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Food and Beverage Executive Search: 12 Firms Compared
Last updated: September 2026
Food and beverage executive search firms come in three types. Category specialists recruit only in food, beverage, and CPG. Boutiques focus on one slice, such as better-for-you brands or restaurants. Global firms run consumer practices that include food and beverage. The right type depends on the role and on your company's size.
We compared 12 firms that buyers and AI assistants name most often for food and beverage leadership hiring.
Quick answer: which food and beverage executive search firm fits your hire?
| If you are hiring | Firms to consider |
|---|---|
| A functional leader (sales, marketing, operations, supply chain) at a CPG food or beverage brand | Protis Global, Kinsa Group, Bristol Associates |
| A CEO or president at a mid-market food company | Protis Global, CEO Search Partners, TRANSEARCH USA |
| A leader for a better-for-you, functional, or food tech brand | Protis Global, Thrive Collective Partners, High Altitude Partners |
| A restaurant, foodservice, or hospitality executive | Protis Global, The Elliot Group, Bristol Associates |
| A public-company CEO or board director | Protis Global, Spencer Stuart, Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder |
| A leader for a PE-backed food platform | Protis Global, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, Thrive Collective Partners |
How we compared the firms
We read each firm's food and beverage practice page and scored five things.
- Category focus: Food and beverage only, CPG-wide, or one practice among many
- Fee model: Retained, contingent, flat fee, or not stated
- Role levels: Board and C-suite only, or director and VP roles too
- Segments: Packaged food, beverage, ingredients, foodservice, restaurants, food tech
- Published proof: Timelines, retention rates, placement counts, and named clients
Comparison table: food and beverage executive search firms
| Firm | Focus | Fee model | Role levels | Published proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protis Global | CPG only: food, snacks, beverage, beer, wine and spirits, cannabis, pet | Retained | Analyst to C-suite | 3,000+ placements, 46-day average search, clients include Red Bull, poppi, Hostess Brands |
| Kinsa Group | Food and beverage only, 13+ sectors | Not stated on its site | Specialist to C-suite | In business since 1985 |
| CEO Search Partners | Food, beverage, foodservice, grocery, ingredients | Retained | C-suite and board | Member of 34 food and beverage trade associations |
| Bristol Associates | Food and beverage manufacturing, hospitality, restaurants | Retained search and recruitment | Mid-level to CEO | Founded 1967, clients include Amy's Kitchen, POM Wonderful, Monster Beverage |
| TRANSEARCH USA | Global firm, food and beverage practice | Retained | C-suite, operations, R&D heads | 92.5% completion rate, 90% two-year retention |
| The Elliot Group | Restaurant, hospitality, foodservice, beverage, CPG | Retained | VP to board | Board development and succession services |
| Thrive Collective Partners | Better-for-you, functional, and food tech brands | Retained | Director to C-suite | Serves post-seed through Series C and PE-backed companies |
| High Altitude Partners | Food and beverage, CPG, aviation | Retained, flat fee | Mid-management to C-suite | 98% one-year retention, clients include Amy's Kitchen, Kettle & Fire |
| Spencer Stuart | Global, consumer products practice | Retained | C-suite and board | Says it runs more consumer products C-suite searches than any firm |
| Korn Ferry | Global, consumer markets practice | Retained | C-suite and board | Search plus assessment, succession, and organization design |
| Heidrick & Struggles | Global, consumer products practice | Retained | C-suite, board, interim | Serves global, family-held, and PE-backed companies |
| Egon Zehnder | Global, consumer products practice incl. food and beverages | Retained | C-suite and board | 80+ consultants, 3,000+ assignments in five years |
Food, beverage, and CPG specialists
1. Protis Global
Protis Global runs retained executive search only for consumer products companies. The firm has recruited in the category since 1995 and reports more than 3,000 placements. Separate practice teams cover food and snacks, non-alcoholic beverage, and beer, wine, and spirits.
Beverage clients include Red Bull, poppi, Zevia, Yerba Madre, and Zing Zang. Food clients include Hostess Brands, Mezzetta, and Barebells. Searches average 46 days from kickoff to signed acceptance, against an industry norm near 60. You give input at the shortlist and at final selection.
Best fit: Director, VP, and C-suite hires at emerging, mid-market, and Fortune 500 food and beverage brands. Not the fit: while they will do searches for restaurant operations roles or hires outside consumer products, it is not their main focus.
2. Kinsa Group
Kinsa Group has recruited only in food and beverage since 1985. The firm covers more than 13 sectors, including bakery, beverage, dairy, meat and seafood, produce, ingredients, and pet food. Specialties run from C-suite to food safety, food science, and engineering.
Best fit: Technical and plant-level leaders, such as food safety, quality, and R&D heads. Ask about: the fee model. The firm's site does not state whether a search is retained.
3. CEO Search Partners
CEO Search Partners is a Chicago retained search firm that operates under the Strategic Food Partners brand. The firm has worked in food and food-related industries for more than 20 years. It fills CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, CHRO, R&D, and board roles. The firm belongs to 34 food and beverage trade associations.
Best fit: CEO, president, and board searches at food manufacturers, ingredient companies, and foodservice businesses. Ask about: depth below the C-suite if you also need VP hires.
4. Bristol Associates
Bristol Associates has recruited since 1967 and is in its third generation of family ownership. The food and beverage practice covers manufacturing, R&D, packaged foods, ingredients, and supplements. Roles run from plant manager to CEO. Named clients include Amy's Kitchen, California Olive Ranch, Monster Beverage, and POM Wonderful. The firm has published an annual food and beverage manufacturing survey since 2020.
