John Morneau

Territory Sales Manager

John Morneau is a dedicated, personable individual who brings value to independent restaurants every single day. He is committed to helping customers succeed and always gets the job done. When he’s not at work, John loves cooking and grilling at home, spending time with family and friends, playing golf or reading a good book. Here’s what John had to say about working with Morton Food Service.

How would you describe the Morton difference to existing and potential customers?

Morton is a third generation, family-owned business. Our focus is on working with independent operators. Supporting local is key to everyone’s success and helps keep money, jobs and business in our community.

How does Morton work as a team to help independent restaurants thrive?

All Morton employees strive to make sure our customers are given the best service, products and experience. We are dedicated and committed to our customers’ success.

In your experience, what value does this collaborative approach to client service provide to foodservice operators?

We work as a team and can confidently rely on each other to exceed expectations in each department. We keep our customers on top of current industrial trends, new items in the market and new products coming on board. The Morton team will source and find specific products a customer needs or is interested in. We also provide history and forecasts on commodity items. All of this helps the customer to plan well and make informed decisions.

What previous experience do you have in food service, and how do your knowledge and skills help support independent operators?

I have 35+ years working with people in the food service industry. I have worked with some of the best independent owner/operators, chefs and vendors in Ontario. All have been key in helping me gain knowledge and hone my focus on local independent business. I have worked in the Morton distribution center, as a driver, in management and am currently in sales.

Tell us about a time you went above and beyond to help a customer.

A customer ran into an issue with a specific product during the pandemic. This product was something they had used since the day they opened over 30 years ago and was a signature item for them. They said they would never change the product because of its popularity and it being synonymous with them. At the tail end of the pandemic, supply and quality issues became too common. The vendor of the product was unable to resolve these issues, but I was able to sample and find a temporary solution. I approached all vendors with a similar product available and was able to work with one of them to find a solution. Over the course of a couple of months, we were able to sample a commitment on quality and customer volume. Once the new product arrived and the customer started using it, they were extremely happy with their decision to switch. Their own customers noticed the difference and were commenting on how great the product was. The owner started getting positive feedback on their website, on Facebook and Google, etc. Now, it’s only fair to mention that the new product is a different style of product they swore they would never change.

What is the best part of your job?

People are the best part of my job. Finding out what a customer or potential customer’s needs are to get to their goal. I enjoy coming up with ideas, plans and suggestions to help them get there—it’s what I live for and is very satisfying. Making people feel good, comfortable and happy makes me feel happy. Not just with customers, but with everyone I meet and work with.