PEOPLE NEWS
TRIANGLE PACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY is partnering with CAPPER-MCCALL COMPANY for representation in the Southeast U.S. territory. The team will directly support Jeff Schuch, Triangle Southeast regional sales manager. Capper-McCall is a manufacturer’s representative firm specializing in automation through packaging machinery. Since 1966, the company has served a variety of industries in the Southeastern U.S. with sales offices located in Ga., N.C., Tenn. and Fla.
FUTURE MEAT TECHNOLOGIES appointed NICOLE JOHNSON-HOFFMAN as chief executive officer. She brings more than 25 years of experience across the agriculture, food manufacturing, food service and meat production industries.
RFW CONSTRUCTION GROUP announced the addition of business and economic strategist FRANK TATE to its executive team. A seasoned business professional, Tate has 1.4 billion dollars’ worth of economic projects under his belt, with the proven ability to lead both community and economic development organizations.
BW INTEGRATED SYSTEMS, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Systems company, announced the appointment of KARL ODEGAARD to vice president of operations. Odegaard will direct leadership for the engineering, manufacturing and assembly teams across the company’s U.S. locations.
RITTAL NORTH AMERICA LLC, a global provider of system solutions for industrial and IT enclosures, appointed ANDREAS RUZIC as chief executive officer of Rittal USA. This position adds operational management responsibilities to his current role of executive vice president of Rittal North America. In his expanded role, he will lead an executive team responsible for the growth of the business as well as the company’s operations, manufacturing, sales and administrative functions.
MBOLD, a Minnesota-based coalition accelerating solutions to the most pressing challenges facing food and agriculture, announced that Managing Director JOANNE BERKENKAMP has been named to the PROTEIN HIGHWAY Board of Directors. Protein Highway is dedicated to enhancing cross-border collaboration in the plant protein industry among businesses and researchers across the Canadian Prairies and U.S.
STELLAR, a fully integrated firm focused on design, engineering, construction and mechanical services worldwide, promoted MIKE DAVIS to senior vice president in food and beverage. He most recently served as that division’s vice president of operations.
EVANESCE, a sustainable packaging technology company, appointed ANGELA RODENBURGH as its new global vice president of marketing and promoted DAVID CHAPLIN to director of operations for manufacturing, overseeing the company’s S.C. and Nev. facilities.
CRB, a global provider of engineering, construction, consulting and architecture solutions, appointed COURTNEY HOLT as general counsel. Holt succeeds JIM SCOTT, who will retire later this year after eight years as CRB’s in-house counsel and several years before that as outside counsel.
NATURE’S BAKERY has promoted STEVE GARDINER as its CEO. Previously, Gardiner was the company’s chief customer officer, and he brings more than 30 years of CPG industry experience to his new role.
MATERIAL TRANSFER & STORAGE promoted ASHLYN CLOMON to marketing coordinator/executive assistant. In this newly created role, Clomon will work alongside executive leadership teams to deliver marketing and communication strategies that drive business success.
GOOD FOODS, a producer of better-for-you dips, guacamoles and salad dressings, hired MATTHEW NEWMAN as senior vice president of sales.
FoodTech start-up CHICKP Ltd. named LIAT LACHISH LEVY as its new CEO. She brings more than 20 years of executive experience in global corporations, specializing in FMCG retail and food service.
CALBEE AMERICA, INC., creator of the better-for-you Harvest Snaps brand and popular Shrimp Chips found in Asian markets, has announced RYO TSUTSUMI as its new CEO. The change follows the company’s recent acquisition of Warnock Food Products.
IFF announced the appointment of FRANK CLYBURN, an accomplished leader and operational executive, to succeed Andreas Fibig as CEO and a member of the IFF Board of Directors. Clyburn joins IFF from Merck & Co., where he served as executive vice president and president of human health and had full P&L responsibility for nearly 90% of Merck’s $48 billion business.
LAIRD SUPERFOOD INC. appointed JASON VIETH as president, CEO and director. Most recently, he was executive vice president of Sovos Brands. Vieth replaces Paul Hodge, Jr., who has stepped down from the CEO role.
ARCADIA BIOSCIENCES INC., a producer and marketer of plant-based health and wellness products, appointed veteran consumer goods leader STAN JACOT as CEO.
IDAHOAN FOODS, LLC. appointed DALE CLEMISS as CEO. During his 30-year career, Clemiss shaped iconic brands and consumer-favorite foods, including Campbell’s Chunky soup, Swanson broth, Prego sauce, Birds Eye, and Marie Callender’s frozen meals. Most recently, he served as president - frozen and refrigerated for Conagra Brands.
