Lee Groff

Bio

Lee Groff

Senior Consultant | Consumer Products, Beverage, Cannabis & Hospitality Recruitment | British Columbia

Lee Groff is a Vancouver-based Senior Consultant with MacDonald Search Group, focused on executive search and recruitment across British Columbia. He specializes in building high-impact teams within consumer products, beverage (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), cannabis, food service, hospitality, hotel and tourism, and natural, organic, and wellness sectors. Lee supports organizations hiring across sales, marketing, and operational leadership roles, helping companies secure talent that drives growth, strengthens brands, and improves commercial performance.

With more than a decade of leadership experience in consumer goods and beverage environments prior to entering executive search, Lee brings a practical, operator’s perspective to recruitment. His background with organizations such as Labatt Breweries of Canada and PepsiCo includes senior roles in key account management, sales leadership, trade marketing, and team development. He has managed major retail portfolios, led high-performing sales teams, and consistently delivered results in competitive markets. This experience allows Lee to quickly identify whether a candidate is a true outlier in their field and a potential lock to elevate a client’s business.

Based in the Greater Vancouver market, Lee combines deep regional knowledge with the reach of MacDonald Search Group’s national platform. He partners with organizations ranging from emerging brands to established national and multinational companies, supporting leadership hiring that accelerates growth and market expansion.

Consumer Products, Beverage & Cannabis Recruitment

Lee has developed a strong specialization across consumer products, beverage, and cannabis industries. His direct experience in beverage alcohol and CPG environments enables him to assess candidates not only for technical skill, but also for cultural fit, pace, and long-term potential.

He regularly supports hiring mandates across:

• Consumer packaged goods (CPG) leadership roles
• Beverage alcohol, beer, wine, and spirits organizations
• Non-alcoholic and emerging beverage categories
• Cannabis and regulated industries
• Natural, organic, and wellness brands
• Sales, marketing, and commercial leadership
• Key account management and category management
• Trade marketing and brand leadership

Hospitality, Food Service & Tourism Recruitment

Lee also works closely with organizations across hospitality, food service, private clubs, and tourism sectors, helping clients build leadership teams that deliver both operational excellence and strong customer experiences.

Typical mandates include:

• Restaurant and food service leadership roles
• Hospitality and hotel management recruitment
• Private club and premium service environments
• Multi-unit and operations leadership
• Sales and business development roles within service industries

Why Organizations Partner with Lee

Organizations partner with Lee for his relationship-driven approach and ability to align talent with both business strategy and culture. He invests in building long-term networks across British Columbia’s consumer and hospitality sectors, giving clients access to high-performing candidates, including those not actively seeking new opportunities.

Clients rely on Lee to:

• Access top-tier and passive talent networks
• Build commercially strong, culturally aligned teams
• Navigate competitive hiring markets across British Columbia
• Support growth-stage and expansion-focused hiring
• Deliver efficient, insight-driven recruitment processes

Markets Served

Lee supports executive search and recruitment mandates across British Columbia, including Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Through MacDonald Search Group’s national infrastructure, he also contributes to searches across Canada. Lee support's North American searches in the United States, with a focus on Washington, Oregon and California.

Working With Lee

Organizations seeking a consumer products recruiter, beverage recruiter, cannabis recruiter, hospitality recruiter, food service recruiter, or sales and marketing recruiter in British Columbia regularly partner with Lee Groff.

Through MacDonald Search Group, Lee works with growth-oriented companies, established brands, and emerging businesses to build leadership teams capable of driving long-term performance and market success.

MacDonald Search Group provides executive search and recruitment services across Canada, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax, supporting organizations across consumer products, beverage, hospitality, industrial, and leadership functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a consumer products and beverage recruiter in British Columbia do?

A consumer products and beverage recruiter helps organizations identify, attract, and secure leadership and commercial talent across sectors such as CPG, beverage alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages, cannabis, and wellness. Lee Groff partners with companies to recruit sales, marketing, operations, and leadership professionals who can drive growth, improve market share, and strengthen brand performance.

What industries does Lee Groff specialize in recruiting for?

Lee focuses on executive search and recruitment across consumer-facing and regulated industries, including consumer packaged goods (CPG), beverage alcohol (beer, wine, and spirits), non-alcoholic and emerging beverage categories, cannabis, food service, hospitality, hotel and tourism, private clubs, and natural, organic, and wellness brands. He does not recruit within medical, pharmaceutical, veterinary, or dental sectors.

What types of roles does Lee typically recruit for?

Lee supports hiring across a range of mid-level to executive roles, including sales leadership, marketing leadership, key account management, category management, trade marketing, operations leadership, multi-unit management, and general management roles. He also supports growth-stage companies building out commercial teams and established organizations hiring succession-ready leaders.

What regions does Lee recruit in?

Lee leads recruitment efforts across British Columbia and supports clients throughout the West Coast of North America, including Western Canada and the Western United States. Through MacDonald Search Group’s national platform, he also contributes to searches across Canada and broader North American markets.

Can Lee help recruit candidates from outside British Columbia?

Yes. Many organizations partner with Lee to attract talent from across Canada and the United States into British Columbia and West Coast markets. He regularly identifies candidates open to relocation and supports cross-border hiring for companies expanding their geographic footprint.

What makes Lee’s approach to recruitment different?

Lee brings a relationship-first approach grounded in real-world commercial experience. Having spent over a decade in senior sales and leadership roles within CPG and beverage organizations, he understands the operational and market challenges his clients face. This allows him to assess candidates not just for technical capability, but for cultural fit, pace, and long-term impact.

Do you support confidential or succession hiring?

Yes. Lee regularly supports confidential searches, succession planning initiatives, and leadership transitions. He works closely with clients to ensure discretion while identifying candidates who align with both immediate needs and long-term business strategy.

How does Lee access top talent in competitive markets?

Lee invests heavily in building long-term relationships across his core industries, giving him access to high-performing candidates, including those not actively seeking new roles. His proactive, network-driven approach enables clients to connect with talent that is often not accessible through traditional job postings.

Can Lee support hiring for emerging or high-growth brands?

Yes. Lee works with both established organizations and emerging brands, including those in high-growth sectors such as cannabis, non-alcoholic beverages, and wellness. He helps build foundational teams and leadership groups that can scale with the business.

Why work with MacDonald Search Group?

MacDonald Search Group provides executive search and recruitment services across Canada and North America, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. Clients benefit from a hands-on, consultant-led approach, deep industry expertise, and access to national and cross-border talent networks.