Ferraro Foods Acquires GDS Foods Inc.
Ferraro Foods, one of the country’s largest specialty distributors of food and foodservice supplies to pizzerias and Italian restaurants, has acquired New Jersey-based GDS Foods Inc., an importer and distributor of Italian food products to pizzerias throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Ferraro’s partnership with the Sussex, N.J., based business, with nearly $50 million in annual sales revenue, expands Ferraro’s growing network of distribution hubs in a crucial market for pizzerias, adds hundreds of customers to its roster and helps broaden Ferraro’s industry leading offering of specialty imported Italian food products.
“We are excited to partner with GDS, a terrific family-run business with strong roots in the area going back 35 years. We love the business, we love the people, and they have a loyal customer base that aligns perfectly with Ferraro’s. Just as important, GDS is pizza to the core, so they are a perfect fit for the Ferraro culture,” said Dan Hill, CEO, Ferraro Foods.
The GDS partnership is the latest in a robust acquisition pipeline under development by Ferraro, aimed at increasing its market share in critical Northeast pizza markets – home of the country’s largest concentration of independent pizzerias. The news comes on the heels of Ferraro’s announcement of its addition of a 230,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Long Island.
“Ferraro Foods is pizza,” Hill added. “That message is reverberating throughout the industry as we continue to increase our customer base as the premier provider in the specialty Italian foods space.”
Headquartered in New Jersey since its founding as a family business nearly 50 years ago, Ferraro Foods is America’s leading distributor of specialty Italian foods and foodservice supplies to pizzerias and Italian restaurants. With a concentration in the critical pizza markets of the Northeast and customers spanning 26 states serviced by distribution divisions in Upstate New York, Long Island, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida and Indiana, Ferraro Foods boasts annual sales revenue of nearly $1.3 billion. Working every day to earn and build trusted relationships by delivering an unrivaled menu of authentic, top-quality offerings, unmatched specialized category expertise and consistently exceptional value and service, Ferraro Foods is pizza.
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Impossible Foods Adds Veteran Execs to Team
Impossible Foods has added two seasoned executives to its leadership team to oversee several critical business functions.
Veteran industrial biotechnology leader Sunil Chandran is joining Impossible Foods as its chief science officer to oversee the company’s R&D and innovation departments, with a focus on improving Impossible’s existing products and introducing new innovations to its product portfolio. Chandran joins Impossible from Amyris Inc., where he spent more than 17 years bringing new fermentation-derived ingredients to market, most recently as its chief science officer and head of R&D.
Accomplished supply chain leader Rob Haas is joining Impossible Foods as its chief supply chain officer, where he’ll oversee all parts of Impossible’s supply chain, from ingredient sourcing to dynamic forecasting. A 30+ year industry veteran with experience in the United States, APAC and Western Europe, Haas brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience from Anheuser Busch InBev, where he served as the global VP of ingredients, supply chain as well as the CEO and president of Metal Container Corporation, an AB InBev subsidiary. Most recently, Haas was the chief supply officer at EverGrain Ingredients, a sustainable ingredient company created and backed by AB InBev to upcycle its barley grains into high quality, nutritious ingredients and plant proteins.
“Sunil and Rob are exceptional leaders who know how to run critical business functions at scale,” said Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods. “In addition to the depth and breadth of their expertise, they’re also both genuinely motivated by our mission and want to help us succeed in service of that. I’m excited to usher in this next phase of growth under their leadership.”
The hires follow several key executive appointments for Impossible Foods in the past six months as it continues to invest in its leadership team and growth strategy. In January, the company welcomed its first chief demand officer, Sherene Jagla, as well as its first chief marketing and creative officer, Leslie Sims. Earlier this month, Sims launched a major summer marketing effort with the introduction of two new national ad campaigns designed to welcome consumers into the plant-based category and introduce them to Impossible products.
Impossible Foods is on a mission to positively impact people and the planet by making delicious, nutritious meat from plants with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat from animals. The privately-held food company was founded in 2011 to combat climate change by taking a scientific approach to making the world’s best meat — from plants. Every nugget, burger, and patty we sell uses less land and water and generates less greenhouse gas emissions compared to the animal version. We make plant-based chicken, beef, and pork products for every meal — breakfast, lunch and dinner — with a goal of replicating the flavors, textures, and cooking characteristics that meat eaters crave.
Impossible Foods products are designed in California, produced in California and the Midwest, and are available in the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
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Heinz Launches Saucemerica Collection of Packets
Heinz has launched The United States of Saucemerica Collection: a limited-edition line-up of 50 United States-inspired condiment packet designs. Saucemerica packets are available in seven condiment varieties, and each packet’s design corresponds to one of the 50 states and its most notable dish – hello, Idaho French Fries and Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds!
Rolling out nationwide through the end of August, Heinz is encouraging fans to collect as many different states’ packets as possible and upload them to www.saucemerica.com for a chance to win $500,000 worth of exciting prizes, including a grand prize of $100,000.
“From art to coins, stamps, and more, collecting culture has become a popular practice with devoted fanbases,” says Devaang Sibal, brand manager, Heinz Away from Home. “But perhaps the most unexpected collectible is the Heinz packet. An iconic on-the-go staple, Heinz fans everywhere collect packets in their homes, bags and cars, to ensure they are always on hand in case of a condiment conundrum. With the Saucemerica Collection, we are excited to pay homage to this fan behavior with the unique, hometown pride-evoking designs and multiple chances for fans to win prizes.”
Each Saucemerica packet features either Heinz Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Real Mayonnaise, Ranch, BBQ Sauce, Tartar Sauce, or Simply Ketchup and the packet designs draw inspiration from the most beloved dishes from each of the 50 states. From a Maryland Crab Cake-inspired Tartar Sauce packet to Texas Brisket BBQ Sauce, Heinz carefully paired each state with the condiment variety that best enhances the dish spotlighted.
Through the end of August, fans can collect the Saucemerica packets at restaurants, drive-thrus, theme parks, movie theaters, stadiums, and more across the country. To ensure consumers can collect as many unique packs as possible all summer long, every participating operator will receive a mix of states throughout June, July and August, depending on which of the seven condiment varieties they feature on their menu.
The SaucemericaCollection supports Heinz’s first global creative platform, “It Has to be Heinz,” which pays homage to its fans by celebrating the irrational love people have for Heinz – from real fans’ personal love affairs with the brand, to the love and care its products are made with. Inspired by real fan stories, including those who always keep condiment packets on hand for “sauce-mergencies,” the brand lives its new purpose with the Saucemerica Collection, uplifting and celebrating this beloved behavior.
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