Amy’s Kitchen, maker of organic and plant-based foods, has hired Ritu Mathur as the company’s new Vice President of Marketing. In this role, Ritu will be critical in developing an integrated customer- and consumer-centric marketing division to help Amy’s continue to grow its brand.  

On our latest Cold Corner Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa sits down with Peter Bartzis and Liz Vanderhoef from Devanco Foods—which placed first in our 2021 Best New Frozen Retail Products Contest—to discuss the company’s winning No-MSG Chicken Gyros Kits, as well as their overall retail sales growth (150% year-over-year), sustainability goals, new product launches, family focused company culture, and distribution strategies for e-commerce and foodservice, which is rapidly ramping up as pandemic restrictions are lifted.

T. Marzetti is expanding its Horse Cave, Kentucky, processing facility by an extra 184,500 square feet after a recent groundbreaking ceremony. The facility manufactures salad dressings, sauces and other foods for retail and foodservice markets. The expansion will provide additional manufacturing space and include new equipment to increase dressing and sauce production, new processing kitchens, and several packaging lines to meet growing customer demand. The expansion is expected to be complete in the summer of 2022 and will create over 200 jobs for the region.

B&G Foods has appointed Kenneth C. “Casey” Keller as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 14, 2021. Mr. Keller will succeed B&G Foods’ Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, David L. Wenner, who will remain a director of the company and will work closely with Mr. Keller to ensure a seamless transition. Mr. Keller will also be elected to B&G Foods’ Board of Directors.

Hormel Foods announced the appointment of Jacinth Smiley as group vice president of corporate strategy. Smiley will report to Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods.

Schwan’s Company CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios announced today the promotion of Julie Francis to the newly created position of chief operating officer and the addition of Brian Schiegg as president of Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc.

Glen Tellock, president and chief executive officer of Lakeside Foods, has announced his intention to retire later this year. Succeeding him will be Joe Yanda, current chief operating officer.

The J.M. Smucker Co. unveiled a new logo and updated corporate identity to better reflect the company’s diverse portfolio, category expertise and multi-generational appeal.

Amy’s Kitchen President Xavier Unkovic has been appointed to company Chief Executive Officer. Xavier has been leading Amy’s day-to-day for the past three years under the leadership of company founder Andy Berliner. Over the course of his time at Amy’s, Xavier has been responsible for laying the groundwork to achieve the Berliner Family’s Vision of building a thriving, collaborative, efficient, engaged and sustainable organization.

Tyson Foods is committing $13 million to support critical needs in local communities where the company operates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced today. This investment includes $2 million in community grants and more than $11 million worth of products donated by the company since March 11.