Executive Spotlight: Rachel DeMers, Senior Director of Supply Chain, City Barbeque, LLC

Supply Chain Scene: Tell us your story. How did you begin your career, and what key experiences shaped your path to City Barbeque?

Rachel DeMers: I started my career as an executive assistant in the chemical industry. From there, I moved into contract manufacturing as an account manager. When the account transitioned to a turnkey model, I had the opportunity to begin purchasing for the account I managed. That was my entry into supply chain.

I had a great mentor who took me under her wing and taught me the ins and outs of supply. From there, I worked my way into a purchasing manager role.

I later joined City Barbeque as its first in-house purchasing professional. Before that, the function had been outsourced. I was able to bring the existing processes together and help build the supply chain needed to scale the brand.

City Barbeque had around 30 locations when I started, and today it has 80. Managing supply chain through that kind of growth taught me that what works for a smaller organization does not always work as it scales. You have to develop processes, strong supplier relationships, and infrastructure that can grow with the brand.

Another lesson I learned early in my career was the importance of understanding the entire supply chain—not just the price you pay for a product. People early in their supply chain careers may think purchasing is primarily about pursuing the best price, but you have to see the bigger picture. You need to understand how supplier reliability affects operations and, ultimately, the guest.

I have also learned to balance cost with the needs of operations. The lowest price is not always the lowest total cost. Reliability, quality, service, food safety, flexibility, and supplier relationships are all important factors when I evaluate a new supplier. Some of the best decisions I have made have come from considering the total value a supplier brings to the business rather than focusing solely on price.

SCS: City Barbeque is a meat-forward concept, and proteins—particularly beef—have experienced significant disruption in recent years. How do you manage that volatility?

RD: It requires constant communication with packers and suppliers, along with close attention to published forecasts. Those sources do not always align. A forecast may show the market moving in one direction while packers are quoting in a different direction.

I also consider what is happening further upstream, including the size of the cattle herd and how many cattle are being held back for breeding. I use all three perspectives as a guide: what the published forecasts indicate, the pricing packers are willing to offer, and what the herd rebuilding outlook looks like. I bring those inputs to leadership and explain where I believe the market is headed.

We are also making decisions much faster than we did in the past. Before COVID, I could book beef for an entire year and the contract would hold. Now, we are often working month to month. Anything extending beyond that tends to include such a large pricing cushion that it no longer makes financial sense.

SCS: From your perspective, how is AI shaping supply chain management?

RD: Supply chain professionals and their teams spend a tremendous amount of time collecting, compiling, analyzing, and breaking down data. That work is valuable, but I see AI as a complementary tool that can perform much of it faster and help us use the results to make more informed decisions.

If we can spend less time manually compiling data, we have more time to evaluate it and focus on higher-value decisions. In my role, that makes AI especially helpful.

SCS: Do you think AI will eventually affect headcount within the profession?

RD: It may affect some of the work traditionally performed at the junior analyst level because there will be less manual work. However, I do not think it can replace the human elements that are so important in supply chain—negotiation, relationship-building, collaboration, and the trust developed with suppliers.

AI may help us uncover better insights and develop stronger supplier scorecards, but I do not think it will change roles as much as it will give us greater flexibility to make higher-value decisions faster.

SCS: How do you see the role of supply chain professionals continuing to evolve?

RD: When I started in purchasing, the work was very transactional. The focus was often on where you could find savings within a particular transaction.

Today, supply chain leaders have to look at the entire picture from a supplier’s fields all the way to the guest and understand how all those points connect. Supply chain has evolved from a transactional purchasing function into a strategic business role.

That requires a broader mindset about how your decisions affect the entire organization, not just your own department. Supply chain touches every department, so you have to collaborate across the business. The role now spans everything from working with vendors to shaping the experience guests have when they walk through the brand’s doors.

SCS: What advice would you give young people considering a career in supply chain or professionals who want to advance in the field? What skills are crucial, and how can they stand out?

RD: Analytical skills are important because you need to be able to validate the data, but communication and relationship-building are just as critical. Your suppliers are often the people who will help you when you need it most, so the strength of those relationships can have a significant effect on your success.

I would also tell young professionals to stay curious. Markets are constantly changing, and it is important to ask questions and understand how every part of the business works. That helps you see how your decisions affect the entire organization, not just your own category.

Follow your products through the full supply chain. Understand how they move from the supplier through the distribution center and into the restaurant. Spend time in the back of the house while trucks are being unloaded. Ask whether a different pack size would work better, whether products are being stacked correctly, or whether they are being stored in the right place. Those details may seem small, but their effects add up.

You should also understand how each item is ultimately presented to the guest. The guest experience extends beyond food quality to considerations such as third-party delivery and whether an item is packaged appropriately.

Finally, learn as much as you can about technology. Become comfortable with it, explore it, and understand how it can help the business. Some people are apprehensive about AI and other emerging technologies, but they can bring real benefits when you understand where they can best support your brand.

SCS: What role has mentorship played in your career, and how do you feel about its importance for young professionals?

RD: Mentors are incredibly important, and I would not recommend having only one. Build relationships with as many mentors as you can, and as your role evolves, make sure the group of people you learn from evolves as well.

I have had three especially influential mentors throughout my career, and they have helped shape me in meaningful ways. A good mentor brings a different perspective and can help you develop greater executive maturity.

I would also encourage young professionals to put themselves in situations that make them uncomfortable. Volunteer for projects and areas of the business where you may not have the most experience. Learn about technology and finance, and develop strong negotiation and communication skills. Mentorship is valuable, but you also have to create opportunities to stretch yourself and continue learning.

SCS: How long have you attended the Supply Chain Expert Exchange Conference, what value do you receive from it, and why would you recommend it to others?

RD: I am fairly new to the conference, this will be my third one. I have also asked how I can become more involved because I value the networking opportunities it provides.

The Supply Chain Expert Exchange is especially valuable because of the roundtable discussions. They allow you to meet people in a smaller setting and begin developing genuine relationships. I now have between 10 and 15 people from the conference whom I contact regularly. We may discuss a simple question, ask how someone is handling a particular issue, or look for a supplier recommendation. We also have group chats and email conversations where we continue exchanging ideas.

Those connections have been invaluable to me both personally and professionally. The conference gives us an opportunity to learn what other brands are doing well and share insights with one another.

It is an effective conference without being so large or elaborate that forming genuine relationships becomes difficult. At a much larger event, it can be hard to find the people you hoped to meet. The Supply Chain Expert Exchange creates multiple, organized opportunities to connect.

The roundtable notes are another valuable resource. I was amazed by how detailed the notes were after the most recent conference—some were around 10 pages long. Being able to take those insights away and refer to them afterward adds to the value of the experience.