Hiring in consumer packaged goods (CPG) and quick-service restaurant (QSR) industries today bears little resemblance to what it looked like just a few years ago.

Companies are oscillating between centralizing and decentralizing their talent acquisition strategies. 

Regional brands, once operating independently, now face pressure to align global hiring practices without losing local flexibility. Add to that a new generation of talent accustomed to remote work, and the puzzle becomes even more complex.

To unpack this shifting dynamic, we've turned to Tomas Layrisse, VP of Solutions, Global RPO at MSH, who brings a unique, practical perspective on what's truly effective in hiring and what's not.

The biggest misconception among CPG and QSR brands is treating talent acquisition like just another line item on the P&L, something that lives exclusively within HR. Tomas puts it bluntly, “They treat HR like a cost center. No, you are the talent expert. I’m the marketer. Let's work together on messaging, branding, attraction, and selection.”

In Tomas's experience, talent acquisition has reached an inflection point. 

Companies must rethink how recruitment integrates into their broader strategy, not as a support function, but as a core driver of business performance. 

Here’s what that foundational shift looks like in practice.

Why CPG and QSR Leaders Need to Stop Treating Talent Like Overhead

This shift in thinking is essential and far more significant than a mere departmental tweak. For too long, talent acquisition in CPG and QSR companies has been siloed, regarded as a support function rather than a growth driver. Leaders have overlooked the strategic importance of recruiting, focusing narrowly on short-term needs and quick fixes.

Recruiting should be viewed through the same strategic lens as marketing. Tomas challenges leaders directly by stating, “Recruiting is everyone's job, not just TA’s.” By embedding talent acquisition deeply into broader business strategies, brands can fundamentally change how they attract and retain high-quality talent.

Consider the relationship between brand reputation and talent attraction. Great marketers build compelling brand narratives that draw customers in. The same approach applies to recruitment. When talent acquisition teams collaborate with marketing, they’re not just filling roles; they’re creating powerful employment brands that resonate deeply with potential candidates.

Data backs this up. According to McKinsey, companies that align HR strategies closely with their business objectives see productivity growth 2.5 times higher than those that don’t. Tomas emphasizes, “That alignment is the difference between hiring to fill a seat and hiring to fuel growth.”

For CPG and QSR leaders in 2025, the question should shift from “How do we support recruiting?” to “How can our talent acquisition strategy become a growth engine for our entire organization?”

This foundational shift isn't just theoretical, it's practical. Tomas highlights the value of internal partnerships, urging leaders to leverage HR and TA teams as strategic partners. The expertise HR provides in defining role profiles, managing candidate experiences, and driving employee engagement can no longer be undervalued or isolated.

“It's about getting HR and business leaders in the same room,” Tomas says. “Instead of HR being asked to just post a role and send over applicants, we need them to be part of defining the strategy, just like any marketing campaign.”

In other words, recruiting done right isn't an overhead expense, it's a powerful lever for growth. Smart CPG and QSR brands in 2025 already recognize and harness its full potential.

Balancing Centralization with Local Execution

There is no perfect playbook for whether CPG and QSR companies should fully centralize or decentralize their talent acquisition functions. According to Tomas, organizations frequently shift between these two models. “We helped a $4 billion food manufacturing company navigate the journey from decentralized to centralized and back again. Now, they’re centralizing once more,” Tomas explains.

These frequent shifts highlight a deeper issue. The real challenge isn't about choosing a perfect organizational structure but achieving internal alignment. Without alignment, Tomas warns, any model becomes “a recipe for failure.”

The trouble often begins at the executive level. Division presidents and business leaders each have their own revenue targets and methods. Tomas points out, “If you talk to a president of a brand, they’ll say, ‘My marketing strategy in the UK shouldn’t match the US strategy. So, why centralize talent acquisition?’” This resistance creates friction as leaders push for autonomy.

Tomas describes a clear example involving SeaWorld. “Their Chief Sales Officer wanted to centralize revenue operations, but presidents of individual amusement parks resisted because each location had unique customer dynamics. What you’re selling in Abu Dhabi is entirely different from what you’re selling in California or Florida,” he explains.

Tomas recommends combining centralization and decentralization strategically. Decisions to centralize or decentralize must come directly from the CEO or president level, not HR. Companies should centralize strategy, technology, and processes while decentralizing execution to accommodate local market nuances. “Leadership strategy comes from corporate, execution happens locally. How you measure and evaluate people should be consistent, but how each region executes can vary,” he says.

The most successful organizations use clear talent metrics and shared processes, leveraging platforms like Workday for streamlined global operations. Tomas explains, “Workday plus having module leads per function equals HR centralization success.”

Tomas currently sees a strong shift toward centralization driven partly by the efficiency and scalability offered by artificial intelligence. “AI allows you to deliver more with fewer recruiters and tools,” Tomas explains. “It also helps you enhance the candidate experience overall, something almost impossible to control fully in a decentralized model.”

