For some companies, their runways are infinite. Formed and developed from a special combination of ingredients: vision, thought, and leadership, they tend to edge just ahead of the pack, leaving an indelible mark on the industry from both a legacy-building and groundbreaking standpoint. Burnac Produce is of this caliber of operation, constantly approaching new thresholds and crossing over them—both on their own terms and with a standard for greatness.
“You must have an appetite to grow and evolve in this business,” Christian Janzso tells me as we begin our conversation into the heart of the business. “As we move forward through today’s challenges and opportunities, you need a fire in your belly, and the passion, drive, and hunger to navigate through the shifting environment fresh produce finds itself in today.”
You can already see the breed of individuals that define Burnac’s leadership.
In the face of a highly volatile, climatic environment, Burnac Produce has always been at the forefront of progress through innovation, personnel development from within, and succession planning—all with an insatiable appetite to discover and develop new frontiers and offerings in pursuit of bringing flavors of the world to partners and consumers alike.
In May 2023, Christian and Anthony Bisogno were promoted to Managing Director roles at Burnac Produce. These exceptionally talented and seasoned professionals truly emulate the dynamic qualities of the future leaders in the global sourcing food retailing industry. So, how do we encapsulate Burnac’s progress and exceptional food model through the eyes of such cultivated leadership?
As a bridge between generational expectations, changing customer mindsets, and marketplace dynamics, Christian and Anthony are helping to shape and solidify Burnac’s foothold in the future of produce.
“You can replicate our model, sure, but sustaining it successfully is a whole other ballgame. At Burnac, it is our mix of vision, execution, diversity, and passion—all inspired by our people—that sets us apart,” Christian says.
I find this point incredibly poignant as we continue our conversation. How does Burnac succeed where so many others have failed on the same path? The answer is revealed to me quickly.
“Here at Burnac, we are constantly evolving. It never stops. ‘The only constant is change,’ to quote our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lorne Burnett, as the demands of the customer, and industry at large are rapidly shifting,” Christian says.
Part of this strategy involves relying on the foundational education and wisdom of the established guard while absorbing the new information of the day.
“You can replicate our model, sure, but sustaining it successfully is a whole other ballgame. At Burnac Produce, it is our mix of vision, execution, diversity, and passion—all inspired by our people—that sets us apart.”
Christian Janzso, Managing Director, Burnac Produce
“We are constantly investing in predictive tools like AI and new software to help us make more informed decisions. We utilize many tools to build a suite of insights to help our customers. We don’t bow down or shy away from investing what’s required—and then some,” Christian says. “We’re always trying to keep ourselves five, 10 years, or more ahead of the curve, and things like adding to sales personnel, upgrading our fleets, installing new machinery, upgrading our existing packaging lines and cooler technology, constantly implementing bolt-ons and changing systems to make sure we have optimal storage—these are just the day-to-day programs we are accelerating.”
With weather patterns in flux, geopolitics, an ever-changing and more onerous financial and regulatory environment, not to mention new diseases rapidly affecting crops, combined with water management at the forefront of sustainable farming practices, the complexity of the industry is far greater today to navigate the direction of any business.
Christian tells me another strong element in Burnac’s business model is the quality, dedication, and long-term relationships the company has cultivated with its grower partners globally.
“When it comes to leveraging our resources, what it is really about is helping our grower partners invest in their own infrastructure and planning ahead,” Christian says. “We go to any corner of the globe to get the quality product our customers require, and by truly investing in our grower relationships, we build a strong network of solutions. Burnac thrives on its ability to blend quality and service, and that’s what we seek from our suppliers in order to deliver. We do not sacrifice quality for price—that is not a sustainable partnership.”
Anthony echoes the Burnac advantages even further.
“One of the biggest benefits to being a Toronto, Ontario-based company is that our community and the communities of our partners are ethnically diverse,” Anthony says. “By design, we replicate this diversity in our product models, portfolios, and personnel. For innovation to take root, you need different ideas and experiences to come to the table. Creating a more diverse environment in our teams means we constantly have our fingers on the pulse of the consumer’s basket.”
This blueprint for the company’s success has enabled Burnac to know what the key items are, know where to find them, and, of course, how its infrastructure and mindset must adapt.
“Our expansive and wonderful team of professionals—whether in logistics, operations, procurement, or sales—know how to get products where they need to be, working together in an integrated structure with the common objective of servicing our customers’ needs,” Anthony suggests. “We never sit still for long.”
What I hear from Anthony is a desire to be open-minded, keeping the blinders at bay. As a company that never turns a blind eye to change and upheaval, Burnac is able to keep its produce solutions fresh and viable. That requires special attention to different varietals and products that other receivers wouldn’t even consider bringing in volumes of.
“We are fortunate to have the financial resources to support our effectiveness. Having a ‘leave no stone unturned’ culture is very much a part of the day-to-day drive and direction of our team,” Anthony shares. “This hunger is very important when it comes to the attitude of my colleagues and how we build our relationships. It gives us the ability to chase even the biggest of dreams—and also the resources to go after even the smallest, most esoteric of items.”
