Restaurant Operator Podcast
On this episode of the “Restaurant Operator Podcast,” host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Dr. Kristin Hicks-Roof of the Nationwide Pork Board and Eddie Flores Jr., co-founder of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. They discover why pork is rising as a strategic pivot for manufacturers seeking to differentiate their menus and shield their backside traces.
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December 9, 2025
With beef costs climbing — up almost 60% within the final decade, in response to trade veterans —quick informal operators are dealing with a margin squeeze. The answer to stabilizing meals prices whereas assembly client demand for selection could lie in an under-leveraged protein: pork.
On this episode of the “Restaurant Operator Podcast,” host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Dr. Kristin Hicks-Roof of the Nationwide Pork Board and Eddie Flores Jr., co-founder of the 235-unit franchise L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Collectively, they discover why pork is rising as a strategic pivot for manufacturers seeking to differentiate their menus and shield their backside traces.
Flores shares real-world insights on how objects like Kalua pork and Spam have acted as financial stabilizers for his franchise system amidst market volatility. Conversely, Hicks-Roof breaks down the dietary science, explaining how operators can market pork to health-conscious customers searching for nutrient-dense choices.
What listeners can study:
• The Margin Alternative: How substituting or mixing pork can alleviate the stress of rising beef and hen prices.
• International Taste Tendencies: How you can leverage pork’s versatility to faucet into widespread worldwide cuisines, from Hawaiian “Lau Lau” (pork wrapped in taro leaves) to Filipino “Pork Tocino.”
• The “Service” Idea: Methods for utilizing pork—like bacon or crumbles—as a taste driver to extend gross sales of high-margin vegetable sides.
• Combating Menu Monotony: How introducing new cuts helps operators keep away from “protein fatigue” amongst common clients.
“Pork matches smack dab within the center,” Hicks-Roof stated through the episode. “It not solely offers that vitamin, nevertheless it additionally offers that conventional deliciousness.”
Click on right here to take heed to the total episode and learn to rethink the middle of the plate.
