Crust & Crumb
Two senior leadership hires for a cross-border food manufacturer
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About Crust & Crumb
Crust & Crumb is a leading manufacturer of freshly prepared flatbreads, pizza bases, tortillas, wraps and garlic breads. It supplies major retail and foodservice customers globally from three sites: Derrylin, Craigavon and Ballyconnell.
- DerrylinCo Fermanagh, NI
- CraigavonCo Armagh, NI
- BallyconnellCo Cavan, ROI
The challenge
Crust & Crumb needed two senior leaders who could support its growth across multiple sites, two jurisdictions and a demanding customer base. Both roles sit close to the top of the business and carry direct influence over group strategy.
The brief raised four specific hiring challenges:
A small, specialist talent pool
Each role called for senior experience in food manufacturing, FMCG or a similarly regulated industry, ideally with bakery or chilled and ambient food exposure.
Cross-border, multi-site operations
The procurement lead would run supply across sites in Fermanagh and Cavan. Candidates needed to manage multi-site supply chains, cross-border sourcing, and commodity and currency risk.
High-profile customer accounts
The foodservice lead would own relationships with major QSR chains and national foodservice distributors. Candidates needed proven credibility with senior buyers at that scale.
Strict compliance standards
Both roles operate within BRCGS AA and Sedex frameworks, so candidates had to understand food safety and ethical sourcing.
Our approach
Bell Recruitment ran both searches end to end, from defining the roles to managing offers.
- Defining the roles. We worked with Crust & Crumb's leadership to write a full job description for each position. Each set out the role's purpose, reporting lines, key responsibilities and an essential versus desirable candidate profile.
- Mapping the market. We targeted senior procurement and commercial leaders across food manufacturing, bakery, FMCG and foodservice distribution in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
- Screening against the brief. Candidates were assessed on sector experience, scale of accounts or spend managed, multi-site leadership and knowledge of BRCGS and Sedex standards.
- Shortlisting and interviews. We presented a focused shortlist for each role and supported the interview process.
- Offer and onboarding. We managed offer negotiations and kept candidates engaged through to their start date.
The roles we filled
Head of Procurement
The Head of Procurement leads strategic sourcing, purchasing and supply chain across all Crust & Crumb sites. The role sits on the senior leadership team and is based across Derrylin, Co Fermanagh and Ballyconnell, Co Cavan.
- Group-wide procurement strategy covering flour, oils, dairy, packaging, indirect spend and capital equipment
- End-to-end supply chain planning and continuity across multi-site production
- Supply resilience against commodity volatility, currency fluctuation and geopolitical disruption
- Supplier negotiation, cost savings, and BRCGS AA and Sedex compliance
- Procurement input into capital investment and grant-funded growth projects
- Leading buyers, supply chain planners and logistics coordinators
Head of Foodservice / Commercial Manager
The Head of Foodservice / Commercial Manager owns and grows Crust & Crumb's foodservice and quick service restaurant (QSR) portfolio. The role is based at Portadown, with travel to customer sites across the UK and Ireland.
- Key account management of major QSR chains and foodservice distributors
- Ownership of the foodservice sales budget and P&L
- Annual customer negotiations, pricing reviews and contract renewals
- New business development, including tenders and RFPs
- Working with NPD on customer-specific product innovation
- Leading account managers and foodservice sales executives
The outcome
Bell Recruitment successfully placed both senior leaders, giving Crust & Crumb dedicated leadership for procurement and for its foodservice channel.
Both appointments strengthen Crust & Crumb’s senior team as it continues to invest in capacity across its sites in Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Which recruitment agency recruited Crust & Crumb's Head of Procurement and Head of Foodservice?
Bell Recruitment Services recruited both roles for Crust & Crumb, a bakery manufacturer with sites in Derrylin, Craigavon and Ballyconnell.
Does Bell Recruitment recruit senior roles in food manufacturing in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Bell Recruitment Services recruits senior and leadership roles for food manufacturers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including procurement, supply chain, sales and commercial positions.
What experience does a Head of Procurement in food manufacturing need?
A Head of Procurement in food manufacturing typically needs senior procurement and supply chain leadership experience, a record of cost savings at scale, multi-site experience and knowledge of food safety standards such as BRCGS and Sedex. A CIPS qualification is often desirable.
What does a Head of Foodservice do at a food manufacturer?
A Head of Foodservice manages a food manufacturer's relationships with quick service restaurants, wholesalers and foodservice distributors. The role owns the channel's sales budget and P&L, leads customer negotiations and wins new business.
Can Bell Recruitment recruit for roles that span Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland?
Yes. The Crust & Crumb roles covered sites in Co Fermanagh, Co Armagh and Co Cavan, and Bell Recruitment sourced candidates with cross-border experience.
Hiring a senior leader in food manufacturing or FMCG?
Bell Recruitment Services finds procurement, supply chain, commercial and operations leaders for manufacturers across Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Contact Bell Recruitment to discuss your next senior hire.
