Cristin Illes Kahale’s great-grandfather ran hurdles for Hungary in the 1908 summer Olympics before earning a PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry and founding the family’s food company in 1927. “He was a chief chemist when he immigrated, and he created his own business out of the back of his house,” Illes Kahale says. Carrollton-based Illes Foods started manufacturing fragrances for the cosmetic industry before creating and importing flavors, concentrates and extracts for local creameries, bakeries, candy, and soft drink manufacturers. Nearly a century later, it has grown to develop and produce sauces, seasonings, and more for a dozen of the nation’s top 50 restaurant chains and three of its five largest grocers.
Illes Kahale took the helm in January 2020 after leaving a career in psychology and working her way through sales leadership roles under her father, Rick—who transformed the business since buying out his relatives in the 1980s. “He was the first to start bringing in outside product developers and food scientists because my grandfather and family members were always the ones in development,” Illes Kahale says. Her father also expanded the company from liquid concentrates and products into seasonings, marinades, and dry items. He still serves as chairman. “He’s the one that’s more the venture visionary—more of the entrepreneur who grew the business into what it is today,” Illes Kahale says.
She guided the company through the pandemic without laying off any of its roughly 150 employees and responded to the restaurant industry’s quickly shifting demand. “It enabled us to strategically think about the company differently and become much more intentional about how we’re going to market with all of our customers,” Illes Kahale says.
Over the years, the company has commercialized more than 3,000 custom and proprietary food and beverage items. The next big opportunity is in the flavored beverage space. “That industry has consistently seen double-digit growth year over year,” Illes Kahale says. “It’s our strengths lining up with where the industry is going, so we are going to continue to leverage that and look at other ways we can help midsize food service providers create their own beverage platforms.”
The strategy aligns with her philosophies on portfolio expansion. “Product development is the engine of this business,” she says.
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