Finding the Right Senior Leader in Food and Beverage Demands a Nuanced, Human Approach
By Eli Jones
Name an industry or profession today and it’s likely there’s buzz about artificial intelligence (AI). In food and beverage, for example, manufacturers are integrating AI tools to streamline production and improve quality. R&D teams are leveraging its impressive computing power to analyze new ingredient formulas. Sales leaders are finding ways to build stronger forecasts and reach new customers. The opportunities are significant across business functions.
AI’s impact on executive recruiting is no exception.
HR teams and hiring managers, leadership candidates, and established executive search firms like Curtis Food Recruiters are all asking: What is the right role for AI in recruiting?
More specifically, it’s a debate about balance:
- Where can AI’s data-driven approach save time or streamline executive recruiting?
- Where does human engagement and insight add value?
We’re exploring this topic with a lens on what food and beverage companies need to know.
Generative AI Unleashes New Possibilities for Work and Home
As of 2025:
- 88 percent of companies now use AI in at least one business function.
- Over 60 percent of consumers used an AI tool in the past year, up from approximately 40 percent in 2024.
- 34 percent of people use a GenAI tool weekly, up from 18 percent the previous year.
The impact of AI is undeniable. However, the technology is far from mature. Only a third of companies have begun scaling AI processes and tools across their enterprise; most are still experimenting with AI or running AI as pilot projects.
Bias and “hallucinations” are two of the most common side effects when AI is not properly managed. Providing adequate training to users, setting policy guidelines and ensuring quality data inputs are important guardrails as food and beverage companies incorporate AI into executive recruiting and other functions. It’s important to remember that AI is still in its infancy. There are a lot of assumptions about AI’s capabilities and the strength of AI models, but much remains to be learned and proven.
Companies Quick to Adopt AI in Talent Acquisition
Talent acquisition is the most common AI use case, with companies looking to the technology to improve team productivity, reduce time-to-fill on open positions and identify more diverse candidates.
Top Use Cases for AI in Food and Beverage Executive Recruiting
- Creating jobseeker content. Hiring teams now routinely “ask AI” for help creating communications that support the executive recruiting process, such as writing job descriptions, creating organizational charts, preparing interview questions and drafting responses to applicants. Others tap AI for skills assessments and screenings.
- Accelerating candidate sourcing. An AI engine can review thousands of resumes and applications in an instant; with the right prompts and keywords, it can scour company databases to find potential candidates. This rapid initial screening can enable in-house HR teams to spend more time engaging with potential applicants. It’s most useful with high volumes of applicants and for early-career, entry-level opportunities.
- Streamlining administrative tasks. Productivity and efficiency are top AI goals for organizations. AI can make day-to-day recruiting activities more efficient, such as scheduling interviews, summarizing meetings and retrieving information.
- Predicting fit and performance. Some applicant tracking systems and talent management platforms now embed AI analytics in their tools. These analytics are designed to compare candidate qualifications to company-specific criteria, then predict potential fit and job performance. (Most of these applications are in their early stages and still no substitute for humans when it comes to the nuances of interpersonal skills and cultural fit.)
Experienced Recruiters Outperform AI in Building Relationships, Assessing Cultural Fit
Candidates agree. A recent survey found more than half of candidates would decline an otherwise attractive offer if they had a negative experience during the recruiting process. Leveraging the talents of experienced executive search firms to guide the hiring process ensures a smooth experience for all involved.
These are some of the ways that human experience and one-on-one engagement can deliver a sizable advantage when recruiting and hiring key executives:
- Understanding the industry. The food and beverage industry is complex, challenging, highly regulated and constantly evolving to embrace new trends. While AI can sift through articles and summarize data points, only an executive search team with decades of food and beverage experience can bring a true “peer to peer” perspective. Relying on proven industry expertise also signals intent and significance to prospective new hires. Your search team can “speak the language” of your segment and establish immediate value with candidates.
- Finding passive candidates. Often, the best leader for the job isn’t actively seeing a new position. They’re likely experiencing success in their current role. However, they’ll make time for a new opportunity when it meets their unique needs. Executive search firms maintain vast networks that let them quickly pinpoint leaders who can excel in the right environments. This outreach goes beyond simple keyword matches and AI-driven searches. It’s the search firm’s role to build relationships, introduce executives to new opportunities, and know where and how to engage “hidden” talent that will be the ideal match for each client.
- Building trust and engagement. Every interaction during the talent acquisition process creates a touchpoint for a company’s brand, and here, experienced executive recruiters can shine. Having a strong human connection at the outset, and across the process, demonstrates thoughtfulness and trust.
- Assessing fit and motivation. How often does a candidate seem ideal “on paper” then miss the mark as the hiring cycle progresses? AI can find candidates whose past experiences mirror the skills and data points on a list, but humans are far better suited to understand a candidate’s leadership style, cultural fit and motivations for taking on a new role. They’ll dig deeper, challenge assumptions, ask smart questions and bring a broader perspective that yields stronger results.
Take a Balanced Approach to AI and Retain a Human Touch in Executive Recruiting
There’s no doubt AI is making an impact on executive recruiting in food and beverage by automating routine tasks, increasing the efficiency of communications and helping accelerate the hiring cycles.
At the same time, an experienced executive recruiter’s role remains vital when working with senior leadership positions. Trust, candor, collaboration and judgment are all essential to finding the ideal executive for a food and beverage company’s leadership team.
If you’re considering your senior leadership pipeline or have questions about our approach, connect with us. We’re happy to share our process and expertise.
Meet The Author
Eli Jones
Eli began his career in staffing, building strong expertise in hiring and retaining office and field talent in challenging markets. A Minnesota State University Moorhead graduate, he quickly advanced into multi-site management roles, where he developed lasting client, candidate, and internal relationships. Since joining Curtis Food Recruiters in 2022, Eli has brought extensive experience in sales, account and recruitment management, contract negotiation, budgeting, and team building, along with a passion for connecting professionals with the right opportunities by understanding the unique needs of both clients and candidates.