Stonewall Kitchen has appointed former Ocean Spray executive Rick Lees as finance chief of the US-based food business.
The sauces to condiments and crackers producer has also promoted Dean Frost to chief operating officer and Natalie King to head of sales and marketing.
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Based in the state of Maine, Stonewall Kitchen is majority owned by private-equity firm Audax and has been active in the past few years on the M&A front. Last summer, it acquired local condiments business Vermont Village, building on the purchase the previous year of the Napa Valley Naturals’ brand through a deal for parent company Spruce Naturals.
It also owns the Tillen Farms brand of pickled vegetables and cocktail cherries, the Montebello brand of artisan organic Italian pasta, and sauces and condiments manufacturer Legal Sea Foods.
Incoming CFO Lees most recently held the same position at Ocean Spray and has also previously worked in executive roles at Pillsbury, Dannon and Gillette.
Stonewall’s chief executive John Stiker said: “With four acquisitions in the last two years, Stonewall Kitchen has seen tremendous growth. It is important to us that as our business grows, our organisation scales alongside it to ensure we have the infrastructure, resources and leadership in place for continued growth and future success. Bringing Rick on to head up our finance department will strengthen us as a company, as will the promotions of Natalie and Dean.”
