PEOPLE NEWS
REPOSITRAK welcomed PAUL DAMAREN to its executive team, expanding the company’s connection to the food safety industry and capacity to welcome new companies to its integrated, cloud-based solution suite. Damaren has built a career that spans multiple facets of the hospitality, service, and retail agri-food sectors.
VOLKMANN GMBH named DOMINICK FORTUNA president of Volkmann USA, headquartered in Bristol, Penn. Fortuna brings to the position 25 years of experience in leading complex capital equipment projects for machinery manufacturers in a multinational environment.
KEY TECHNOLOGY, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, announced the appointment of BUFFY HAGERMAN as marketing communications manager. Hagerman is responsible for advertising, public relations, trade show exhibits and other marketing initiatives.
MAPLE LEAF FOODS INC. announced that ADAM GROGAN assumed the role of president of its wholly owned subsidiary, GREENLEAF FOODS SPC, effective January 31, 2022.
FARM FRESH DIRECT named MIKE HULETT as the company’s new chief executive officer. Hulett joins Farm Fresh Direct from Walmart where he was most recently merchandising director for apples, pears and cherries.
The NORTH AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE announced that LAURIE BRYANT, executive director of the Meat Import Council of America, Inc. (MICA) from 2001 through 2020, was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, Class of 2021.
CRB promoted PAUL SKINNER to chief financial officer. A deeply experienced business and financial leader and 23-year CRB veteran, Skinner replaces longtime CFO Tim Henquinet, who plans to retire in 2022.
HOFFMANN NEOPAC GROUP reports that ANDRÉ SEILER has taken over the tins division’s management in the Metal Business Unit, and will commute between the two main production sites in Switzerland and The Netherlands. Seiler is a longtime metal processing industry professional, including tenure as managing director for Stebler Blech AG and Stebler Packaging AG in Nunningen, Switzerland.
The KRAFT HEINZ COMPANY appointed DAFNE HEFNER to the newly created role of chief strategy & transformation officer - North America zone. Hefner will help accelerate the strategic growth plan in the Company’s U.S. and Canada businesses, including the broader deployment of Agile teams and a North America zone digital agenda.
VULCAN SPRING & MFG. CO. announced the promotion of BILL KRAUSS to president. A 37-year veteran of the spring industry, the previous 25 years spent with Vulcan, Krauss previously held the position of COO.
PULPAC appointed EMELIE ANDERSSON to a new role as brand and creative manager. She brings 15 years of experience of brand communication with a focus on strategic and creative processes. She most recently comes from Paradigm Brand Consultancy, part of Consid, the Nordic region’s leading IT and tech company.
PLENTY UNLIMITED INC., an indoor, vertical farming technology company, announced the appointment of ARAMA KUKUTAI as chief executive officer. Kukutai is a seasoned entrepreneur and visionary leader in the agritech industry, currently serving as co-founder and partner at Finistere Ventures, a pioneering venture firm dedicated to identifying and nurturing promising agribusiness and food tech companies.
CERTIFIED GROUP and FOOD SAFETY NET SERVICES, a Certified Group Company, announced the appointment of JOHN R. NELSON as chief operating officer where he will lead and support Certified Group’s management of its various business holdings that address the food, food safety, nutraceuticals, and other industries.
PSSI, a food safety and contract sanitation provider, named SCOTT KING as the company’s new vice president of food safety. As VP of food safety, King will lead the company’s corporate programs and regulatory affairs as it pertains to food safety, drive the service standards of the technical support department and uphold the food safety standards for PSSI’s partners.
UK headquartered sustainable flexible packaging business, ECO FLEXIBLES, has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of LEE RALPH as commercial & supply chain manager.
PROFAND GROUP announced the promotion of DAVID LANCASTER from president to CEO of Stavis Seafoods. He served as president since January 2021, after previously acting as vice president of sales.
DMC BIOTECHNOLOGIES appointed ASHLEY JENKINS as chief financial officer. She joins DMC from Felix Energy where she has worked since 2013. Jenkins joins DMC’s Boulder, Colo. office.
SYNERLINK, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Systems company, appointed AURORE VANAPPELGHEM as its project director. In her new role, Vanappelghem leads Synerlink’s project management team and is responsible for evolving the company’s abilities to manage food-filling and -packaging equipment projects in a timely, cost-effective manner.
BW PACKAGING SYSTEMS, the packaging equipment arm of Barry-Wehmiller, appointed MICHELLE BRYSON to the role of global sustainable packaging leader. She will lead the development of a sustainability roadmap for BW Packaging Systems, and collaborate with team members and customers on the usage of responsible materials, recyclability, packaging design, waste, carbon footprint reduction and more.
New York-based mochi ice cream company MOCHIDOKI announced a leadership role shift: CLAUDIO LOCASCIO will become the company’s new CEO & president, and Founder KEN GORDON will step back from his role as CEO, remaining on as chairman.
