Walk the aisles at Sanwa Food Group and you’ll find ingredients that carry memory and spark discovery. Inside that environment, Wesley Leung, chief operating officer, turns purpose into process so specialty and staple foods reach chefs and families with consistency that earns trust.
Leung stepped into a business tested by storms and supply shocks. Two hurricanes in Florida paused expansion and exposed the absence of a true growth plan. That interruption became a reset. He established standards for pricing and margin control, introduced rigorous labor models with transparent reporting, launched vendor rebate programs and rolled out the Entrepreneurial Operating System across teams. Discipline showed up on the P&L and on the warehouse floor, setting the stage for Sanwa Food Group’s most profitable stretch.
The rebuild continues with two dominos set to fall in sequence. First, a modern enterprise resource planning platform will replace a patchwork of tools and provide visibility from purchasing to inventory to customer engagement. Second, a full organizational structure project will clarify roles, elevate managers and align incentives to a shared plan. Together these moves create a workforce that grows skills, makes faster decisions and navigates change with confidence.
Energy for the grind comes from people. Leung studies the journeys of teammates who started in entry roles and now run departments or storefronts, then invests in pathways that make those stories common. He finds the same spark in customers who hunt for items tied to home and heritage. In food retail, nostalgia matters. Helping a shopper find something from childhood turns logistics into hospitality and reminds teams why standards must hold. Momentum is shared through coaching, clear expectations and visible recognition so progress feels real.
If he could master any skill instantly, Leung would choose to learn a new language. Sanwa Food Group’s intentionally international assortment aims to unite people through foods and flavors. Language fluency would unlock a difficult capability that widens horizons and deepens connection. The choice reflects a broader belief that understanding precedes excellence.
Adversity built his strongest muscle. Weather setbacks forced choices about what to pursue and what to pause. A Titan 100 Honoree, Leung learned to say no to distractions that do not fit resource and time priorities, then doubled down on actions that move the needle. That clarity helped rebuild momentum after the storms and shaped a management cadence that prizes focus over noise.
The five-year view blends expansion with service. Sanwa Food Group will strengthen community ties through partners like Feeding Tampa Bay and maintain presence at industry and civic forums including IFDA and Tampa Bay Chamber events. Retail will gain a dedicated marketing engine to tell the brand story while food service deepens relationships through better data and faster response. Leung measures success by teams that advance, customers who return and a culture that stays humble while standards rise. When shelves reflect the city and operations run with calm precision, the plan is working.
