BRONX, N.Y. — Baldor Specialty Foods, one of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic’s largest food distributors, announced today the upcoming retirement of Michael Muzyk, longtime President of the company and an icon in the food distribution industry. Muzyk’s retirement will commence at the end of 2023.
After a remarkable career spanning almost 30 years, Muzyk has been looking forward to enjoying more downtime with family and friends in retirement. Because of his dedication to the company, however, he didn’t want to leave until he felt Baldor was well-positioned for the future. “Seeing the strong leader TJ has become and the leadership team he now has behind him, I know this is the right time to move on,” he says.
Muzyk joined Baldor in 1996 as a sales representative when the company was still in its early days, operating out of a modest 25,000-square-foot space in Maspeth, Queens. His exceptional understanding of the culinary world, gained from his studies at the Culinary Institute of America and his experience in the kitchen at fine dining establishments like La Côte Basque, played a vital role in his success as a Baldor salesperson. He understood what chefs needed and made it his goal to solve their problems.
Doing so, he soon became the indispensable “right-hand man” of Baldor Founder and CEO Kevin Murphy, eventually taking on the role of vice president and then president. In 2013, he had the challenging task of helping the company move forward following Kevin Murphy’s untimely death and assisting Kevin’s son TJ Murphy to assume the CEO and Owner position, which he continues to hold today.
Muzyk’s dedication to working closely with restaurant owners and chefs combined with his unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality ingredients and best-in-class service established Baldor’s stellar reputation and propelled the company’s unprecedented growth.
During his career, Muzyk played a pivotal role in the company’s expansion and success. He helped Baldor establish its 290,000-square-foot HQ in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, and then expand service from Maine to Virginia, opening regional distribution centers in Boston, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and in Philadelphia. He expanded the company’s product catalog beyond produce to include specialty, dairy and meat; he also led the acquisition of Pierless Fish. He spearheaded the development of Fresh Cuts, Baldor’s processed fruit and vegetable operation, which has now grown to employ over 300 workers. Muzyk also played a crucial part in various significant initiatives, including the company’s involvement in aiding the city’s recovery after the tragic events of 9/11, delivering essential food supplies during the NYC blackout, giving aid during Superstorm Sandy, and keeping the Baldor trucks running when the company pivoted to home delivery during the Covid 19 lockdown. Today Baldor sells more than 5,000 SKUs, and services more than 400 routes for 12,000-plus customers.
Speaking on his career, Muzyk stated, “I don’t reflect much on the past, because I’ve always been so focused on the future, but looking back, I do see my fingerprint all over Baldor, and I’m proud of what we’ve done. In the last few years of his life, Kevin and I spoke often about the future of the company, and I committed to doing everything I could to make Baldor and TJ successful. I think I’ve lived up to that promise. I’m grateful for the trust and support I received from the team and our customers to enable my success.”
Commenting on Muzyk’s retirement, TJ said, “I’ve known Michael most of my life, and I can say that his dedication to Baldor over the years has been astounding. His career here has been defined by his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to our customers, vendors, and employees. He’s touched thousands of lives and careers, including my own. I’m personally so grateful for his many contributions and his help transitioning this company from my father to me, and I wish him the best on a well-deserved retirement.”
Moving forward, TJ will continue to guide the strategic vision of the company along its current growth trajectory. He and Michael have been collaborating for more than a year to plan for succession, and right away they decided that they would not appoint another president. “I couldn’t expect anyone to fill Michael’s shoes,” said Murphy. “He’s one of one.” But they did decide that they needed to bolster the leadership team with subject-matter executives from larger companies who could help Baldor continue to scale up. So, in the past 18 months, they have added eight people to the VP/SVP level, and they will continue to hire a few key roles to the C-suite in coming months.
Between now and end of year, Muzyk will work closely with Murphy to ensure a smooth transition and the continuation of the excellence Baldor customers have come to rely on. Muzyk will focus on knowledge transfer and ensuring continuity for the team. He will also participate in the hiring process for new leaders, providing his expertise to facilitate a fluid succession process.
As always, Baldor remains committed to sourcing the highest quality food, delivering exceptional service, expanding its coverage areas, and exploring new opportunities for growth. The company will continue to build upon its market presence, utilizing the foundation laid by Muzyk’s years of dedicated service.
For more information visit: http://www.baldorfood.com
About Baldor Specialty Foods
Baldor Specialty Foods is one of the largest distributors of premium fresh produce, specialty foods, dairy, meat and fish in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Beginning as Balducci’s fruit stand in Greenwich Village in 1946, Baldor maintains its original commitment to freshness, flavor, quality and service. Baldor Specialty Foods now services more than 12,000 food service, retail and corporate accounts from Portland, ME to Richmond, VA, and offers over 5,000 food items. The company’s mission is to deliver quality ingredients, innovative solutions and seamless experiences that ensure the success of its partners.
To learn more, go to www.baldorfood.com.
