AUGUST 2022

LOPEZ-DORADA FOODS named FRANCISCO “PANCHO” GONZALEZ as its chief executive officer. The announcement was made by Ed Sanchez, who will serve as the company’s chairman of the Board. Prior to joining the Lopez-Dorada team, Gonzalez served as the vice president of the Americas for Inspire Brands, where he was responsible for all brands, including Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s and Sonic in 16 countries.

SOMIC PACKAGING INC. has promoted PHILIPP LENZ to technical service coordinator. A 15-year industry veteran, he will serve as the technical advisor to customers with 24/7 online response for all troubleshooting and technical related questions. In addition to providing support for the field service team, Lenz also will schedule and support new machine installations and retrofits.

AMERICAN DAIRY ASSOCIATION NORTH EAST, representing 9,000 northeast dairy farmers, appointed JOHN CHRISMAN as its new CEO. In the position, Chrisman will lead the organization to fulfill its mission to promote dairy and serve as the association’s key liaison with industry and government leaders. He previously held senior leadership positions in retail marketing, producer relations, school marketing, processor relations and hunger relief.

DAWN FOODS announced the hiring of MELISSA BAUTISTA as the company’s new vice president of manufacturing for North America and the promotion of EMILY GITTINS to vice president, global corporate controller. Bautista joins Dawn from Utz Brands Inc. and will be responsible for building Dawn’s long-term manufacturing capabilities in North America around safety, cost, quality and service, while also helping Dawn achieve its current business objectives. She will report to John Schmitz, president, North America. Gittins, who has been with Dawn for 15 years, will become the company’s new vice president, global corporate controller in July. She replaces Jean Rauchholz, who is retiring this summer.

FLEXCOLD, a cold storage warehouse and logistics company headquartered in Charleston, S.C., announced that MARK SCHULTZ, has joined as vice president of sales. He will lead FlexCold’s sales and business development efforts with a relationship-based approach, combining his hands-on logistics expertise and operational knowledge of the cold chain. His responsibilities will include accelerating FlexCold’s presence in Jacksonville, Fla., and new geographies, developing new channels and contributing to the company’s overall business strategies.

PURE PRAIRIE FARMS announced key additions to its leadership team. BOB WOLFE (photo) was named chief operating officer; SANTOSH VENKATARAMANAAPA, vice president of food safety, quality and regulatory processes; and DAVID STANZ, director of finance. Each professional brings life-long chicken and food industry experience to the table.

REMILK announced KOBI ALTMAN joined its leadership team as chief financial officer and secretary of the board of directors. Altman brings with him more than 25 years of executive financial experience in large global industrial organizations.

UNITED CAPS, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, announced the appointment of VINCENT CHAUVIER as chief financial officer, a promotion from his previous role as finance director.

KONA AI, a provider of AI-driven compliance and anti-fraud data analytics and intelligence solutions, appointed VINCENT WALDEN (CFE, CPA) as its new chief executive officer. Walden will be charged with leading the company’s anti-fraud and corruption business in an effort to address the $3.6 trillion annual problem plaguing global businesses.

SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC. announced that TAMMY RUSS, senior operations manager of the company’s Tar Heel facility in North Carolina, has been named a 2022 STEP Ahead honoree by THE MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE. The institute is the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers.

THIRSTIE, the e-commerce provider for beverage alcohol brands, announced that former Republic Beverage and National Distributing Company (RNDC) president and CEO, TOM COLE, has joined the company as an advisory board member and investor. In the role, Cole will provide ongoing counsel to Thirstie’s leadership team, assist in shaping key partnerships and provide strategic support to the company’s roadmap.

Future Meat Technologies has expanded its executive leadership team with the key appointments of GUSTAVO BURGER as COO, JENNIFER HENDERSON as chief administrative officer, general counsel and corporate secretary, and MOSES TALBI as chief financial & business development.

The ORGANIZATION FOR MACHINE AUTOMATION AND CONTROL (OMAC) announced the results from the 2022 OMAC Board of Directors’ election. There were five nominees on the ballot for three open seats. The following were re-elected to the board of directors and will serve a three-year term: Spencer Cramer, ei3 Corporation (technology provider); Jason Debruler, Procter & Gamble (end-user); and Ron MacDonald, Nestlé (end-user). Besides the newly re-elected members, the following also serve: Larry Elliott, WestRock; Mike Hogan, Milacron Plastics Technologies Group LLC; Christopher Hough, ProMach; Kjell Erik Meier, Tronrud Engineering; and John Uber, Mettler Toledo.

FLOWERS FOODS, INC. announced that effective December 31, 2022, BRADLEY K. ALEXANDER, chief operating officer, will retire from the company after 41 years of service. Consistent with the company’s management succession plan, on January 1, 2023, HEETH VARNEDOE, the company’s current chief transformation officer, will succeed Alexander as chief operating officer.

MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL INC. has agreed to acquire CLIF BAR & COMPANY, U.S. maker of energy bars, for $2.9 billion. The acquisition of brands CLIF, LUNA and CLIF Kid expands Mondelēz International’s global snack bar business to more than $1 billion, including its refrigerated snacking business PERFECT SNACKS in the U.S. and performance nutrition business GRENADE in the U.K. This acquisition also advances the company’s strategy to reshape its portfolio to sustain higher long-term growth.

KELLOGG COMPANY plans to separate into three independent companies, by spinning off its U.S., Canadian, and Caribbean cereal and plant-based businesses, which collectively represented approximately 20% of its net sales in 2021. The remaining business, which represented about 80% of net sales in 2021, is focused on global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen breakfasts. According to Kellogg, the proposed separations create greater strategic, operational and financial focus for each company and its stakeholders, and will build on Kellogg's current momentum.

ATLAS HOLDINGS has acquired FOSTER FARMS, a family-owned provider of fresh, frozen, and prepared poultry products headquartered in Livingston, Calif. Atlas also announced that former Tyson CEO DONNIE SMITH has been named Foster Farms’ new CEO and Chairman of the Board. Smith spent 36 years with Tyson and was named CEO in 2009, a role he held until his retirement in 2016.

HONOR FOODS, the Burris Logistics foodservice redistribution company, has purchased SOMMER MAID CREAMERY, a foodservice redistributor with dairy expertise and located in Pipersville, Pa. The transaction closed on June 10, 2022.

SYMBIONT, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm based out of Milwaukee, joined MEAD & HUNT, an ENR-rated Top 100 national architectural/engineering firm, on June 1, 2022. This move allows both Mead & Hunt and Symbiont to offer enhanced services to clients and expand their geographical and market reach, specifically in the areas of water, renewable energy (biogas) and food and beverage.

EVERGRAIN, a sustainable ingredient company created by AB InBev, launched its scientific advisory board to unleash the full potential of brewers spent grain (BSG) and its benefits to human health and environmental sustainability. BSG is the nutrient-rich byproduct of the beer brewing process.

The boards of directors for the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REFRIGERATED WAREHOUSES (IARW) and INTERNATIONAL REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (IRTA) have reached an agreement to merge their organizations into the GLOBAL COLD CHAIN ALLIANCE (GCCA).

REMILK has obtained self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements, paving the way for non-animal, real-dairy products in the U.S.

ROYAL DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, has reached an agreement to sell its engineering materials business to ADVENT INTERNATIONAL and LANXESS for an enterprise value of €3.85 billion.

UPM RAFLATAC (a supplier of specialty packaging materials and films) has signed an agreement to acquire AMC AG (Advanced Methods of Coating), a Germany-based company. This acquisition accelerates growth and expands the product offering of UPM Raflatac. FE

AUGUST 2022

FOODENGINEERINGMAG.com