Company Name
T. Marzetti Company
Search Job Title
Continuous Improvement Team
Client Profile
T. Marzetti Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lancaster Colony Corporation, is a manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice markets. The retail brands include Marzetti®, New York Bakery®, Sister Schubert’s® and Reames®, amongst others, in addition to exclusive license agreements to produce and sell Olive Garden® dressings, Chick-fil-A® sauces, Buffalo Wild Wings® sauces, and Arby’s Sauces® at retail. The diverse T. Marzetti Company foodservice business also supplies many of the top restaurant chains in the United States.
Role Objectives & Challenges
The client required support to execute a multi-year supply chain transformation, which included establishing a continuous improvement program from the ground up. This initiative encompassed optimizing the entire manufacturing and distribution network, implementing Integrated Business Planning (IBP)/Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), and culminating in the deployment of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution across the organization and supply chain.
The first objective was to assemble a team of Lean Six Sigma Black Belts with robust manufacturing experience. A significant challenge arose due to inconsistencies across plants and business units, stemming from several different acquisitions. This lack of uniformity created operational inefficiencies and highlighted the need for best practices, as well as standardized processes across Marzetti’s supply chain. These new hires were essential to establishing this uniformity.
This initial phase represented the critical front end of a high-level supply chain transformation. Marzetti’s supply chain required consistent standards throughout its operational footprint, and SCM Talent Group was engaged to build a Continuous Improvement (CI) team to develop a standard for Marzetti Operational Excellence (MOE).
Our Approach to Solve the Search
The search began with collaboration with Marzetti’s VP of Operational Excellence and SVP of HR, alongside plant managers from Marzetti’s 14 factories. The CI roles would be based in Marzetti’s largest factories, providing regional coverage across the Marzetti U.S. footprint.
Key qualifications identified for these roles included: Six Sigma Black Belt certification, extensive lean manufacturing experience, and a background in food and beverage manufacturing. Our team conducted a national search, targeting individuals within the food and beverage sector who possessed the necessary certifications and expertise.
The Hire & Results
Our recruiting team successfully filled these four senior Continuous Improvement roles, with the first wave of hires onboarded in Q2 of 2017. The client was highly satisfied with the results, subsequently expanding their hiring needs and re-engaging SCM Talent Group to recruit for two additional roles: one to support Logistics and Transportation at the Ohio headquarters and another for a facility in Alabama. This foundational team facilitated Marzetti’s continued supply chain transformation, paving the way for a successful SAP implementation across the network.
