Name
Dan McGlynn
Age
48 (officially 12, as my birthday falls on a leap year)
Job title
Senior account executive UK & IRE
Company and location
TraceGains, UK
Education
BSc Business Economics
Favourite food/drink
SE Asian food is immense or anything made by my Mum who is a fabulous cook who learned her expertise in the Black Forest region of Germany. Drink wise, it used to be either Irish Whisky or red wine but cut out alcohol 12 months ago – so Coffee is my number one drink.
What inspired you to enter F&B?
I have always loved the food industry and have been in and around it since I was 14. Started out working in a chippy, then a weekend job on the deli counter at Waitrose which I loved. I spent some time running hospitality venues from nightclubs to pub and restaurants, fast forward and I’m now in F&B data and software.
What services and solutions does your company offer to F&B manufacturers?
TraceGains is advancing the food and beverage industry with our innovative digital solutions. We help with everything from compliance and nutritional calculation to labelling and new product development (NPD). Our integrated platform digitises and centralises all aspects of product development and compliance, making it easier for businesses to stay connected and on track.
With a community of more than 1,200 global clients, including half of the top 100 F&B manufacturers, we're proud to support brands through the complex world of the global food industry.
Our ecosystem includes tens of thousands of supplier locations and a robust database of ingredients and products. Plus, we've added best-in-class global horizon scanning and ESG information from expert partners to our offerings, automating processes and insights to keep things compliant and efficient. We're here to make F&B manufacturer's journey smoother and more successful.
What makes your company unique?
The TraceGains network is like no other. Imagine having access to more than 83,000 supplier locations and a massive database of 550,000 ingredients and products. Not only that, but there are also more than 8.5m supplier, item and ingredient documents at your fingertips. With this extensive network, businesses around the globe can collaborate seamlessly, tackling modern supply chain challenges together.
But that's not all – our patented PostOnce technology is a game-changer. It revolutionises information sharing, allowing stakeholders to exchange vital data instantly and efficiently. Say goodbye to repetitive, single-use portals and hello to a streamlined, collaborative environment. TraceGains is transforming data flow in one of the world's most complex supply chains, making us the go-to partner you can rely on.
Tell us about your role specifically
The European food and beverage industry is at a turning point – supply chains are getting trickier, new regulations are popping up all the time, and consumer trends are constantly changing. Brands need to be more agile and make the most of all the data available. That's where I come in, and it's something I'm passionate about.
I collaborate with forward-thinking ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, brokers and retailers across the UK and Ireland. These folks are ready to ditch outdated, manual systems that just don't cut it anymore and are causing headaches throughout their businesses. By taking a consultative approach, I help them map out their current operations and workflows and then craft a strategic digital transformation plan. Our modular solutions help them digitise data, automate repetitive tasks, and onboard their entire supply chain to a more connected network. It's all about making their lives easier, and their businesses run smoother.
What does a typical day look like for you?
What I love is that no two days are the same. I am constantly in meetings discussing digital transformation projects for business of all shapes and sizes supporting the project leads in helping them leverage the maximum benefit from our cutting-edge software.
Because there are so many different categories, I am always learning something new every day working with clients and colleagues around the globe. Most recently with our new ESG solutions, I am working with our ESG partners on some really exciting projects, which is something I’m passionate about.
How did you get to where you are today?
I never knew what I wanted to do as a career. I always tried to follow the philosophy of finding something that you love doing, because when you are happy, you take a greater interest in the subject, it’s easier to put in the extra effort and you excel.
I have found that over the years that I love selling technology into the F&B industry. If I had told that to my 12-year-old self, I am not sure he would have been convinced!
When you’re having a bad day, what cheers you up?
Well, this is easy – a cuddle from one of my girls (wife/daughters/horse) always does the trick. I also have an amazing 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel called Kane – he never fails to cheer me up, especially seeing how excited he gets when going for a walk somewhere beautiful in the Yorkshire countryside!
What’s your favourite part about the food sector?
There is never a dull moment in the food industry and I love that. The way I always describe this industry is ‘expect the unexpected’. This sector is full of amazing businesses and fantastic people working hard every single day to keep our food safe and exciting.
If you could change one thing about the F&B sector what would it be?
The adoption of technology and networked data. Speaking to brands around the globe, one of the biggest challenges they face are outdated processes, tools and access to data without having to go on a scavenger hunt.
The F&B supply chain has evolved so much over the years, and in some areas, such as manufacturing automation and robotics, I am seeing huge investment. But in technical and quality teams, not so much.
The amount of data required and the interconnected complexity of today’s modern supply chains requires instant access to robust, reliable real-time data. It would be great for businesses to move away from these legacy processes, which include spreadsheets and sharepoints, and utilise networks and digital tools – the value of having real-time data at the click of a button, that you can trust, to manage process and reduce risk is really powerful.
What’s next for you/what’s the dream?
The way industry shares data across the chain is broken and incredibly inefficient. I joined TraceGains as I saw a huge opportunity for the global industry to standardise data sharing.
My dream is that the TraceGains Network Gather is the de-facto way for sharing data. The approach of ‘create once, share with many’. I am working hard to make this dream a reality and it’s going from strength to strength.
TraceGains was a sponsor of this year's Business Leader's Forum, which took place in June 2024, alongside Aptean and Amber.