He joins 2SFG from cheese firm Adams Foods, where he had been ceo since 2011.
During his time with the maker of Kerrygold and Pilgrim’s Choice cheese, he boosted its fortunes from £300M to £450M in a couple of years – despite the cheese market remaining flat.
Toal’s initial role will be to head up the company’s added value poultry, chilled, food-to-go, meal solutions and ready-to-cook divisions.
‘Couldn’t turn down’
He said joining 2SFG was a challenge he couldn’t turn down.
“I am delighted to be on board and to be given a challenge that I couldn’t turn down,” he said. “The opportunity to work with a successful entrepreneur like Ranjit [Boparan, 2SFG ceo], at a fast-growing business was too good an opportunity to miss.
There’s tremendous opportunity at the Birmingham-based business to build its newest offering, ready-to-cook, as well as to drive successful sales with the other divisions, Toal claimed.
“There’s no doubt our sector has become intensely competitive and we have to ensure that 2SFG can differentiate itself from its competitors, relentlessly innovate and not just satisfy our customers – we have to delight them. Working closely with my team, I am here to help make that happen.
“I’m incredibly excited about joining the team and helping to create excitement and passion for who we are and what we do.”
He brings more than 30-years’ experience in food industry management to the role.
Before joining Adams Foods, he was md of Delice de France for three years. He has also held a number of directorial roles at foodservice giant Brakes and is a non-executive director of Futures Housing and chairman of Futures Homescape.
Senior appointments
Toal’s arrival at 2SFG is the latest in a string of senior appointments at the company in 2014.
Steve Leadbeater joined as group chief financial officer in June, Lochlain Feeley was appointed as food-to-go and bakery md in April and April Preston took over as group innovation director in February.
The firm has also invested at a number of its manufacturing facilities, including Carlise, Cambuslang and Sheffield earlier this year.