As the new CEO of Agrifoods Cooperative, Brendan is no stranger to the Dairy industry. With a BSC in Dairy and Food Science, he began his career in the industry in Ireland, where he worked as a Production Manager for Kerry Foods and Dairy Gold. Upon immigrating to Canada, he got a job as a Management Trainee at Gay Lea Foods and worked in various positions across the organization, eventually becoming the VP of Operations. One of his highlights was building and commissioning the most advanced Evaporation and Spray Drying facility in North America, at the time.
After 20 years with Gay Lea under his belt, Brendan wrestled with the idea of making a change. This led him to the Executive VP of Operations role with Andrew Peller Limited, Canada’s largest premium family-owned wine producer. He quickly learned that the wine and dairy industries are very different and welcomed the challenge of trying something new. He believes that you always have to evaluate yourself and continue to grow and learn so that you can apply the learnings to help your team move forward.
Having spent 15 years in the wine industry Brendan’s career has come full circle as he returns to his dairy roots of wholesome food and the world of cooperatives. With a shared vision for Agrifoods’ future opportunities and the adventure of moving from Ontario to British Columbia, he is excited to join the Cooperative and be on this journey.
Coming in after a challenging year, Brendan is impressed by the people and culture that make up the Cooperative. He is adamant that we will survive and thrive as we move forward, working hard together as a team.
“Tough times don’t last, but tough teams do. There is resiliency in the Agrifoods team. There is a desire and passion to move the business forward and to succeed, and at the same time to support each other.”
Leveraging the strengths of his team, he is focusing on working with them to provide quality products that people want and need in their daily lives.
With a passion for travelling, Brendan and his wife enjoy getting in the car and exploring Canada whenever they can. Not only is he looking forward to living in Vancouver because the mountains and oceans remind him of Ireland, but he’s also eager to explore all the beautiful locations in BC. He enjoys living an active, healthy lifestyle and stays fit by jogging and lifting weights, but he may get back into yoga once he moves.
