I am a sub-Saharan Africa specialist with 20+ years of experience working with Africans across the continent. I have worked in grassroots NGOs, academia, government, the UN, think tanks, NGOs, and, now, the private sector. ATD works with companies to solve problems ranging from getting government approvals to improving your operations or linking you with the latest African tech.

Ryan Hillock is the founder of Hillock Connections, a brokerage and consulting firm focused on the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. He works closely with brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retail buyers to help products become retail-ready and scale across Canada and beyond. Ryan is known for building strong industry relationships and opening doors through his network across multiple retail and distribution channels. Through Hillock Connections, he supports companies with sales strategy, business development, financial review, and market entry planning. He also helps companies raise capital through his investor and lending network, connecting the right partners to unlock growth opportunities.

I provide a comprehensive consulting approach for food businesses navigating the complexities of international trade and large-scale manufacturing. My expertise lies in aligning high-level Global Regulatory Strategy with ground-level Process Excellence, ensuring that food safety protocols are both scientifically sound and financially sustainable. With extensive experience in North American and international food laws - including SFCR, FSMA, FSANZ, and EU standards - I help organizations secure global market access through rigorous label validation, export documentation, and supplier risk management. My core services include: - Multijurisdictional Compliance: Navigating CFIA and FDA requirements, including Foreign Supplier Verification (FSVP) and Preventive Control Plans (PCP). - Finance & Risk Management: Balancing quality requirements with budgetary constraints and implementing cost-effective testing and supply chain verification strategies. - Training & Auditing: Delivering technical workforce training in GMPs, HACCP, and Food Defense, while leading successful GFSI-level audit executions (BRCGS, CanadaGAP, SQF, FSSC22000). By integrating technical food safety with operational oversight, I help clients build resilient systems that reduce risk and protect brand integrity in a competitive global marketplace.

Playing in the diabetic-friendly space of low glycemic foods, we consult for firms in need of support to bring their ideas to their retailers. We deal with complex commercializations to deliver low waste processes for our customers.

I help food businesses turn ideas into commercially successful products, drawing on over 25 years of experience leading R&D and culinary teams within major organizations and delivering projects for global brands. My experience spans Europe, Asia and North America across foodservice, retail, HMR and travel catering, giving me a broad and commercially grounded perspective on how food performs in different markets and channels. I design scalable, high-impact menu items and food programs for national restaurant chains and grocers, ensuring creativity translates seamlessly into operational reality. Through culinary-led innovation, strategic product development and hands-on execution, I guide clients from concept through to launch — aligning flavour, functionality and financial performance to deliver products that win in market, on shelf and in service.

Michael is uniquely qualified to assist in helping you connect the dots from your initial product concept to finding the right ingredients and the best fit for a co-manufacturer to place your product on-shelf. Being one of the first food scientists to work for Marks & Spencer (M&S) in the late 70s, he gained detailed insight into the world of Private Label since everything M&S bore the St. Michael brand. In the 80s, Michael was at the forefront of the Canadian Private Label explosion working directly with Dave Nichol at Loblaws, as an outside respondent, as the No Name and President's Choice brands were being developed and rolled out. Employing his experience from M&S along with other industry experience, Michael created a Private Label Division at UFL Foods, now Newly Weds Foods, that catered to the growing demand for Private Label goods. Recognizing that simply emulating a brand was not the path to success, he assisted companies to express their own "personalities" to develop their own renditions of what they wanted their offerings to be. This continued with many start up companies looking to create their own space with their own signature profiles that Michael and his companies could develop for them, at the same time, assisting them to find the right ingredients and co-manufacturers, where necessary. Retired since December 2024 but still keeping current in the industry and available to help you realize your ideal product offerings!

I’ve been channelling my talents into sales and promotions of natural food products, freelancing with Harmless Harvest and other standout brands through XM agencies. I’m a natural communicator—whether connecting with people at trade shows, festivals, or intimate gatherings, I thrive in fast-paced, high-energy environments. Let’s say shyness isn’t in my vocabulary. I’m passionate about bringing brands to life, building genuine global connections, and creating memorable experiences. While I’m currently active in the XM space, I’m looking to land a solid, long-term role where I can bring my energy, creativity, event planning, and administrative skills to a team that values authentic engagement and strong brand presence. Oh, and I’m a proud foodie!

I bring over 17 years of hands-on experience across retail, manufacturing, and product development to help food brands turn ideas into scalable, retail-ready products. My background spans bakery operations, private label product development and manufacturing R&D from early concept and formulation through scale-up, production, and launch. I’ve worked inside test kitchens, manufacturing plants, and national retail programs, which gives me a practical understanding of what it takes to move a product from bench to shelf without losing quality, integrity, or feasibility. I specialize in R&D and private label development, helping brands and manufacturers navigate formulation, ingredient sourcing, process development, cost optimization, and commercialization challenges. I bridge the gap between creativity and execution - ensuring products are not only innovative, but also manufacturable, compliant, and commercially viable. What drives my work is seeing great products succeed. I’m passionate about supporting teams through complex decisions, simplifying the path to market, and building products that are designed to scale. I’m particularly interested in projects involving early to mid-stage R&D, private label development, product optimization, scale-up support to product launch. While bakery and baked goods are my natural skill set, I am open to other opportunities in conventional and gluten free.