The Most In-Demand Leadership Roles in CPG and Food & Beverage

The High Stakes of Executive Hiring

For founders in CPG and Food & Beverage, the leadership team is often the difference between scaling into new markets or stalling out. A wrong executive hire can set a company back millions in lost sales, wasted marketing spend, and costly turnover. At the Series A to C stage, when every role has outsized impact, these mistakes can be especially damaging.

Why the Common Recruiting Models Fail Startups

Many founders turn to contingency recruiting because it looks “low risk.” But contingency recruiters only get paid if someone is hired, so they move fast, prioritize volume, and often recycle the same pool of candidates. The focus is on speed, not fit.

On the other end, large retained firms have reach and brand power. But for a founder in CPG or Food & Beverage, the experience can feel slow, impersonal, and too expensive—especially when the firm prioritizes Fortune 500 clients.

Both approaches miss what early-stage consumer brands need most: a search partner who truly understands the market, the pace of growth, and the importance of hiring executives who can thrive in fast-moving environments.

The Roles That Matter Most in 2025

In CPG and Food & Beverage, several executive and senior leadership roles are especially in demand right now:

• Chief Revenue Officer (CRO): Driving sales growth across retail, e-commerce, and new distribution channels.

• Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): Building brand recognition and consumer loyalty in crowded markets.

• Chief Operating Officer (COO): Scaling production, supply chain, and logistics without sacrificing quality.

• VP of Sales: Expanding retail and foodservice relationships while managing brokers and distributors.

• Head of Supply Chain: Mitigating risks, managing costs, and ensuring speed to shelf.

These roles are hard to fill because the best talent is rarely looking. They’re already leading competitors, and they need to be headhunted—not found through job boards.

The Smarter Approach: Retained Search with Real Partnership

Retained search aligns with what startups truly need. Instead of rushing to push candidates, a retained partner commits fully to your search. The process is designed around your company’s vision, culture, and growth plan. That means deeper assessments, targeted headhunting, and leadership hires who can stay and deliver long-term impact.

This model lowers the risk of bad hires and gives founders confidence that the search is in expert hands.

The High Altitude Advantage

At High Altitude Recruiting, we take retained search a step further. Instead of charging unpredictable percentage-based fees, we keep it simple: a flat $10k per search.

No hidden fees, no surprises—just a clear, fixed investment to bring proven leaders into your organization.

We’ve filled 75+ C-Suite roles, 150 VP and Director roles, and over 1,000 senior manager searches. With a 97% fill rate and 99% one-year retention rate, our clients know they’re getting a partner who delivers.

Final Word

In 2025, the most in-demand leadership roles in CPG and Food & Beverage require more than luck to fill. They demand a search partner who knows the industry, commits to the process, and makes cost predictable.

👉 Learn more about the $10k Advantage and why it’s the smartest hiring decision you can make this year.