Riding the Tide of Changing Customer Behavior WIth Leo Chris Kasuya, Director of Strategy & New Ventures at Irresistible Foods Group

Leo Chris Kasuya is the Director of Strategy and New Ventures at Irresistible Foods Group (IFG). IFG is a family of authentic food and beverage brands, and Leo’s role is to develop and execute strategic initiatives focused on the enterprise and operating its long-term growth and success. Leo leads acquisition and investment opportunities, international expansion efforts, and develops strategic initiatives for King’s Hawaiian, Grillo’s Pickles, and Shaka Tea. Having held several senior-level positions at various companies, Leo is also the Co-founder of Unique Impressions Group, a digital media company. He attended the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, graduating magna cum laude in international business and marketing with a minor in Japanese. What you’ll learn in this episode: The dynamics of the food and food service landscape have forever changed. How did businesses successfully navigate the evolution of consumer behavior? What should you focus on to help your restaurant or food brand thrive through the myriad of challenges we’ve experienced and new ones that are sure to arise? Irresistible Foods Group (IFG) was in a better position than most when the world began to change in 2020. In 2018, IFG reexamined its understanding of the consumer and how to reach, target, and communicate with them. IFG doubled down on its efforts and accelerated its sales in brick-and-mortar stores and online, which gave them an edge when the pandemic hit. Additionally, its core values and IFG’s plan to stay ahead of the world’s problems turned those problems into opportunities. Having a long-term strategic plan when the unexpected arises can help you pivot and focus on surviving unexpected market challenges. Another critical component is using your company’s core values as a guide for hiring the right people who dedicate themselves to your mission. On this episode of From Persona to Personal, Roger Hurni welcomes Leo Chris Kasuya, Director of Strategy and New Ventures at Irresistible Foods Group (IFG), to talk about creating a long-term plan to equip your company to be a step ahead when challenges surface. Leo talks about having a team that aligns with your company’s core values, the power of adapting to evolving customer behavior, and having a strategy that turns challenges into opportunities when facing unforeseen circumstances.