Centralization, when thoughtfully executed, standardizes hiring practices, drives internal referrals, and significantly boosts hire quality. “About 33% of our placements come from referrals, and those candidates usually outperform others,” he highlights. “Employees are happier with one consistent point of contact and a simpler recruitment process. It's like having a trusted partner who knows exactly what you need.”

CPG and QSR companies aiming to thrive in 2025 should centralize where it counts and decentralize where it adds value, without losing sight of alignment and accountability.

Getting Every Division Aligned Starts at the Top

Tomas emphasizes alignment in hiring strategies cannot be driven solely from the HR department. It must originate from the very top of the organization. “HR and TA cannot lead strategic shifts alone,” Tomas says. “It has to come from the CEO or president level.”

The challenge in many CPG and QSR companies is that leaders across divisions often have conflicting priorities and distinct performance indicators. “They have their own sales targets, quotas, and ways of doing things,” Tomas notes. “Naturally, they advocate for decentralization to preserve their autonomy.” This fragmentation leads teams to work diligently but not cohesively, stalling collective progress.

Tomas describes the situation clearly, saying, “You can gather everyone in a room and shout directives, but that won’t hold for long. You need a real change management strategy with accountability and clear metrics.” The solution involves structured accountability frameworks initiated by executive leadership. Dashboards and technology can offer visibility, but lasting success depends on top-down alignment and disciplined execution.

He highlights the important role of internal Project Management Offices (PMOs) or change management consultants in driving alignment. “We either assign our own consultants or partner with the company’s internal PMOs,” Tomas explains. “Their role is to guide the process, ensuring everyone stays accountable to the new strategy and metrics.” This structured approach significantly accelerates adopting new workflows and reduces resistance from division leaders. Research from Bain confirms organizations using PMOs during HR transformations adopt new processes 27% faster.

Tomas insists effective alignment is not about conformity or sacrificing local market insights. It’s about shared goals, consistent measurement, and strong accountability. “Leadership strategy is corporate level,” he says. “Local execution can still adapt to specific market conditions, but everyone needs to measure success the same way.”

Organizations succeeding in 2025 will prioritize alignment from executive leadership down, deploying clear strategies, disciplined change management, and accountability measures that keep everyone moving forward together.

Hiring Metrics That Actually Get CFOs and CEOs to Say Yes

Tomas deeply understands that winning executive buy-in requires talent acquisition leaders to speak clearly in terms of business outcomes rather than recruitment jargon. “You can't just talk about cost per hire. You need metrics that executives care about, metrics that drive decisions,” Tomas says.

He highlights several key metrics that strongly resonate in the C-suite. “About 38% of the candidates we present get hired. That’s not just about efficiency, it’s about quality,” Tomas notes. The interview-to-hire ratio directly impacts operational efficiency and demonstrates clear value to executives.

Tomas also emphasizes revenue per employee as another critical metric. “We were the RPO partner for Restaurant Brands International for seven years, and during that time their stock quadrupled,” Tomas shares. “Revenue per employee went up significantly because the quality of hires improved. Executives clearly see the correlation between hiring quality and the bottom line.”

Opportunity cost savings from streamlined hiring processes provide another compelling argument. “Consider what deals a founder or executive could close instead of conducting endless interviews,” Tomas explains. Executives who see recruiting efficiency tied directly to broader business productivity become genuine advocates for strategic talent acquisition.

Tomas encourages leaders to think beyond traditional recruitment metrics and adopt "Quality per Cost," a more strategic measure of hiring success. This metric moves beyond simply reducing expenses, focusing instead on maximizing talent quality relative to the investment made.

Effective talent acquisition strategies in 2025 require leaders to connect recruiting outcomes clearly with business results. Metrics like interview-to-hire ratios, revenue per employee, and opportunity cost savings effectively showcase talent acquisition’s strategic importance, helping TA leaders secure crucial executive buy-in.

How to Build a Candidate Experience That Doesn’t Hurt Your Brand

Tomas is unequivocal about candidate experience. “Candidates today expect transparency, speed, and personalization. Most companies just aren’t delivering.” A centralized hiring model significantly improves this experience.

Consistency is key. “When each region or brand hires differently, candidates face confusion and inconsistent communication,” Tomas explains. A single, trusted recruiter can change everything. “It’s like having your own marketing tech specialist. You trust them, you rely on them, and you know they're going to deliver quality candidates.”

Even simple improvements drastically boost candidate satisfaction. Leveraging technology like text-to-apply options, mobile-first application processes, and instant scheduling bots can transform the hiring journey. “Candidates today should go from application to interview within two days or less,” Tomas states plainly.

Candidate experience directly shapes the company’s employer brand. Tomas highlights an important statistic, “About 53% of candidates share their negative hiring experiences online. If your process is slow, unclear, or frustrating, you’re harming your brand.”

