The Challenge
A highly successful Quebec City-based craft brewery with a devoted regional following and distinctive French-Canadian brand identity faced a strategic inflection point as they prepared for expansion into the Ontario market. The organization needed a National Sales Director who could accomplish two seemingly competing objectives: drive aggressive growth in English-speaking Ontario while preserving the authentic Quebec cultural identity that had made the brand successful. The ideal candidate required native-level fluency in both French and English; deep relationships with both SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec) and LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) buying teams; understanding of the distinct regulatory and distribution environments in each province; and the cultural sensitivity to represent a proudly Québécois brand to Ontario retailers and consumers without diluting its heritage. The craft beer market’s intensely local nature meant that few sales leaders had successfully bridged the Quebec-Ontario divide, and the company’s founders were particularly concerned about finding someone who would champion rather than compromise their brand’s cultural authenticity.
The Solution
Lock Search Group deployed a coordinated search strategy leveraging our Quebec City, Montreal, and Toronto offices to identify candidates who possessed the rare combination of bilingual capability, bi-provincial alcohol industry experience, and cultural intelligence required for this unique role. Our Quebec-based consultants led initial candidate identification, focusing on sales leaders from breweries, wineries, and spirits companies who had managed interprovincial expansion while maintaining brand integrity. The Toronto team contributed market intelligence on Ontario distribution dynamics and identified candidates with strong LCBO relationships who might possess the cultural adaptability for this role. We developed a specialized assessment approach that included behavioral interviews conducted in both languages, exploring not only sales competencies but also candidates’ perspectives on Quebec cultural identity and their approach to representing regional brands in new markets. Recognizing the founders’ concerns about cultural fit, we arranged informal meetings between finalists and the brewery’s founding family over meals at the Quebec City taproom, allowing both parties to assess personal chemistry and shared values. Reference checks specifically explored how candidates had handled brand positioning decisions when expanding to new markets.
The Outcome
The bilingual, bi-provincial search generated 28 qualified candidates, with the majority identified through our Quebec network given the requirement for authentic understanding of Quebec beer culture. Through our comprehensive assessment process including language proficiency evaluation and cultural alignment interviews, we presented five finalists who demonstrated genuine appreciation for the brand’s Quebec heritage alongside proven ability to succeed in the Ontario market. The selected candidate was a former Regional Sales Manager for a Quebec-based spirits company who had previously led their successful Ontario market entry, growing that province from zero to their second-largest market while maintaining the brand’s positioning as an authentic Quebec product. She possessed not only the required LCBO and SAQ relationships but also a personal passion for Quebec craft beer culture, having previously volunteered with industry associations promoting Quebec brewing. Within her first year, she established distribution in 400 LCBO locations, secured tap placements at premium Ontario establishments, and grew Ontario revenue to represent 30% of total sales while maintaining the brand’s cultural positioning through carefully designed marketing that celebrated its Quebec origins. The founders specifically credited her ability to tell the brand’s Quebec story authentically to English-speaking audiences as the key factor in the expansion’s success.