NASHVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF), the leading U.S. producer of shelf-stable plant-based products and marketer of brands such as Loma Linda® and its seafood alterative Tuno™, announced today four new executive and management team hires as the company experiences unprecedented growth and doubles down on its European market expansion.
“ANF owners and leadership remain committed to bringing together industries’ top operational leaders to create and support the company as we continue our rapid expansion,” said Atlantic Natural Foods founder and chairman J. Douglas Hines. “As we approach $30 million in revenue and march toward $50 million+ in the near future, we must build a team of the most qualified professionals who not only want to change the world but also know how.”
Effective immediately, William Soto will serve as Vice President of General Manager Factory Operations. Soto joins the company from Chicken of the Sea, where he oversaw the largest tuna operation in the U.S. Soto had previously worked with the principals of the company’s majority share owner All About Healthy Foods Holdings, LLC on other projects in Trinidad, Fiji, Thailand, and Puerto Rico.
Former Bumble Bee Seafoods executive Gabe Montesano will serve as Vice President Finance. Before serving in various finance roles at Bumble Bee, Montesano worked at global consulting firm Protiviti, where he crafted fiduciary reporting and management policies and procedures for corporations seeking Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance. Montesano previously served on the global audit team of PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 15 years of experience in Consumer Package Goods (CPG) methodology and execution.
Michael Duggan has been tapped as Vice President of Technical Services and will oversee global quality and compliance in support of the Atlantic footprint. Duggan is a SQF Food Safety Management practitioner and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifier with more than 25 years of experience.
Finally, the company welcomes Amanda Lopez as E-commerce Sales and Marketing Manager. Lopez brings a diverse background including wireless communications operation management, product sales and marketing management. She also has wide experience in managing affiliate sales, search engine optimization (SEO), website management, coordination of third-party e-commerce sales and fulfillment, marketing and logistics projects, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation and sales.
The creation and wide acceptance of the company’s Loma Linda® Tuno™ and meal solutions in 2018/2019 exceeded market expectations with distribution now in 10,000 stores across North America, the U.K. and Australia, as well as 17 other countries.
This demand creates the company’s need to expand its infrastructure, which includes the addition of a new ERP platform (slated for a July 2019 launch) and a new supply chain matrix provider that can reach new marketplaces. The final stage of the Nashville, North Carolina, factory consolidation will be completed by May, which includes new operational equipment. The company also has created a Joint Venture under a Memorandum of Understanding in Thailand to support and service the global market.
“With new products and sizes in the pipeline for late 2019 and 2020, our goal remains the same – create products that are healthy, affordable, portable, and taste great while doing right by the human body and our planet,” Hines said. “I’m confident that this team has the experience and passion that will help us meet and exceed that goal.”
About Atlantic Natural Foods
Headquartered in Nashville, NC, Atlantic Natural Foods is the leading shelf-stable manufacturer and provider of Loma Linda®, Neat® and Kaffree Roma™ brand products. Its mission is to provide affordable, sustainable and healthy sources of plant-based protein food for all lifestyles and people to live healthier, longer lives. The company operates its own manufacturing facility in North Carolina, as well as a joint venture project in Thailand. The brands are sold throughout the U.S. and in 17 countries, including U.K. and Australia. To learn more about Atlantic Natural Foods visit www.atlanticnaturalfoods.com.
