As President and CEO of Taste of Nature Foods Inc. (TONFI) for the past five years, Francis Cooke has led the company through a period of rapid growth and achievements. In late September, the manufacturer of healthy snack bars, bites, balls and granola was recognized for the second year in a row in The Globe and Mail’s ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.
Sitting in his office in the company’s Markham headquarters, Cooke smiles as he shares how he went from a Wall Street lawyer to CEO of the scaling food manufacturer.
“I've had a bit of an unusual journey compared to many people who end up in my chair. I began my career as a corporate lawyer in New York and London before transitioning into strategy consulting with a global consulting firm. I worked for them around the world and then eventually transitioned into board roles and investing,” he says.
In 2019, the opportunity to lead TONFI landed in front of Cooke. It was a challenge that Cooke couldn’t resist.
“The company was in a challenging place, and I took it over with a view to pivoting and rebuilding the company. Of course, that was three months before COVID, which proved to be enormously challenging for the healthy snacking category,” he recalls.
For many years, the “Taste of Nature Organic” brand has built a global reputation for quality with its line of certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and vegan snack bars. While the company was growing, Cooke saw an opportunity to expand an underdeveloped segment of TONFI’s business. He says that the business had historically been focused almost exclusively on its branded business.
“When I took over, we put a higher level of attention on private label and contract manufacturing,” Cooke says. The healthy snacking category is a very fluid, dynamic, fragmented category. I had a view that private label and contract manufacturing would become an increasingly important part of the healthy snacking category, and that’s worked out well for us.”
Today, TONFI produces its branded products under the “Taste of Nature Organic” brand, as well as contract manufacturing and private label products for customers worldwide. All of the company’s products are manufactured in one of its two state-of-the-art facilities in Markham.
“People frequently say to me, ‘Hey, Francis, bought your bars. I love TONFI’s bars.’ I’m always thinking, ‘you don't always know which ones are ours and that's on purpose,” he jokes.
Cooke adds that the company’s success is made possible by its people. Over the years, TONFI has developed a deep, talented team that is passionate about TONFI, its products and customers. TONFI was certified as a Great Place to Work in 2024, based on the TONFI team’s highly favourable responses to the external organization’s workplace survey.
TONFI’s Markham location has also contributed to the company’s ongoing success.
“The company has always been so very proud to be based in Markham. We're right off Warden and Steeles between the 401, 404, and 407,” he says. “All of our products leave here by truck, where it gets shipped across Canada, the U.S., and over to Europe and Asia, too.”
As Cooke looks towards the future, he says TONFI is in an excellent position for growth. Regarding his own professional growth, he notes that his role as President and CEO has provided him with the opportunity to apply his experience in tactical, hands-on work.
“Throughout my career, I was gradually moving more and more away from being an advisor to being a decision maker,” he says. “In this position, when you're actually in this chair, you lead a team of doers, and it’s been amazing to lead this incredible team.”
