SUMMIT 5SCONSULTING, LLCDiscuss a challenge
FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATING LEADERSHIP
Operational Leadership.
Measurable Results.
Transforming food and beverage operations—from the plant floor to the boardroom.
LEADERSHIP FOR CRITICAL OPERATING MOMENTS
Complex challenges require more than isolated solutions.
Growth, capacity, service, cost, quality, technology, leadership, and organizational capability are interconnected.
Summit 5S brings experienced operating leadership to complex situations—helping organizations establish priorities, strengthen accountability, accelerate execution, and deliver measurable results.
Support ranges from focused advisory engagements to interim CEO and COO leadership.HOW SUMMIT 5S CAN HELP
Experienced leadership, matched to the moment.
From immediate operating leadership to focused advisory support, every engagement begins with the business situation and the results that matter.
Interim CEO, COO & Operating Leadership
Experienced leadership during transition, rapid growth, organizational change, performance recovery, or executive succession.
Explore this engagementTurnarounds & Performance Improvement
Practical operating plans that stabilize performance, improve productivity, reduce waste, and restore accountability.
Explore this engagementPrivate Equity Diligence & Value Creation
Operational diligence, investment-risk assessment, value-creation planning, and hands-on portfolio support.
Explore this engagementManufacturing & Supply Chain Strategy
Integrated approaches to manufacturing, capacity, S&OP, procurement, warehousing, networks, and service.
Explore this engagementTechnology, Automation & Operational Excellence
Practical application of automation, data, frontline systems, and continuous improvement to create sustainable value.
Explore this engagementOrganization, Succession & Board Advisory
Leadership-team development, organizational design, succession planning, governance, and board-level operating insight.
Explore this engagementIndustrial Water & Wastewater Advisory
Independent owner representation for food manufacturers. Understand total treatment costs, assess system performance and provider commitments, and evaluate whether equipment upgrades are justified.
Explore this engagementLeadership Coaching & Role Transitions
One-on-one coaching for team members preparing for or stepping into a larger role. Define what success looks like in the new position, build a development plan around real assignments, and review progress with the individual and their manager.
Explore this engagementSystems Implementation & Execution
Hands-on support for teams installing or upgrading business systems. Connect the rollout to operating and commercial goals, then establish shared KPIs and a review process so leaders can see where execution is on track and where action is needed.
Explore this engagement
REPRESENTATIVE LEADERSHIP IMPACT
Convert strategy into sustainable operating results.
Across complex food and beverage organizations, Michael's leadership has helped teams:
- Improve revenue, profitability, and cash generation through disciplined execution
- Stabilize operations during rapid growth, transition, or performance pressure
- Increase capacity, throughput, reliability, and workforce productivity
- Strengthen safety, quality, service, and operating discipline
- Build accountable leadership teams and repeatable management systems
- Prepare organizations for investment, integration, and continued growth
The specific challenge may differ, but the objective remains consistent: establish clarity, engage the organization, and build the discipline to sustain performance.
OPERATING SELF-ASSESSMENTS
Where is execution strong—and where is value being left on the table?
The Summit 5S Operating Self-Assessments provide a structured way to examine organizational capabilities, management practices, and execution discipline.
Explore the Self-AssessmentsEXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP. PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE.
Operating judgment built across the food and beverage value chain.
Michael Bartikoski is a food and beverage operating executive with more than 35 years of experience leading businesses, manufacturing operations, supply chains, transformations, and leadership teams.
His experience spans privately held, private-equity-backed, and global organizations. He combines strategic perspective with a practical understanding of how results are achieved through people, processes, technology, and disciplined execution.
His leadership approach is direct, collaborative, metric-driven, and grounded in servant leadership, ownership, and accountability.
INSIGHTS & CONVERSATIONS
Practical perspectives for stronger operating organizations.
Articles and conversations on leadership, operational excellence, organizational capability, food safety, and sustainable performance.
Explore all insightsWho Is Managing Your Water and Wastewater Expense?
How independent owner representation can bring greater visibility, accountability, and cost control to an overlooked manufacturing utility.
Read the article ARTICLE · NOVEMBER 2026The Hidden Factory: Finding EBITDA Before Investing in More Capacity
How food manufacturers can unlock profitability, throughput, and cash flow by recovering the value already embedded in their operations.
Read the article ARTICLE · MAY 2026Rethinking the 9-Box Matrix: A Data-Informed Approach to Talent, Performance, and Compensation
A practical framework for bringing stronger evidence, sharper distinctions, and better decision-making to talent reviews, succession, and compensation.
Read the article ARTICLE · REVISED 2026Operational Excellence: A Scorecard for Long-Term Business Success
A disciplined scorecard connecting safety, culture, quality, customer experience, and value delivery.
Read the article ARTICLE · JUNE 2026Operational Awareness: The Missing Layer in Modern Organizations
A framework for connecting knowledge, execution, performance, learning, and optimization.
Read the article PODCAST · SEPTEMBER 2026Why Complexity Kills Margin: An Operational Blueprint for Scalable EBITDA
A conversation about complexity, profitable growth, operating discipline, and scalable EBITDA.
Watch the episodeSTART THE CONVERSATION
Let's discuss what is limiting performance.
Whether the need is an interim CEO or COO, a focused operating assessment, support for a critical transformation, or an experienced advisor to management, investors, or the board—the first step is a practical conversation.