Proof, plated.

The challenge

SSA Group has spent over 50 years providing end-to-end services to aquariums, museums, zoos and other cultural attractions, from food and beverage to retail, admissions, grounds, janitorial and rides management. An eclectic group of partners rules out any cookie-cutter approach, and staying relevant while combating pricing and supply-chain pressure takes real strategy. Growth built on relationships also brought pain points, uncertainty, and long-standing GPO and distribution ties nobody had tested from the outside.

What CORE did

CORE took the team through onboarding methodically, seeking to understand the business before jumping at the task, and helped SSA communicate the ‘why’ to its own people. Agnostic and free of preconceived notions, CORE brought a more professional approach to sourcing: analyzing where SSA stood, building a strategic plan, and shining a light on those long-standing GPO and distribution relationships to ask whether each was really a good deal. The working relationship turned out to be a good cultural match as well: genuine, honest, and always interested in doing the best thing for the client, saying the hard thing tactfully rather than only what SSA wants to hear. Jake Crabtree says he would recommend CORE 100%.

The results

• A methodical onboarding built on understanding first
• A more professional, strategic approach to sourcing
• A strategic plan for where the business needs to go
• Long-standing GPO and distribution relationships put to the test
• Independent guidance on what is normal in the industry

“With any business that is growing or wants to grow and become better, insight is key. The reality is they have a really good lens. I really enjoy the mentorship, the partnership, and the insights that CORE has brought to the table for me and our organization.” Jake Crabtree — EVP Strategic Sourcing, SSA Group

The challenge

Specialty Restaurants Corporation operates distinctive venues across California, Florida, New York and Ohio — each with its own menu and sourcing needs, a commitment to local ingredients, and rising costs outpacing prices. A standard GPO was never going to fit.

What CORE did

CORE brought systematic structure to purchasing — breaking spend into categories and prioritizing the biggest opportunities, like seafood and produce. It consolidated deliveries, removed redundant vendor relationships, and eliminated duplicate purchasing within single markets — pairing every problem with a specific solution.

The results

• Spend categorized and prioritized for impact
• Deliveries consolidated, redundant vendors removed
• Duplicate purchasing eliminated market by market
• A true outsourced purchasing partner across $150M+ in revenue

“We wanted an outsourced purchasing resource we could build a relationship with — one that would truly have a seat at our table.” Michael Brennan — President, Specialty Restaurants Corporation

The challenge

As inflation drove up the price of staples like seafood, potatoes, and even mayonnaise, Gecko’s felt the squeeze. Each location bought independently — so the group never leveraged its true scale — and it leaned heavily on a single distributor for what it could see and buy.

What CORE did

CORE opened up the market beyond that one distributor, then worked category by category — renegotiating contracts, sourcing better-value alternatives, and giving the group full visibility into what it was actually paying.

The results

• A renegotiated lobster contract saving over $350,000 a year
• A mayonnaise alternative at half the price — and better taste
• Fresh grouper at higher quality and lower cost
• Processed chicken that cut both prep time and expense
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars saved in a single year

“CORE has provided us full transparency and saved us tremendous amounts of money.” James Veldhouse — Culinary Director, Gecko’s Hospitality Group

The challenge

Lorenzo Food Group — a production caterer serving hotels, supermarkets, universities and hospitals — grew fast across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. That growth outpaced its procurement infrastructure: purchasing was effectively run by suppliers, with no formal strategy and an overwhelmed team.

What CORE did

CORE brought procurement discipline — teaching the team to negotiate, ask the right questions, and weigh cost-reduction options tailored to the business. Unsure the investment would pay off, Lorenzo’s leadership agreed to a trial period; the results made the partnership permanent.

The results

• Procurement strategy and negotiation discipline introduced
• Tailored cost-reduction opportunities surfaced
• Very significant cost reductions within months
• An ongoing, trusted-partner relationship

“The value the CORE team has created for our company more than justifies the cost. They’ve become a trusted partner.” Daniel O’Donnell — COO, Lorenzo Food Group

The challenge

Sonesta’s acquisition of Red Lion Hotels drove explosive growth — roughly 1,400% more properties in five months — and overwhelmed an outdated procurement department with no scalable technology, no long-term strategy, and missing supplier contracts.

What CORE did

CORE took ownership of the initiative: building strategic roadmaps and processes, standing up the technology infrastructure, leading the GPO renegotiation, integrating Red Lion’s supply chain with Sonesta’s, and helping recruit an experienced procurement team.

The results

• Supplier contracts renegotiated for $1M+ in savings — with no loss of quality
• A scalable technology backbone for procurement
• Red Lion’s supply chain fully integrated
• An experienced in-house procurement team recruited

“After 1,400% growth in property count in five months, we chose a partner accountable to execution — not flashy presentations.” Shawn Cryan — SVP, Corporate Strategy, Sonesta

The challenge

Next Level Brands runs several distinct restaurant concepts around Tampa. Their differentiated menus meant complex product mixes, purchasing power that was never leveraged across locations, and food costs climbing with no easy way to protect quality.

What CORE did

CORE’s AJ Kramer dug into the data and vendor relationships, standardized procurement across the group, introduced cost-tracking software, and leveraged CORE’s vendor network — consolidating vendors to cut one-offs, errors and labor cost.

The results

• Purchasing standardized across every location
• Vendors consolidated — fewer invoices, less labor
• Sharper menu-costing capability
• Direct and indirect cost savings, with more expected

“As the CFO, I know what we pay CORE and what we save — and expect to save. It’s a no-brainer.” Will S. — CFO, Next Level Brands