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CASE STUDY
Driving 30%+ Yield Gains and Developing the Next Generation of Leaders at a National Food Manufacturer
With three production facilities and more than 100 SKUs, Land O’Frost, a family-owned food manufacturer, faced increasing operational inefficiencies and a wave of leadership retirements.
Yield Optimization | Standardized Manufacturing Processes | Leadership Development | Succession Planning
THE CHALLENGE: The company wasn’t in crisis, but it was drifting. Yields were down. Performance varied across facilities. And long-tenured leaders were heading toward retirement, without a clear bench behind them.
With distribution nationwide, key challenges included:
• Declining yields due to inconsistencies in equipment across smokehouses
• Leadership turnover with limited mid-level readiness
• Need to restore a culture of continuous improvement
The team recognized that a full-time executive search would take time—and they couldn’t afford to make the wrong hire under pressure. With urgent questions about how to strengthen the business and where to drive manufacturing efficiencies, they turned to interim leadership with deep operational expertise in manufacturing.
SOLUTION: InterimExecs placed a seasoned RED Team Interim COO as SVP of Operations to lead operational improvement and succession development.
The COO quickly:
• Assessed top-performing SKUs using ABC analysis to focus efforts on the 6 products that would drive the most impact
• Standardized smokehouse operations by identifying and fixing equipment problems that allowed for variations in airflow and temperature conditions
• Improved data fidelity and KPIs, especially around yield, downtime, and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
• Mentored and assessed internal talent, preparing next-gen leaders for promotion
• Re-established a continuous improvement culture company-wide
What: Land O’ Frost, a family-owned, nationally recognized food manufacturer, processes and sells packaged deli meats across the United States
INDUSTRY: Food Manufacturing
ROLE: Interim COO
LOCATION: United States
Generally, the biggest thing we’re looking for are areas of waste. If you’re a disciple of Lean, you know there are many types of waste. But the two that usually have the greatest financial impact — and are most concerning to operators — are material waste and labor productivity.”
-Mike, InterimExecs RED Team COO
RESULTS: In under two years, the interim COO placement delivered results that exceeded expectations:
• 30–40% yield improvement across core product lines
• Standardized production for consistent performance
• Built an internal leadership bench, including mentoring and training mid-level managers
• Revitalized a culture of accountability and operational excellence
• Hit all targeted KPIs ahead of schedule, shortening the expected engagement timeline
The Impact of Interim Leadership
With InterimExecs’ support, Land O’ Frost didn’t just stabilize — it accelerated. The engagement left the company stronger, more efficient, and well-positioned for long-term success under its next generation of leaders.
Facing operational challenges or stalled productivity?
InterimExecs specializes in placing seasoned executives who deliver results fast. Call
+1 (847) 849-2800 for a confidential discussion.