Sourcing & Procurement Director & Co-Founder in Food Manufacturing: Career Insights with Salma Fotovat | That’s a Food Job! #121

About Salma Fotovat

Salma Fotovat is the Sourcing & Procurement Director at Riverside Natural Foods, the Canadian family-owned company behind MadeGood – the organic, allergen-free snack brand found in major retailers and on Air Canada flights. One of the company’s co-founders, Salma grew up working in her family’s food manufacturing business, which laid the foundation for her deeply values-driven approach to supply chain leadership.

What We Cover in This Episode

Salma walks us through what responsible sourcing and procurement actually looks like in a certified organic, allergen-free food company. She breaks down the difference between sourcing (strategic relationships and contracts) and procurement (getting the right product to the right facility at the right time), and explains why her team also leads a dedicated impact function. We dive into how Riverside works directly with farmers on organic regenerative practices, how strong vendor relationships saved the business during both the pandemic and a catastrophic prairie drought, and why social and environmental due diligence is the next major frontier for supply chain professionals.

Check out the podcast below!

Key Takeaways

1. Sourcing and procurement are distinct functions: sourcing is strategic (relationships, contracts, certifications), while procurement is operational (getting product to the right plant at the right time, at the right price).
2. Vendor relationships are a competitive advantage – not just good manners. During COVID and a severe prairie oat shortage, long-term partners prioritized Riverside because the relationship was genuinely mutual.
3. Qualifying a single new ingredient can take 2-12 months, involving food safety certifications, R&D trials, and minimum order negotiations – procurement is far more complex than “buying from a catalog.”
4. Climate change is a supply chain risk. A single season’s prairie drought nearly eliminated MadeGood’s oat supply, driving Riverside to invest in farmer-facing impact programs around regenerative agriculture and soil health.
5. The skills to prioritize now: critical thinking, problem solving, de-risking, sustainability literacy, and AI fluency – plus old-fashioned adaptability and relationship skills.

Salma’s Careers Path to Riverside Foods

1. Grew up in a family food manufacturing business founded by her father – an immigrant-owned company that gradually became certified organic in the 90s
2. Entered the family business informally, starting in customer service and then taking over purchasing (cutting POs, managing inventory)
3. Expanded into demand and supply planning as the business grew more sophisticated
4. Co-founded Riverside Natural Foods in 2012 alongside her siblings, with Salma gravitating toward sourcing and procurement
5. Built out a three-team structure covering responsible sourcing, procurement, and corporate impact strategy

Sponsor

CareersNOW! is Food and Beverage Ontario’s multi-year workforce development initiative. It is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNOW.ca for more information on exciting jobs, career information, industry mentors and training opportunities for professional development.

Links

• Salma Fotovat LinkedIn
• Riverside Natural Foods Website
• Riverside Natural Foods LinkedIn
• MadeGood Instagram

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
03:15 – What Is a Sourcing and Procurement Career?
07:30 – What This Job Actually Looks Like Day to Day
12:00 – How a Single Ingredient Takes Months to Approve
18:00 – Why “Right Price, Right Place” Is Harder Than It Sounds
22:00 – What Happens When 50% of Your Main Ingredient Disappears
27:00 – How Strong Relationships Saved the Business
31:30 – What Makes a Supplier Actually Want to Work With You
36:00 – How Procurement Can Support Farmers and the Planet
40:30 – The Future of Supply Chain Careers and Sustainability
45:30 – Skills Students Should Start Building Now