Founder
Ian Schenkel of Newport Beach is a mechanical engineer turned entrepreneur who has spent more than three decades in the food industry. Based in Newport Beach, California, he has built a career that joins technical expertise with business experience. His professional background covers machinery design, large-scale food production, private labeling, and product development. He is best known as the founder of a food manufacturing company that has continued to succeed for more than thirty years in a competitive industry.
His path began with a degree in mechanical engineering, which gave him a strong understanding of how systems work and how to improve them. Early in his career, he focused on designing and building machinery, skills that later became important when he entered the food manufacturing business. Unlike many entrepreneurs who start with a marketing vision, he relied on technical knowledge. Ian Schenkel Haliburton knew the importance of dependable equipment and how small time savings in production could add up to significant results over a year.
Before starting his own company, he worked in various areas of the food industry. Through private labeling, he learned how to maintain brand identity while producing at scale. Schenkel also gained experience in food processing techniques, including frozen vegetables and fire roasting. When he decided to launch his own company, he was aware of the difficulties ahead. Margins were slim, supply chains complex, and consumer tastes often unpredictable. Despite this, he focused on building a business model that could adapt to change while remaining committed to quality.
Over time, this vision became reality. His company expanded, refined its operations, and developed new opportunities, all while staying consistent in its standards. Ian placed strong emphasis on fundamentals: quality control, operational efficiency, adaptability, and investment in people. He believed that a company’s true strength came from its workforce, and he spent time on training and building a culture where employees felt valued.
His leadership combines technical insight with strategic thinking. He makes decisions using both data and long experience, while listening to his team and focusing on long-term goals. Outside the business, he enjoys boating and golf, activities that require patience and strategy. His connection to Haliburton also provides perspective, offering balance away from professional responsibilities.
Over more than thirty years, he has seen markets shift, technology evolve, and consumer behavior change. The lesson he carries is that success is not built on one breakthrough but on steady improvements carried out over time. With 33 years in business, his company reflects resilience, adaptability, and the trust built with employees, partners, and customers. From his beginnings as a mechanical engineer to his current role as a long-standing entrepreneur, Ian Schenkel continues to demonstrate that quality, efficiency, and persistence form the foundation of lasting success.
