As a Titan of industry what are some key strengths and unique selling points of your company and what do you believe sets your organization apart from your competition?

As a family-owned business, our referral business has always been one of our biggest strengths. Since 1966, we have been committed to quality — in the product we provide, the people we employ and in those we do business with. This longstanding commitment of providing unique solutions and exceptional experiences to the St. Louis community is largely what keeps people coming back for more celebrations and has helped us establish our status as leaders in the hospitality industry. Describe your leadership philosophy.

How are you developing the next generation of leaders?

We have been nurturing a heart-centered approach to leadership by utilizing our company core values in our daily functions and throughout the hiring process. By intentionally hiring team members that embrace this style of leadership, we believe the products and services we provide will continue to be industry leading since they are built and executed by passionate team members.

What excites you most about the future direction of your company or industry?

One of our favorite parts of the industry is the constant change in styles and trends. We are excited to see how events continue to evolve and adapt around the rich diversity of people and the reasons behind their celebrations. We believe this opens up new avenues for creativity and look forward to incorporating inspiration from varying backgrounds to honor tradition and create every reason to celebrate.

Can you describe your company’s approach to corporate social responsibility, and how you are making a positive impact in your community or beyond?

At Butler’s Pantry, our business is certainly food…beverage…experiences. But at the heart of what we do is celebrating people. What we do – and certainly WHY we do – centers around people. It’s our responsibility to not only take care of our people, our clients, our industry partners, but to also take care of our community.

Philanthropically, we annually provide numerous culinary experiences to be used as auction items for local non-profits and charitable events. In 2016, we started our ‘Full Pantry | Full Life’ initiative where every 50 guests we serve, we put $5 back into our community. Collectively, we’ve been able to give back to some fantastic local organizations because of the continued community support of our business.

Environmentally, we’ve designed our drop-off catering offerings to be a more sustainable, more responsible way to entertain. Each collection is provided on biodegradable trays with biodegradable utensils, giving clients less waste and so much more when it comes to presentation.

Can you describe a recent accomplishment or milestone that your company achieved, and how it has positioned you for future success?

In 2020, Butler’s Pantry had to set aside plans of what would have been record growth, including the postponement of two new venues due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Fast forward to 2023, we were able to make it through the worst while retaining or rehiring the majority of our staff and successfully added two more venues to our portfolio! As we continue to climb in business and in employees, we’ve learned that no matter what, it is human nature to come together, share experiences and celebrate life’s moments. So, as long as we work together to provide what’s relevant, we will keep moving forward.

How do you ensure that your company is attracting and retaining top talent, and fostering a positive and inclusive company culture?

Our core focus is to create awesome experiences, but we recognize that we can’t do that without the amazing people on our team. That’s why we have implemented several strategies to ensure team members can thrive both personally and professionally. This includes competitive benefits, incentive pay, quarterly bonuses, development opportunities, flexible work policies and fostering a supportive environment where achievements are celebrated. Most importantly though, we use our core values to guide us in the way we recruit, recognize and develop our daily functions. Altogether, we’ve been able to create a more collaborative and supportive place where team members feel valued and free to share their own ideas and perspectives.