Our team returned from the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference (SNA ANC 2025) in San Antonio energized by the conversations that took place. It was a valuable opportunity to connect with clients and industry leaders from across the Food Away from Home (FAFH) industry.
Across dozens of discussions, a clear picture emerged: FAFH manufacturers are aligned on the same core data challenges—and ready to solve them. From operator visibility gaps to TPM limitations, the pressure is mounting to move from data access to real ROI, or what we call RODI – Return on Data Investment.
SNA’s ANC is the single largest gathering of professionals dedicated to school nutrition. This year’s conference showcased a vibrant cross-section of the entire K-12 foodservice ecosystem. More than 6,000 school nutrition professionals attended ANC 2025, exploring new products from nearly 360 companies. From leading manufacturers like Tyson, Butterball, and Simplot, to emerging innovators in food, the expo hall was buzzing.
To appreciate the importance of the K-12 segment: the entire K-12 FAFH market is estimated at about $38 billion annually. School cafeterias nationwide serve enormous volume – over 4.9 billion lunches each year (feeding ~29.7 million students daily). In many ways, school districts collectively represent one of the largest “restaurant chains” in the country. This sheer scale is why K-12 nutrition was front and center at ANC and why data-driven insights in this segment can have such a big impact.
Recurring Themes Among FAFH Leaders
Throughout the event, four major challenges kept surfacing in conversation:
Lack of Operator-Level Visibility
The most persistent issue manufacturers described is the lack of clear visibility into end operator purchasing activity. While most track shipments through distributors or contract operators, execution happens at the individual school, restaurant, or healthcare facility level, and many systems simply don’t go that deep.
This “last mile” blind spot limits the ability to identify who’s buying, where gaps exist, or whether promotions are actually reaching the intended operator. Several attendees noted that their Trade Promotion Management (TPM) systems stop at the contract level and don’t expose granular activity below that. For manufacturers, the sheer scale of the U.S. FAFH market—over one million restaurants and tens of thousands of schools and hospitals—creates a major obstacle. The industry is so fragmented that gaining a clear line of sight is nearly impossible
The impact is straightforward. If you don’t know who’s buying, you can’t grow strategically or react efficiently.
Double-Dipping and Trade Spend Leakage
Lack of operator level visibility also contributes to double dipping, a costly problem where the same volume is claimed under multiple trade programs. This topic surfaced repeatedly in our conversations at ANC.
Manufacturers shared that they’re focusing sharply on identifying and stopping these leaks. Several finance leaders described using transaction level data audits to flag duplicate claims and recover lost dollars. One noted their team had recouped significant spend by identifying cases paid twice under different programs, a clear proof point for ROI.
Limitations of Existing TPM Systems
TPM systems are widely used for managing deal structures and processing payments, but they weren’t built for deep visibility, automated auditing, or field level accountability. That message resonated with many attendees at ANC.
At Tibersoft, we don’t replace TPM, we enhance it. The value of integrating transaction verified data to extend the value of TPM systems was a major theme in our conversations.
Manufacturers increasingly recognize that TPM systems, while essential, have functional limitations. Many are seeking solutions that go beyond administrative processes to deliver true strategic insight and execution support. The appetite for filling that visibility gap is only growing.
From Industry Challenges to Clear Opportunities
Despite these pain points, conversations at SNA ANC 2025 revealed exactly what manufacturers are looking for next: solutions that deliver measurable ROI.
Transaction Verified, Location Level Data
Granular visibility into which school, hospital, or restaurant purchased your product is now essential. This level of clarity empowers manufacturers to identify white space, validate promotions, and respond quickly to shifting demand. K 12 operators also emphasized the need for suppliers to bring more transparency to the table. While this was a key theme in K-12, the need for this level of detailed data is quickly becoming the new expectation across all FAFH segments.
Automated Trade Audits
Leaders want to do more than manage trade spend. They want to audit it without spending hours buried in spreadsheets. The ability to automatically uncover duplicate claims and validate real sales against trade programs by adding an audit layer to TPM platforms turns trade spend into a growth engine.
Accessible Insights
Instead of digging into dashboards and running reports, teams want actionable insights to come to them. Attendees expressed strong interest in receiving push alerts that highlight key activity or anomalies, saving time and keeping focus on what matters most.
Broker Accountability
Data backed broker scorecards are top of mind. With operator level insights, manufacturers can measure broker performance more objectively and align incentives with outcomes. This level of transparency enables smarter partnership decisions.
Moving Forward with Momentum from SNA
The SNA ANC 2025 confirmed what we’ve known for some time. The FAFH industry is ready for a new kind of data solution, one that goes beyond reporting to deliver measurable ROI.
The demand for transaction verified data, operator level visibility, and platforms that integrate rather than replace existing systems is real, and it’s growing.
This momentum is shaping our roadmap and our client conversations. If these challenges sound familiar, let’s connect.