KOEHLER PAPER reports that CHRISTOPH WACHTER took over as director of its Flexible Packaging Paper division. He succeeds Eckhard Kallies, who has had great success in positioning, developing and implementing a long-term strategy for this new business unit as part of a three-year mandate.
FLEXXRAY, supplier of X-ray inspection and recovery services for the food industry, has announced the addition of KURT WESTMORELAND as chief commercial officer.
KENDALL PACKAGING CORPORATION, a provider of flexible packaging solutions, named DAREN ROBERTS as plant manager at the company’s Pittsburg, Kan. facility.
The J.M. SMUCKER CO. appointed Jonathan E. Johnson III to its board of directors, increasing its board membership to 12.
WAGO CANADA’S Montréal North Territory welcomes its newest regional sales manager, JEREMY MARTEL, with 15 years in sales and a graduate of École des métiers du Sud-Ouest de Montréal with a degree in electro mechanics.
The USA and Canada Chapter of the ACADÉMIE CULINAIRE DE FRANCE awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to Chef GERARD BERTHOLON of Cuisine Solutions Inc. He was honored for his steadfast commitment to educating aspiring chefs about the culinary arts and the sous vide cooking method.
The KROGER CO. announced the retirement of MARK TUFFIN, senior vice president of retail divisions, after more than 26 years of distinguished service. Tuffin will be succeeded by KENNY KIMBALL, previously president of the Smith’s division.
BEDROCK AUTOMATION announced that automation industry luminary DR. PETER MARTIN has joined its advisory board. Martin, well-known throughout the industrial automation world for his pioneering applications of control theory to business profitability, will advise Bedrock in its advancement of Open Secure Automation.
CULT FOOD SCIENCE appointed LEJJY GAFOUR as president; Lejjy joins the company with 15 years of experience in both public and private enterprises—and is co-founder and former CEO of Future Fields.
VITAL FARMS announced the expansion of STEPHANIE COON’S role to senior vice president of people and strategy.
The NORTH AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE (Meat Institute, NAMI) and FMI—The Food Industry Association announced 10 winners for the 2022 Leaders of Tomorrow Program. The winners are: BRITT JOHNSON, Tyson Foods, Inc.; CAMILA PAEZ, Kayem Foods, Inc.; DEVIN KULLA, Strauss Brands, LLC; EDWARD MOORE, Sealed Air; ELIZABETH HILL, Cargill; GRIFFIN JOBE, Teys USA; KATIE SMITH, Seaboard Foods; MARK SAYLOR, Farmer Focus (Shenandoah Valley Organic); REBECCA SCHOLES, Clemens Food Group; and SARAH HAVALA, Cleveland Research Company.
BETTER BEARS FOODS INC. appointed MATTHEW MOORE as national director of sales.
The CONSUMER BRANDS ASSOCIATION promoted JOHN HEWITT to vice president of packaging sustainability.
DONALDSON COMPANY INC. appointed RICK OLSON and JACINTH SMILEY to its board of directors.
SURNA CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC, a provider of engineering services in controlled environment agriculture and a subsidiary of CEA Industries Inc., hired LEANDRU SCHIAU as product manager.
TOMRA made four senior level appointments: KAREL STRUBBE, head of global sales, was promoted from his previous post as sales director EMEA; VERA BOON, head of service, joins from her previous role as global services leader at Ingersoll Rand; KRIS DE SMET, head of product management, has director-level product management experience in electronic security and video surveillance; and VANESSA SIBENALER, head of people & organization, comes from ITW, where she was HR director of additives international.
SENTERA INC., a global provider of digital insights to agriculture products manufacturers and distributors—and enterprise food companies—announced that BRIAN WENNGATZ has been named chief executive officer.
INDUSTRY NEWS
ABOVE FOOD CORP., a vertically integrated plant-based food company, announced an agreement to acquire SONIC MILLING SYSTEMS LTD., a food-technology company focused on developing disruptive processing techniques to create plant-based ingredients and products more cost effectively, using fewer resources, while also increasing the bioavailability of nutrients.
KPM ANALYTICS INC. has acquired BRUINS INSTRUMENTS, a German-based manufacturer of high-resolution near-infrared (NIR) reflectance and transmission analyzers, focusing on food ingredients and food products.
OMRON AUTOMATION AMERICAS opened an advanced motion research and development center in Chatsworth, Calif., focused on developing high-performance machine control solutions.
INDUSTRIAL FLOW SOLUTIONS, a global pump manufacturer based in New Haven, Connecticut, has agreed to acquire the Italy-based pump supplier, DRENO POMPE. In addition, Industrial Flow Solutions has agreed to assume the global commercial and execution rights for its direct in-line pumping system—DIP Systeme—from SIDE INDUSTRIE based in Villemer, France.
