Manufacturing
Gary Haley Vantage Foods Inc. Calgary
F
ounded in 1997 by CEO Gary Haley, Vantage Foods Inc. is a private label manufacturer of retail-ready fresh meat products. Now operating four modern facilities in Canada and the U.S., and with 1,300 employees, Vantage supplies major chain supermarkets with merchandising programs designed to increase consumer satisfaction and deliver superior retail meat department performance. When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? Because I was born into an entrepreneurial family, finding my own entrepreneurial path was instinctive. Are entrepreneurs born or made? Entrepreneurship can be learned — however, entrepreneurship hardwired into their DNA.
What’s your legacy? the
ultra-successful
have
What would you say are the top skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? A healthy dissatisfaction with the status quo, relentless focus on customer needs, a dedicated team, innovation and integrity — and a little luck doesn’t hurt! What sets Canadian entrepreneurs apart on the world stage? Internationally, Canadian entrepreneurs are perceived as fair and polite, trustworthy and reliable. To what do you attribute your success? We live and breathe our core values as the essence of our culture and a key source of our competitive advantage. We surround ourselves with great customers and outstanding employees, and it is our stated priority to look after them in every way. How do you define success? Integrity, defined as daily delivery of our Brand Promise to customers, and relationships as measured by the exceptional calibre of our retail partners, suppliers and employees.
My advice to entrepreneurs is to find a business you’re passionate about. Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, a choice that is demanding but very rewarding. Surround yourself with great people. Look after your customers and employees and the business will largely look after itself. 12
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EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015
“To leave a culture of excellence and integrity and to serve as a role model for my children, employees and aspiring entrepreneurs and personally to make meaningful financial contributions to children’s charities.“