Gourmet News

Blue Diamond Growers Names Bockmann President, CEO

Published December 12, 2022

Kai Bockmann will join Blue Diamond Growers, the agricultural cooperative and global consumer packaged goods leader, as president and CEO on Jan. 17. The board selected Bockmann after working with executive search and leadership advisory firm, Egon Zehnder, to recruit and consider candidates from across the country. Bockmann will succeed Mark Jansen, who announced his plans to step down after a successful 12-year tenure as CEO.

“The search process went well, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome,” said board Chair Dan Cummings. “Kai has more than a quarter of a century of global experience growing CPG companies, and we believe he is the leader we need to keep building our business and brand domestically and internationally, while continuing to deliver superior returns to our grower-owners.”

Bockmann most recently served as president and COO at Saputo Inc. – one of the world’s largest dairy companies – where he led operations that included 67 plants and 18,000 employees across the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina and the United Kingdom. From 2017 to 2021, he and his team grew revenue from $11 billion to $14 billion. From 2012 to 2021, the international business he led grew from less than $500 million to more than $4 billion. Prior to Saputo Inc., Bockmann was at McCain – the world’s largest producer of frozen potatoes – where he served as president of the international division and accelerated international sales across 60 export markets, doubling revenues over four years.

“I’m excited by this phenomenal opportunity to join one of the most consistent and fastest-growing food and beverage companies in the world,” said Bockmann. “I look forward to learning from growers and team members and keeping our immediate focus on maintaining business continuity and growth momentum.”

“We’re grateful for Mark’s support during the search and his commitment to helping set Kai and the cooperative up for continued success,” said Cummings. “We’re building from 112 years of success, and we know the future is bright for Blue Diamond because no one knows how to get almonds from growers’ farms to families worldwide better than us.”

Cummings said Blue Diamond’s snack almond business has more than a 50 percent market share in the United States and that Blue Diamond’s Almond Breeze is the leading almondmilk brand in the United States, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil and South Africa. In 2021, the company’s net sales totaled $1.6 billion.

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Publix Donates $5M to Support Housing Programs in Southeast

Published December 12, 2022

Publix Super Markets Charities is donating $5 million to support more than 240 nonprofit housing programs throughout the Southeast, including 126 Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Since 2014, PSMC has donated more than $33 million to housing programs, strengthening our communities and giving hope by building homes and supporting programs such as emergency shelters and transitional housing for individuals in need.

“We’re committed to helping people in our communities build hope by putting roofs over their heads,” said PSMC executive director Kelly Williams-Puccio. “Our founder, George Jenkins, believed that a home gives individuals and families safety, independence and hope. With this donation, we’re honored to continue his legacy by helping people facing housing insecurity.”

“We’re thankful for Publix Super Markets Charities’ continued support of Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout the Southeast,” said CEO and executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Broward Nancy Robin. “While many in our communities continue to struggle with access to affordable housing, the generosity of Publix Charities enables us to help provide individuals and families with the resources needed to become homeowners.”

PSMC began supporting housing programs and Habitat for Humanity affiliates more than 30 years ago, with the first contribution going to Habitat for Humanity of East Polk County (Winter Haven, Fla.). To learn more about PSMC’s efforts, please visit publixcharities.org/hope.

George Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets and affectionately known as Mr. George, believed in giving. From the day he opened his first Publix, he made sure his associates, customers and community were taken care of. In 1966, Mr. George established the foundation with the vision it would continue giving long after he was gone. Publix Super Markets Charities remains committed to serving the communities in which Publix operates.

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Food + Water Launches American Pasta Company

Published December 12, 2022

Flour + Water in San Francisco has launched Flour + Water Foods, a modern American pasta company born out of the award-winning restaurant known for blending Italian tradition with Northern California influences. Flour + Water Foods offers four boxed dried pastas developed by co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow to bring the craftsmanship of Flour + Water’s cuisine to the home table.

Led by veteran consumer packaged goods executive Dan Nestojko, the newly created division of the company marks the restaurant’s first consumer retail product.

“Flour + Water Foods represents extensive research and development to nail the perfect dried pasta for the home, elevated to the very high standards of one of the most celebrated pasta destinations in the country,” Nestojko said. “We’re thrilled to be debuting our launch line at Whole Foods Market, a collaboration that will allow us to introduce Flour + Water Foods to our entire Northern California community.”

“We’re very excited to be working with Flour + Water for the launch of Flour + Water Foods in our Northern California stores,” said Patrick Wyman, local forager at Whole Foods Market. “Flour + Water Foods is emblematic of the delicious products we love to champion and I can’t wait for our customers to find them on our shelves.”

Launch offerings include Spaghetti, Elbow Macaroni, Penne, and Campanelle, all crafted with certified organic, North American Semolina grains and artisanal bronze dies for incredible texture. The same method employed at Flour + Water, the bronze-die extruding process creates noodles with textured, porous exteriors perfect for soaking up sauce. We believe the end result is a better at-home bowl that emulates the flavor and precision of the restaurant experience.

“Simplicity is difficult to perfect, but it’s something we’ve been obsessed with since day one at Flour + Water,” McNaughton said. “Flour + Water Foods brings our time-tested techniques into your kitchen, and we’re proud to be introducing this line to make it easier to get dinner on the table.”

Home cooks can find further inspiration from McNaughton and Pollnow through demos accessible via QR codes on each box, along with recipes and easy-to-follow tips at flourandwaterfoods.com. Through Flour + Water’s relationship with Zero Foodprint, 1 percent of proceeds is used to directly team up with farms and ranches to implement regenerative agriculture practices. A foundational part of Flour + Water’s commitment to a future where regenerative farming is the norm, through Flour + Water Foods, the team aspires to help alter how wheat is grown in America.

Find Flour + Water Foods dried pasta at select Whole Foods Market stores throughout Northern California with nationwide shipping available via flourandwaterfoods.com. Future products showcasing Italian culinary traditions and local ingredients are currently under development to expand the brand’s portfolio in the months to come.

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