The Power Behind AFC Industries: Why Our Purchasing Team is an Area of Strength

At AFC Industries, our purchasing team isn’t just a department; it’s one of the key reasons behind our success. As we continue to grow rapidly through acquisitions, we’ve built a team that doesn’t just manage purchasing — it transforms it into a competitive advantage. Here's why our purchasing team stands out and is a true strength for AFC. 

A Unique Blend of Experience and Diversity 

Our purchasing team is a melting pot of diverse experiences and backgrounds. As Brandon Plock highlights, "Many supply chain teams in the industry have 1-2 key people with tenure at the top. But if you add up the years of experience on our team, it’s hundreds of years." This depth of expertise allows us to tap into a wide range of knowledge and insights from across the supply chain industry. 

This diversity doesn’t stop at experience — it extends to our approach. Matt Hix explains that the variety of purchasing methods, processes, and relationships we’ve accumulated through acquisitions gives us flexibility. "Other distributors may say they have great relationships," says Matt, "but they’ve matured to the point where they have their way of doing things and often won’t stray. This doesn’t allow them to truly help solve unique customer problems." At AFC, we take pride in our adaptability and our ability to customize solutions to meet our customers' needs. 

As Angela Philippart, VP of Supply Chain, puts it, "AFC doesn’t want to provide a solution for today, we are looking ahead to provide better solutions going forward." This forward-thinking approach ensures that we are constantly innovating and refining our strategies, leveraging the collective wisdom and experience of our diverse team. 

Relationships That Matter 

Another key differentiator for AFC is the strength of our vendor relationships. Unlike many large companies that focus solely on cost-cutting through overseas sourcing, AFC is committed to maintaining a balance. Brandon notes, “We maintain a viable domestic supply chain while still taking advantage of import cost efficiencies.” This balance ensures that we don’t sacrifice quality or service for cost — a distinction that sets us apart from competitors. 

Moreover, our relationships go deep. We deal directly with decision-makers at our vendor partners, giving us the ability to influence and collaborate on product quality and delivery in ways that many others in our industry cannot. Angela reinforces this approach, saying, "If we are only talking to partners when issues happen, we aren’t actively working to develop the relationship together on 'wins' for both of us." AFC believes that to create real value, we need to work proactively with our partners to find mutually beneficial solutions. 

Flexibility, Focus, and Growth 

One of our greatest strengths — and opportunities — has been managing the growth that comes from acquisitions. As Matt Hix points out, “Our large growth through acquisition is both a differentiator and an opportunity.” Yet, this very challenge is what makes AFC special. We’ve gained a broad range of purchasing processes and methods that we can refine and expand, making our approach more versatile and adaptable. 

At AFC, we’re in an entrepreneurial stage where the focus is on solving customer problems, rather than sticking rigidly to established processes. Matt Hix emphasizes that this customer-first mindset is a competitive edge. "As long as we manage this properly, we can keep that focus while evolving our processes." 

Building Teams That Work 

AFC’s purchasing team isn’t just about skills and experience — it’s also about culture. As Matt Lovley explains, "AFC builds teams comprised of people who are both easy to work with and have industry knowledge." This collaborative culture, combined with loyalty to our suppliers, makes us a trusted partner in the industry. 

Angela Philippart echoes this sentiment, highlighting the importance of integrating new team members: "We have an amazing culture at AFC, so bringing people into the fold who will add to the culture allows us to have a fresh set of eyes on how we do things, but share the same values." Our culture of openness and collaboration enables us to constantly improve while maintaining the shared values that drive AFC forward. 

In a market where relationships, flexibility, and customer focus are paramount, AFC Industries’ purchasing team stands out. It’s a team that leverages deep industry experience, strong vendor connections, and an adaptive, customer-first mindset to keep us ahead of the competition. As we continue to grow and evolve, our purchasing team will remain a core pillar of AFC’s success, delivering value not just to our customers, but across the entire supply chain.