And we. What we do that I think is unique is that we set a proving ground in Tampa, where a year in advance at the same time of the year that LTO is running. Today happens to be the start for our national fall lto. But if you were in Tampa, you would see what we're going to run in fall next year.

Scott Lewton (34:00)

Okay.

Layla Taha Ripit (34:00)

That allows us think about your automotive speakers who have come in and that audience and how they have proving ground. We do that as well. And it is an unusual thing and a unique thing to first watch restaurants.

Scott Lewton (34:16)

Man, I love that. So down in Tampa, you've got the Skunk Works, the proving grounds. Proving grounds as you have these conversations and vet these suppliers and really get to know their supply chain chops, as you put it earlier.

Layla Taha Ripit (34:30)

Yeah.

Scott Lewton (34:31)

You're like, come on in and prove it.

Layla Taha Ripit (34:33)

Yeah.

Scott Lewton (34:33)

And they come down to Tampa and if they make it, they'll be worked into the schedule about this time next year. Is that about right, Layla?

Layla Taha Ripit (34:40)

That's exactly right. We are running to see how does it work? Do we have the supply? Does it work on the equipment? How easy is it for operations? Can we get it through our last mile, all the way to the back door? All of those tactical points are worked through, including as we're building more restaurants. How much more do we need? Because we follow the sun, because everything's fresh. We have to know supply and demand matters here at First Wash so we can get in front of it. I mean, there's only one season to go, you know, fishing for salmon as an example.

Scott Lewton (35:18)

All right, so, Layla, one. One initiative I in particular I wanted to ask you about is this Project Sunrise, sourcing coffee beans down in Colombia, South America. Tell us more about that.

Layla Taha Ripit (35:31)

Okay, so that was pretty exciting. About seven years ago now, we started working with the women growers in Colombia, specifically in the Wheeler region of Colombia. And now over 50% of our coffee, if not more, is coming from women growers. 100% of the coffee is all coming from that region. But every year, as the women can take on more, we give them more, and we continue to mushroom that out. It's. It's important to us, it's important to them. And this gets back to some of the pillars that we believe in in supply chain and building long standing relationships. We want to go there, we want to see them, we want to see their children, we want to see their children progress as future generations. Education, all these things that matter. It's who we are. And it leads back to you. First, again, the culture. So we, you know, we pay a premium to the communities, to the women communities there for them to grow the best coffee. And, you know, most people would look at that and say, wow, you know, usually a supply chain, it's all about cutting the pennies. I never want my team to think in that fashion. I want us to think about growing the business, growing quality, growing sales, all of those things. So, you know, I'm really quite pleased and thankful that our leadership team as well is engaged in this program.

Scott Lewton (37:03)

Layla, I'm with you. And, and you know, so much comes to my mind as you shared that one of the things is, I think traditionally, like old fashioned folks look at supply chain where they can save a buck. But what you're describing is truly forward looking. Hey, here's how we do supply chain. Here's how we lead supply chains now and then secondly, man, y' all are changing lives down in Columbia. What we need to do, Layla, is next time you join us, let's bring one of those coffee bean entrepreneurs and farmers and let's, let's, let's share their story with our audience. How about that?

Layla Taha Ripit (37:37)

We would love that. We would love that very much. And there are a lot of growers, farmers here in the US that we use and how we're getting our maple syrup out of Vermont from a small little company. We don't even have any restaurants in Vermont. But Vermont's important.

Scott Lewton (37:52)

Not yet, right?

Layla Taha Ripit (37:53)

Not yet.

Scott Lewton (37:53)

Not yet.

Layla Taha Ripit (37:54)

That's right. That's right.

Scott Lewton (37:56)

Hey, really quick as I continue on with Layla, Taha rip it with First Watch, Michelle tuned in from Chicago. Let's I bet you're a fellow Bears fan, maybe. Michelle, great to see you. Gino from North Alabama, Great to see you, Gino. And Layla, one of my favorite guests each and every week. My mom Lilute joins us from Aiken, South Carolina. Hello to you. Love you, Mom. Hello. That's the best. All right, so I'm going to ask you a couple quick final things before we wrap, but one of the things I want to specifically touch on and you kind of alluded to it there as we discovered in the pre show, I think I was sharing with you that I was in the restaurant industry throughout college. I started by bus and tables at a place called Lavecchia's in Columbia, South Carolina, earning my way into being able to wait tables. I never was the best server. I could handle maybe two tables at one time. But but I love the people. And that's really where I want to ask you about Layla because whether I was busing tables, bartending, waiting tables, the people that make up the restaurant industry, front of the house, back of the house, suppliers, you name it, they're just some of the best people I ever rubbed elbows with. And really you talk about how we like to celebrate the human factor. Yeah, man. It's still to this day if you don't tip somebody, well, I got to put you on my bad list. I just can't, you know, I got to But Layla, speak if you would before we start wrapping here, your view on the on the people that make up the restaurant industry.

