The Client
Cereal Docks represents a reality of excellence in the Italian agro-industrial landscape, a Venetian family company that operates in the first industrial transformation of the product, strategically positioning itself in the business-to-business market behind the food and agro-industry. With its multiple locations and a governance that combines family tradition and modern entrepreneurial vision, Cereal Docks has managed to evolve while keeping its territorial roots firm.
The group also includes niche realities in the biotechnological nutraceutical sector, which expands the company portfolio towards high-value-added and technically specialized segments. This diversification presents unique challenges in terms of recruiting, requiring very specific and often hard-to-find skills on the market.
The challenges of recruiting in a family business in the agro-industrial sector
Cereal Docks' growth path has highlighted specific critical issues related both to the nature of the sector and to the characteristics of the constantly expanding company.
Understanding the unique company culture
The first challenge concerned the need to find a recruiting partner who deeply understood the nature of a Venetian family company operating in the agro-industry. As Luca Zanella, People & Talent Manager explains: "We are a family and Venetian company with all the peculiarities of the case, so we needed someone who immediately got to the point and understood the type of company we are."
The cultural and operational specificities of a family business require a recruiting approach that goes beyond simple technical skills, evaluating adaptation to company values and local culture.
Recruiting for niche sectors
A particular complexity emerged with Aethera Biotech, a specific BU where the required figures represented extremely specialized profiles in the biotechnological nutraceutical sector. "Aethera Biotech operates in the biotechnological nutraceutical sector, so we needed very particular figures with very specific skills. The problem is that when you have such vertical needs, the pool of available candidates drastically shrinks. We had little competition in the selection with even a couple of rejections from candidates. It was a particular situation where the scarcity of qualified profiles on the market greatly limited the available options." says Zanella, highlighting how candidate pools for ultra-specialized sectors are naturally very small.
Service quality vs traditional approaches
Before collaborating with Reverse, the company had experimented with recruiting approaches that proved inefficient. "Previously, we had experimented with collaborations with other suppliers that proved inadequate from the point of view of added value. Often these providers limited themselves to providing large quantities of CVs - we are talking about 20-30 profiles per position - without any pre-selection or qualitative evaluation work. The result was that we had to manage the entire screening and evaluation process internally, completely nullifying the point of turning to a specialized external partner. Essentially, we were paying for a sourcing service that we could manage independently, without obtaining the consulting and qualitative selection we were looking for from a true professional Head Hunter."
How Reverse made a difference
The partnership with Cereal Docks was born from direct knowledge and evolved through a personalized approach by consultant Giovanna Grande, who was able to grasp the company's specificities.
Advanced technology at the service of efficiency
The first element of differentiation was Reverse's proprietary technology. Zanella explains: "The first element that struck us was the technological innovation that characterizes Reverse's recruitment process. We are not talking about simple databases or standard platforms, but about proprietary technology that proves to be still at the forefront of the sector today. The real added value lies in the ability of this platform to quickly identify candidates truly aligned with our specific needs. This translates into significant time savings and, above all, a quality of process that makes the difference between simple sourcing and true specialized consulting."
This technological component not only represents an operational advantage but also allows for optimizing search times while maintaining high quality standards.
Deep understanding of the business and company culture
The real leap in quality came through the Reverse team's ability to understand the essence of the company. Marilisa Cappellano, Senior Executive at Reverse who followed the project, explains: "Cereal Docks represented an interesting challenge: a family business with deep roots in the Venetian territory, but with growth ambitions that required specific skills. We had to find people who could appreciate both the traditional values and the innovative vision of the group."
Zanella confirms the impact of this approach: "The determining factor for the success of this collaboration was Marilisa and Giovanna's ability to deeply understand our company identity and internal dynamics. Over time, a relationship of trust and mutual understanding was created that goes beyond the purely professional dimension; we even shared convivial moments, company events, creating that authentic familiarity that allows them to grasp aspects of our organizational culture not immediately evident. This understanding translates into their ability to identify not only the necessary technical skills but also that cultural and character fit that determines the success of a long-term placement. They know our managerial style, team dynamics, and the unwritten but fundamental values of our work environment."
Structured process and promise keeping
An appreciated element was Reverse's ability to keep commitments and deadlines. "A fundamental aspect that distinguishes Reverse from other suppliers is reliability in deadlines and rigorous adherence to commitments made. When we jointly define a timeline - for example, two weeks from the first meeting for the presentation of the first profiles - this is scrupulously respected, regardless of the complexity of the search or any market difficulties. It is not just about operational speed, but about professional expectation management that allows us to plan our internal activities accordingly. This predictability represents a fundamental strategic value, especially when recruiting decisions must integrate with other company processes and already defined operational timelines." says Zanella.