Winning talent in 2025 requires a thoughtful, centralized, candidate-friendly hiring process. Tomas sums it up clearly, “Make it fast, make it transparent, and make sure there’s one clear point of contact. Candidates and your internal team will thank you.”

Culture & Retention Starts Before Day One

Tomas insists retention starts long before the new hire’s first day. Smart CPG and QSR brands must integrate culture directly into their recruitment processes. “You can hire the best salesperson or marketer in the world, but if they don't align with your culture, you’ve set yourself up for failure,” Tomas says.

To ensure cultural fit, Tomas advocates for structured and deliberate interview practices. Each interview serves a specific purpose. One interviewer assesses skills, another evaluates cultural alignment, another gauges leadership potential. “This structured approach helps you avoid hiring people who look great on paper but don’t align culturally,” he explains.

Tomas emphasizes the importance of clearly codifying company culture and evaluating candidates against these defined standards. He advises companies to use structured behavioral frameworks such as the STAR methodology during interviews to assess each candidate consistently and fairly.

A structured onboarding process tied to clear milestones is equally important. Tomas recommends setting 30, 60, 90, and 180-day goals, allowing both employee and employer to concretely measure success. “We measure hiring success not at the hire date, but 180 days after. Did the employee achieve the goals set during hiring? That’s when we know we've succeeded,” Tomas explains.

Structured onboarding programs significantly boost retention and productivity, supported by data showing 82% higher retention and 70% higher productivity rates. “Hiring is not just about getting someone in the door,” Tomas emphasizes. “It’s about making sure they stay and thrive.”

CPG and QSR companies should adopt a disciplined approach to culture and onboarding as essential strategies for sustained growth and long-term success.

Don’t Bring People Back to the Office Without a Plan

Companies have recently struggled with return-to-office policies, and Tomas sees one common mistake repeated often. “Companies mandate five days in the office without considering what actually happens when people arrive,” Tomas notes. “Employees frequently sit isolated in cubicles, joining virtual calls anyway. Where’s the value in that?”

While Tomas believes face-to-face collaboration offers genuine value, he urges thoughtful office presence. “Purpose-driven presence is key. People need clear reasons to be in the office,” he says. “Come in to collaborate, innovate, or solve complex problems together. Don't force people back just to fill desks.”

This approach helps companies avoid losing top talent who prefer flexible arrangements. Tomas highlights the practical implications, “If you enforce rigid return-to-office policies, your talent pool shrinks. You lose access to candidates who expect hybrid or remote options.”

Post-pandemic research shows innovation declined at major companies lacking genuine collaboration. In-person interactions can revive innovation, but only when companies design office time intentionally.

Tomas advises, “Smart companies will prioritize flexibility and intentional in-person engagement. Create agenda-driven environments encouraging collaboration and idea-sharing, rather than just checking attendance.”

How to Keep Quality High When Hiring at Scale

Volume hiring is notoriously difficult, and Tomas acknowledges achieving consistency at scale is challenging. “Everyone can stuff the funnel, but filtering effectively to ensure culture fit and quality is the real challenge,” he says.

To manage volume effectively, Tomas recommends a structured, proactive approach. His team at MSH uses a "24.5 sourcing model," where recruiters continuously build and maintain robust talent pipelines. This proactive method ensures high-quality candidates are always available, instead of relying on reactive job postings.

A structured interview process is crucial. Tomas recommends the STAR methodology and other behavioral frameworks for consistent assessments. “With structured interviews, every interviewer knows exactly what they’re evaluating, whether it’s culture, skill, leadership potential, or future growth,” Tomas explains. This method avoids repetitive and inefficient interviews.

Tomas identifies hiring manager prioritization as the biggest internal barrier to effective volume hiring. “Recruiting is a 50/50 effort,” he emphasizes. “Our team can deliver the best candidates available, but without prompt feedback from hiring managers, the process stalls and good candidates slip away.”

Tomas recommends clear Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) for hiring managers. “Review candidates within 24 hours and provide feedback within 48 hours. Treat recruiting with urgency and intention, the same way you approach closing sales,” he advises.

Scaling successfully involves more than quickly filling roles. Tomas concludes, “It’s about maintaining quality and culture at every step. That’s how you scale without losing what makes your company special.”

Big Takeaway: Your TA Team Is a Growth Engine

The strategic importance of talent acquisition has never been clearer. Companies that view TA merely as an administrative task risk falling behind. 

Those that treat it as a strategic growth engine see transformative results. “We quadrupled a client’s stock price by recruiting better people,” Tomas says.

“Above all,” he concludes, “stop treating talent acquisition like a simple line item on your P&L. Recognize it for what it truly is: a foundational pillar of business growth.”

See how MSH can help your CPG or QSR brand scale with purpose and confidence. Explore our specialized CPG recruitment solutions here.