Milling & Baking News - June 1, 2004 - 36

Executive
Strategies

Bama:
Where 'relationship' is more than just a word
M

any baking companies pay lip Kroc the first hand-held apple pie. The desservice to the importance of sert was added to the McDonald's national
maintaining "relationships" with menu two years later.
their ingredient suppliers. At The Bama
Since that time, Bama has broadened its
Companies, Inc., Tulsa, Okla., the words are product line considerably but has remained
no mere hollow claim, according to Bob J. focused on supplying the quick-service
Gordon, senior vice-president of operations restaurant industry. Today, the company
and supply chain.
still offers sweet fried pies, but also makes
Evidence of Bama's loyalty to its sup- savory pies/calazones; par-baked and raw
pliers may be seen in the longevity of the biscuits; frozen sheeted pizza and other
various business relationships. Most newer yeast product doughs; par-baked pizza
suppliers of major ingredients have been crust; frozen sheeted pastry doughs; parselling to Bama for seven or eight years and baked specialty bread; and cookie pucks.
many have been doing business with the
Much of the expansion occurred under the
company for 30 years or more, he said.
leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall's daughThose suppliers fortunate enough to ter, Paula Marshall-Chapman, who has been
have done business with Bama for 30 years chief executive officer for the last 20 years.
or even 7 years almost certainly have seen
For his part, Mr. Gordon has been on hand
their volume grow considerably. Bama to witness much of the expansion. He has
has expanded production capacity several been with Bama for 14 years but has spent
times over the years. Most recently, Bama his entire career in the grain-based foods
completed a $20-million expansion at one of industry. Before joining Bama, he spent 22
its three Tulsa production facilities (the com- years in the frozen pizza business, first with
pany owns a fourth in Beijing). The project Fox Deluxe and then with The Pillsbury Co.
included the installation of a new dough line, in 1976 when Pillsbury acquired Fox.
the expansion of another line and the addi"I joined Fox in Carthage, Mo., right
tion of dough production capacity
out of high school," Mr. Gordon
as well as "new capabilities in
said. "I grew up in Jasper,
handheld desserts, cookies
just north of Carthage
and U.S.D.A. products,"
about 140 miles south of
Bama said.
Kansas City."
According to the
Mr.
Gordon's
'
Our
suppliers
know
company, Bama has
responsibilities at
ingredients better than we
grown to become
Fox and Pillsbury
one of the largest
included distribudo, and our expectation is
manufacturers of
tion, shipping and
that they are with us for the
pies and biscuits in
receiving and purthe United States,
chasing. For sevlong haul.'
employing 950 and
eral years with Fox
making more than
and with Pillsbury,
2 million biscuits and
Mr. Gordon's primary
1.5 million pies daily,
purchasing duties were
shipping them frozen to
for tomato sauce, cheese
the food service industry.
and meat. Later, when the
The company's roots are more
plant was moved to a new facilmodest. Paul Marshall, together with his
ity in Joplin, Pillsbury began making
wife, Lilah, spent 40 years baking and selling the pizza crust internally.
pecan pie based on the recipe of his mother,
When Pillsbury looked to move proAlabama Marshall. The Marshalls baked duction to Fort Wayne, Ind., Mr. Gordon
Bama's pies out of their kitchen and sold decided to look for other opportunities.
the products to local restaurants, grocery "My family all still lived around there, and I
stores and hotels. The company's growth didn't want to move to Indiana," he said. "I
trajectory steepened considerably after Mr. had a boss who had gone to work for Bama,
Marshall showed McDonald's founder Ray and he called me to come down here."

36 / Milling & Baking News, June 1, 2004

Gordon

Mr. Gordon began with Bama as a distribution and logistics manager with responsibilities that included purchasing. His current
responsibilities at Bama include oversight
of operations, in addition to a seven person
purchasing department that includes Shirley
Bailey, director of contract purchasing and a
30-year veteran at the company. Ms. Bailey
is responsible for the 15 to 20 ingredients/
packaging materials purchased by Bama
on a contract basis. Chris Hutton, the senior director of purchasing, oversees supplier development and supplier audits while
Lynn Dixon manages scheduling, supplier
negotiations and day-to-day department
management. Once contracted, purchasing
staff members place orders or shipping
directions with suppliers. The contract ingredients account for the vast majority of
ingredient expense at Bama, and buyers are
authorized to purchase other ingredients/
packaging materials independently.
In the continuum of companies that
change multiple suppliers frequently and
those that stay with few suppliers for
lengthy periods of time, Bama is definitely
in the latter category, Mr. Gordon said. "We
don't want just a pricing relationship," he
said. "We work with the suppliers and they
work with us. They are a great sales source
for bringing in new customers. We feel as

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Milling & Baking News - June 1, 2004

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