CIMCORP, provider of material handling solutions, hired two seasoned sale executives to support its growth strategy in North America. ADAM GURGA, sales manager has 14 years of experience in supply chain, warehousing, and food & beverage. COLLIN RUSSELL, director of business development has expertise in material handling and micro-fulfillment for fresh food distribution.
BEN E. KEITH FOODS, the Fort Worth-based broad line foodservice distributor, has made several changes to its executive leadership team, including:
- BRIAN LYNCH, who joined the company in 2002, has been named executive vice president.
- ROBBIE FISH, who joined in 1984, has been named senior vice president, division management.
- CHRIS LEWIS, who joined in 1992, has been named senior vice president, corporate accounts.
- MONICA MARTIN, who joined in 2019, has been named vice president of human resources.
- MIKE NEEDHAM, who joined in 1991, has been named senior vice president, purchasing & logistics.
- DAVID WERNER, who joined in 1988, has been named senior vice president, independent sales and marketing.
PLANT POWER RESTAURANT GROUP, the parent company of Plant Power Fast Food, appointed STEVE FIGLIOLA as its new chief development officer.
WM. W. MEYER announced that former team member, WENDY HOULIHAN, has rejoined Meyer and serves as director of production. During her first tenure at Meyer (2011-2018), she cultivated strong relationships across the business and helped bring customer satisfaction & on-time delivery statistics to all-time highs.
LAMB WESTON HOLDINGS INC. announced that STEVEN J. YOUNES has joined the organization as chief human resources officer. Younes brings more than 30 years of experience in human resources and employment law to Lamb Weston.
MODERN PLANT-BASED FOODS INC. appointed AVTAR DHALIWAL as chief executive officer, replacing interim CEO, Joni Berg. Mrs. Berg will continue work with the company, focusing on KitsKitchen plant-based soups, the company she founded seven years ago.
UK-based PATRICK PARSONS, provider of multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy services has promoted former Chief Operating Officer NEIL HOBBS, to managing partner. He takes over leadership of the business from Gail Bamforth, who completed the successful implementation of a two and a half-year strategy to reshape the business for future sustainable growth.
MULTIVAC BULGARIA PRODUCTION EOOD named MIYRYAM SERVET MUSTAFA managing director of the company. She will now be directing the business of the Bulgarian production site in conjunction with Dr Christian Lau, executive vice president of manufacturing at MULTIVAC.
PLANET BASED FOODS GLOBAL INC. announced that former senior VP of sales of FIJI Water, JAMES HARRIS, has been appointed vice president of business development & operations.
EAT WELL INVESTMENT GROUP INC. announced that current President and Director, MARC ANEED has been appointed chief executive officer of Eat Well Group, replacing David Doherty who has retired.
KPI welcomed new personnel: DAVID GORDON – site supervisor, KEITH KRZYSZTON – director of customer service, JEFFREY GINGRICH – manager of project finance, and GERALD ALTIERI – director of LifeTime services, sales.
GELEST INC. named DR. JONATHAN GOFF president of Gelest. A 13-year veteran of Gelest, Goff most recently served as chief technology officer.
INDUSTRY NEWS
LINXIS GROUP, global supplier of ingredient automation, pre-dough systems, mixing and depositing technologies, together with its financial sponsor IK PARTNERS, announced the acquisition of SHAFFER industrial mixers and process equipment from BUNDY BAKING SOLUTIONS. The Bundy family will remain minority owners in the business.
MAY RIVER CAPITAL, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on lower middle market industrial growth companies, has acquired CABLEVEY CONVEYORS, a global manufacturer of tubular drag conveyor systems based in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
JAMISON DOOR COMPANY announced a merger with BMP EUROPE, S.R.L., a maker of high-speed industrial doors. Jamison Door Co., founded in 1906, with its five manufacturing plants, is a manufacturer of temperature controlled and specialty doors in North America. Located in northern Italy, BMP Europe, S.r.l. was founded in 1997 and is managed by CEO Danilo Benotto.
HOFFMANN, a global provider of packaging for infant food, nutritional and wellbeing products, has upgraded its manufacturing facility in the Netherlands to include a dedicated tins production line for baby milk powder products. Now installed and operating in a segregated room for food-grade compliance, the new line is currently servicing a major customer in the baby milk sector.
Global technology and industrial software company EMERSON was named the “Industrial IoT Company of the Year” by IOT BREAKTHROUGH—an honor awarded to the company four of the last five years. IoT Breakthrough, which received nearly 4,000 nominations for the 2022 competition, recognized Emerson’s technology and software innovation that is helping customers in essential industries realize safer, more efficient and sustainable operations.
BENLINK, a company owned by the Swiss technology group BÜHLER, announced its strategic partnership with ALFA LAVAL, a global supplier of heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling products and services. Alfa Laval gets access to BenLink’s digital crowd platform and network of over 4,000 local and qualified field technicians.
GREEN BAY PACKAGING INC. will begin construction of a new 600,000-sq.-ft. corrugator plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Construction on the site is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022, with startup scheduled for the second quarter of 2023.