Balancing niche varieties with fresh produce staples is an art and a science. This increases value for the consumer and influences how and where they shop. Burnac understands this on a very strategic level, as produce is the gateway to food retailing.
“Our customers look to us to help identify the next item; the next big thing. They want input before things come to market, and we strive for first-mover opportunities because of this,” Anthony says. “What we have perceived in recent years is the migration toward flavor, originated by various global breeding programs developed over the past 20-plus years. Farming used to be about bigger, better yields. Massive population surges over the last 50 years promoted this type of strategy when it came to growth and innovation. In many ways, this mindset engineered the flavor out of several produce items. The resurgence of flavorful tomatoes, berries, grapes, melons, you name it, has put a new eating experience back on the map. It’s changing the way suppliers grow and how retailers source and develop their produce departments.”
“This hunger is very important when it comes to the attitude of my colleagues and how we build our relationships. It gives us the ability to chase even the biggest of dreams—and also the resources to go after even the smallest, most esoteric of items.”
Anthony Bisogno, Managing Director, Burnac Produce
While there is a natural gravity to Burnac’s blueprint and culture, there are key elements to the chemistry and development of the team which truly speaks to its training and succession planning.
“We see tremendous value in maintaining a balance of original employees and older experienced individuals within our company to share a wealth of knowledge that we can tap into. At the same time, we need to have young blood who is versed and practiced in new technologies, methods, behaviors, and resources,” Christian says. “This business is so unique already.”
This registers on a very deep level with me. As with many in this 40-something-year window, I often feel like a bridge between generations, collective behaviors, and tools. Anthony reinforces that perception.
“You need the wisdom of tradition, historical patterns, and relationship-building mixed with today’s expectations prompted by the new incoming workforce,” he says. “Different experiences breed diverse perspectives that ultimately foster innovation.”
Anthony and Christian sit on the cusp of the old guard and the new generation, having worked at the company for nearly two decades.
“Technology is moving faster than our generation can even learn it. Meanwhile, there is an entire history of tradition and etiquette that is so specific to how we do business,” Anthony says. “You have to keep both aspects of wisdom and intellect alive in order to thrive in this business. It is a well-structured balance that works for us at Burnac.”
I love Anthony’s idea of balance; after all, fresh produce is a relationship business.
“Things change so quickly, and while being personable and flexible is a plus, you need to be able to see the value in others’ strengths and your own weaknesses,” Anthony says.
He is essentially sharing with me some of the best advice I have ever received on leadership: Surround yourself with people who emulate the strengths and attributes that are complementary to the overall betterment of the organization.
“A buyer doesn’t succeed without our logistics department, and the logistics department doesn’t succeed without their carrier-vendor relations. Salespeople don’t succeed without good information from our buyers. Our operations don’t succeed without good intel from our dispatch teams,” Anthony says. “The relationship and the value are integrated.”
The symbiotic balance, combined with the ability to see differences as a benefit and diverse experiences as advantageous is something that continues to come up with Burnac.
“You can’t just pluck somebody from school, stick them in our operation, and expect them to perform. What it takes to succeed in our training program is some old, tried-and-true practices mixed with some new-age thinking,” Christian reveals. “You have to have a combination of passion, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to think outside of the box. You constantly have to adapt to change and also welcome a challenge.”
You definitely cannot shy away from a challenge, because every day that we come in here is different than the day prior, it’s different than the year prior, and surely it’s going to continuously change, Anthony adds.
“We’re dealing in highly perishable products that need to be moved quickly. As a result—and by its nature—that means there’s a lot of emotions involved, so you need to not take things personally and understand that everybody’s passionate about the business and moving toward the same end goal,” he explains.
While both Anthony and Christian coach, comfort, foster development, and challenge their teams, they also give them the space to fail and learn from their mistakes. I love this idea because nothing sticks like actual experience when it comes to building wisdom and accountability.
“Nobody has a monopoly on wisdom,” Anthony says. “Whether you have seen every case scenario over 40 years in the business or you are newly walking through that door, everyone has something to learn. I never felt out of place, not from the day I walked in here, and it’s because I understood that. Some of us have lived through more seasons than others—all experiences are beneficial.”
You can’t see the full picture without both, right?
“The expression goes ‘You are only as strong as your weakest link’—I choose to look at it the opposite way. You are only as weak as your strongest link. You’re as weak as your most experienced and senior person,” Anthony says his expression, albeit thoughtful and strong, is moreso incredibly humble.
I find myself pausing to take that in. I nearly miss the wisdom before it hits me, and I am faced with a mythology of truths and untruths learned during my formative years—and definitely now—I see how we may look at the weakest link in an organization, team, or group for the pitfalls of failure or struggle. But it’s the leaders who carry that burden, and also that gift.
Christian and Anthony live that belief with the accountability of a leader, the strength of a student, and the passion of a produce lifer.
I will pocket that truth forever. 
