Commercial Manager
Guenther Bakeries UK is a leading manufacturer of high-quality bakery products, supplying fresh and frozen goods to major retailers, foodservice providers, and international brands. With a strong heritage in baking and a focus on innovation, the company has built trusted partnerships across the UK and globally.
The Brief
Guenther Bakeries approached us to recruit a Commercial Manager to take ownership of their Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)customer portfolio.
The role required a strategic and commercially astute leader who could:
Manage and grow key national QSR accounts
Drive joint business planning with major customers
Negotiate complex commercial agreements
Identify and capitalise on new revenue opportunities within the QSR channel
The successful candidate needed a proven track record in account management and commercial strategy, ideally within food manufacturing or foodservice supply, with the ability to navigate a fast-paced, competitive marketplace. Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills were essential, as well as an ability to deliver sustainable growth through innovation and operational excellence.
Our Approach
We began with an in-depth consultation with Guenther Bakeries’ senior leadership team to:
Understand the strategic importance of the QSR channel to the wider business plan
Define the technical, commercial, and behavioural competencies required for success
Align on target candidate profiles and market positioning
Drawing on our extensive food & drink industry network, we identified a pool of high-performing commercial leaders with experience in:
Managing large-scale QSR relationships
Negotiating supply agreements in the food manufacturing sector
Leading cross-functional teams to deliver on commercial objectives
We conducted a robust assessment process, including:
Competency-based interviews focused on negotiation, strategic planning, and customer relationship management
Review of commercial achievements and revenue growth delivered in previous roles
Cultural fit evaluation to ensure alignment with Guenther Bakeries’ values and collaborative working style