At FS Foodservice Solutions, we believe great partnerships deserve the spotlight. Our Shining Star series highlights standout DSRs who go above and beyond to support operators, drive growth, and bring real value to every interaction, including by offering equipment financing as part of their toolkit. These stories showcase the energy, creativity, and hustle that make our partners shine, and we’re proud to celebrate them here!
There’s something special about family businesses that grow the right way…slowly, intentionally, and with real roots in the community.
Alana Griffin, Sales and Operations at Premier Restaurant Supplies, is part of that kind of story.
Premier was started in 1999 by her parents, Chris and Martine. In the early days, it wasn’t a polished showroom. It was run out of their home, with equipment stored in a compound behind the house. It was scrappy, hands-on, and built the way a lot of great businesses are, one relationship at a time.
In 2015, they moved to Venice and opened a brick-and-mortar location. Over the years, the company evolved from focusing solely on used equipment to offering both new and used, along with design work. Today, Premier operates as a full-service, boutique-style dealer. They’re able to really tailor solutions to what each operator needs instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Alana has technically been thrown into the business a bit since high school, but her path wasn’t always pointed toward foodservice equipment. In college, she worked at Chipotle and Carrabba’s, which gave her a firsthand look at the pace and pressure of restaurant operations. She saw what it takes on the backend to keep things moving, and she knew she didn’t necessarily want to be on that side of it long term!
After graduating in 2022 with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Studies and a minor in Marketing, she made a pivot and officially joined the family business. It wasn’t the plan she had originally mapped out, but sometimes you step into something and realize it fits better than you expected.
She fell in love with what they were building!
Today, Alana truly does a little bit of everything. Sales. Marketing. Invoicing. Restocking. Operations. If it happens behind the scenes, she’s likely involved. She’s juggling constantly, but in a way that keeps her engaged and invested in every part of the process.
What stands out most about Alana is how much she values connection. Being part of a small, family-owned business means the relationships are real. She talks about customers like they’re friends, because many of them are. Premier works closely with local restaurants, and for Alana, that local impact matters. Helping operators succeed strengthens the entire community around them.
One of her favorite parts of the job is getting out into the field and seeing projects come to life. She’s currently working on a community center project and loves watching it evolve from a blank space into something functional and purposeful. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing equipment installed and knowing you played a part in making it happen.
Outside of work, Alana recharges in quieter ways, reading (she recently loved Fourth Wing), working out, and practicing yoga. It’s a balance to the fast-moving world she operates in during the day.
What we really appreciate about Alana is that she represents the next generation of this industry, stepping into something established, respecting the foundation that was built before her, and helping it grow in new ways.
KL: What’s an install issue you’ve learned to watch for early in the process?
AG: One of the biggest lessons for me was realizing how complex some equipment really is. On the surface it might look straightforward, but once you dig in, there are very specific electrical specs, gas types, and ventilation requirements that have to line up. A lot of customers don’t realize how detailed those requirements can be. The worst-case scenario is ordering the wrong piece and finding out it can’t even be hooked up. I make sure we’re double-checking those details early so there are no surprises later.
KL: What’s one trend you’re seeing with operators right now that others should pay attention to?
AG: Operators are being very intentional about where their money goes, especially when it comes to labor. I’m seeing more people slim down budgets for major equipment purchases and instead look for solutions that can do more than one job. Multi-use equipment and quick-solve solutions are becoming more important. Everyone is trying to be efficient and keep overall spend down while still running a strong operation.
KL: What’s something you think more operators should understand about financing?
AG: Financing can be a really useful tool when it’s used strategically. For major upgrades or replacing multiple pieces at once, it allows operators to preserve cash flow instead of spending everything upfront. That way, they still have money available for payroll, food costs, and day-to-day operations. When used the right way, it can actually help generate better cash flow long term.
KL: What’s something your customers might not realize you do behind the scenes?
AG: There’s a lot happening that no one really sees. We’re constantly tracking orders to make sure equipment gets where it needs to go. I’m restocking inventory, talking with manufacturer partners, meeting with reps multiple times a week to make sure pricing is accurate, getting freight quotes, and keeping projects on schedule. That’s just part of it. There’s a lot of coordination behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly.
KL: What keeps you motivated day in and day out?
AG: Seeing a project from start to finish is incredibly rewarding. Watching a customer’s vision come to life never gets old. Recently, we completed Lefty’s Seafood in Sarasota, where we handled the full kitchen along with the interior design for the front of house. It was really cool to see all the trades working together. I worked closely with my mom, who focuses more on the front of house, and it was fun watching her get creative with materials and décor. It turned into this tucked-away gem, and being part of that process from beginning to end is what keeps me excited about what we do.
As a thank you for being part of our Shining Star Series, we send each featured rep a gift card to a local restaurant of their choice. It’s our way of showing appreciation and supporting the local spots they love.
Alana plans to use her gift card at Fins at Sharky’s on the Pier, a coastal contemporary restaurant with a seasonal menu and stunning Gulf views. She loves their atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious food! A few of her go-tos are the Fin Roll, Seaweed Salad, and Edamame.