Jannet Chagoya-Romo – International Gourmet Foods

Jannet Chagoya-Romo’s leadership at International Gourmet Foods is shaping the future of one of the East Coast’s most respected food wholesale distributors. As the executive director of operations, Chagoya-Romo plays a vital role in keeping the company running smoothly while driving growth through key initiatives in facilities management, safety, and warehouse operations.

International Gourmet Foods, founded in 1987, is a family-owned business that has grown from offering just six products to over 6,000 today. The company sources prepared foods and specialty ingredients from around the world and serves restaurants, hotels, caterers, and specialty grocery stores. Chagoya-Romo joined the company two and a half years ago and stepped into her current dual roles three months ago, bringing both a practical approach and a vision for operational excellence.

In her role, Chagoya-Romo oversees warehouse logistics, ensuring that receiving, stocking, replenishment, and transportation functions are optimized to meet the company’s growing demands. However, her primary focus remains her role as Executive Director of Facilities and Safety, where she is responsible for the maintenance and safety of the company’s physical environment across four buildings, including the company’s corporate office and warehouses. Her oversight extends to food safety regulations, compliance, contract management, waste management, and the tracking of fixed assets such as fleet vehicles, forklifts, and machinery. For Chagoya-Romo, ensuring that all these systems run efficiently and safely is essential to the company’s success.

A major focus of her work has been the company’s ongoing centralization project, a sweeping initiative to streamline operations and standardize processes across all branches. What began as a project to write standard operating procedures quickly became a larger effort to improve organization and efficiency. Chagoya-Romo’s efforts have included consolidating vendor contracts, centralizing uniform agreements, creating internal forms, and developing a SharePoint hub to make critical documents and information accessible across all branches.

The impact of this centralization project has been transformative. By creating uniform processes and simplifying access to information, Chagoya-Romo laid the groundwork for increased operational efficiency and long-term growth. Her work has also fostered a sense of unity across the company’s geographically dispersed branches, allowing them to operate with the consistency and cohesion of a single location. For Chagoya-Romo, this project is one of her proudest accomplishments, not just at International Gourmet Foods but throughout her career.

“I saw something that needed more organization and structure, and I ran with it,” she explains. “It’s about leaving more time for innovation and creating a foundation for growth.”

One of the most significant milestones of her tenure has been overseeing the development of the company’s new headquarters in Woodbridge, Virginia. The need for a larger space became apparent as the company outgrew its former 90,000-square-foot facility. Under Chagoya-Romo’s leadership, the company transitioned to a 137,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility to support its operations and future growth. The project, which began in 2021 and was completed in April 2024, represents a significant investment in the company’s future.

The new headquarters reflects the company’s commitment to providing a space fostering innovation and employee success. The facility includes cutting-edge kitchens for the company’s in-house chefs, training rooms, multiple conference rooms, an auditorium, and a spacious break room. Chagoya-Romo was instrumental in managing every detail of the move, from overseeing the racking system installation to ensuring regulatory compliance and managing contractors.

“Our president designed the building, and it’s her baby,” she says. “I’m just the babysitter, ensuring everything got done how it needed to.”

The move to the new headquarters was more than just a practical upgrade; it was a strategic decision to support the company’s long-term growth. By creating a space tailored to the business’s and its employees’ needs, International Gourmet Foods has positioned itself to continue its upward trajectory. For Chagoya-Romo, the project represents the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration across the company.

Chagoya-Romo’s passion for creating a safety culture and maintaining compliance is evident in everything she does. She believes that strong operational foundations are key to driving innovation and growth. By streamlining processes and improving efficiency, she has enhanced day-to-day operations and set the stage for the company’s future success. Her leadership at International Gourmet Foods is proof that thoughtful organization and strategic planning can have a lasting impact on a company’s ability to grow and thrive.