BENESTAR BRANDS, a salty snacks company with operations across the US and Mexico, has acquired 4505 MEATS, a provider of premium pork rinds and other snacks.
AQUACYCL has signed an agreement with a global food and beverage company to install a sulfur-removing micro-aeration system at one of the processor’s sites. The system reduces risks related to hydrogen sulfide, decreases corrosion, minimizes odor and operates with no chemicals.
CULT FOOD SCIENCE CORP. has diversified its cell-based food portfolio via an investment in cultured chocolate manufacturer, CALIFORNIA CULTURED INC. out of Davis, Calif.
GORDON FOOD SERVICE has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MACGREGORS MEAT & SEAFOOD LTD, a Canadian supplier to foodservice, retail and private label customers.
TEKNI-PLEX has acquired the assets and licensed technologies of FIBRO CORPORATION, a Tacoma, Wash.-based company that develops and manufactures molded-fiber packaging. The transaction expands Tekni-Plex’s materials science solutions in the fresh food marketplace to include a broader range of sustainable, pulp-based packaging solutions.
KERRY has officially opened a new 21,500-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art facility at its Jeddah operation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
BEN E. KEITH FOODS announced its purchase of FLORIDA FOOD SERVICE INC. The acquisition includes all assets of Florida Food Service—including the 86,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in Gainesville, Fla.
To translate novel agricultural science into concrete applications and to identify the most promising agricultural technologies, NESTLÉ announced the creation of the Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences, which will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
WATERS CORPORATION has acquired the technology assets and intellectual property rights of MEGADALTON SOLUTIONS INC., an early-stage developer of charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) technology and services.
NESTLÉ HEALTH SCIENCE has agreed to purchase a majority stake in ORGAIN, a provider of plant-based nutrition, from founder DR. ANDREW ABRAHAM and BUTTERFLY EQUITY, who will continue to be minority share owners. Orgain complements Nestlé Health Science’s existing portfolio of nutrition products that support healthier lives.
XSYS has implemented a strategic investment program to enhance customer support in North America with the expansion of its rotec facilities in Asheville, N.C. The company offers sleeves and adapters produced on site for the packaging industry.
PLANTPLUS FOODS LLC., a joint venture (JV) between ADM and MARFRIG, announced its portfolio expansion in North America with the completed acquisition of SOL CUISINE LTD., following the recent announcement of the JV’s acquisition of DEW DRINK EAT WELL LLC.
KPOP FOODS, a Korean food startup that launched out of UCLA Anderson and debuted through Kickstarter in 2017, announced its acquisition by WOOLTARI USA, a retail and online grocer of premium Korean food products.
RITE-HITE’S global headquarters project continues to advance on schedule with the recent installation of 900 roof-mounted solar panels on the Tech Building. Expected to help offset the company’s energy costs for years to come, the solar panels will be one of several green building elements used in construction of the 9.5-acre campus in Walker’s Point, Wis.
MEECH INTERNATIONAL, a manufacturer of static control, web cleaning and compressed air technology, has announced the expansion of its UK headquarters in Oxfordshire, with a new 29,000 sq.-ft. production facility at Tungsten Park—a short distance from the main building.
CHOBANI announced an expansion of its Scholars Program, adding a pledge of $1 million and a focus on supporting historically underserved students who wish to pursue a broad set of agricultural interests. The program has helped dozens of university students pursue their ambitions in the dairy industry.
INNOVAFEED, a biotech insect producer for animal and plant nutrition, has signed a strategic partnership with food ingredient provider ADM to expand further into the sustainable pet food industry. This partnership builds on the firms’ leadership in global sustainable agriculture and brings the insect protein industry closer to mainstream adoption.
An affiliate of PEAK ROCK CAPITAL, a middle-market private investment firm, announced that it has completed an acquisition of ZIYAD BROTHERS in partnership with the company’s management team and the Ziyad family.
SOUTHFIELD CAPITAL, a private equity firm, announced that THE KELVIN GROUP has completed the acquisition of REFRIGERATION DESIGN & SERVICE, an industrial refrigeration services and design/build provider headquartered in Fairless Hills, Pa.
SANDERSON FARMS, INC. has been named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2022 by FORBES magazine. The 2022 list ranks the top 1,000 employers in the U.S. across 25 different industry sectors in two categories, large employers and mid-size employers.
ULTIMATION INDUSTRIES was named an honoree in the 2021 BEST OF MICHBUSINESS AWARDS, an achievement that recognizes the company’s business leadership and its transformation into a global, e-commerce provider of conveyor technology and automation.
