Kinsa Group is a specialized recruiting partner for the food and beverage industry, connecting Illinois employers with top talent across the state. Founded in 1985, Kinsa brings four decades of experience and a national reach, focusing on all segments of food & beverage—from food manufacturing and food service to new product development and supply chain.
Our expertise and candidate network span every segment of the food and beverage industry in Illinois, with a strong network of food industry professionals in the major metropolitan area of Chicago, and across the state. We’re a member of and participate in the mission of the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network. We help Illinois employers find the right match to drive their business forward.
About Us
Kinsa has earned recognition as one of Forbes’ America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms. We are intentional, candid, and consultative in how we operate. Our mission is nourishing career connections to create success for our customers in the food & beverage industry. Our core operating values include loyalty, integrity, professionalism, dignity, respect, customer service excellence, and empowerment of our team. Learn more About Us here.
We Fill Food & Beverage Roles
Food and beverage employers in Illinois choose Kinsa Group because our deep roots in the industry give us inside knowledge of what is required to succeed. We understand the technical skills, food safety and compliance standards, product quality demands, and operations essential to thriving in food environments. Kinsa doesn’t treat recruiting as transactional; instead, we build relationships and alignment to ensure a successful, long-term partnership for our client employers and the professionals they hire.
We specialize in filling key roles, including:
- Chief People Officer
- VP of Sales
- Director of Engineering
- Plant Manager
- Food Scientist
- Sanitation Manager
- Category Manager
- Brand Manager
- Supply Chain Director
- Controller
- Buyer
- and more!
Scale Your Organization with Kinsa Group
Kinsa begins by learning about your organization’s goals, scale of operations, and culture in its food & beverage operations. We leverage our extensive network (in food manufacturing, food safety, engineering, sales, product development, operations, culinary arts, etc.) to identify Illinois-based candidates who meet your job requirements and fit your culture.
- 85% of hires facilitated by Kinsa Group come from proprietary Kinsa Group channels, not job boards.
- 55% from our exclusive food industry database of professional and executive candidates.
- 25% from our recruiters’ social network and personal LinkedIn connections.
- 5% from referrals of these two networks.
Kinsa Group prioritizes both speed and precision. Our average time to fill is 60 days from launching a search to an accepted offer.
Specialties & Industries We Serve
Kinsa recruits across a wide range of specialties, including finance & accounting, human resources, c-suite, sales & marketing, maintenance & engineering, plant production, purchasing & supply chain, food safety, quality & sanitation, food science & product development, restaurant operations, culinary arts, and more.
We also serve diverse industries such as bakery, confectionery & snack foods; beverage; dairy; grocery; food ingredients; meat, poultry & seafood; produce, refrigerated & frozen foods; shelf-stable foods; dietary & nutraceuticals supplements; pet food; food service, restaurant & hospitality; lab services, food processing equipment, & supporting industries. Serving these diverse sub-industries gives us insight into what different employers need.
To learn more, visit our Industries or Specialties page. Connect with Kinsa Group on LinkedIn or explore our executive search services.
Connect with a Recruiter
If you’re ready to connect with top talent in the food and beverage industry or solve critical hiring gaps in supply chain, quality, product development, sales, or operations, Kinsa Group is here to help. Contact one of our trusted Account Managers today.