We are seeking a strategic and results-driven Director of Food Service to lead the growth and integration of our Food Service division following the recent acquisition of Yen Bros Food Service. This role will be instrumental in unifying operations between Yen Bros and Islands West Produce, while building a scalable platform for sustained growth across the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and into new territories.
The Director of Food Service will own the commercial strategy, lead and develop the sales organization, and drive revenue growth through both existing customer expansion and new market penetration.
Responsibilities include:
Strategic Leadership & Growth
- Develop and execute a comprehensive Food Service growth strategy across Vancouver Island and adjacent markets
- Identify and pursue expansion opportunities into new geographic territories and customer segments
- Establish short- and long-term sales targets aligned with overall company objectives
- Partner with executive leadership to align Food Service strategy with broader organizational goals
Integration & Business Optimization
- Lead the collaborative integration of Yen Bros Food Service and Islands West Produce to build an industry-leading Food Service platform.
- Align pricing strategies, service models, and go-to-market approaches across both businesses
- Identify and implement operational efficiencies to support scalable growth while leading organizational alignment and change management initiatives.
- Ensure a seamless customer experience throughout the integration process
Sales Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, coach, and develop the Sales Managers and Food Service sales team
- Build a high-performance sales culture focused on accountability, customer service, and results
- Recruit, onboard, and retain top sales talent to support growth objectives
- Establish clear KPIs, performance metrics, and reporting structures
Customer & Market Development
- Strengthen relationships with key accounts and strategic customers
- Expand share of wallet within existing accounts through cross-selling and value-added solutions and strategic category development
- Identify emerging market trends, customer needs, competitive dynamics and opportunities for geographic and category expansion
- Represent the company within the Food Service community and industry networks
Execution & Performance Management
- Drive consistent execution of sales plans and initiatives across both locations
- Monitor and analyze sales performance, margins, customer profitability and pricing strategies
- Collaborate with operations, procurement, and logistics teams to ensure service excellence
- Lead regular business reviews utilizing sales analytics, customer insights, and market data to provide strategic recommendations and insights to senior leadership
Requirements include:- 8-12+ years of progressive leadership experience in Food Service distribution or a related industry
- Proven track record of driving profitable sales growth and building high-performing teams across multi-site operations
- Strong understanding of broadline distribution, pricing strategy, and customer segmentation
- Experience leading through integration, transformation, or significant change is an asset
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically while executing tactically
- Excellent leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills
Key Competencies:- Strategic thinking and commercial acumen
- Leadership and team development
- Change management and integration expertise
- Customer-centric mindset
- Results-oriented with strong accountability
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, growth-focused environment
