Commercial Diligence · Strategic Advisory · Value Creation
Driving growth and value creation for Food & Beverage businesses.
We help CPG investors and leadership teams achieve transformational value creation by using 25+ years of experience operating complex food portfolios to evaluate potential investments and create plans that expand margins and maximize EBITDA growth.
Disciplined, operator-led value creation for small and mid-sized CPG.
MJLM Advisors is built on more than two decades of building growth and value across CPG businesses in 40+ categories. That includes owning P&Ls across branded, private brand, and foodservice portfolios, and partnering with private equity investors to evaluate opportunities, accelerate portfolio performance, and create long-term enterprise value.
We bring that approach to small and mid-sized Food & Beverage businesses. We work alongside founders, leadership teams, and investors to unlock a portfolio's next phase of growth. That work spans commercial assessment, margin expansion, and value creation before and after a transaction.
I've sat in the operator's seat. I know which growth assumptions hold up and which ones don't.
Helping Food & Beverage businesses and their investors create value.
Commercial Diligence & Value Creation
Commercial assessment, growth opportunity validation, margin expansion, and post-close growth strategy for acquisitions and portfolio companies.
CPG Portfolio Health & Growth Path Assessment
Commercial diagnostics, portfolio optimization and prioritization, growth planning, and investment readiness.
Commercial & Portfolio Strategy
Customer and channel expansion, end-to-end go-to-market, pricing and revenue growth management, and insight-driven innovation.
Commercial Transformation & Leadership
Pricing and mix optimization, innovation prioritization, organization and team building, and fractional commercial leadership.
When to call us
- Evaluating a Food & Beverage acquisition
- Validating commercial growth assumptions
- Finding value creation opportunities in a portfolio company
- Resetting pricing, portfolio, or commercial strategy
- Needing fractional commercial or portfolio leadership
- Preparing for a sale, recapitalization, or new investment
Investors and operators who want an experienced commercial partner.
Private Equity Investors
Commercial diligence on Food & Beverage targets, and value creation plans that hold up after close.
Portfolio Company CEOs & GMs
An experienced operator partner to hit the investment thesis and accelerate growth.
Food & Beverage Founders
Growth strategy, portfolio focus, and readiness for investment or sale.
Executive Leadership Teams
Commercial transformation, pricing, and go-to-market reset, with hands-on leadership when needed.
Chances are, we've already operated in your category.
Retail, club, foodservice & alternative channels · Conventional, natural & organic
Breakfast & Dessert
Frozen, refrigerated and thaw & serve baked goods, RTE & hot cereal, yogurt, breakfast & dessert mixes, bagels, flour
Snacks
Cookies, crackers, snack nuts & seeds, candy, trail mix, bars, fruit snacks & rolls, meat snacks
Condiments
Peanut butter, preserves, jams & jellies, BBQ, table & dessert syrups, sauces (pasta, Mexican, seafood/chili, soy, hot, Worcestershire), dressings, beverage mixes
Meals
Refrigerated pasta & sauce, frozen & refrigerated entrées, appetizers & meals
Frozen
Fruit, baked goods, breads, biscuits, dough
Dairy
Cheese, butter
Beverage
Non-dairy, juice, water, tea, broth
categories across branded, private brand & foodservice
Results from the operator's seat.
Commercial Diligence
Led commercial diligence on two PE-backed Food & Beverage acquisitions.
Turnaround
Reversed double-digit declines on a $350MM portfolio: revenue +8%, profit +29%, velocity +23%, household penetration +36%.
Growth Roadmap
Identified $750MM+ in incremental revenue opportunity through new category entry, channel innovation, and customer acquisition.
Pricing & RGM
Built pricing processes and architecture that contributed $500MM+ in incremental annualized revenue.
Go-to-Market
Identified a $150MM+ regional growth opportunity and led a team that delivered $30MM+ in new business.
Innovation
Launched 150+ new products across 5 categories in one year, adding 2.2MM cases, and cut material write-offs by 50%+.
Trusted by the leaders and teams Janell has worked with.
Janell did a fantastic job bringing much needed discipline to the strategic direction for the CPG group as well as tactical pricing and focussed customer interactions. … she is one of the most organized and results driven individuals I have had the pleasure to work with.
Rik J.Former CEO
“Under Janell's leadership, the company repositioned and refreshed the brand, re-wired its entire supply chain, optimized pricing and trade, and built processes and disciplines to drive toward excellence in execution. … Janell is a high-impact person – as a leader, a marketer, and a mentor and friend!”
Andrew C.Director, Marketing & Revenue Growth · Former team member
“Janell demonstrated dynamic leadership well beyond just her functional area. … Her strong understanding of the P&L guided our decisions including pricing, innovation and go to market strategy. … She identified and led successful implementation of entry into several new, profitable categories.”
Joe D.Former General Manager & manager
“Janell brings energy, passion and dedication to her brands and businesses. She is organizationally adept and business minded. She will make anyone's team stronger.”
Dan T.President & Global Head of Operations · Former senior colleague
“Visionary leader, strategic thinker, skilled communicator, intensely focused. Janell excels at driving growth, ensuring a vision becomes a reality.”
Kaci L.Brand Strategy & Marketing Leader · Former team member
My Favorite Team
Meet the founder
Janell Lofton-Minta
Founder & CEO, MJLM Advisors · Minneapolis–St. Paul · Serving clients nationwide
Janell is a commercial growth, strategy, and value creation executive with 25+ years in consumer products. Janell has led P&Ls and portfolios at General Mills, Nestlé USA, Conagra Foods, Ralcorp, SunOpta, and Post Holdings (Crystal Farms), in roles ranging from General Manager to VP of Growth & Marketing.
Today Janell advises founders, executives, and private equity investors on commercial diligence, growth strategy, and enterprise value creation, and serves as a Commercial Advisor to Power Sustainable Lios.
Janell is known for turning complex commercial problems into clear, actionable growth plans, and for building the teams and cultures that deliver them.
Experience includes
- General Mills
- Nestlé
- Conagra
- Post Holdings
- SunOpta
- Ralcorp
Let's start a conversation.
Evaluating a deal, resetting a portfolio, or planning your next phase of growth? Send a note and we'll reply within one business day.