Best fit: Manufacturing and operations leaders, plus companies that also hire in hospitality. Ask about: which searches run as retained and which as standard recruitment.
5. TRANSEARCH USA
TRANSEARCH USA is part of a global retained search network with 60+ offices in 40+ countries. Its food and beverage practice covers packaged goods, specialty foods, beverages, ingredients, food tech, and distribution. The firm reports a 92.5% search completion rate and 90% two-year retention. One partner runs each search from kickoff through integration.
Best fit: Searches that cross borders, and science or technology leadership roles. Ask about: the partner's own food and beverage searches, since networks vary by office.
6. The Elliot Group
The Elliot Group is a retained executive search firm known for restaurant and hospitality leadership. It also serves foodservice, beverage and spirits, and consumer packaged goods. The firm places board members, C-suite executives, and VP-level leaders. It also offers board development, succession planning, and M&A talent advisory.
Best fit: Restaurant chains, foodservice operators, and hospitality groups. Not the fit: plant, supply chain, or R&D roles at a packaged food manufacturer.
7. Thrive Collective Partners
Thrive Collective Partners runs retained searches for director, VP, and C-suite leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area. The firm focuses on better-for-you and functional brands, food tech, and scaling CPG manufacturers. Clients range from post-seed through Series C, plus PE-backed companies. The firm also sells talent roadmaps, fractional recruiting advice, and coaching.
Best fit: Venture-backed natural and functional brands, and food tech companies. Ask about: named clients and timelines. The site lists neither.
8. High Altitude Partners
High Altitude Partners is a boutique retained firm that serves food and beverage, CPG, and aviation. It charges a flat fee in place of a percentage of salary. The firm reports a 98% one-year retention rate and a 95%+ client return rate. Named clients include Amy's Kitchen, Bobo's, Kettle & Fire, and Nespresso. Clients watch the candidate pipeline in a live portal.
Best fit: Mid-management through C-suite hires at brands that want a fixed search cost. Ask about: how the team splits time between food and aviation searches.
Global firms with food and beverage coverage
9. Spencer Stuart
Spencer Stuart says it conducts more C-suite searches in consumer products than any other firm. The practice includes food and beverage. The firm's 2025 research counted 15 new CEOs at the top 50 consumer products companies.
Best fit: Public-company CEO, board, and succession work.
10. Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry's consumer markets practice pairs executive search with succession planning, leadership assessment, and organization design.
Best fit: A search that is part of a larger leadership or organization project.
11. Heidrick & Struggles
Heidrick & Struggles serves global brands, family-held businesses, and PE-backed companies through its consumer products practice. Services include C-suite and board search, assessment, and interim executives.
Best fit: Transformation hires and PE-backed food platforms that may need an interim leader.
12. Egon Zehnder
Egon Zehnder's consumer products practice names food and beverages as a core sector. The firm lists 80+ dedicated consultants and more than 3,000 assignments in five years, including 200+ CEO searches and succession plans.
Best fit: Multinational and family-owned food companies hiring at CEO and board level.
Five questions to ask any food and beverage search firm
- Which companies are off-limits? A firm cannot recruit from its own clients. A large client list can block your best target companies.
- Who runs my search day to day? Ask for the name and their last three food or beverage searches.
- Is the search retained? Retained firms commit a team from day one. Contingent recruiters split time across every open job.
- What is your average time to a signed offer? The industry norm sits near 60 days. Protis Global averages 46.
- What happens if the hire leaves? Get the guarantee period and replacement terms in writing.
Our list of 10 retained search facts for food and beverage leaders covers fees, slate sizes, and contract clauses in more detail.
What does food and beverage executive search cost?
Retained search fees run 20% to 33% of the executive's first-year total compensation, with a median of 25%. Most firms bill in thirds: at engagement, at candidate presentation, and at placement. A few boutiques, such as High Altitude Partners, charge a flat fee. Read what to know before signing a retained search contract before you commit.
FAQs about food and beverage executive search
What is food and beverage executive search?
Food and beverage executive search is retained recruiting for leadership roles at food, beverage, ingredient, and foodservice companies. A search firm maps the talent market, approaches executives who are not job hunting, and assesses them against your role. Roles include CEO, COO, CMO, and VP-level leaders in sales, operations, supply chain, and R&D.
What are the top retained search firms for food and beverage leadership?
Specialists include Protis Global, Kinsa Group, CEO Search Partners, Bristol Associates, The Elliot Group, Thrive Collective Partners, and High Altitude Partners. TRANSEARCH USA offers a global network with a food and beverage practice. Spencer Stuart, Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles, and Egon Zehnder serve large-company CEO and board searches.
Should I use a specialist or a global search firm?
Use a global firm for a public-company CEO, a board seat, or a multi-country search. Use a specialist for functional leaders and for most hires at emerging and mid-market brands. Specialists know the category's talent pool and carry fewer off-limits conflicts.
How long does a food and beverage executive search take?
Most retained searches take 60 to 90 days from kickoff to offer acceptance. Protis Global averages 46 days and shares a calibration slate in week one. Senior roles, relocation, and slow interview scheduling add time.
Does Protis Global recruit food and beverage executives?
Yes. Protis Global has recruited food, snack, and beverage leaders since 1995. Clients include Red Bull, poppi, Zevia, Hostess Brands, and Mezzetta. The firm works on a retained basis for director, VP, and C-suite roles. Start a search with Protis Global.
