Jeremy Taylor is Always in the Mood for Good Food

Interview by Steph Greegor

Name: Jeremy Taylor
Age: 26
Profession: Vice President of Sales & Marketing, DNO Produce
Neighborhood: Grandview Heights
One-word description: Guts
Quote: “I spend most of my time in restaurants and cooking at home. Weekends are split between thinking about what I just had to eat and planning for where I’m going to eat.”
Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Food, food, more food, and food. That is the passion of 26-year-old Jeremy Taylor’s life and has been since he was a college student at Ohio State University.

“I ran a food company in college with my twin brother that went on to be acquired, so I really just stuck with it,” said Taylor, a native of Columbus who now lives in Grandview Heights. “I’ve fallen in love with fresh produce and my romanticism with it has really helped in my career. It’s an incredible amount of fun to be working in such a unique world.”

For Taylor, that’s as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at DNO Produce.

“I lead and manage all of our internal and external sales activity,” Taylor said of the fresh fruit and vegetable wholesale and processing company. “I’m directly responsible for the innovation and growth of our fresh produce segments in food service, retail, meal kits and manufacturing.”

From the Columbus location, Taylor and company service distributors, retail, institutions, restaurants, manufacturers and meal kits in 10 different states.

“I’m blessed that eating good food and experimenting with new ideas is not only work, but what’s most fun.”

So where does someone who loves food this much go to eat?

“Rooster’s and Due Amici,” he said, adding that The Avenue and Johnnie’s on Glen are his two faves in Grandview. But for guests who come to Columbus? Taylor has a tailor-made evening.

“For a true Columbus attraction, I recommend folks visit The Columbus Zoo. It’s always fun and a good way to work up an appetite for the rest of the day,” he said. “After a long day of walking and feeding the giraffes, visitors should get cleaned up and hit any number of places in Downtown or Short North for dinner and drinks. After dinner, stroll and get dessert and Jeni’s Ice Creams and Dinner #2 at Mikey’s Late Night Slice.”

When Taylor isn’t eating, he’s busy volunteering with food.

“I work on a national team of ‘Produce Pros,’ which help non-profits set up fresh produce programs in underserved communities and food deserts,” he said. “I’ve also volunteered on the Local Food Action Plan with The City of Columbus, to strengthen the local food system in Central Ohio.”

Jeremy was named to our annual list of 52 Young Professionals You Should Know in Columbus – one for every week in the year!
Meet the entire “Class of 2018” »