Publication
Meal Kit Industry Blues: How Can Blue Apron Lift Its Malaise?
https://www.toptal.com/finance/pricing-consultants/meal-kit-industry
Michael is available for hire
Hire MichaelMichael Yarmo
Verified Expert in Finance
Management Consulting Expert
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Toptal Member Since
May 16, 2017
As an experienced investment banker, Mike has led the M&A, raising capital, and balance sheet restructuring of dozens of mid-sized North American-based companies. Before his investment banking career, Mike was the president and majority owner of a multi-million dollar frozen foods manufacturer sold to a competitor after doubling the revenue and asset base. Mike has left investment banking to focus on his other investments and working on exciting new projects.
Career Highlights
Managing Director
Clariti Strategic Advisors
President & Majority Owner
VanMar Sales & Marketing
Senior Manager, Pricing Strategy
ConAgra Foods
Education Highlights
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CFA Institution
Bachelor's Degree
University of Toronto
Industry Expertise
Other Expertise
Work Experience
Managing Director
2018 - 2023
Clariti Strategic Advisors
- Improved cash flow. The client faced rising input costs, causing negative EBITDA and the revolver loan to be closed. Found opportunities to take significant price increases with minimal impact on sales quantities after the business review.
- Led client creditor negotiations for a client who broke debt covenants facing a senior creditor looking to call the loan. Demonstrated that calling the loan would yield pennies on the dollar in bankruptcy proceedings.
- Restructured balance sheets. The client was to refinance senior debt in 18 months. A springer in loan documents allows the creditor to call the loan early if EOY does not secure new debt.
- Worked with the creditor on extension, as enacting Springer would have forced Chapter 11.
- Helped raise capital by going to private markets to place sub-notes with accredited investors. Created an additional liquidity runway, allowing the client to stay compliant. The client had a high leverage ratio and could not refinance senior loans.
- Performed a corporate carve-out for the client, a diversified retailer with 12 months of positive net liquidity remaining with an underperforming furniture division.
Focus areas: Budgeting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Balance Sheet Optimization, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Cash Flow Modeling, Pricing, Operational Efficiency Improvement, Turnaround Management, Financial Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Gross Profit Margin Growth, Consumer Products, Investment Capital Raising, Debt Financing, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Public Companies, Valuation, IRR, Revenue & Expense Projections, Renewables, Capital Raising, Working Capital Management, United States, Microsoft PowerPoint, P&L Forecasting, Balance Sheets, Cash Flow Management, Cost Cutting, Cost Modeling, Microsoft 365, Automotive, Luxury Goods, Google Docs, Process Optimization, Team Management, Reorganization, Business Restructuring, Corporate Governance, Target Operating Models, Vendors & Suppliers, Corporate Finance, CFO, Fundraising, Pitch Decks, Cap Tables
Direct-to-consumer Fulfilment Consultant
2021 - 2022
The Kraft Heinz Company - CRM/DTC
- Built a corporate playbook to establish and scale D2C brands within Kraft Heinz, including technology and logistic frameworks.
- Launched three D2C sites that leveraged Kraft Heinz established brands, creating new sales channels. Our team and full business responsibility work closely with key internal Kraft Heinz partners.
- Worked with a small D2C team and ran the marketing and daily operations, ensuring that the playbook was executed as planned and working out any flaws so that other brands could replicate our successes.
Focus areas: Business Strategy, Direct to Consumer (D2C), Logistics, United States, Facebook Ads, Team Management, Vendor Selection, Sourcing, Operational Workflow, Target Operating Models, Vendors & Suppliers, Corporate Finance, Activity-based Costing
President & Majority Owner
2013 - 2017
VanMar Sales & Marketing
- Built a team of three investors to acquire an underperforming food distribution company. Led the acquisition team to initiate an LOI, negotiated the sale of the purchase agreement, and ran the due diligence within six months after signing an NDA.
- Refocused the product mix from low-margin baking goods (e.g., flour, sugar) to higher-margin/less competitive frozen foods. Built out large industrial freezers, developed relationships with new suppliers, and found new sales channels.
- Increased GM by 2% during a price war between SYSCO/GFS by negotiating for rebates, pursuing truckload buys, increasing prices while improving rigorously-measured service levels, changing the product mix, and negotiating better A/P terms.
- Achieved $2+ million in sales by executing a new sales strategy. Implemented a frozen food pivot, personally cold-called chefs, and hired new sales staff. Focused on adding new customers located on existing routes to increase capacity.
- Developed a strict 20-, 30-, and 40-day collection policy managed by the inside sales manager, who spoke to customers daily. Before, a very lax A/R collection policy put strains on its cash position and prevented truckload buys.
- Reduced overall expenses by 15% through lease contract renegotiation, preventative care on the truck/freezer, and upgraded inventory system, improving the efficiency of the warehouse.
Focus areas: Cost Reduction & Optimization, Cash Flow Forecasting, Strategic Planning & Execution, Price Analysis, Equity Financing, Budgeting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Investment Capital Raising, Debt Financing, Turnaround Management, Manufacturing, Working Capital Management, P&L Forecasting, Balance Sheets, Cash Flow Management, Cost Cutting, Cost Modeling, Microsoft 365, Retail & Wholesale, Intuit QuickBooks, Vendor Selection, Sourcing, Operational Workflow, Corporate Governance, Activity-based Costing
Senior Manager, Pricing Strategy
2011 - 2013
ConAgra Foods
- Converted ConAgra from its "cost + margin" to a "Price to Value" pricing policy, bringing more data analysis in order to capture more consumer surplus being generated by marketing, in-store merchandising, and new products.
- Led open communication with Walmart, Costco, Target, and other major retailers regarding ConAgra's pricing/promotion activities with theentire market. Proactively informing Target of what ConAgra was running in the future with Walmart allowed us to develop strong programs with Target (and vice versa), thus strengthening supplier/retailer relationships.
- Built models and partnered with Neilsen to get real-time data on customer patterns when products were discounted at Walmart. The goal was to see what worked (e.g., 50% off, 2 for $3, in weekend flyers, buy space outside of aisle) and what retailers to invest in (Walmart growing quickly, Safeway declining market share).
- Developed pricing ladders to see where market opportunities existed and to meet consumer demand (single beer cans to encourage sampling vs. 12 pack to reward loyal buyers with a price discount). For example, "to-go-snacks" in the $0.99 range were very popular at gas stations. ConAgra had no products to meet this consumer need, so we developed pack sizes to sell to this consumer/retail channel.
- Led price increase inputs into the budget and had to develop new ideas when volume fell short or costs exceeded expectations. ConAgra would rely on pricing actions (price increase or better ROI for promotional activities) to meet shortfalls in actual vs. budget performance.
Focus areas: Unit Pricing, Revenue Optimization, Financial Management, Market Research, Customer Lifetime Value, Profit & Loss (P&L), Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Budgeting, Price Analysis, Gross Profit Margin Growth, Consumer Products, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, Pricing Strategy, Product Strategy, Microsoft PowerPoint, Pricing Consulting, Canada, Food & Beverage, Team Management, Vendor Selection, Sourcing, Operational Workflow, Target Operating Models, Vendors & Suppliers, Corporate Finance, Trade Finance, Product Costing, Activity-based Costing, Forecasting
Other Experience
Education
2007 - 2010
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) in Finance
CFA Institution - Toronto, Canada
2000 - 2005
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
University of Toronto - Toronto, Canada