As Expana’s Agri-Food Americas event in Chicago draws near, we're thrilled to present an exclusive interview with a distinguished leader in the food industry, who will be speaking at the conference.
Tim McIntyre spent over 30 years at Domino's Pizza Inc., the world’s largest pizza chain, rising through the ranks to the role of Executive Vice President in 2022. Tim is an expert in crisis management and this interview offers valuable insights into how the food industry has transformed over the years, the challenges ahead, and key lessons in crisis management.
Developed for senior buyers and sellers from across the food and agribusiness sector, Agri-Food Americas, offers specific intelligence on the factors influencing markets, to help you make better commercial decisions. Providing price data and forecasting information as well as discussing the key stressors on global food markets, attend to prepare for future market disruption. Markets to be covered in detail include Poultry, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Eggs, Dairy, Grains, Oilseeds, Feed and Feed Additives.
[Expana] Can you tell us a bit about your career background and how you came to become EVP at Domino’s?
[Tim McIntyre] I joined Domino's two days after graduating with a degree in journalism from Eastern Michigan University (where I currently teach Crisis Management in Public Relations). I started in the internal communications department. Years later, disciplines like government affairs, investor relations, customer care, event management, philanthropy, and several more were added to my responsibilities when I became Executive Vice President of Communications in 2016.
The mantra to my team was to "promote the brand, protect the brand, and educate our audiences," whether they were internal or external. My belief was that no crisis is ever permanent, which helped me stay calm in those situations. My calm under pressure got me noticed, but my focus was always on consistency and adding value.
[Expana] Over your many years at Domino's, you've seen the food industry undergo significant changes. What do you believe were the most critical shifts, and how did you as a business adapt to stay ahead?
[Tim McIntyre] In the early days, the business model was simple: make good pizzas and deliver them quickly. Domino's was obsessed with 30-minute delivery before there was any real competition. Delivery aggregators didn’t exist, and major pizza chains like Pizza Hut and Little Caesars didn’t deliver. The focus was on service- getting your meal to you fast and efficiently.
But then, competition and consumer demands began to change. Consumers started asking for variety, so we had to expand the Domino’s menu. Each new product had to fit through our existing equipment (the same conveyor belt ovens). We developed pizzas, gluten-free options, bread, chicken, and even chocolate lava cakes, all while making sure our operations remained efficient.
Another major shift was the rise of technology. Domino's became a recognized leader in ordering and delivery technology, making the process seamless and even fun for customers. Staying at the forefront of tech helped us meet evolving customer expectations and stand out in the crowded quick-service industry.
[Expana] Looking toward the future, what do you see as the most pressing challenges and opportunities for the food and ag sector?
[Tim McIntyre] There are a few big challenges, and they are interconnected. First, we need to figure out how to feed an ever-increasing global population, and we need to do it sustainably. Sustainability isn’t just about environmental impact, although that is crucial. It also means making agriculture a sector people want to enter. It’s an aging industry, and it’s hard work with sometimes little reward. I recently saw a solar field stretching across acres of land that used to be farmland. While renewable energy is important, we also need to think about the balance—can we sustain food production while also meeting energy demands?
Climate change is another challenge. Farmers are often stewards of the land, but they get more blame for pollution than they deserve, especially compared to industrial polluters. And let’s not forget about activists—whether it's those advocating for animal rights or those who demonize genetically modified foods. Each has valid points, but finding middle ground will be critical for the future of food production.
[Expana] With your extensive experience in crisis management, what is the one piece of advice you would give to leaders on how to proactively prepare for and manage crises in their organizations?
[Tim McIntyre] Take the blinders off. Organizations need to take a long, honest look at themselves and build a risk assessment. It's easy to focus on all the things that can go right, but it's far more meaningful to address what can go wrong - and most companies will be shocked by how long that list can be. I’ve developed such a list and even alphabetized it.
Once you've created that list, determine how likely a crisis is to occur and how detrimental it would be. Many organizations use a matrix of "Likelihood" and "Impact." If something falls into the "Highly Likely / High Impact" section, that’s where you start. Assign a team to prevent the crisis if possible, and if not, put steps in place to overcome it. Often, the steps you take to manage a crisis are the same steps you should take to prevent it in the first place.
In my experience, most organizational crises are self-inflicted. They result from poor planning, lack of leadership, or simply bad policies. But with proactive measures, many of them can be avoided.
This exclusive interview is just a glimpse into the expertise and insights that will be shared at Expana’s Agri-Food Americas from October 7-9 in Chicago. Join the Expana team at the event to explore more about the future of agriculture and food, better understand key market stressors, network with industry leaders, and learn how we can overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
You can learn more about the event at https://events.urnerbarry.com/event/globalproteinsummit/
