Foodservice & Multi-Unit Operations
Restaurant ops, distribution, procurement, and national accounts - the full operator-to-distributor stack. I read margins, menus, and labour the way operators do.
Calgary · Foodservice Executive
Dave
Baird.
Foodservice executive working at the intersection of operations, analytics, AI, and organizational change. Helping complex businesses make faster, cleaner decisions.
About
Built across the industry. Focused on what’s next.
I’ve built my career across nearly every side of foodservice - restaurant operations, sales, distribution, national accounts, procurement, and supply chain strategy. That breadth gives me a practical view of how multi-unit and operator businesses really work, from the floor up.
Today, a large part of my work sits at the intersection of analytics, AI use cases, and organizational change. I help leaders identify where data and emerging technology genuinely move the needle - and design the processes, structures, and accountability that make adoption stick across an organization, not just in a pilot.
I currently lead National Accounts at Pratts Food Service in Calgary, where I combine operational execution with technology, data, and process improvement to support sustainable growth for some of our largest customers. I focus on simplifying complexity - whether that’s pricing, supply chain, reporting, or large-scale account support - and building systems that create clarity and better decision-making.
My approach is rooted in transparency, accountability, and follow-through. Trust is built by doing what you say you’re going to do, and the best outcomes happen when teams solve problems openly and focus on results that benefit everyone involved.
Engaged by complex executive problems, advisory engagements, and consulting work across foodservice, hospitality, distribution, and adjacent multi-unit industries.
Focus areas
Where I spend my time.
Supply Chain & National Accounts
Sourcing strategy, contract architecture, end-to-end visibility, and the operational rigor that makes multi-location partnerships hold up over the long term.
Analytics & Decision Intelligence
Pricing, reporting, and performance frameworks that turn data into faster, cleaner calls. Less dashboard, more decision.
AI Strategy & Use Cases
Identifying where AI genuinely creates leverage - and building practical, governed implementations that hold up in production, not just in demos.
Organizational Change Management
Process redesign, stakeholder alignment, and the structures that make new systems, tools, and ways of working actually stick across the organization.
Executive Leadership & Operating Cadence
Connecting strategy to execution. Building the rhythm, accountability, and clarity that let complex organizations decide and ship.
Outside the office
6 am, Fridays, with a barbell.
Most weeks you’ll find me leading Group Power® at MNP Community & Sport Centre - a one-hour strength class using barbell, plates, body weight, and a step to make you muscle strong and movement strong. I also teach Group Power at Vivo for Healthier Generations on a rotating schedule.
I care about helping people build strength and confidence through movement. I love watching participants push themselves, improve over time, and carry that energy into their everyday lives - whether that means keeping up with their kids, hiking in the mountains, or just feeling better day to day.
Certifications
- CanFitPro Certified
- Mossa Group Power Instructor
- FCKI Fitness Kickboxing Instructor
- Active Aging Certificate
- Children’s Fitness Coach Certificate
- Pre & Post Natal Fitness Specialist
- DTS Kettlebell Coach
Contact
Let’s talk.
Advisory work, consulting projects, a deal that fits Pratts, or just a good conversation about the industry. Drop a note.
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/mdavidbaird