Prior to his employment with Hormel Foods, Finnestad worked as the corporate chef for Michigan-based Cherry Republic, Inc.

Utz® Quality Foods, Inc. celebrates the attainment of its integration milestones related to its 2015 purchase of Condor Snack Company of Denver, CO and Keystone Pretzel Bakery of Lititz, PA.

AAK, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high value-adding specialty vegetable fats and oils, announced additional new hires to its AAK USA team. Anker Fog joins AAK as Business Development and Marketing Analyst, Jesse Alexander as Account Manager, and Jennifer Alli as Senior Account Manager.

Microbiological problems and undeclared allergens caused the major food recalls in 2015, continuing a pattern that has now persisted for well over two years, according to the latest food recall report by SAGE Food Safety Consultants.

The Board of Directors of the Specialty Food Association announced that it has named Phillip M. Kafarakis as President of the not-for-profit trade association.

TerraVia Holdings, Inc., a next generation food, nutrition and specialty ingredients company and pioneer in algae innovation, announced that Apu Mody, former President of Mars Food America, has been appointed CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, effective on or about August 22.

The facility is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2017

Cott Corporation announced its results for the second quarter ended July 2, 2016, and also announced that it has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement to acquire S&D Coffee, Inc. ("S&D"), a premium coffee roaster and provider of customized coffee, tea, and extract solutions to the foodservice, convenience, gas, hospitality and office segments in the United States. The purchase price is approximately $355 million, on a debt and cash free basis, and represents a high 6X post synergy adjusted EBITDA multiple.

In this role she will be responsible for developing and managing new and existing customer business relations.

The past two years in particular have seen much stronger market growth due to double-digit gains in the meat snack and trail mix categories in 2014.