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Antoinette Marie Johnson

By Antoinette Marie Johnson, Cohere founder 

Recently I was asked to write this article for a publication about top restaurant brands and how they are dodging tariffs. Our team has been spending 6 months on  every scenario with hotels and restaurants trying to find ways to avoid economic downturn because of the thread of tariffs, trade issues and increased costs. From pivots for ongoing operators and major value engineering scopes for development/pre-opening projects. The effects of tariff uncertainty are being felt across the board - something I’m sure I don’t have to tell anyone here.

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Both the larger hospitality groups, and the smaller indy shops, are making smart choices to avoid increased costs. We compiled them to share.

Restaurants are adapting to economic uncertainty

 by evaluating their menus, food costs, and sourcing American-made products, with successful establishments embracing a nimble, solution-oriented approach. It's crucial to 

 to navigate these challenges effectively.

Review the current menu, vendor list and create an immediate replacement list for more seasonal items, prioritize locally sourced ingredients and immediately build new relationships.

Shift Beverage Programs to North American Purveyors - 

Have your beverage director and/or sommelier research North American and Mexican liquors, spirits, and wines. Treat the process with an urgent but fun approach, setting internal tastings and re-education around how far along these regions have come in developing comparable taste profiles (or sometimes even better) than European makers.

Build New Sourcing Processes and Bring in Peers - 

Take the opportunity to update your supply chain infrastructure with new spreadsheets/systems grouped by region, clearly showing what is coming in from local sources and what isn’t. At the same time, prioritize relationships, both with direct providers and peers - be unashamed to ask who peers are using and redesign your systems with vigor.

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Unlocking Cost Savings and Quality Control by Embracing Local Suppliers Amidst Global Trade Challenges

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How Smart Restauranteurs are Dodging Tariffs

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