Case Studies - Greystar Products

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CaseStack Rounds Up and Ships Out Tony Roma’s Mouth-Watering Barbecue Sauces to Grocers Nationwide

Having a great product isn't enough; there also has to be a great logistics system to get the product to the customer. CaseStack's logistics outsourcing services were the missing link that let Tony Roma get his great sauces to the public.

Thirty-five years ago, Tony Roma opened his first restaurant in North Miami. Today, with nearly 200 restaurants operating on five continents, Tony Roma’s “World Famous” restaurants provide dine-in customers with flame-grilled specialties drenched in their famous barbecue sauces: Original, Hickory and Carolina Honey. These delectable sauces were such a hit with customers that Tony Roma’s often heard the question, “Can I buy your barbecue sauce at my local grocery store?”

Enter Greystar Products Incorporated. Founded in 1999, the company’s mission is to help expand the horizon of famous restaurant brands to the grocery store and ultimately to the tables of families across the nation. Founded by two grocery industry veterans Terry Italia and Greg Hayes, Greystar Products develops, manufactures, promotes, distributes and markets restaurant products to grocery and membership stores, giving consumers the ability to enjoy the same great taste in their own kitchens.

In 1999, Greystar collaborated with Tony Roma’s restaurants to make its sauces available to grocery retailers. Now the barbecue sauce is in homes across the country, providing home-cooked meals with Tony Roma’s signature barbecue taste, making succulent ribs, steaks and chicken taste as good as those served at the restaurants.

From Restaurant to Grocery Store Aisle

With Tony Roma’s onboard, Greystar Products had to decide between adding the resources to handle logistics in-house or searching for a dependable provider who could stand up to the rigorous demands of the food industry. They began searching for a supply-chain provider who knew the food industry inside and out.

“We searched carefully for a company who could deliver our products to grocers with as much attention to detail as we would have provided ourselves,” said Terry Italia, President, Greystar Products Incorporated. “It was essential to maintain great relationships with our retail clients. Our expectations for superior customer service were high.”

Greystar Products needed an innovative partner that could provide reliable customer support 24/7, as well as warehousing and transportation services to meet the demands of its retailer customers. Greystar Products turned to the industry-leading logistics solutions provider, CaseStack.

The CaseStack Solution

Greystar Products formed its partnership with CaseStack in 2003. Impressed with CaseStack’s combination of an advanced transportation and warehousing system with proprietary, web-based software to provide end-to-end fulfillment services, Greystar knew CaseStack was the right choice to keep its retail customers supplied. At the same time, Greystar saw that it would reap the benefits and economies of a sophisticated, global logistics system without all the infrastructure costs.

“Providing logistics service like that of a major food company is very important to our success,” said Italia. “CaseStack allows us to do this by handling all our logistics needs. For a small company like ours that doesn’t have its own internal logistics department, it makes a lot of sense to outsource to a company that is well-known in the industry.”

Warehouse & Transportation Solutions

Greystar’s products are self-shipped to four of CaseStack’s strategically located warehouses in California, Texas, Pennsylvania and Georgia. From these locations the products are then shipped out to major retailers across the country. CaseStack’s sophisticated warehouses are equipped to handle the needs of each customer and can be customized to handle problems, should any arise. In one case, Greystar had a request from a retailer to place specialized stamps with the PO number on each case. Without the stamps, the manufacturer would be charged a fine. CaseStack was able to hold the order and stamp each case before it shipped, helping Greystar avoid the strict penalties. In addition to accommodating special requests, CaseStack’s staff is adept at managing damaged products in an efficient manner, as well as pulling samples for special shipping via UPS or FedEx and notifying the customer of shortages.

Another incentive for Greystar Products in choosing CaseStack is the company’s retailer-driven consolidation program. The consolidation program combines two or three separate deliveries heading to the same distribution center, store or region into one full truckload delivery. CaseStack pools Greystar’s products and receives a reduced freight rate. The consolidated program not only saves Greystar Products money but also cuts back on CO2 emissions, road congestion and dock congestion.

“CaseStack’s consolidation program helps save us money because of key partnerships they have with major retailers,” Italia said.

Inventory Visibility 24/7

Greystar also benefits from CaseStack’s proprietary web-based technology, providing complete inventory visibility. As soon as products enter the warehouse, CaseStack inputs them into an online system that allows Greystar to interface with its inventory, gaining valuable supply-chain information – all in real time. Greystar’s employees simply log onto the CaseStack Web-based interface to check inventory, monitor shipments and change product description. The system is extremely user-friendly and available to Greystar’s employees 24/7.

“Having an online system that we can access 24/7 to check inventory up-to-the-minute is essential to run our business properly,” said Italia. “CaseStack’s one-of-a-kind system enables us to be more responsive and give our customers the service levels they expect.”

The CaseStack system allows Greystar to set minimum inventory levels, and if product ever dips below this inventory, an e-mail is sent to Greystar to notify the company of the shortage. The CaseStack solution covers everything: taking, holding, shipping, canceling and editing orders.

Results

CaseStack has helped Greystar Products accomplish big things despite its size. The relationship ensures that Tony Roma’s barbecue sauces stay stocked in grocery stores. Advanced logistics has been a key ingredient of the success of its mission to deliver the authentic Tony Roma’s mouth-watering barbecue sauces to grocers and ultimately into the homes of hungry consumers nationwide.

“Working with the CaseStack team has been a great experience, and we couldn’t ask for a more functional logistics provider for our Tony Roma’s barbecue sauces,” concluded Italia. “They are extremely responsive to our every need -- no matter how unique or specialized the request.”