Quality of selection vs quantity of CVs
Reverse has demonstrated its ability to provide truly suitable profiles rather than merely generic sourcing. "The qualitative difference compared to other experiences is evident from the presentation of the profiles: we never receive completely inadequate or off-target applications. In the standard presentation, there are always at least one or two profiles that could actually successfully fill the position. This allows us to concentrate our time on an in-depth evaluation of truly interesting candidates, rather than having to prematurely discard profiles that are clearly not aligned. When necessary, we collaborate to refine search parameters or expand market coverage, but always starting from a solid base of pertinent applications. It is this intrinsic quality of the pre-selection process that represents the true added value: it is not simply about speed in sourcing, but about intelligence in preliminary selection that optimizes the entire decision-making process."
Marilisa Cappellano adds: "We don't just present numbers or resumes. Our approach is based on understanding the internal dynamics of the company: who the colleagues are, how the team works, what are the unwritten but fundamental values for the success of a placement."
The dashboard as a strategic tool
A distinctive element of the collaboration was the use of Reverse's proprietary dashboards to support decision-making processes.
Strategic use for decision makers
The company has developed a selective approach to using this tool, adapting it to the specific needs of each interlocutor. "The dashboards represent an extremely valuable tool that we have effectively integrated into our evaluation processes. They constitute an excellent starting point for our internal analysis, but their value emerges particularly when we use them as support for executives and C-levels who participate in the subsequent phases of the selection process, focusing mainly on technical and strategic interviews. For these interlocutors, the dashboard provides a structured and complete overview of the candidate that facilitates a more in-depth and conscious evaluation. The possibility of having all relevant information organized in a clear and professional manner represents a significant added value, especially when it comes to presenting candidates for positions of responsibility that require the direct attention of top management." explains Zanella.
This approach highlights how Cereal Docks has managed to use Reverse's technology not as a substitute for human decision-making, but as strategic support to optimize evaluation phases.
Marilisa Cappellano comments: "Dashboards are a powerful tool, but their value lies in the intelligent use made by the client. Cereal Docks has shown that it can balance objective information and direct evaluation, using technology to improve the process without replacing human judgment."
The results of the collaboration
The partnership between Reverse and Cereal Docks has produced tangible results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the personalized approach and mutual understanding.
High retention and successful placements
The most significant data concerns the quality of placements over time. "The people who came through Reverse tend to still be here," confirms Zanella. This result, particularly significant in a labor market characterized by high mobility, testifies to the quality of the matching, not only technical but also cultural.
Evolution of the relationship: from tender to partnership
An important indicator of the effectiveness of the collaboration is the evolution of the relationship itself. Zanella recounts: "Our strategy for selecting recruiting suppliers has evolved significantly in recent years. In an initial period, roughly from 2018 to 2020, we adopted a more competitive approach: when the need for selection arose, we typically involved two or three specialized companies in a sort of tender to evaluate proposals and results. Today, our approach has radically changed. We have developed a strategic partnership with Reverse based on consolidated results and mutual trust, which allows us to clearly communicate to other prospective suppliers our preference for this exclusive collaboration. This is not about preconceived closure to alternatives, but the recognition of the added value that a consolidated and deeply rooted relationship can offer compared to the continuous search for the best bidder. This change reflects a maturation of our recruiting approach: from a spot purchase logic to a long-term strategic partnership."
This shift from a competitive approach to a preferential partnership indicates a level of trust and satisfaction that goes beyond individual recruiting successes.
Flexible management of complex situations
The collaboration has also shown flexibility in the most complex situations. When some mandates were closed internally by the company, this did not create problems in the relationship, demonstrating maturity and professionalism on both sides.
Marilisa Cappellano reflects on the results: "With Cereal Docks, we have built something that goes beyond the simple success of individual searches. It is a partnership based on mutual trust and a deep understanding of business needs. The results in terms of retention and customer satisfaction are the natural consequence of this approach."
Management of sectoral specificities
Even in the most complex cases, the collaboration has maintained high standards of professionalism. While recognizing the inherent difficulties of the biotechnological nutraceutical sector, the Reverse team has managed expectations and results transparently and constructively.
Strategic key takeaways
Technology and human relationship as a winning combination
The Cereal Docks case study demonstrates how the combination of advanced technologies and a deep understanding of business dynamics can create superior value compared to approaches that prioritize only one aspect.
The importance of cultural fit in family businesses
For companies with strong cultural identities, the evaluation of technical skills must be integrated with a deep understanding of company values and internal dynamics.
Evolution from supply to strategic partnership
The transition from competitive logic (tenders between suppliers) to preferential partnerships indicates how authentic relationships and consistent results over time create superior value for both parties.
Flexibility in managing sectoral complexities
The ability to adapt approaches and expectations according to sectoral specificities demonstrates the importance of vertical competencies in specialized recruiting.
Smart use of technology
The experience with dashboards highlights how technology must be used strategically, adapting its use to the specific needs of each process and interlocutor.
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