B Lab Certifies Saffron Road Foods as B Corp Company
B Lab has certified Saffron Road Foods as a B Corp company. Founder and CEO Adnan Durrani announced the news on his LinkedIn page.“We have an exciting news blast to break in the new year: WE’RE OFFICIALLY B CORP™ CERTIFIED by B Lab!” he wrote. “Having devoted my career for 30 years to socially conscious, mission-based enterprises, Saffron Road Foods being awarded this publicly recognized seal and certification was quite uplifting for me personally and our entire team professionally.
“Indeed, after over a year of grueling third-party audits of our employment & company practices, our Better For You and clean label foods, our mission of ethical consumerism & sustainable agricultural practices, and our good works & community service, our AWESOME team delivered on our promise of a Journey To Better,” Durrani wrote.
“At Saffron Road, our genetic code has always been mission-driven, on a compassionate and inclusive Journey to Better: better for livestock, better for farmers, better for your health, better for our communities, and better for humanity. B Corps are for-profit companies codified as ‘Public Benefit Corporations,’ so this becomes embedded in our corporate DNA as businesses globally that are committed to the triple bottom line. Saffron Road’s purpose is beyond just one-dimensional profits, meeting the highest levels of standards for social & environmental performance, accountability in terms of profit & purpose, as well as transparency regarding all things such as sourcing, ingredients, and labor.
“It means so much to us at Saffron Road because it recognizes our long-time commitment as a Socially Responsible brand. We now join the ranks of peer B Corp mission-driven brands like Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Patagonia, EILEEN FISHER, INC., TOMS, Clif Bar & Company, Stonyfield, Danone North America, Ben & Jerry’s, Once Upon a Farm, Seventh Generation, Thrive Market, as well as media giant Bloomberg. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, lower environmental impact, sustainable agriculture, stronger communities, and the creation of more high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose.”
Saffron Road is a leading brand in the natural and organic food industry, offering a wide range of products from frozen entrées and shelf-stable meals to simmer sauces and plant-based protein snacks. All Saffron Road Products are Halal-certified by IFANCA and are available in more than 25,000 retail locations in the United States.
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Impossible Foods Hires Jagla as Chief Demand Officer
California-based Impossible Foods has hired top consumer goods industry leader Sherene Jagla as its first chief demand officer. Jagla will join the food and climate company to bring its sales, marketing, insights and product development teams into one integrated function under her leadership as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Jagla’s appointment follows a year of record sales for Impossible Foods. The company continues to be the fastest growing plant-based meat brand in U.S. retail stores, where it experienced more than 50 percent dollar sales growth in 2022. In the food service sector, its flagship Impossible Beef product has been the best-selling product by volume of any plant-based meat brand in the United States.
Named one of the Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, Jagla joins Impossible with more than 25 years of sales, marketing, and general management experience at Fortune 500 companies across the CPG and food and beverage industries. Most recently, Jagla served as the senior vice president and general manager at Newell Brands, where she was responsible for a $2 billion business across 50 brands in 18 categories. There, she set the strategic direction for the brand’s top customer partnership and created a framework for collaborative growth that combined seven independent operating companies into one scaled organization.
“Our next phase of growth requires tight integration across teams and disciplines, and Sherene knows how to do that and build organizations that scale,” said Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods. “She’s transformed complex organizations into high-performing businesses, and she has a deep understanding of the food and CPG space. I’ve no doubt her leadership will help transform Impossible into a household name.”
Jagla led sales at Kellogg’s with the world’s largest retailer, where she drove brand innovation in the United States and internationally. Jagla first joined the food company in 2019 to oversee sales of its Kashi cereal brand, expanding the brand’s capabilities to deliver both category and market share growth.
Jagla previously held senior leadership positions at personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, where she led the commercial sales strategy across brands; retail strategy and execution firm Crossmark, where she built creative solutions for major CPG companies; and beverage company MillerCoors, where she developed breakthrough sales and marketing solutions for their largest brands and customers.
“One of the reasons I was drawn to Impossible is the company’s focus on leading the category and commitment to creating delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food,” Jagla said. “Impossible has created a compelling brand with a strong product portfolio that’s primed for growth. I look forward to working closely with Peter and the Impossible team to build on this foundation.”
Jagla serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association in Northwest Arkansas and as a guest lecturer at the University of Arkansas Business School.
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Pine River Offers Anniversary Cheese Spread at Winter Fancy Food
Pine River Cheese Spread will debut a limited edition anniversary cheese spread, 60-Month Cheddar, at the Winter Fancy Food Show held Jan. 15-17 in Las Vegas. The cheese spread was created in honor of the company’s 60th anniversary, which it celebrates in 2023.
“The 5-year-old Wisconsin Cheddar gives this spread an extra creamy texture that has a rich cheddar flavor with a slightly tangy bite,” said Phil Lindemann, Pine River CEO. “The art of cheese spread making comes in the aging and blending process. We know which ages of cheese to combine to get the best flavor and we’ve been following the same recipe since my father started the company 60 years ago. ”
The highly decorated cheese spread company will be exhibiting in the Wisconsin Cheese Booth, #817. In addition to the 60-Month Cheddar, Pine River will be sampling many of its 21 Cold Pack flavors, as well as offerings from its Clean Label and Shelf-Stable cheese spread lines.
Founded on more than five generations of experience in the dairy industry, Pine River Cheese Spread produces three styles of award-winning Wisconsin Cheese Spread—Cold Pack Cheese Spread, Clean Label Cold Pack Cheese Spread, and Shelf-Stable Gourmet Snack Spread. We also offer Private Label, Food Service, and Fundraising services. The cheese spreads are crafted one batch at a time in a state-of-the-art facility in Newton, Wis.
Coming soon: Our Spring Cheese Guide! Subscribe to Gourmet News so you don’t miss it.