Hey there, welcome to Takeaway with Sam Ocas, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News.

I am Sam Ocas editor-in-chief here at NRN, and this is the show where I give you an all-access

pass to the restaurant industry's most influential decision-makers.

This week is a special episode as we are sharing a conversation between

NRN's executive editor Alicia Kelso and James Fripp, the chief equity, inclusion, and belonging

officer for Yom Brands. Alicia was in Dallas for the annual Women's Food Service Forum Leadership

Conference, and she had a chance to connect in person with James

to discuss Yom's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, its work to accomplish gender parity,

and how the company is developing people at what is the largest restaurant company in the world.

We'll have plenty and more interviews from WFF's Leadership Conference coming at you,

so be sure to subscribe to NRN's other podcast, Extra Serving, for more.

You can also follow along with all of our women in food service content

by going to nrn.com slash women-food service.

Jumping now into this interview with Alicia Kelso and Young Brands James Fripp.

Enjoy the conversation.

All right, this is Alicia Kelsso. I'm the executive editor for Nation's Restaurant News.

I am in day two of the Women's Food Service Forum in Dallas. And this morning, I am with

James Fripp, who is Young Brands chief equity, inclusion,

and belonging officer. Thank you, James, for being here. I just absolutely love talking to you.

I'm so glad that we could make this work and have a formal interview after so many years of

socializing. So I would really appreciate you coming on the record here. Tell me how long

you've been with young brands. I prefer not to tell you how long I've been with young brands.

...