Biological product supplier BOTANICAL SOLUTION INC. acquired $6.1 million in new funding from OTTER CAPITAL and other investors to accelerate the global launch of new Quillibrium botanical-based bio-fungicide for a broad variety of fruits and vegetables.
CECO ENVIRONMENTAL CORP. has agreed to acquire the industrial flow control company GRC. The acquisition will be integrated into the company’s Effox-Flextor-Mader (“EFM”) joint venture with Chartwell Investments Entrepreneur & Founder Capital LLC.
DONALDSON COMPANY INC., a worldwide provider of filtration products and solutions, acquired SOLARIS BIOTECHNOLOGY SRL. Solaris designs and manufactures bioprocessing equipment, including bioreactors, fermenters and tangential flow filtration systems for use in food and beverage, biotechnology and other life sciences markets.
HY-TEK HOLDINGS, a material handling automation integrator, has acquired ADVANCED HANDLING SYSTEMS LLC, a material handling automation integrator offering a full suite of services with a focus on robotic solutions. Together, the companies operate as Hy-Tek Material Handling LLC.
HY-TECH ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS and POWER TRANSMISSION GROUP announced the acquisition of JACKSON GEAR COMPANY.
REGAL CONFECTIONS announced the acquisition of KISKO PRODUCTS, a freeze pop manufacturer in Canada.
GREEN BOY GROUP announced that its subsidiary, GREEN BOY PRODUCTS, a brand that sells various non-GMO plant-based protein powders to consumers in the U.S., is partnering with BOOMERANG INC. Adham Aljahmi, owner of Bmrng Inc. (dba Boomerang Protein), was named the new head of Green Boy Products.
Acquisition of the TVI HOLDINGS by the MULTIVAC GROUP has been completed.
Active Health Foods Inc. signed a non-binding letter of intent to create a joint venture that also includes an option to acquire a controlling interest in The Hub Craft, a licensed and permitted Massachusetts cannabis business operator.
ALKAME HOLDINGS, INC. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, WEST COAST COPACKER INC., has closed on the acquisitions of two specialty food brands: MAURY ISLAND FARM and QUINN’S PEPPER JELLIES.
SEEPEX, a supplier of progressive cavity pump technology, entered into an agreement to supply clean technology company CARBONET with pumps for its water treatment solution, NanoNet Fe.
GEORGE WESTON LIMITED announced the closing of the previously announced sale of its WESTON FOODS ambient bakery business to affiliated entities of HEARTHSIDE FOOD SOLUTIONS.
AMYRIS INC. a synthetic biotechnology company, announced the completion of a previously announced joint venture agreement with MF 92 VENTURES LLC, a Minerva Foods subsidiary, to develop molecules for the sustainable production and distribution of animal protein.
DARLING INGREDIENTS INC. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the shares of VALLEY PROTEINS INC. for approximately $1.1 billion in cash. Valley Proteins operates 18 major rendering and used cooking oil facilities throughout the southern, southeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.
OTERRA, supplier of natural colors, acquired FOOD INGREDIENT SOLUTIONS. Founded in 1999, Food Ingredient Solutions is an American producer of colors and natural antioxidants, with a strong exposure to and growth from natural colors.
MILLIKEN & COMPANY, a global diversified manufacturer, has acquired ZEBRA-CHEM GMBH, a global chemicals company known for its peroxide and blowing agent masterbatches.
SPARTECH, a manufacturer of engineered thermoplastics and custom packaging solutions, has expanded its plastics conversion capabilities through the recent acquisition of CRAWFORD INDUSTRIES LLC.
BUREAU VERITAS, a supplier of testing, inspection and certification services, entered into an agreement with AVENA FOODS LIMITED to provide on-site laboratory testing services at Avena’s Purity Protocol facility located in Regina, SK, Canada.
SAVE FOODS, an Israeli Agri-Food Tech company, announced a distribution agreement with Israeli cannabis company BRLEV AGRICULTURAL CROPS LTD. to provide Save Foods’ eco-crop protection treatment as a white label offering to its global network.
TEKNI-PLEX has acquired assets and licensed technologies of FIBRO CORPORATION, a Tacoma, Wash.-based company that develops and manufactures innovative molded-fiber packaging.
COMAR, a supplier of custom and specialty packaging solutions, has acquired OMEGA PACKAGING, a manufacturer of injection and blow molded products serving the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, sports nutrition, and skin care markets.
The WATER COUNCIL has partnered with SCS GLOBAL SERVICES to help companies with corporate water stewardship outcomes and reporting. The new partnership will include development and rollout of programs to help companies move beyond traditional water management to credible and verified water stewardship that addresses enterprise-wide challenges and opportunities.
UNIVAR SOLUTIONS INC., a global chemical and ingredient distributor and provider of value-added services, opened Univar Solutions—a new food solution center—at The Hatchery Chicago, a non-profit food incubator.
