Mr. Hynes worked with key national fresh food wholesalers and multiple local and regional grocery chains, including Harmon’s in Salt Lake City, Nicholas Markets Inc. in NJ, and Indianapolis Fruit Co. of Indianapolis. In addition, he proudly represented the Rational Oven line. Mr. Hynes was instrumental in the conceptualization, design and ongoing development of the groundbreaking and internationally renowned Buford Highway Farmer’s Market in Atlanta for more than 40 years.
An entrepreneur from a young age, Mr. Hynes started his career in the grocery business at 17 years-old, driving a delivery truck for the Asian Trading Co., the first Asian food supermarket in Atlanta.
A multi-linguist, Mr. Hynes spoke fluent Korean, which he learned from more than a decade of invitations to kitchen dinners while delivering products for the company and picked up additional conversational fluency in several Asian languages. Mr. Hynes made it his mission to learn how to say “thank you” in as many languages as possible, for which he had instant recall.
Mr. Hynes created the signature Better Basics education and training program for grocery staff across all departments focused on and enhancing and elevating with enthusiasm the shopping experience for customers and employees alike.
As a gourmet, he savored cooking and collaborated professionally with chefs to create multiple white label products such as specialty spice combinations, bratwursts, sausages, crostini, dips and sauces, among other items, which can still be found in-store.
Mr. Hynes took great pride in his relationship with clients and was deeply dedicated to their ongoing success, ending each email with “Good Selling.” A well-known raconteur, Mr. Hynes had a story, usually humorous, for every occasion, making and maintaining many friends in from all walks of life.
A lifelong sports fan, swimmer, fisherman, boater in all types of vessels and gardener, Mr. Hynes was known for his ability to grow and gift a variety of hot peppers, often carrying extras in his breast pocket to give to people along his way. Despite earnest efforts to give fair warning to “be careful” when handling and tasting his hot peppers, many who tried them found the experience unforgettable, reaching for the closest carton of milk.