Layla Taha Ripit (39:24)

So I'm so glad that you asked about that because I think that we are a unique group of individuals. One of the things we do is we do a coach, teach, train session here called Farm, which is First Watch Academy of Restaurant Managers. We bring people in for a full week and we they are emerged in our culture and what we do. One of the things that I say to these new managers when they're here is that there is an army of people behind you wanting to make you successful in everything you do. And I think as supply chain professionals, we forget about the army of our, our, our suppliers and the logistics folks and the selectors and pickers and everybody, whether it's customer service, the, you know, accounting teams of others, every single person is working towards the same goal. I truly believe that nobody comes to work to do a bad job. Right. And if you think positive about that and how you can help people, but that our teams walk away knowing that there is an army of suppliers who are here happy to be part of First Watch and happy to help us grow. So that's how I think about it.

Scott Lewton (40:39)

I love it. The whole ecosystem, the whole village, the whole community, and we can't leave any of them behind. Right. One of the things I'm kind of picking up is, is you as you. Your personal approach may be part of the, the First Watch approach as well, is, is business has got to be good for everybody. Right?

Layla Taha Ripit (40:57)

Yeah. These are also the people who you want them. They're delivering at your back door. But how about on Sunday them coming in and eating in your restaurants? Coming in the front door. Right?

Scott Lewton (41:07)

Yeah, that's excellent point. All right, so Layla, as much as I hate to do, we gotta start winding things down, but I want to ask you a couple quick questions and I bet this next question, I bet we could fill it up for a couple hours. But any. If you had to think of one more thing in a nutshell of what folks should know about First Watch that may be expanding somewhere near their homes and communities, what would that one thing be?

Layla Taha Ripit (41:30)

That we care and that we are excited to be in the communities and the communities matter to us and come out and see us, meet us and see that we have people from your community working in our restaurants.

Scott Lewton (41:44)

Love that. And I'll tell you, you're the same person in front of the camera, so to speak, as you are behind that. And when you, when you talk about transparency and trust and that consistency that's so important, that really comes my mind. So I want to. You just mentioned how you're. You and the First Watch team, big believers and, and very active in communities. And now you. You lead by example here, Leila. So you and your husband Brian, big supporters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Layla Taha Ripit (42:11)

That's right.

Scott Lewton (42:12)

Why is that important to you? And, and if, if you were to share a way that maybe our listeners can help, what would you share there?

Layla Taha Ripit (42:19)

So there are three family members, including my husband who has multiple sclerosis. And we work every day and he's on the board and I support everything we can do to further research for this disease, early diagnosis and someday a cure. So as you were talking about bicycle riders in the earlier segment, there is an Ms. National bike ride in almost every community. Come on out. Come on out and ride your bike. It's not a race, it's a tour. It's no race, it's a tour. And yeah, yeah, you know, come on out. And every penny that you work towards and help to bring goes to research. And not many organizations can say that. So I thank you so much for giving me this moment to share that. That's just so thoughtful of you. So thank you, Scott.

Scott Lewton (43:14)

Hey Layla. We try being really active and doing good is really important to our culture and DNA. It's in our bones here. And I really appreciate your steadfast you and Brian's steadfast commitment to leading by example and making an impact. So folks, check out the bike race in your community. I love what Layla said there. It's not a race. It's what you say. It's not a race. There are some life transferable elements to that perspective. I really love that. All right, so I bet we have created a bunch of new Layla Taha RIP it fans out there across our audience. And if folks, how would you invite them to learn more about you or first watch two ways.

Layla Taha Ripit (43:59)

One, hook up with me on LinkedIn. I welcome everyone. I'm a big believer in supply chain. You are all puzzle makers and it is important to connect and I love that. And the second way it's supply chain@first watch.com. don't be shy. Reach out to us supply chain first watch dot com.

Scott Lewton (44:20)

Okay, wonderful. So folks, if you want to take a tour on that proven ground down at Tampa, I think Leila's showing the way so and daring you to be a part. Love what you are building. I tell you Layla, I wish I had had this chat before I went and enjoyed my my meals at first watch. It would have changed everything. So I'm going to really be looking and absorbing it all on my next visit. Huh?

Layla Taha Ripit (44:43)

Good. Enjoy it. We, we, we send hearts out to everyone and thank you so much for including us.

Scott Lewton (44:50)

You bet, you bet. All right, so Layla, don't go anywhere. We are going to wrap with you here folks. Hopefully enjoy it. I tell you I promise you a great guest one that that brings it both content, perspective, expertise but that personality, the five Rs the the you I really love that. That's a great T shirtism, folks loved Josh and Catherine and many others. That's a great T shirtism. It's not a race, it's a tour. Right, Josh? I'm with you. I am with you. But folks want a big, big thanks to all of y' all, of course, for being here. Big thanks to man and Catherine behind the scenes for helping to make production happen. Big thanks to our guest, Layla Taha, Rip it. Senior vice president for Supply chain at First Watch. Layla, thank you so much for joining us here today.

Layla Taha Ripit (45:31)

Thank you, Scott. Thank you, everyone.

Scott Lewton (45:34)

And most importantly, folks, hey, Scott, on behalf of our entire team here, Scott Luden challenging you. Hey, be like Layla. Do good, give forward. Most importantly, be the change that's needed. And we'll see you next time right back here at Supply Chain Now. Thanks, everybody. Thanks for being a part of our Supply Chain now community. Check out all of our programming@supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to supply chain Chain now anywhere you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on supply chain Now.