DC Velocity - April 2013

thoughtleaders JOSÉ ARMARIO

you create formulas for the products, there is going to be a little room for variance. The level of flexibility is not large, but it enables us to function and be successful in the marketplace.

can be. We pride ourselves on that, on our transparency. We are holding ourselves accountable on the typical measures of success, but we are also increasing our level of focus around sustainability because it is becoming more and more important.

Second, I would say that one of our biggest challenges going forward is making sure we are prepared for further growth. We are fortunate. We have had a great deal of success, and we’re seeing demand for more restaurants in more countries. That means we have to be as prepared as possible for that growth and, as you know, when you enter or expand in any marketplace, before you hire the first manager to run your business, you have to get your supply chain in order. The supply chain has a very long leadtime, so today we are asking ourselves how big we are going to be 10 years from now, and what we and our suppliers have to do to prepare for that growth. We’re looking at everything from levels of investment, to the best places to grow and produce raw material, to the people needs behind that.

QWhat are the biggest challenges you face right now? AThere are several challenges. First, the consumer today is smarter and more aware than in the past and has more access to information about what they are consuming. That places more responsibility on every company that serves food. We know that our customers are looking at how the food is made. They are looking at the ingredients. They want to know if we are being responsible, if the products are sustainable, if there is any sort of code of conduct in place with respect to the labor forces in different markets.

So I think there is a greater degree of transparency required of companies today, and it’s only going to get more intense. We are looking at everything we do with a lot more care. We are going to continue to be as transparent as we