Meet Ian, our Procurement Manager at Daily Bread Food Bank. As an integral part of the Operations team since July 2024, he manages the purchasing of over 60% of the total food products that make their way through our warehouse. In the last year, that breaks down to about 24 million pounds of food that gets distributed to our network of agencies and food programs across Toronto.
What does a typical week look like in your role?
Throughout the week, my days are focused on analysis and investigating what kinds of inventory positions we’re going through. Another aspect is placing orders and ensuring that they’re coming in on time and overseeing vendor sourcing and management. I’m in charge of all the in-bound procured products, but I also need to ensure that we have enough space in our warehouse, or that we’re not overstocking on items like fresh products.
What do you enjoy most about the work that you do?
I love our vendor relationships and getting the opportunity to learn how they do things and why they do things. A large part of my role is understanding what our partners are experiencing so we can work well together and get ahead of any challenges that could be on the horizon.
What has been your greatest professional achievement?
This is very much our Operations team, not just me. We aim to be a good stream for donations, and this means being able to provide quick and efficient options for donors. Having this increased willingness towards flexibility, and maximizing donations, is the thing I’m most proud of our team for accomplishing.
What made you decide to join the Daily Bread team?
After the pandemic, I was very bothered by what I had seen firsthand in a previous procurement role. I saw inflation before it happened; prices really skyrocketed. Though these hadn’t yet hit the grocery store, I knew that eventually it would be hard for people to afford the cost of groceries. Seeing that really bothered me, and I wanted to try to find solutions to the problems I was seeing. So, when this opportunity came about, it felt right.
What are some of your hobbies?
I really enjoy biking and in 2015 I biked across Canada, which took two months and a week. I also enjoy running, reading, and playing video games.
What’s your favourite movie?
Interstellar. It’s just awesome from start to finish and has a fantastic soundtrack.
What are people often surprised to learn about you?
People are often surprised to learn that I’m naturally a very curious person. I really enjoy getting to learn more about things.
Thank you, Ian, for your support behind the scenes in ensuring that clients are able to access the food they need!
